Teaching Integer Programming Starting From an Energy Supply Game

INFORMS Transactions on Education

Johan Eyckmans²  Jan Colpaert²  Liesje De Boeck³  Jeroen Beliën³  Wouter Leirens³ 

[1] and Associated Staff Center for Economic Studies, Faculty of Business and Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium;and Associated Staff Center for Operations Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium;Center for Informatics, Modeling and Simulation, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium;Center for Research on Economic Markets and their Environments, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium;Colruyt Group Services, Wilgenveld, B-1500 Halle, Belgium

关键词: game;    energy supply;    spreadsheet modeling;    integer programming;   

DOI  :  10.1287/ited.2013.0105

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: INFORMS

【 摘 要 】

This paper presents an integer programming (IP) model for solving an online energy supply game. Instead of a traditional approach in which students are given a problem statement and asked to develop an IP model, both the problem and data are hidden in the game. The energy supply game can be used to illustrate many mathematical programming concepts including blending constraints, multiobjective programming, and the branch-and-bound method. In addition to developing IP modeling skills, students become familiar with the properties of several energy supply systems. The results of two experiments and the related evaluation questionnaires indicate that the game component motivates students more to build IP models as compared to classic approaches.

【 授权许可】

CC BY