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research & ReviewS
Statecraft has been the subject of research projects and peer-reviewed publications examining the impact of our simulations on classroom experiences and student learning. We’re excited to share these works with you!
We’ve also included unbiased industry review links plus a few news articles featuring our products and our founders!
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Scholarly Research Articles
scholarly research
Ideologies and Competition: Student Reflections on Their Statecraft Experience
Abstract
This article utilizes the online world politics simulation Statecraft to examine how students perceive the influence of simulations on their political ideologies as well as their expectations about behavior and outcomes within the constraints of a virtual world. The research method relies on the content analysis of one hundred and ninety-five papers collected from students enrolled in ten sections of a coauthor’s courses. The papers reveal that students may begin the simulation with different expectations. Some approach it as a game while others use it as a way to test their ideological goals and values. Students make definitive connections between their initial political ideologies (folk realism or folk idealism) and their initial strategies within the simulation as well as how their ideological positions change over time as a response to events within the simulation. In addition, they justify their actions based on their political ideology and final outcome-success or failure. Recommendations for monitoring during and debriefing after the simulation are suggested.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2020, Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Joanna Kaftan is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Degree Coordinator for Anthropology, Sociology and Social Sciences at the University of Houston–Downtown. She teaches courses in political sociology, sociology of religion, social theory, statistics, and research methods.
John Linantud is an Associate Professor and Degree Coordinator of Political Science at the University of Houston–Downtown. Linantud currently teaches Federal Government; Texas Government; Introduction to World Politics; East and Southeast Asia; Dictatorship and Democracy in the Developing World; Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe, Russia, and the United States; Politics of the Americas; and Political Science Capstone.
Does Statecraft Improve Student Learning Outcomes? A Controlled Comparison
Abstract
This paper presents results from a comparative analysis of two sections of Introduction to International Politics, one of which used a traditional research paper as a supplemental assignment and one that used the Statecraft online simulation. Both sections were taught during the same semester and used common lecture notes, PowerPoint slides, exam reviews, and exams. The only difference was the nature of the supplemental assignment. The paper finds that the best predictor of student performance on exams is a student’s GPA prior to taking the class. At the same time, the evidence suggests that time dedicated to the online simulation in class may have led to worse performance on at least one exam. Finally, the paper finds that students did enjoy the Statecraft simulation and generally believed that it was preferable to a traditional research paper in spite of its representing additional work relative to the more traditional research paper.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2019 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Eric Cox is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas Christian University. His research includes the study of enduring rivalries, UN institutions and pedagogical methods. His first book, Why Enduring Rivalries Do—or Don’t—End examines the factors that lead rival states to the negotiating table through a comparison of rivalry relationships in the Middle East and Latin America. He has published articles on the origin of the UN Human Rights Council and the effectiveness of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism and coauthored an online Model UN simulation for Statecraft Sims.
The Statecraft Effect: Assessment, Attitudes, and Academic Honesty
ABSTRACT
This article uses a multimethod research design to compare Statecraft to non-Statecraft assignments and courses along three dimensions: student engagement, political attitudes, and academic honesty. The results indicate that Statecraft increased student engagement and academic honesty. In terms of political attitudes, students generally remained on the left side of the political spectrum, but shifted toward the right and became more hawkish by the end of a semester. Changes in attitude are more strongly associated not with playing Statecraft, but taking a political science class by the coauthor, or some other external variable. Statecraft, however, did reduce support for pacifism.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2019 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
John Linantud is an Associate Professor and Degree Coordinator of Political Science at the University of Houston – Downtown.
Joanna Kaftan is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Degree Coordinator for Anthropology, Sociology and Social Sciences at the University of Houston – Downtown.
Pursuing Ideology with Statecraft
ABSTRACT
Utilizing a web-based simulation Statecraft, we explore the relative influence of ideology (realism and idealism) on student behavior and learning. By placing students into ideologically cohesive groups, we are able to demonstrate the effect of their ideology on the goals they pursue and identify the constraints imposed on the system by the behavior of groups as well.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2017 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Hayden Smith, PhD is an instructor in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy, and Public Affairs at Washington State University.
Niall Michelsen, PhD is Associate Professor at Western Carolina University.
