Dec 6, 2007

Today is our last day so we'll wrap up the semester. I'll collect the Cell Phone papers, then I'll have just a few final words and take a few closing comments.

Then you're done!

Topics

Homework

Dec 4, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 29, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 27, 2007

Yet another brief day as all we have to do is see Luke's presentation from last week.

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 20, 2007

Today is a very brief day to let you start your Thanksgiving a bit early.

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 15, 2007

Topics

Homework

Nov 13, 2007

I don't think it's possible for the day to get any simpler.

Topics:

Scavenger Hunt:

Nov 08, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 06, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 01, 2007

Topics:

• Real Life Sim Presentation by Heather
• Discuss: Virtual Itza
• Discuss: Virtual World, Real Life Lawyers
• Discuss: Second Life Faces Mobile Death
• Discuss: Beijing Police Will Patrol Web Virtually
• Discuss: Real Hope in a Virtual World
• Discuss: Dennis Kucinich Opens Up Shop in Second Life
• Discuss: How a Computer Game Glitch Could Help to Fight Off a Global Pandemic

Homework:

Oct 30, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 25, 2007

Today we tackle the issues surrounding the second half of your "final" project. ...among other things...

Homework

Oct 23, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 18, 2007

No Class in the classroom today.

Please take this time to work on your Software Simulation Instructional Design packet. They're due next Thursday!

Oct 16, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 11, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 9, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 4, 2007

Three Real Life Sims: Bobby, Alex, & Brian

Topics:

• Oddware Presentations.

Homework:

Oct 2, 2007

No SL Presentations today.

Topics:

Homework:

Sep 27, 2007

Two Real Life Sim presentations. Bobby & Jesse

Topic:

Homework:

Sep 25, 2007

• The Crooked House
• Virtual Hallucinations
• Myst Online

Scavenger Hunt : A pet of some sort. We'll meet at the Beach House and show them off.

Sep 20, 2007

Real Life Simulation Presentation by: Bobby

Topics:

• Hardware Prototypes

Homework:

• Oddware

Sep 18, 2007

Second Life Sim: Mike

Other places by Damian

Homework

• Optional: Jewelry with "bling."

Sep 13, 2007

Real Life Sim: Jerilyn

Topics:

• My 4th Newspaper Interview about UB and Second Life.
• Four interesting Second Life books.
• Second Life Terrorism
• Second Life Punishment
• Reuters in Second Life
• Disaffected!

Homework

• Play Disaffected

 

Sep 11, 2007

Today we meet in Second Life at 11am.
Jesse will be presenting his first Second Life simulation.

Sep 6, 2007

Here are the topics we will be covering today:

• Ricky's Real Life Sim Presentation
• Non-Computer Platforms
• Computer Based Platforms

Homework

• No Homework
• Optional: New Avatar Hair in Second Life

Sep 4, 2007

Today we meet in Second Life.
Regular class time: 11am.
Run Ventrilo and log in to the server.
(Get the server / port info from the blue panel.)
Log into Second Life and I'll send you a teleport
to our location.

Homework:
(Read the Class Requirements for fuller details.)

• Student Setup
• Scavenger Hunt #1
• Class Photo

APPLIED SIMULATION     
COSC330.SG1     
Fall 2007     

-Ventrilo Information-     
Server: 69.12.74.141     
Port: 4143     

Whaddya mean by "no computers"?

Chris Clark, a corporate trainer of much reknown, taught this class a few years ago. He gave many great examples of training and simulations that did not require the use of a computer. In one example, a large corporation was having a team-building / employee mixer function. He was tasked with finding a way to get the attendees to interact as well to lay the foundation for team building. His solution used a large stack of index cards.

As I recall (and I could be misremembering or embellishing) several "projects" were created and listed on the board. Each person blindly chose a card and wrote his/her name on the front of the card for people to see. (Part 1 of the mixer aspect.) On the back of the card was listed the person's job/skill set, and expected salary, but no one was allowed to see that data.

Now each person had to decided which job or jobs he'd like to be part of. His goals were (1) to get hired at least (2) to get hired working on the project he desired, and (3) to get his full pay from the project.

A few people had "hiring manager" cards. On the back of that card was listed one of the projects, what job types he'd need to hire, and the budget he had for paying the folks he'd hire.

Now the game began in earnest. As you can imagine, a great deal of interaction took place as the managers tried to fill their teams but stay in budget, while the job-seekers tried to get the best position they could.

Other Platforms

Last session, when we "thought about" simulations, we actually looked at a couple of non-computerized (or largely non-computerized) training platforms. Rescusi-Anne is the mouth-to-mouth trainer, and the Driver's Education cars simulated a car for new drivers.

When I was growing up and trying to learn to play the piano (failed prospect). I didn't have a piano, but I did acquire a piece of cardboard that was marked like the keys on a keyboard. Keys were marked with A, B, C, D etc., An accompanying pamphlet taught chords and so forth. The idea was that the learner could practice his fingering without needing an actual piano.

There was once upon a time (a probably still is) a big, glass ball painted black except for seemingly haphard dots that were clear. Inside the ball was a lightbulb. When placed in a darkened room and turned on, the light projected through the holes and onto the walls and ceiling of the room. Instant star chart. Something like this:

Some electronics companies use "Heath Kits" to train new employees. A heath kit is a circuit board in which the learner can experiment with wiring, soldering, and creating circuits.

Infant "busy-boards" or "activity centers" are the colorful plastic, playpen walls that help babies develop their manual dexterity. They learn to spin dials, slide gadgets, push buttons, tie shoelaces, and other such developmental skills...all while safely enclosed in their playpens.

Your Turn

Now, let's look at these skillsets / jobs and try to dream up non-computerized ways of training folks to perform them. Some are probably pretty easy to think of because they already exist. Others might require more thinking.

• Blackjack Dealer
• Surgeon
• Flight Attendant
• Wine Steward
• Cobbler
• Magician
• Zamboni Operator

A Sigh of Relief

Next Page - Using the computer!