Abstract
Between 2014 and 2016, the Syria Simulation was delivered as an in-person, tabletop role-playing game to over 700 students at a liberal arts university in Texas. This low-fidelity, 3-h simulation was designed to address global learning programs and course outcomes by asking students to analyze events from multiple geopolitical perspectives while role-playing key actors and organizations in the Syria conflict. Game design was grounded in high-impact curriculum design and instructional design practice while employing game design mechanics to target twenty-first-century competencies and enhance student engagement. A diverse faculty team used a gameful, experiential strategy to challenge students to tackle the complex problem of achieving peace in the Middle East. This gameful approach to learning immersed students within an authentic, experiential setting, challenged their decision-making, and provided opportunities for reflection. Role-play enabled students to play conflict actors and supported cooperative learning goals while shaping student perspectives on the conflict. In this chapter, we discuss the Syria Simulation project through these theoretical lenses and describe the ways in which the game’s design reflects an experiential system of rules, play, and culturally responsive design. We will also describe the game’s design and development process, and its impact on student engagement, and we will explain its integration into a liberal arts curriculum. We also present a model for how narrow identification of learning problems, threshold concepts, strategic design of game mechanics, and an engagement ethos can be used to support powerful, playful, high-impact learning for a range of learning outcomes and student participation.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of university staff, including instructional technology staff, in supporting the process to build the assets needed to deliver this simulation. We would also like to recognize the efforts of the student interns during the spring 2016 workshops. These global studies students were instrumental in facilitating conversations and deliberations at each workshop table, and they were key to our success. Finally, we would like to recognize the support provided by members of the program staff who managed all logistical efforts related to the workshops. Efforts by these participants and the authors of this manuscript represented a longitudinal team effort to help students learn about the complexities of the Syrian crisis through this novel game.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Syria Simulation Actors and Action Cards 2015–2016
Bashar al-Assad
Make a Speech, Military Assault, Heavy Military Assault, Terrorize Population, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Broker Cease-Fire with Rebel Groups, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons
Rebel Groups—Salafi/(ISIS)
Strategic Assault, Random Assault, Make a Speech, Plea for Support, Make/Break Alliances, Negotiate Peace, Build Government, Procure WMD’s, Organize Demonstrations, Social Media Activity, General Strike, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons, Make Your Own Card
Rebel Groups—Islamist
Strategic Assault, Random Assault, Make a Speech, Plea for Support, Make/Break Alliances, Negotiate Peace, Build Government, Procure WMD’s, Organize Demonstrations, Social Media Activity, General Strike, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons, Make Your Own Card
Rebel Groups—Free Syrian Army
Strategic Assault, Random Assault, Make a Speech, Plea for Support, Make/Break Alliances, Negotiate Peace, Build Government, Procure WMD’s, Organize Demonstrations, Social Media Activity, General Strike, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons, Make Your Own Card
Turkey
Make a Speech, Build Shelters for Refugees, Voting Cards, Military Assault, Heavy Military Assault, Aid Refugees, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Allow US forces to use airbases for strikes on ISIS in Iraq
Iran
Make a Speech, Voting Cards, Lend Military Aid, Aid Refugees, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card
Russia
Make a Speech, Voting Cards, Lend Military Aid, Lend Humanitarian Aid, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Broker an International Deal to Intervene, Support Training for Rebels, Materially Support Rebels, Take Military Action, Launch Airstrikes in Syria, Provide Training for Rebels to Overthrow Assad
Syrian Population
Voting Cards, Organize Demonstrations, General Strike, Join Rebellion, Lend Support to Rebels, Social Media Activity, Make your own card, Syrian Population Members Card, Build Government
Western powers (United States, United Kingdom, Canada)
Make a Speech, Voting Cards, Lend Military Aid, Lend Humanitarian Aid, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Take Military Action, Seek Parliamentary/Congressional Approval, Support Training for Rebels, Aid Refugees, Lend Support to Rebels, Launch Airstrikes in Syria
European Union
Make a Speech, Voting Cards, Lend Military Aid, Lend Humanitarian Aid, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Take Military Action, Seek Governmental Approval, Aid Refugees
Saudi Arabia
Make a Speech, Build Shelters, Voting Cards, Military Assault, Heavy Military Assault, Aid Refugees, Social Media Activity, Lend Military Aid, Lend Humanitarian Aid, Make Your Own Card, Take Military Action, Allow US forces to use airbases, Make/Break Alliances
Syrian Kurdish Militia (YPG and YPJ)
Strategic Assault, Random Assault, Make a Speech, Plea for Support, Make/Break Alliances, Negotiate Peace, Build Government, Procure WMD’s, Organize Demonstrations, Social Media Activity, General Strike, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons, Make Your Own Card, Build Government
Hezbollah
Strategic Assault, Random Assault, Make a Speech, Plea for Support, Make/Break Alliances, Negotiate Peace, Build Government, Procure WMD’s, Organize Demonstrations, General Strike, Tactical Use of Chemical Weapons, Make Your Own Card, Social Media Activity
Neighboring States Lebanon/Jordan
Make a Speech, Build Shelters, Voting Cards, Military Assault, Heavy Military Assault, Aid Refugees, Social Media Activity, Make Your Own Card, Allow US forces to use airbases for strikes on ISIS in Iraq, Support training for Rebels; Lend Support to Rebels
Appendix 2: Workshop Evaluation Form
Stakeholder: _________________________________ Group Leader: _____________________________________
Please indicate your responses to the questions below. The scale is:
1—Strongly Disagree 2—Disagree 3—Neutral 4—Agree 5—Strongly Agree
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1.
As a result of this workshop I have gained a clear understanding of the perspectives of different actors in the Syrian crisis
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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2.
As a result of this workshop I have gained a greater understanding of the power relations that are affecting the Syrian crisis
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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3.
As a result of this workshop I have a greater ability to consider the moral questions posed by the crisis and how these are understood differently by different stakeholders in the conflict
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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4.
This workshop has challenged me to consider the consequences of various actions/interventions in the conflict by different stakeholders
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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5.
I was challenged to consider the kinds of actions/interventions that could lead to more socially just outcomes for the Syrian people
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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6.
The material explaining the overall nature of the conflict and the interests of the stakeholders was clear and helpful.
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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7.
The discussion about social justice and consideration of socially just outcomes was clear and helpful.
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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8.
The material explaining the situation in my assigned state at each stage of the conflict was clear and helpful.
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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9.
My group leader effectively helped our group with discussions and group interactions.
1 _________________ 2 _________________ 3 ______________ 4 _________________ 5 _________________
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10.
Did you read the information your group leader sent before the start of the workshop? Was it useful?
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11.
How could this workshop be improved?
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Rosenblum, J., Guner, S., Wilson, C., Myhr, M. (2021). Gameful Learning and the Syrian Conflict: Developing Global Learning Competencies in a Complex Conflict. In: Aprea, C., Ifenthaler, D. (eds) Game-based Learning Across the Disciplines. Advances in Game-Based Learning. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75142-5_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75142-5_7
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