Frequently Asked Questions

  •  What does it cost to use the game?

    • $5 per student. Instructors are responsible for collecting funds from either their students or host institution. The funds are used by OSU to fund online maintenance and support.

  • What kind of support is provided?

    • The instruction guides are intended to be self-explanatory. Short video- clips are planned to demonstrate components and will be added to the site as they are developed. If demand exists, a webinar will be scheduled for potential instructors. In addition, the game could be played virtually with potential instructors. Contact Notie Lansford, Damona Doye or Josh Detre if interested in further instruction or an opportunity to play the game.

  • How long does it take to play?

    • The game is typically played in four sessions in 5-7 hours. In a college course setting, the game is typically played in segments over a 2 week period. In the Oklahoma Bankers Association Intermediate School of Banking, the game is played in 5 sessions over 5 days with an average of about 1 hour per day of instruction and decision-making time (sessions are longer during the first two days as students become familiar with the game and in the final session where results are reviewed and explained).

  • How long does it take the instructor to set up the game?

    • Depending on the size of the class, the instructor will have 1-2 hours of set-up time for assigning students to teams, etc. 

  • How many teams can play? Counties?

    • In the game, three teams are assigned to each county. There is no limit to the number of counties that can be developed.

  • How many participants can/should be on a team?

    • Each team must have at least one person, the bank manager. However, we typically assign three participants per team. This small team size encourages group interaction and decision-making without allowing participants who aren’t involved to go unnoticed.

  • How to pay?

  • Can you pay well in advance?

    • Yes, some prefer to pay before or at the beginning of a semester. Once paid, the instructor receives the game code and can use it weeks or months later.

  •  What are the steps an instructor needs to take to set up, pay, and play the bank simulation management game? Here is a summary. See the “Get Started” tab for more detail.

      1. Get familiar by using the resources on the agbanksim.org website.

      2. Create a new account (free) or sign-in if you already have an account.

      3. Create a new game.

      4. Pay for the game.

      5. Get students to create an account and join the game using the game code provided upon payment.

      6. At “My Games and Account” assign students to banks within the game you created.

      7. On the “Simulation” tab, “Generate Initial Financial Statements,” then “Begin Game”

      8. Students make/enter their period #1 decisions.

      9. Instructor runs the simulation, reviews the results then either (a) releases the results or (b) “rolls back” (reverses) the simulation, makes appropriate changes, and reruns the simulation before releasing the results.

      10. Instructor provides feedback and input to students.

      11. Students enter period #2 decisions.

      12. Instructor runs the simulation, reviews the results then …

      13. Instructor provides feedback and input to students.

      14. Repeat steps 11-13 for periods #3 and #4.

      15. Recognize various award winners and evaluate performance.

  • Is it possible to play a "trial game"?

    • Yes, you may play a free trial game. Create a game, then contact agbanksim@okstate.edu to receive a game code. You may play a full game with a single county containing three banks and one person (bank manager) per bank. So, the trial game essentially has an instructor and three students. If desired, the instructor can play all the roles in the trial game.

  • Is it possible to play a game with multiple instructors?

    • No, at least not with multiple instructor accounts. We have played the game with three or four instructors by creating an instructor account with an email address that all instructors can access. Basically, one instructor sets up an account then shares the password and email address with other instructors.

  • When are interest earnings recognized?

    • Both interest on loans and interest on investments are recognized and reported each period.