This paper describes a simulation exercise that allows business students from two tertiary institutions, namely The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) to learn a particular domain of E-Commerce – online auction. Results of student evaluation of the online auction game were analyzed within the same group and across groups. The results indicated that students from two tertiary institutions like to learn the on-line auction using simulation approach, which is one of the active learning strategies that have been used in the two institutions. We have found that business student teachers from HKIEd, who are better equipped with pedagogical knowledge and skills, tended to rate the online action game (OAG) higher than their PolyU fellows in a number of areas. The favorable comments from the pre-service teachers are informative and conclusive. In this case, simulation approach in teaching and learning online auction has proved itself to be effective. It is believed that active learning strategies such as simulation game should be adopted to maximize learning effects in various E-Commerce domains.

Research literature has long indicated that action research may stimulate practitioners themselves to actively evaluate the quality of their practice. This study is designed to report the use of action research for the development of early years professional practice by analyzing the pre-project and the post-project video-filmed teaching events. The finding was that action research might support knowledge development in the teacher profession. However, the teacher's ability to accommodate outside knowledge might be limited by one's inside knowledge. The study helps to clarify the assumptions and potentials of action research for teachers learning to teach.
[Copyright of Educational Action Research is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09650790802011908]