engagement.
teamwork
​
Most of the simulations advancements are teamwork oriented. As a result of heavy student investment in their countries, we have found that stronger students find themselves naturally helping other to learn to their level.
​
Cooperative Country Advancements:
-
Technology upgrades require all team members to get a perfect mark on a specific quiz to advance. We initially worried that a weak team member would be reviled for holding the team back.
-
By allowing cooperation on the quizzes we find that all members become invested and they advance (or fail) together.​
examples of simulation engagement
Engagement and Communication Using Modern Technology
This video was taken during the war simulation which occurs towards the end of the year. By this stage students were all well acquainted with the simulation and, once war broke out, all-consuming strategising kicked in.
​
Of particular note is the use of technology - everything from use of trade and public agreements using the online forum to text and voice messages in order for teams to communicate publicly and more discreetly. That and a shameless plug for the classroom fish tank...
Teams Planning Outside of Class
Students regularly give up their preferred activities during their break times to come to class and do work for their country on the simulation. One student was correcting me on something I had forgotten to enter and I asked him how he had been able to keep track. He told me,
​
"I have the whole thing memorised. I know what every country does. I look at it every day."
In the class prior to this video it was apparent that many teams had let one get away with too much and had, in the words of Mr Quemby, "...created a monster." This video was taken after class.
Battle
In this video we demonstrated an actual battle in a province. The dice, as well as encouraging hands-on action, certainly adds that element of the random that is required to "level the playing field".