Member of the Month: Rachel Klein
The Member of the Month feature periodically highlights our amazing membership and the things they’re doing. May’s Member of the Month is Uyen-Phuong “Rachel” Klein, doctoral fellow at the ASEAN Center for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue.
What kind of work do you do?
In addition to the fellowship, I’m pursuing my PhD in sustainable leadership at the College of Management, Mahidol University in Thailand. Starting my career as a teacher, I was inspired and determined to become an educator and researcher in educational and corporate organizations. My research consists of three related foci. The first is to develop sustainable and learning organizations through leadership development. This led me to the second topic: the learning nature and effects of computer simulations as teaching and training tools. Those inspire me to use simulation-based learning to understand and develop leadership and resilience mindsets and skill sets among students and employees. Since 2019, I have also worked as a research and development consultant for a few companies, collaborating closely with them to drive learning frameworks, progress, and assessments of impacts in their projects and initiatives. Through my experiences in both academia and industry, I have developed a wide range of skills and an understanding of how to connect theoretical concepts with real-world applications. My work is dedicated to making humble contributions to both academic research and practical development, with a focus on creating meaningful change for sustainable development among individuals and organizations.
Why are you a NASAGA member?
In 2020, my advisor, Prof. Philip Hallinger, and I published a bibliometric review on the development and contribution of the Simulation & Gaming journal to the literature from 1970 until 2019. In this process, I recognized the distinctive characteristics as well as the influence of NASAGA on enhancing and refining research and especially practice in educational simulation and gaming. Now that I've settled down in Texas, I made it a point to participate in the NASAGA conference. I submitted the proposal to the conference in 2023, and then I was awarded the scholarship by the board to present at NASAGA 2023 in Missouri.
What’s your favorite NASAGA memory?
Participating in the 2023 conference last year was very enlightening, primarily because of the exceptional sense of supportiveness exhibited by the NASAGA’s members and attendees. Right from the beginning, I could see the difference in the atmosphere of inclusivity and friendship, where I felt truly encouraged and connected to others. This seems to be rare at many conferences out there. Throughout the various sessions, there was a noticeable atmosphere of collaboration and support among participants. We willingly spent time discussing and debriefing perspectives as well as enthusiastically acknowledging one another's accomplishments. This quality not only enriched our overall conference experience but also emphasized the significant role of authentic networking in advancing knowledge and building meaningful relationships after the conference.
NASAGA’s theme for the 2024 Conference is “Fair Play.” What does “Fair Play” look like in your professional practice, and what do you do to promote it?
Within the domain of simulations and serious games, the concept of "fair play" entails the specific design and implementation of mechanics, rules, and interactions to foster a sense of fairness, equity, and ethical experience. I agree that ensuring fair play is critical for upholding the integrity of the experience and achieving desired outcomes, especially in my field, where simulation-based learning is used in educational and training contexts to make positive leadership impacts. For example, in my present work developed for Vietnamese employees with Prof. Hallinger and Prof. Parinya Showanasai, I have a hypothesis that every player has an equal chance to succeed in simulation-based learning, regardless of their skill levels, resources, or prior knowledge, as long as they are "resilient." Meanwhile, with other instructional approaches, learning outcomes might depend a lot on learners’ ability and knowledge before simulation-based interventions. Therefore I think to ensure fairness for all players, everyone has access to the necessary tools, in-simulation information, and resources to achieve their learning goals.
