Designed to anchor students deep learning in practical experiences, this assessment sees students participate in a three-phase simulation relevant to the course content (in the case of POLS2222 students imagine a mass atrocity has occurred). Each student is assigned to a group (representing key actors) and must consider the best ways to reach a positive endpoint to the simulation. Students are expected to prepare for and actively participate in the simulation. The simulation runs over three tutorials and is broken into separate phases. In the first tutorial session, students are expected to strategies about the goals, intended outcomes, and agendas of their allocated actor and the simulation more broadly. The remaining two tutorials sees students negotiate with other groups/hypothetical actors to achieve a resolution to the simulated problem/scenario. This may involve responding to unforeseen hypothetical events posed by the course coordinator in real time. after the completion of the simulation students must produce (in their groups) a 2-page report critically reflecting on their experiences throughout the simulation; reference should be made to course content and how this guided students throughout the simulation. Groups can make their own arrangements to meet to discuss the commentary, or can work exclusively online.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 10-20
- CLASS LEVEL
- Second year, Third year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- High security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Medium time
- GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
- Effective communication skills, Critical judgement, Ethical and social understanding
- CONDITIONS
- Group, Sequence
- FEATURES
- Authentic, Problem based
- TAGS
- active learning, collaborative learning, multimodal, scaffolded, report, simulation/role play, critical reflection
Advantages
Encourages meaningful integration between students and between students and teachers. Promotes learning through active, practical experience, thereby linking theory and practice in an applied sense and encouraging a deep understanding of core disciplinary knowledge. Suitable to all HaSS courses that seek to marry theory in practice through active learning activities. Especially well-suited to areas of policy and social justice.
Challenges
This is a time intensive technique to prepare, execute and mark. However, this is balanced somewhat by the highly positive learning outcomes for students which this assessment helps promote.
Tips for implementation
Make sure to have clear end points at the end of each phase of the simulation so students can easily remember where they left of the previous week
How it supports academic integrity
Assessment is based on a unique, observed exercises that are scaffolded across the semester, and would therefore be difficult to outsource or plagiarise. Basing the simulation on a relevant contemporary case study (or developing a similarly salient hypothetical situation that aligns with key themes, theories or conceptual approaches covered in the course content) reduces potential for academic misconduct.
Dr Phil Orchard
p.orchard@uq.edu.au
Dr Orchard was formerly a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Security and Defence Forum at the Canadian Department of National Defence, before coming to conduct research and teach at UQ. His research interests are primarily based on institutional and legal forms of protection to civilians and forced migrants. Most recently he has examined the institutional and legal forms of protection around internally displaced persons. Find out more