Assistant Professor of Government Sharon Rivera and Janet Simons, instructional technology specialist, published an article titled "Engaging Students through Extended Simulations" in the Journal of Political Science Education (vol. 4, issue 3). They discuss a simulation that Rivera developed with Simons for her introductory comparative politics course with the support of a Class of 1966 Career Development Award.
The article argues that the simulation fulfills many of the goals of a scholar/apprentice model, which requires a sustained period of time during which an apprentice practices a set of discipline-specific skills under the guidance of a mentor. In particular, the article argues that extended simulations require numerous checkpoints for monitoring student progress, objective and systematic assessment tools, and coordinated college-wide instructional support.
The article argues that the simulation fulfills many of the goals of a scholar/apprentice model, which requires a sustained period of time during which an apprentice practices a set of discipline-specific skills under the guidance of a mentor. In particular, the article argues that extended simulations require numerous checkpoints for monitoring student progress, objective and systematic assessment tools, and coordinated college-wide instructional support.
