Just got back from watching students play the game at Salem State College. Professor Chris Mauriello was the first person to use MAKING HISTORY in the classroom. Several years later, it’s great to see how much he–and we–have learned about introducing the game to students and integrating it into their learning.
With that in mind, here are some quick tips:
Tell students about the game!
Students are naturally excited to play a game in class. As the instructor, you can harness that excitement–get students familiar with the game and with the history.
When you tell students that they’ll be playing a game, you’ll find out which students are “gamers”–fluent in playing and understanding games. Take advantage of their skills! Let them (let all students) play the game early and often; when it comes time to officially play, gamers can be a real help to their peers and to you.
Tutorial & Sandbox Play
The students at Salem State were excited and ready to play. Chris Mauriello was comfortable with the game world and knew what themes and challenges he wanted his students to address. The secret? Before playing as a class, they all played the tutorial. The 30 minute tutorial explains the basic actions of MAKING HISTORY. For homework, students completed the tutorial and played a few turns as their countries. This “sandbox play”–playing a few turns with no expectations or pressure–helped them further explore and understand the game world.
Handouts
The tutorial shows students how to do things. The handouts help them understand why. Country descriptions and briefing points succinctly tell students about their countries’ short and long-term goals. The students at Salem State received their country handouts before playing the game. With their professor, they discussed their country goals and anaylzed what first steps they should take to acheive them. You can find the handouts on our website.
What are your suggestions for integrating new technologies and new materials into a class? Do you have any specific tips for introducing MAKING HISTORY?
