Tips+from+Teachers

=Tips and Sample Documents from AIC Network Teachers= //Teachers describe in narrative form their work, their grading, and everything with this project.// toc

=**Ben**:=

It is important for the students to create and STICK to their strategic goals. I give them a template to use, and they have about four days to research and complete their goals. They are graded for their daily work and final product. However, their final product may need to be revised a few times so it will be applicable to the simulation. They can earn points as they revise. Have the students keep track of their work and grades. Each week, for my students will be worth so many points. No matter if they are here, sick, on vacation, etc… they know what is due. They keep track of their points. At the end of the week, I give them their grade and if they have a different number, they must “prove” it to me. This makes the students accountable for their grades. In addition, my students receive a rubric that depicts the different communications they can complete. In order to get students to write more in-depth communications, such as action forms, obviously have them be worth more points vs. weekly summaries that are less intensive and usually written by the group.

=**Emerly**:=

I have some requirements of my students: (I have the student in the Comp. Lab 3-4 times a week during the simulation.) 1) They are required to hand in at the end of the week all communications(placed in their team's binder under their character's tab). They must first use word to create their communications in order to spell check their with MS word. They must complete 7 communications a week. 2) I also request a copy of their team's weekly summary to be placed in their folder. 3) Copy of their Team's Strategic goals. 4) I also do not allow them to talk directly to other students in the class that might be in the same game.

=**Jay**:=

I grade their strategic goal summaries. I usually have them fill out and turn in a country info sheet. And I usually have them keep a log of what they do in the AIC. That way I can see what they have done and they can also monitor themselves. One of the big things I try and stress is no spelling errors, no grammar errors..but thats an uphill battle.

=**John**:=

1. I require that every student keep a 3 ring binder notebook with all pertinent materials inside. They are given a grade on this. Sections include: team goals, your biography, the biography of people in your matrix, letters sent, letters received, timeline history of the Middle East, Information about your country, press releases, updates

2. At the beginning of the course, we do background information on the Middle East region and they are graded on everything we do. Map of the region, quiz over the map, history of the region including articles from the summer, students present some of this information, read articles and answer questions, and I lecture over some events. They take an open note quiz over all this information and are given credit for any information they present orally to the class. We also watched a recent video on CNN called God's Warriors that they answered questions about.

3. In the past, we did background information on the possible countries. Students were assigned a country, researched the country, and presented information about it to the class. Students then voted on their top 3 choices and took an open note quiz over the countries. We did not do this this year as it is quite time consuming.

4. Once we are assigned countries, I have students divide up and they are given several graded assignments.


 * 1) Write a detailed outline of their character emphasizing job history and beliefs of their character. (individual grade)
 * 2) Read the scenario and underline what they think is important.(individual grade)
 * 3) Team meets together and discusses what their country's strategic goals will be. They answer the questions on the website.(team grade)
 * 4) Team discusses the scenario and their goals and they write the first press release together. (team grade)
 * 5) They have to read every biography in their matrix and write a shorter biography than their own but it focuses on past jobs and personal beliefs. (individual grade)

Grading
The bulk of their grade is the result of communications they write to other world leaders in their matrix. Their first letter has to have 3 parts to receive full credit. They need to include something of the other persons bio to let that person know that they read their bio and that the letter is personally sent to them. Second, it has to promote at least one of their country's goals. Third and this is the hardest part, it has to include some specific question that will make the reader write back to them. They can not ask questions like what are your ideas for peace or what can we do to help you. Once you write the first letter to a person, you don't have to include all 3 parts to that person in the future.

1. I require two letters per class (we meet every other day for 90 minutes) and once their letter writing learning curve improves, 3 letters per class. letters are worth 10 points. 2. Every character has to write: at least one weekly summary (10 points) one press release (20 points), later one press release per week 3. some students will write action forms (40 points) 4. students are required to turn in a weekly tally sheet of what they did-who they wrote to, what day it was, who did they get letters from and what day. I use this to get on students who take too long to write some characters back. I also use it to make sure that they write to every student in their matrix.

My goal is to earn 30 points per day from any of the above sources. They also earn 5 points per class for being present and being active. It is imperative that students stay on top of their communications. If a student misses my class on Monday, I won't see them until Wednesday and if they don't answer all their mail on Wed, they won't until Friday and by then, events in the simulation may have changed so much that the Monday letter is outdated. Meanwhile, you have made another student angry because you never wrote them back promptly.