Learning by Doing: Using an Online Simulation Game in an International Relations Course
ABSTRACT
Integrating interactive learning activities into undergraduate courses is one method for increasing student interest, engagement, and skills development. Online simulation games in particular offer students the unique applied opportunity to “learn by doing” in a virtual space to further their overall knowledge base and critical thinking skills. This article examines users’ experiences with Statecraft, an online simulation game, in an introductory International Relations course at a regional university. Positive student feedback and successful performances on assessments suggests that using this type of technology has benefits for select student learning outcomes provided the game is used in conjunction with traditional teaching and assessment strategies such as lectures, classroom discussions, quizzes, and writing assignments.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2016 Journal of Interactive Learning Research
AUTHOR INFO
Jennifer Epley, PhD is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Her primary research focuses on the meaning and significance of identity in politics. She specifically analyzes the interrelationships between religion, gender, public opinion, and political behavior in Southeast Asia. Dr. Epley Sanders has a secondary research interest in effective teaching and student learning. She has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
The Statecraft Simulation and Foreign Policy Attitudes Among Undergraduate Students
ABSTRACT
Professors of international relations are increasingly realizing that simulations can be a fun and effective way of teaching the complexities of the field to their students. Despite Statecraft’s popularity, however, little scholarship has attempted to assess its impact on learning objectives and students’ perceptions of the real world. This article evaluates Statecraft’s influence on foreign policy attitudes among undergraduate students. It finds that, while participation in Statecraft did not generally change students’ foreign policy preferences, it did have the effect of inducing foreign policy moderation among students who were initially very hawkish or dovish in their foreign policy orientations. The most important individual characteristics predicting foreign policy attitudes include a student’s political orientation and interest in the Statecraft simulation itself.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2016 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Nilay Saiya, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of International Studies at the State University of New York, Brockport. His research concerns the influence of religion on global politics. His scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in Conflict Management and Peace Science, Holy Land Studies, International Journal of Human Rights, International Journal of Business Analytics, Journal of Political Science Education, PS: Political Science and Politics, and several edited volumes. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame in 2013.
How Dangerous Are Virtual Worlds Really? A Research Note on the Statecraft Simulation Debate
abstract
This brief article weighs in on a pedagogical debate concerning the didactic usefulness of an online international relations computer simulation called Statecraft. In a 2014 article, Gustavo Carvalho, a teaching assistant at the University of Toronto, claimed, based on the results of a survey he administered to an international relations class that used Statecraft, that the simulation had little to offer students as a teaching tool. In a rebuttal, Statecraft creator Jonathan Keller took Carvalho to task for not employing the simulation properly, which biased his results. While Carvalho only presented results for one class, the present analysis reports on survey responses of students over six different classes which used Statecraft from 2013 to 2014. The results call into question Carvalho’s findings and suggest that the context and curriculum matter as much as the simulation itself when judging the pedagogical value of computer-mediated learning tools.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2015 Sage Journals
AUTHOR INFO
Nilay Saiya, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of International Studies at the State University of New York, Brockport. His research concerns the influence of religion on global politics. His scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in Conflict Management and Peace Science, Holy Land Studies, International Journal of Human Rights, International Journal of Business Analytics, Journal of Political Science Education, PS: Political Science and Politics, and several edited volumes. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame in 2013.
Can't Get No (Dis)Satisfaction: The Statecraft Simulation's Effect on Student Decision Making
abstract
This article explores what effect the Statecraft simulation might have on undergraduate students’ perceptions of their decision making. Decisions are often evaluated on the basis of whether their outcomes are good or bad, not whether a sound reasoning process was used to reach them. A survey was administered at multiple points in an international relations course to gauge students’ satisfaction with the decision-making processes and outcomes in their respective teams during the Statecraft simulation. Students also engaged in exercises in which their teams’ tentative plans were evaluated as if the plans had generated unfavorable outcomes after implementation. An analysis of students’ reactions to the Statecraft simulation, their performance in the simulation, and other data showed no obvious association between Statecraft and changes in student perceptions of their decision making.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2014 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Dr. Chad Raymond is Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations and Chairperson of the Department of Cultural, Environmental, and Global Studies at Salve Regina University. His research focuses on instructional effectiveness and learners’ cognitive and emotional dispositions.
Outsourcing Learning: Is the Statecraft Simulation an Effective Pedagogical Alternative?
