Not Quite Video Games: Electronic Simulations for
Teacher Education
Rose W. Chu
Urban Teacher Program
Metropolitan State University
NECC 2009
© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Medical trainingSimulation Center @ Metropolitan State University
5© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Short, demonstration simulation in arithmetic
Checkers
6© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Short, demonstration simulation in geometry
Surveying
7© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Please address these reflection questions
1. How did labeling the problem as “difficult” affect the environmental (ICE) parameters? Why?
2. What were the effects of calling on a particular student to read? When should you ask for volunteers and when should you call on particular students?
3. Did you improve the environment more by asking questions or by telling? By putting students’ names at the beginning or end of a question? Why?
8© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Benefits of simulations Discussion nurtures intentionality.
Seeing results of experiments with more than one option leads to deeper learning.
Simulations surpass case studies and video clips
players can experiment with different options and see consequences
simulations are more engaging
10© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
As users say…
I just really like that you can go through and try different things, and nobody gets hurt!
I got more from participating in the simulation than from watching the videos.
I had no idea how positively my students would respond. It is the greatest!!!!!!
11© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Simulation script idea:Teaching choral
conducting
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♫ Listen to choir singing
♫ Choices: Decide among ways to adjust your body
♫ Choices: Decide whether or not to stop the singing
♫ Choices: Decide among things to say
♫ Listen for changes in singing resulting from your choice
© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Simulation script idea:Teaching early American
history
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Scenario: A party attended by a group of founders of the U.S. (who may in reality never have gathered all together).
The player is in the role of one of the founders (researched ahead of time).
The player has choices of how to respond if spoken to by other partiers:
▪ What to say about him or herself.▪ What to say about the other person.
© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
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How might you use kinesthetic
experiences like these to
enhance your own students’
learning?
© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey
Please contact us
http://www.teachsim.com
Rose Chu, [email protected]
Larry Copes, [email protected]
John McCaffrey, [email protected]
19© 2009 Rose Chu, Larry Copes, & John McCaffrey