=**Traci**:=

I first make the students do individual character sketches to make sure that they know who they are representing. The also in small groups do introduction to the AIC power points outlining key figures, dates, wars, land...

Once we start, I require a certain amount of participation per group, per week. The participation increases as the activity gets underway. Try not to expect too much, as not all classes are online every day, and mentors are not always ready to give immediate feedback to goals...

I have them keep a group binder and in that binder they have dividers for the categories listed on the rubric. That way, I can easily grade the groups without having to be on line all the time myself. It wastes paper, but it works best for me. Weekly assignments may be current events in the real world, non governmental organizations... It depends on what i think that my student need to get a deeper understanding. Once they know what they are doing and some background, participation did not seem to be a problem as they were eager to get on line.

I hope that this helps, and feel free to contact me with questions. I know how you are feeling, and this project works out really well in the end, no need for anxiety!!!

[| WEEKLY RUBRIC.doc]

[| WEEKLY RUBRIC-1.doc]

[| How to Use the AIC website.doc]

[| Character sketches.doc]

[| AIC Leader graphic organizer.doc]

=**Michael and Jerry**=

Jerry and I are really looking forward to this years SIM classes. We have two classes of really good students that are seemingly self-starters. However, this summer Jerry and I redesigned the assessment strategies because of a few issues that we have noticed in the years past, so we came up with the idea of a tiered grading system. The tier is based on the type of post with a number of minimum posts created in each tier for a specified grade. Each tier should assist each student in moving up to the next tier, ie. discussions/resolutions in "C" work should assist in creating a Press Release, which will assist in giving each student momentum in creating a quality action form which they have already received feedback on from their peers in the SIM and their own country/organization. As you may already know, for every two students we have one character, therefore, each character will be posting a minimum of 40 comments/stickies, 10 D/R w/ follow-up, 10 PR, and 2 action forms based on our tiered system (to identify each student, we are having them put their initials at the bottom of each post, so it would be appreciated if you could make the mentors aware). In theory, based on the 2:1 ratio for each character and the tier, we have worked in a series of checks and balances. Students can still work individually, but their teammate will need to approve any messages they send to ensure they are not only in character and diplomatic in nature but also "on the same page." In a similar sense, the group will need to work together as each student works up the tier to send their press releases and their action forms. We also, feel that weekly reports will assist in each character staying honest, so to say, to their teams strategic goals.

We have put a great amount of time in terms of surveying previous students, thoroughly examining posts made by students, and reviewing post received from others. So, although the system may seem like we are setting a minimal goal for the students to obtain, the general nature of the simulation dictates and requires the students to go above and beyond the minimal standards we have set. Our intentions are quite simple: to create greater interactions in the simulation, to provide structure as to what they should attempt to accomplish on a day-to-day basis if they want to achieve* a certain grade, and to create a fair and balanced grading system that is not subjective to a great degree.

Attached is a copy of the tiered grade attainment form we gave our students, so feel free to share this with others.
 * Our class meets 2-3 times a week for a 90 minute block. 45 minutes of that time is spent in the lab. Each student is required to perform the tasks listed on the tracking sheet over the duration of the Simulation.

[| simulation_tracking.doc]**

=Vicki=

= = = = Westwood Schools - Georgia USA user:brightideagurubrightideaguru I'm excited about joining this project and have learned a lot from the information posted here. Here is an outline of my plan thus far. //(I will be using your suggestions as we move forward.)//
 * 1) Movie - **I introduced the topic by using the movie Blood and Tears by ThinkFilm -- (see the resources page)**
 * 2) Handouts - **Students were given a printout of all materials relating to their character to put in their binder. This included their password.**
 * 3) Strategic Goals **- Student created this in [|Google Docs word processor], which allows me to track individual student contribution down to the comma (under the revisions tab.) This makes sure that all have contributed.**
 * 4) Country Profile Presentation** - Students are creating a presentation for the class as shown in the following handout. They will create and present it in [|Google presentations] (part of Google Docs) to the class and we will use the backchannel chat to transcribe notes and have everyone contribute to the knowledge about the other countries.
 * [[file:middleeastconflictcountry_exploration.pdf]]
 * [[file:middleeastconflictcountry_exploration.docx]]