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the effects of using Statecraft, a commercially-available online simulation, in teaching international relations. The simulation was used in two semesters of an undergraduate international relations course as part of a flipped classroom pedagogy, in which Statecraft replaced lectures and other instructional activities that required a physical classroom. The study demonstrates that a significant portion of instruction can be outsourced to an online provider of standardized content with little to no negative change in pedagogical outcomes.
SOURCE
APSA 2014 Annual Meeting Paper
AUTHOR INFO
Chad Raymond, Salve Regina University
"AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO MY CLASS"
Statecraft was an excellent addition to my international relations course. The simulation ended up appealing to every student in the course, including students from seemingly unrelated majors and backgrounds. It seemed to teach itself and the intuitive interface meant that the class was able to get involved very quickly and easily. I plan on using Statecraft each time I teach International Relations.
"A REMARKABLY RICH SIMULATION"
Statecraft accomplishes the difficult feat of simultaneously engaging student interest and exemplifying important principles of international relations theory. It provides a remarkably rich simulation of world politics that practically runs itself with no need for time-consuming instructor intervention, while still allowing teachers of more specialized courses ample opportunity for customization. I recommend Statecraft without reservation to all instructors of undergraduate international relations.
"A GREAT TEACHING TOOL"
I use Statecraft whenever I teach the Introduction to International Relations course. Statecraft has been a great teaching tool to reiterate important concepts from the text that makes the learning experience enjoyable for students. It enables greater interaction in the classroom and generates interesting debates on competing domestic and foreign policy goals. Students come away with a better understanding of the complexities and challenges of policy making. It is a very useful active learning tool that students can benefit from tremendously.
CASE STUDIES
Statecraft is The Best Tool I've Ever Used in a Classroom
Abstract
Rory Simpson used Statecraft for the first time this semester, sharing a world with his three high school classes. He had a mix of Freshmen, Sophomores and Seniors all playing together.
In order to make that format work he had to be flexible, but that was exactly what he most loved about the Simulation! It created situations that prompted new lessons and interesting discussions. The simulation demonstrated many different international relations and government lessons that he could adapt to each class based on their knowledge level and what they were currently learning. Students experienced the complexity of running a country first-hand and their struggles were potent learning opportunities.
Plus, students really enjoyed Statecraft as an online interactive activity. It had a huge impact getting them engaged and participating.
His Freshman and Sophomore students stated they’re already excited for a chance to play Statecraft again. Now they have experience they can apply towards more evolved playing strategy in future semesters.
INTERVIEW DATE
January 21, 2021; reflecting on Fall 2020 class experience
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Rory Simpson has been teaching for 11 years and is currently a Social Studies teacher at Griswold High School in Helix, OR.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft IR in three high school classes
Mr. Simpson ran one Statecraft International Relations simulation shared by three classes: Freshmen Global Studies, Sophomore American Studies and Senior U.S. Government. Each class was broken into two countries to create one world with a total of 27 students.
For the Fall 2020 semester students attended in a hybrid format. Some students and classes were nearly all-online, and other classes had in-person meetings.
Statecraft "Makes Learning Sticky" & Adds Fun in Online Classes
Abstract
The top three reasons that Alex McDonnell uses Statecraft in his high school classroom are:
1. It lets students apply theory
2. They get to play the role of expert
3. It’s fun!
With the move to an online class format Statecraft has helped by offering an engaging activity that forces interaction and requires kids to pay attention. It’s a great way to integrate technology in the classroom and increase the digital literacy of students. He knows they’re actually learning when he sees them make connections on their own in the Statecraft memos. Plus, his students really enjoy Statecraft; he’s even discovered that they’re talking about it outside of class with their friends.
Instead of simply memorizing material and then regurgitating it for tests, students are actually applying practice to theory. That increases knowledge retention and “makes learning sticky.”
INTERVIEW DATE
Fall 2020, December 3rd
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Alex McDonnell has over 30 years of teaching experience. He currently teaches at Friends’ Central School, an independent High School in Pennsylvania. In the last four years he’s used Statecraft IR twice in his upper school history and social studies classes. Along with teaching, he is also the Technology Integration Specialist. In this role he helps teachers integrate technology into their class experience.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft IR in his International Relations high school class with 18 students. The class started out with a hybrid format and then moved to completely online.
