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August 14, 2013
Recently in POL 208Y1Y – Introduction to International Relations the online simulation game ‘Statecraft Sim’ was used as a teaching aid. It is through this experience that teaching assistant Gustavo Carvalho was able to assess and examine the effects this online game had on his students’ learning experience.
Gustavo then wrote an article about the experience titled “Virtual Worlds Can Be Dangerous: Using Ready-Made Computer Simulations for Teaching International Relations” which is going to be published in the Journal of International Studies Perspective. As abstract can be found below:
“Video games have become a hot topic in education. To their proponents, they enhance the interactive and active aspects of learning. In addition, mass-produced off-the-shelf video games promise a cheaper and more convenient approach to education, being quick and easy to set up, in contrast to the extensive time commitment that goes into designing a simulation from scratch. My paper uses our experience with Statecraft, a commercial off-the-shelf IR computer simulation tailored to the educational market, as a proxy to discuss the educational usefulness of commercial strategy video games in general. Our experience recommends that we be cautious and reflective in the use of ready-made games for teaching. More to the point, it is still not clear which benefits, apart from convenience, commercial computer simulations bring to our classes that cannot also be provided by old-fashioned, low-tech customized simulations, whether designed by instructors or in collaboration with students.”
If you would like more information and access to Gustavo’s paper please click on the following link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/insp.12053/abstract
If you would like to learn more about the Statecraft online simulation game you can view their video below and also visit their website:
http://www.statecraftsim.com/