Abstract

As part of the active learning approach, simulation exercises are the most widely applied and validated for professional military education. Recreating as realistic an environment as possible in a simulation allows students to experience situations that are difficult to deal with and to experience first-hand the challenges present in the decision-making process. This is where ArcGIS has become an increasingly popular tool, however, it is generally used to train the military in realistic environments. The limitation of this tool in creating completely fictitious scenarios for teaching is due to its dependence on and compatibility with real geospatial data. To achieve fictitious environments, recommended for crisis exercises in a diplomatic environment such as the one prevailing at the Inter-American Defense College (IADC), time and resources need to be invested to innovate in the use and customization of the platform. This article demonstrates the advantages of the application of ArcGIS for the creation of fictitious scenarios in the education of senior officers in an international context.

Keywords:
ArcGIS; fictitious scenarios; higher education; defense; Inter-American Defense College