Creates Network Connection, Contextualizes Lessons, & Connects Decisions to Outcomes
Abstract
After four years using Statecraft IR, Dr. Benjamin Tkach says that “it’s an important piece to get students excited about international relations.” Students are digital natives, so using technology as a teaching tool helps demonstrate lessons in a unique, engaging way.
For him, the top benefits of Statecraft are:
- 1: Creates Network Connection: Students are able to meet one another in a huge class, plus it helps Dr. Tkach better engage and connect with them at the group level.
- 2: Contextualizes Lessons: Statecraft helps demonstrate abstract concepts in a way that becomes “real” to students and their lives.
- 3. Connects Decisions to Outcomes: In Statecraft, students are forced to make decisions and they feel the outcomes in a very real and personal way as they affect the entire simulated world.
Plus, the lessons students learn working in groups are valuable because they have life applications. Group dynamics can sometimes be a challenge, but navigating interpersonal conflict in a simulated world is a healthy way to learn important lessons students can take with them to real-world scenarios like the workplace where stakes are much higher.
INTERVIEW DATE
Spring 2021, April 22nd
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Dr. Benjamin Tkach is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Mississippi State University. His primary research focuses on privatization of security and non-state actors’ involvement in conflict. Additional research areas include US foreign policy and nuclear security.
He’s been teaching for eight years and using Statecraft for four years. During that time, he’s used it in two different situations: at a small liberal arts college and now in large classes at a Research One institution.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft IR in his Intro to International Relations course with ~80 students and no teaching assistants. In Spring 2021 the class is currently a hybrid online/in-person format.
A Robust, Effective Online Simulation that Increases Engagement
Abstract
Dr. Hollinger’s classes have been designed around simulations paired with textbooks for years. Originally, he used an in-person simulation he created. When classes suddenly went online, he had to pivot quickly for the new format, and decided to use Statecraft as his new simulation solution. He’s been impressed with what a robust, effective tool it is for an online environment. Plus, it saves him time compared to running a simulation manually.
His students really get into the simulations, even staying after class to play. He sees students naturally making connections to the textbook material and even picking up other unplanned lessons. They’re always surprised to discover that cooperation is the most effective strategy. Dr. Hollinger has set up a unique game configuration strategy that rewards them for peaceful collaboration and also lets them play “risk” at the end of the game just for fun.
For Dr. Hollinger, the best thing about the simulations has been the increased student engagement. This is his third semester using Statecraft Simulations in multiple classes: “Adapting Statecraft has been effective. Now in any online course I teach I’ll use Statecraft.”
INTERVIEW DATE
Spring 2021, February 22nd
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Dr. Keith Hollinger holds a PhD in governance and globalization, an MA in Political Science and a BS in economics with a concentration on International Economics. He’s been teaching since 2010 and is currently a Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Education for Polytechnic Social Sciences at Arizona State University. Dr. Hollinger has completed at least five full sim run-throughs of the IR and IO sims in the past year.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft International Relations (IR) in his Global Politics and Current Issues classes
- Statecraft International Organizations (IO) in his Comparative Government class
- All of his courses have 15 to 20 students and are 100% online conducted via Zoom
Builds Community, Creates Learning Connections & Aids in Assessments
Abstract
Dr. Kristin Vekasi used Statecraft International Relations for the first time this semester in her 150+ student Intro to World Politics course.
A top benefit was that the simulation helped create community in a large all-online class that could have felt impersonal. Students at least got to know six or seven other classmates in their simulation groups really well and it created laughter plus fun inside jokes for the class.
The automated component and helpful Statecraft materials also helped ease her workload. In a class that has students who are both political science majors and others who take it for general education, the broad range of backgrounds makes it difficult to assess students. In Statecraft students enter at the same level so it was much easier to assess what they had learned.
Since her class was so large she had two different simulation groups. Despite nearly-identical situations they had dramatically different results, which was very interesting and created teaching opportunities.
INTERVIEW DATE
Fall 2020, December 16th
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Kristin Vekasi, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Maine Department of Political Science, in the School of Policy and International Affairs. She has been teaching for nine years and this was her first semester using Statecraft IR in her Intro to World Politics lower division 100-level course. It’s a large 150+ student course that has political science and international affairs majors but also students from across the university who take it as a general education class.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft International Relations in her Intro to World Politics lower division course with 150 students. The class is 100% online with synchronous virtual components.
