Goals and Agenda

Date and Time

20 June, 2020, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Location

Workshop organizers will send participants a ZOOM link

Goals

This workshop has multiple goals, each tailored to the needs and likely interests of different groups of participants: novice simulation designers, experienced simulation designers, and workshop organizers (who are also experienced simulation designers).

For novice simulation designers, the goals of the workshop are to learn about simulation pedagogy, and to gain hands-on experience designing and participating in a role-playing simulation. Additionally, novice simulation designers will receive an introduction to the ViewPoint software platform, a web-based tool designed to support instructors in the delivery and facilitation of role-based simulations.

For experienced simulation designers, the workshop goals are to exchange perspectives and experiences with other simulation designers on defining learning goals, outlining design strategies, explaining debriefing and facilitation processes, and recommending approaches to student assessment. They will also receive an introduction to the ViewPoint software platform.

For the workshop organizers, the goals are to observe and document organic design processes related to simulation design, to collect ideas and suggestions about debriefing and assessment of student performance within a simulation, and to obtain comments and feedback on the ViewPoint software platform towards improving the experience for designers and simulation participants. Through this workshop, we hope to be able to improve the resources and guidelines that we can provide to both novice and experienced simulation designers.

Agenda

1) Introduction of workshop organizers and participants. Workshop organizers will ask participants to share their experiences with role-based simulations in advance of the workshop, including topic or subject matter, targeted learning goals, overall structure and sequence of simulation design, and personal experiences. We will do a brief round of introductions and share a brief overview of the range of participant experiences with simulations (15 minutes/1:00-1:15)

2) Introduction to role-based simulations, focusing on interdisciplinary content. Workshop organizers will share three role-based simulations from the fields of education, public policy, and STEM. For each, we will discuss how learning goals were instantiated in the design of the simulation. We will compare and contrast the structure and sequence of these simulation designs, including an examination of role and resource allocation and organization of participant structures. (15 minutes/1:15-1:30)

3) Debrief experience of participating in an asynchronous, online simulation. Participants will share their experiences of participating in an asynchronous, online simulation, which they will have completed in the week leading up to the workshop. During this discussion, participants will describe (1) the challenges and insights that they derived from role-playing, (b) discuss the group decision-making process, (c) reflect on their interaction with the workshop organizers and other participants, (d) discuss the user experience of interacting with features of the ViewPoint program. (30 minutes/1:30-2:00)

4) Design activity. Workshop organizers will facilitate a walk-through of simulation design from author, facilitator, and participant perspectives within the ViewPoint tool. Participants will work in small groups to lay the groundwork for the design of their own simulation. Based on survey responses collected prior to the workshop, we will group participants according to interests, backgrounds, and goals for their simulation design. We will provide participants with resources and materials to guide their design process. (75 minutes/2:00-3:15)

5) Break. (15 minutes/3:15-3:30)

6) Share designs. Participants from each group will describe the overall goals and structure for their simulation, the design process their group followed, the challenges they encountered, and the strategies they adopted to move forward in the design process. (30 minutes/3:30-4:00)

7) Discussion of how to debrief and structure reflection, and assessment. Participants will share their own experiences from the simulation, including how they negotiated private beliefs while playing their role and factors that contributed to their decision-making processes. Then workshop organizers will facilitate a structured discussion about how participants organize and facilitate debrief sessions within their own teaching and research practices. Participants will share how they design assessments in their courses that utilize simulations, discuss best practices for facilitation, and see a demonstration of ViewPoint's analytical tools. (60 minutes/4:00-5:00)