In political science, the use of simulations has been especially popular in teaching foreign policy. Rather than simply listening to a lecture or reading about abstract concepts, educational-oriented simulations allow students to take an active role in learning by interacting with others to solve complex problems. As psychologist Jerome Bruner argued, classroom games are particularly useful teaching tools because they tend to motivate students to think about social organizations (Reeher and Cammarano Reference Reeher and Cammarano1997, 105). Since the 1960s, college-level instructors have implemented learning games in an effort to move away from traditional lecture-oriented instruction. The use of simulations in the classroom is not new to higher education. After running these educational games for more than a decade, I have developed a relatively simple set of guidelines that enables instructors to use computer simulations, like SimCity, to illustrate important concepts in American government. By collectivizing the decision-making process in a class simulation exercise, I encourage introductory American government students to hone their political skills and policy ideas in a virtual world. Therefore, it can be difficult to capitalize on these sophisticated programs to teach students about the inner workings of government and public policy. The video-game industry designed these complex simulations to be played by a single participant rather than a large group of players. The best-known example, SimCity, provides an excellent opportunity for students to test their skills as both politicians and city managers. Whereas many video games involve combat, puzzles, or fantasy, a subset of the market is actually sophisticated computer simulations masquerading as entertainment software. Recognizing that many young people are fascinated by video games, I devised a governance simulation built on a computer-generated city. Whereas advanced political science courses attract students who are both knowledgeable about and interested in politics, the typical introductory American government course is dominated by non-majors who are often disinterested in public policy, and may never take another course touching on public affairs.Īs a young professor concerned that introductory courses often attract disinterested students, I began experimenting with methods to make politics seem less abstract and more relevant in their everyday lives. A key challenge of teaching a college survey course is the lack of interest on the part of students, many of whom take the course to satisfy a general-education requirement.
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