Worth it: Sim Creates Emotional Connections to Course Material
Abstract
When Dr. Cigdem Sirin’s fully online asynchronous course moved from a 7 to a 16-week format, she felt the need to add something to her curriculum to create engagement and excitement. She decided to give Statecraft a try, but had some concerns. Would it work?
Fortunately, she was pleased with the results! She saw increased engagement and peer connection in the virtual world. The simulation created a way for students to apply what they were learning and make connections to course material. The dramatic situations created emotional responses that foster empathy for real-world problems countries experience. She’s confident the high engagement and emotional connection will also equate to long-term knowledge retention. Plus, Statecraft support took care of all of her technical concerns.
At the conclusion of the sim, she is glad she gave Statecraft a chance. The benefits for she and her students outweighed the costs.
INTERVIEW DATE
Fall 2020, November 18th
INSTRUCTOR INFO
Dr. Cigdem Sirin is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Director for the Center for Faculty Leadership and Development at the University of Texas at El Paso. She’s been teaching for 12 years. This was her first semester using the Statecraft International Relations (IR) Simulation.
CURRENTLY RUNNING
- Statecraft IR in her International Relations upper division undergraduate course with 50 students. The class is 100% online and fully asynchronous.
Improves Engagement, Forces Critical Thinking & Creates Connection
Abstract
Instructor Nadia Jilani-Hyler found Statecraft when looking for a way to increase engagement in a summer class with long hours. The students “had an absolute blast” and she discovered how useful a simulation can be as a teaching tool.
Using a Statecraft simulation not only achieves her goal of increasing engagement but also requires critical thinking, which is hard to teach. As she plays the role of political advisor, she sees her students struggle with the “grey area” in the simulation. Their questions and stress demonstrate that they are experiencing lesson topics in a personal way and actually learning. The students who step up and take on leadership roles can be surprising. Often it’s not the “straight-A” students who most excel in the sim; it’s the students who can navigate ambiguity and get excited about a game learning format.
This year with the move to an all-online class format the simulation has been a huge help by creating a sense of connection for students in large 200+ student asynchronous digital classrooms.
INTERVIEW DATE:
Fall 2020, November 12th
AUTHOR INFO
Nadia Jilani-Hyler has been a political science Lecturer at Augusta University in Georgia for the past five years. She has used both the Statecraft International Relations (IR) simulation and the Statecraft U.S. Government simulation in at least five classes. She was a beta tester for the U.S. Government simulation in 2018.
Instructor Jilani-Hyler is currently running the
U.S. GOV LITE SIMULATION IN THREE CLASSES:
- Two intro to American Government courses with a total of 220 students, no teaching assistants, 100% online asynchronous format
- Honors American Government course with 22 students, 100% online, synchronous format
Statecraft is the future of educational engagement
Abstract
The top three reasons that Steve Korpusik uses Statecraft in his high school classroom are:
1. The simulation prompts students to interact with one another and build relationships that span the rest of class.
2. Students are taking the information at their finger tips and engaging with it.
3. It’s fun!
INTERVIEW DATE:
Winter 2023, February 20
AUTHOR INFO
Steve Korpusik has over 27 years of teaching experience. He currently teaches at Farmington High School just outside of Detroit Michigan. He has sed Statecraft’s IR Simulation for 6 years in the fall semester and has grown his AP Comparative Politics courses from 2 to 5 annually due to the excited generated in his classes.
"IT ILLUSTRATED SO MANY OF THE CONCEPTS"
I first used the IR Statecraft during a summer International Relations course. It was a great way to utilize some of the time out of an almost 3 hour long, 5 day a week course. It illustrated for them so many of the concepts that we were reading about and discussing in class. And (most importantly) it was easy for me to set up, run, and keep track of. I’ve used Statecraft in every Intro to IR course, and Intro to International Security course I’ve taught since.The American Government Sim has all the important hallmarks of the IR Sim. It’s easy for me to set up, run and keep track of. Students can get VERY invested in the game. And it helps illustrate things like separation of powers, checks and balances, and other important concepts that we discuss in class. Most importantly for me, the American Government Sim doesn’t go easy on the students. They come out of it realizing just how difficult it must be for our leaders in government, the media, and interest groups to do their jobs, and how competing interests can make what seems like a simple decision, much more complicated.
