Simulations in the Political Science Classroom

Mark Harvey is an associate professor, honors program coordinator, and director of graduate programs at the University of Saint Mary in Kansas.James Fielder is an instructor at Colorado State University and a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force.Ryan Gibb is an associate professor and the coordinator of international studies at Baker University.

• ContentsList of ContributorsPreface and Acknowledgments1 Jeux Sans Frontières: How Games Push the Frontiers of LearningMark Harvey, James Fielder, and Ryan Gibb I. Pedagogical Foundations of Games and Simulations2. Gaming to Lose: Learning from Failure in Classroom Games James Fielder3. "I am Che Guevara!": The Value of Roleplaying in Educational ExperiencesJennifer Shinefeld, Michael Surbrook, and Mark Harvey 4. An Argument for Lengthier, More Concrete, More Outcomes-Oriented GamesEdmond Hally5. Making Game Design and Management Easy: Tips for the "Almost Convinced"David Claborn and Mark HarveyIII. Designing and Teaching Games6. Exploring Federalism and Interstate Relationships in the Classroom: An In-Class ‘Race to the Bottom’ Teaching Simulation Derek Glasgow 7. Playing Politics: Utilizing Simulations to Expose Students to the Factors that Shape Congressional Decision MakingKellee J. Kirkpatrick, and James Stoutenborough,8. Medicare-for-All or the Status Quo? Simulating Lobbying, Policy Debate, and the Party Line in CongressLucy Britt9. To Veto or Not to Veto: A Simulation of Presidential Decision MakingJames Stoutenborough, Kellee J. Kirkpatrick, Johnathan W. L. Blakeman, and James Pascali10. Pick a Justice: Simulating Judicial Selection on the U.S. Supreme CourtRyan J.Williams, 11. Using Moot Court in Introduction to Law CoursesEdward F. Kammerer, Jr. 12. A Congressional Election Simulation for a Small Class Bruce F. Nesmith 13. A Game of Difference: The Effect of Role-playing Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Socioeconomic Class in a Political Theory CourseEdmond Hally14. Taking a Risk: Can a Game on War Teach Students About Peace?Mark Harvey 15. Model Diplomacy in the ClassroomRyan Gibb III. Conclusion16. Games Without Frontiers: The Final Pieces of the Puzzle

As someone who uses a lot of games and simulations in my class, I found this book an extremely useful resource for thinking about how to use different approaches to simulations – everything from role-playing to a modified version of Risk to other approaches – all to teach students more effectively in the classroom. The editors, Harvey, Fielder, and Gibb have put together a very strong set of materials useful for people who have never used simulations before as well as for people who have used them regularly in the past. I strongly recommend this book. Victor Asal, University at Albany (State University of New York)This book provides a refreshing, modern, and accessible take on the validity, utility, and implementation of political science games in the classroom. Grounded in pedagogical theory and replete with practical advice, this book will prove useful for both veteran orchestrators of games and those looking to dip their toes into the pool for the first time. It is an essential read for anyone interested in enhancing their pedagogy.Alexander Cohen, Clarkson UniversityDrawing on their own experience in the classroom, Harvey, Fielder, and Gibb make the case for the addition of simulations to the political science teaching toolkit in the service of making abstract and complex concepts real for our students. In the process, this volume provides specific examples tailored for undergraduate education. These examples embody best practices and practical insights for educators interested in simulations both for a single class period and across an entire semester, and reflect what has become a pedagogical turn towards the use of immersive environments for teaching and assessment. This book is a must-read for educators interested in incorporating exercises into their syllabi.Andrew Reddie, University of California-BerkeleyIn this book, Harvey, Fielder, and Gibb provide timely, expert advice on when and how educational games should be used to enhance political science core courses in American Government and International Relations as well as those university electives aimed at building better strategic leaders on the side of democracy. They show educators how to accomplish all this by channeling diverse students' natural desire to succeed.Damon Coletta, US Air Force Academy I highly recommend this book for all faculty exploring ways to incorporate active learning into their courses. Students may remember the things that you say when you give a lecture, but they truly learn when you engage them in games and simulations. Heather Evans, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise