Using NationStates In School - It Worked!

[Illumios]

Greetings Esteemed Leaders,
I remember seeing some time ago a thread where a player was wondering if NationStates could feasibly be used in a high school setting. I am writing to say that it is possible (and I also forgot where that thread is).
It started when a couple of friends and I started our own official NationStates club at school that involved role-play, international law, and other such things (for this, I used my main nation, Illumios, which is why my population in this country is so small at the time I am writing this). We suggested to our social studies teacher about using the game as a government simulator for all of our ninth grade class. Our teacher thought this was an interesting idea and decided to give it a try. Our club was put in charge of designing a series of tutorials, and we allocated a week to have the whole grade (or at least to teachers who were willing to have their social studies classes play the game) play the game. After showing all students our tutorials, each of the students in the participating classes made a nation, and were then assigned to their class's region. For homework, we would record our issues and responses, and would talk about them and their outcome the next day in class. On the final day, the students had to write a short essay about how their country did or did not succeed to their expectations, and how their choices shaped what happened.
I was also surprised that after getting through the creation phase, lots of the students were pretty engaged with the game.
Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

Some notes and advice:
- I do know that this can't be applicable to all schools, since computer access is needed to play the game. Our school is fortunate to have a computer lab, and most students had decent Internet access.
- Also, creating several nations at the same time (students all creating their countries in class at once) can overload both NationStates's servers and local Internet connection, so it would be wise to either have a couple students go at a time or have the students create their nations at home.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Interesting

[Kincoboh]

Greetings Esteemed Leaders,
I remember seeing some time ago a thread where a player was wondering if NationStates could feasibly be used in a high school setting. I am writing to say that it is possible (and I also forgot where that thread is).
It started when a couple of friends and I started our own official NationStates club at school that involved role-play, international law, and other such things (for this, I used my main nation, Illumios, which is why my population in this country is so small at the time I am writing this). We suggested to our social studies teacher about using the game as a government simulator for all of our ninth grade class. Our teacher thought this was an interesting idea and decided to give it a try. Our club was put in charge of designing a series of tutorials, and we allocated a week to have the whole grade (or at least to teachers who were willing to have their social studies classes play the game) play the game. After showing all students our tutorials, each of the students in the participating classes made a nation, and were then assigned to their class's region. For homework, we would record our issues and responses, and would talk about them and their outcome the next day in class. On the final day, the students had to write a short essay about how their country did or did not succeed to their expectations, and how their choices shaped what happened.
I was also surprised that after getting through the creation phase, lots of the students were pretty engaged with the game.
Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

Some notes and advice:
- I do know that this can't be applicable to all schools, since computer access is needed to play the game. Our school is fortunate to have a computer lab, and most students had decent Internet access.
- Also, creating several nations at the same time (students all creating their countries in class at once) can overload both NationStates's servers and local Internet connection, so it would be wise to either have a couple students go at a time or have the students create their nations at home.

Cool! I showed it to my civics teacher in high school, and he was like "What's with this Jennifer?" as if any website that has a female name on it is automatically a pornographic website.

[Frisbeeteria]

Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

It has been thus used for more than a decade.

[Kincoboh]

Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

It has been thus used for more than a decade.

FTFY

[Illumios]

Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

It has been thus used for more than a decade.

Dang, if I had found that page and shown it to my teacher, that would have saved lots of work. I'm such a noob.

[SuperFruitland]

Greetings Esteemed Leaders,
I remember seeing some time ago a thread where a player was wondering if NationStates could feasibly be used in a high school setting. I am writing to say that it is possible (and I also forgot where that thread is).
It started when a couple of friends and I started our own official NationStates club at school that involved role-play, international law, and other such things (for this, I used my main nation, Illumios, which is why my population in this country is so small at the time I am writing this). We suggested to our social studies teacher about using the game as a government simulator for all of our ninth grade class. Our teacher thought this was an interesting idea and decided to give it a try. Our club was put in charge of designing a series of tutorials, and we allocated a week to have the whole grade (or at least to teachers who were willing to have their social studies classes play the game) play the game. After showing all students our tutorials, each of the students in the participating classes made a nation, and were then assigned to their class's region. For homework, we would record our issues and responses, and would talk about them and their outcome the next day in class. On the final day, the students had to write a short essay about how their country did or did not succeed to their expectations, and how their choices shaped what happened.
I was also surprised that after getting through the creation phase, lots of the students were pretty engaged with the game.
Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

Some notes and advice:
- I do know that this can't be applicable to all schools, since computer access is needed to play the game. Our school is fortunate to have a computer lab, and most students had decent Internet access.
- Also, creating several nations at the same time (students all creating their countries in class at once) can overload both NationStates's servers and local Internet connection, so it would be wise to either have a couple students go at a time or have the students create their nations at home.

Cool! I showed it to my civics teacher in high school, and he was like "What's with this Jennifer?" as if any website that has a female name on it is automatically a pornographic website.