I 100% recommend the Statecraft sims to IR and American Government teachers and professors!
statecraft in the news
Statecraft Simulations: Launching a Career in International Relations
Excerpt
In international relations courses for undergraduates, faculty at a growing number of colleges and universities are supplementing topics covered in texts, lectures, and class discussions with a cutting-edge learning tool: Statecraft Simulations.
“Students take it very seriously,” says Joseph Bock, director of the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development at Kennesaw State University, who uses Statecraft’s International Relations Simulations in an introductory course for international affairs majors. His class of 25 students breaks into six teams, with each team representing a country. They confront complex challenges, such as global warming and the need to deal with a foreign power that amasses a lot of wealth and becomes dominant. “Questions involving balance of power become real,” says Bock.
Published in the 2017 Foreign Policy Guide
Winter Interim Course Uses Game Simulation
Excerpt
“It seemed like a good way to engage the students, because I teach a lot of theory and use, and the students sometimes aren’t engaged,” DeRouen said. “Some of the subject matter can be dry.”
Dylan Hamm, a junior majoring in political science, was the president of his team in the course last summer. “I encourage people to take it, because I don’t want to say I learned more doing that [online simulation], but you kinda do,” Hamm said. “If there were more courses like it, I would probably take those too.”
DeRouen began using Statecraft in his classes in the spring of 2013. Since then, he has used Statecraft on and off in various courses. As the instructor, DeRouen has the power to throw in “surprises,” including things like terrorists, weather events and other crises students must react to.
Written by Heather Buchanan and published on the University of Alabama news website “The Crimson White” in November 2014.
World of Statecraft
article content
Professor Skinner’s Intro. to Political Science class has begun a new project. The Statecraft Simulations website provides options for real world situations. The class focuses on an international relations orientated simulation which contains the aspects of trading, structure building, and even terrorism. There are seven countries in total that make up the online world: Abalon, Amaratia, Land of Vai, Latveria, Pax, Rivendell, and Wakanda. Tensions are high between groups as they prepare their countries for the future; a future that could contain war, more specifically, nuclear war. Each week there is a new turn in which groups decide on steps to further develop their countries. Some focus on building resources and some are military orientated. Learning who to trust is one of the most difficult parts of the simulation. The suspense builds as each group is unaware of others’ intentions. Wise choices must be made by the presidents who run their countries. In the world of the Statecraft simulation, the outcomes are endless. Hopefully this virtual world will not come to a bitter end.
Written by Ricque Antolin and published in the Mat-Su College University Newspaper the Mat-Su Monitor Winter 2019-2020 edition.
Online Simulations for Teaching
article content
I use Statecraft in my political science course. Participants are placed in a global political environment to battle or cooperate with one another. The simulation makes use of a wide range of political elements, from the international to the domestic, the military to the economic. Unlike the game of Risk, the game is not some unrealistic game of conquest where one country always ends up ruling the world. The goals of the players are the same as the countries today: to survive, and even thrive, via smart political and economic decisions.
Written by John A. Tures and published in The Teaching Professor online newsletter April 19, 2018.
"IT CAN HELP ACHIEVE LEARNING GOALS"
It’s a simulation tool that makes running an international politics simulation in your classroom doable. You can use it to illustrate course concepts and at least some students are really engaged with it. I rate it overall positive; it can help achieve learning goals.
"STUDENTS BETTER UNDERSTAND ABSTRACT CONCEPTS"
Statecraft does a great job in showing students how IR theories really work. It allowed my students to better understand abstract concepts and theories and apply them in the simulation. I would strongly recommend Statecraft to anyone teaching International Relations.
"ONE OF THE BEST SIMULATIONS I'VE FOUND"
Statecraft allows students to experience first-hand the complex mix of international and domestic pressures that states face in the international system. I've seen my students benefit greatly from playing the game, as they emerge with a much more sophisticated understanding of course concepts. It's one of the best simulations I've found.
Industry reviews
Review of Statecraft Online Simulation
Excerpt
Statecraft is a multi week, flexible online simulation that can be a useful supplement in both introductory and more advanced international relations classes learning the intricacies of the simulation requires some time commitment, but the result of the investment is an effective teaching tool.
The flexibility of the simulation allows the professor to determine the extent to which the simulation is integrated in class.
During the simulation, students have tremendous freedom to invest in their military, clandestine operations, education, health care, cultural sites, diplomatic corps, and international organizations. Every move impacts not only international relations but also the quality of life within the country and the approval ratings from different political factions. The game has incredibly rich options for students, and actions often must be planned out over time as the acquisitions of certain structures (e.g., hospitals) and technologies (e.g., nuclear weapons) requires several steps. The student manual includes useful guides for the students to see what is required for each item they wish to purchase or build.
DATE & PUBLICATION
2014 Journal of Political Science Education
AUTHOR INFO
Eric Cox is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas Christian University. He served as president of the Active Learning and International Affairs Section of the International Studies Association from 2010–2011 and as a member of the Board of Directors of National Model United Nations (NMUN) from 2012–2018. He was president of the NMUN Board of Directors from 2014–2018 and is now an ex oficio member of the Board as past president. His research includes the study of enduring rivalries, UN institutions and pedagogical methods. His first book, Why Enduring Rivalries Do—or Don’t—End examines the factors that lead rival states to the negotiating table through a comparison of rivalry relationships in the Middle East and Latin America. He has published articles on the origin of the UN Human Rights Council and the effectiveness of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism and coauthored an online Model UN simulation for Statecraft Sims.
EdSurge.com Review
Excerpt
LOW Adaptivity: The content can be adjusted in relation to a learner’s knowledge
HIGH Customization: Educators and course designers can alter learning or assessment content
MEDIUM Learner Autonomy: Learners can impact or augment instruction based on their choices
LOW Socio-Emotional: Use of feedback and interventions based on a learner’s social-emotional state
HIGH Assessment: The presence of academic structures and the capacity to assess learning in relation to them
HIGH Collaboration: Ability for learners and/or educators to engage with each other in the context of learning
"AN EXCELLENT LEARNING RESOURCE"
I have used the Statecraft International Relations simulation in five of my IR classes in the past year and a half, and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. As a teacher, I always look for ways to make my classes as interactive as possible, and give opportunities for the students to work in groups to collaborate on assignments. Statecraft encourages students to work together and cooperate, just as the professional and political world requires them to do. Moreover, Statecraft is another valuable tool that can help bring the concepts and ideas discussed in our lectures to life. It is a well-known fact that students learn best by applying their knowledge, and Statecraft, with all the dynamism and appeal of a video game, allows learners to do just that. However, Statecraft is more than just a game, and indeed students often take their participation in the simulation very seriously. Just like real-world politics, passion and competition often result in some surprising and unpredictable situations – alliances, betrayals, rescues and invasions, even full-blown wars! Students have always reported that they enjoy the simulation, and that it really makes them think about international relations in a practical way. Statecraft is an excellent learning resource for the 21st century classroom, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
"STATECRAFT IS A MUST IN A FOREIGN POLICY CLASS"
I teach Foreign Policy, and Statecraft is a great way for students to actually put themselves in the position of foreign policy decision-makers. Rather than merely learning theories of decision sciences in lecture, Statecraft allows the students to experience decision-making hands-on. My lecture incorporates elements of foreign policy decision from studies in International Relations, other sub-fields of Political Science, and Psychology, and Statecraft gives students a unique opportunity that just reading and writing about materials from all these fields cannot — a real chance to grasp the dilemmas and difficulties in making decisions, as well as diplomacy and political interaction and communication between and within countries. In this sense, I think Statecraft is a must in a Foreign Policy class. Students really get into the game very quickly, so it also makes class much more interesting!
"AN ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL TOOL"
Statecraft is an engaging educational tool that I used in my Introduction to International Relations course. Through Statecraft, students were able to apply otherwise abstract theoretical concepts in a fun way and it helped them understand theories’ relevance in the ‘real world’. Not only has Statecraft broadened students' understanding of international relations, it has also given me multiple opportunities to relate theories to students' actions in the simulation. This made lectures more engaging and concepts easier to explain. I chose to read and grade all memos and give students extensive feedback, which is optional, but other than that Statecraft basically ran itself and left me with lots of time to prepare lectures. I added several in-class ‘Statecraft Summits’ to give the different countries a platform to negotiate in person, feel tensions and come to agreements with multiple countries. Students wrote Reflection papers after the simulation ended and I was pleased to see that students indeed very much enjoyed the simulation and that it also challenged them intellectually and improved their interpersonal skills. I most certainly will use Statecraft again in the future.
Experience Statecraft for Yourself
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