I remember a few years back I sent NS in a school email to my 6th grade social studies teacher. I never got a reply on whether we would use it, but I'm assuming the teacher ignored it

[Greater Weselton]

I put down the suggestion of using NationStates at my high school in a suggestion box on a student technology survey.

[Butballs]

Put that idea on thd table last year. Ns was blocked.

[Skappola]

Perhaps I should suggest as a serious thing this to my history teachers. My highschool is one of those places which are fully integrating ipads into their education (It's now a requirement to own one and take it to every clas), so I imagine this would fit in quite well.

[Fortschritte]

In all honesty, I think having kids playing NS in social studies class is unproductive and futile.

[Anollasia]

Instead of NS, we play Civic Mirror.

[-United Islamic Emirate-]

some times I use it in class when I get bored not as a class room assignment though

[MERIZoC]

Perhaps I should suggest as a serious thing this to my history teachers. My highschool is one of those places which are fully integrating ipads into their education (It's now a requirement to own one and take it to every clas), so I imagine this would fit in quite well.

Sure it is.

[Fortschritte]

Perhaps I should suggest as a serious thing this to my history teachers. My highschool is one of those places which are fully integrating ipads into their education (It's now a requirement to own one and take it to every clas), so I imagine this would fit in quite well.

Sure it is.

Are you suggesting that his high school doesn't require iPads? Because, many schools, including my own, have IPad programs where all schoolwork is digital and done on iPads given to you by the school.

[-United Islamic Emirate-]

Sure it is.

Are you suggesting that his high school doesn't require iPads? Because, many schools, including my own, have IPad programs where all schoolwork is digital and done on iPads given to you by the school.

I hate tablets lol

[MERIZoC]

Sure it is.

Are you suggesting that his high school doesn't require iPads? Because, many schools, including my own, have IPad programs where all schoolwork is digital and done on iPads given to you by the school.

I'm suggesting there's no requirement to own one.

[Fortschritte]

Are you suggesting that his high school doesn't require iPads? Because, many schools, including my own, have IPad programs where all schoolwork is digital and done on iPads given to you by the school.

I'm suggesting there's no requirement to own one.

You shouldn't, since I know of many schools, including my own, that have such requirements. However, schools with such requirements almost always give you a tablet.

[Luziyca]

Actually, for quite a long time, it used to be accessible at school. In Grade 9, my computer science teacher (who also happened to be my social studies teacher that semester) actually wanted to find a way to incorporate NationStates into his class after I showed it on a powerpoint about myself or something. Needless to say, it got blocked last year (that post managed to get through) because it was considered a "game." It must have been because I was using that a lot on school computers during lunch and before class (though not during class).

[New Kvenland]

I've honestly thought of suggesting it to my school, but it has "chat rooms" (e.g. whenever you are able to communicate with someone outside of the school limits). Therefore, it is not allowed and blocked.

[Victorious Decepticons]

I'm suggesting there's no requirement to own one.

You shouldn't, since I know of many schools, including my own, that have such requirements. However, schools with such requirements almost always give you a tablet.

To own one implies that the school requires you or your parents to actually buy one - and this would be seriously discriminatory against those who can't afford it.

When the school "gives" valuable things out, that almost always means that the items in question actually belong to the school and will have to be turned in once the semester or year is over. These things aren't really given, nor are they owned by the students. So it would be incorrect that this type of policy results in everyone "owning" an iPad. Everyone may have to USE one, but that's different.

That said, my high school occasionally did have to be reminded that it could not require students/parents to buy things. Such ideas come up in well-to-do districts, and initial directives may indeed say "must buy" or "must own." It can take some doing to get it through their heads that not everyone in [area] is rolling in dough, and that hey, that's what the property tax is supposed to cover. Multiple rounds of complaining were sometimes needed before the policy got changed. Ipads weren't a thing yet, but I recall incidents involving a "requirement" to buy wood for wood shop (which would have cost upwards of $50 for the types called for by some projects), the "mandatory" keeping of 3-ring binders, and even a requirement for students to buy their own paper all being instituted - and then struck down later - during my stint.

[Socialist Union of Citizens]

One time, my district actually blocked it in the middle of me using it. Like, it was usable one second, and I guess they saw me using it and blocked it for "games". But, I have 4 browsers on my school tablet/laptop; Opera, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome. It worked on Opera

[Skappola]

Are you suggesting that his high school doesn't require iPads? Because, many schools, including my own, have IPad programs where all schoolwork is digital and done on iPads given to you by the school.

I'm suggesting there's no requirement to own one.

Yes, there is an official requirement is own one. It's a rich kid's private school, what do you expect?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Anyway, in my opinion, I believe that NationStates could possibly be an interesting tool for simulating government in social studies classes.

It has been thus used for more than a decade.

^This

We even have special school regions in NS I believe.

[Luziyca]

One time, my district actually blocked it in the middle of me using it. Like, it was usable one second, and I guess they saw me using it and blocked it for "games". But, I have 4 browsers on my school tablet/laptop; Opera, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome. It worked on Opera

You're from Saskatoon too? Yeah, it blocked me when I clicked the submit button for an RP post I was doing. Thankfully, that post got through.