NationStates Jolt Archive

Would you say that NS is a good educational game? Because I have had been considering of creating a PowerPoint presentation for my IntCit class. But at the same time, I'm having doubts about some things. Now before you move this off to a different forum, I want to ask you the before afore mentioned question mods (but non-mods can respond if they like): is NS a good educational game?

I don't think the game itself is educational. The UN issues lack depth and the outcome has very little logic. I, for myself, have no idea what schools are doing here, unless they do most of their stuff offsite.

i still can't figure this game out and i've been playing for 3 months.

my nation has ranged from a corrupt dictatorship to a social democracy and thats been down to issues.

making school uniforms mandatory pushed me back into a corrupt dictatorship again for some reason.

The answer, in my opinion as an educator, is that it's all in what you intend to do with it.

Nationstates did not start out as an educational game, as far as I know, but when educators expressed interest in using it as such, accommodations were made for schools to use it.

If you intend to use it to enhance a curriculum on nations and government, politics and diplomacy, then yes, I could easily see the benefit. However, as an educator, you will have to develop the lesson plans and lay out the goals you wish your students to achieve. Taking them to the lab each week without a clear goal in mind and without having taught them what you wish about politics and government would be of extremely little use.

How about the forum and rping?

The answer, in my opinion as an educator, is that it's all in what you intend to do with it.

If you intend to use it to enhance a curriculum on nations and government, politics and diplomacy, then yes, I could easily see the benefit. However, as an educator, you will have to develop the lesson plans and lay out the goals you wish your students to achieve. Taking them to the lab each week without a clear goal in mind and without having taught them what you wish about politics and government would be of extremely little use.

Kat, as an educator, do you send any of your students to NationStates? :)

Would you say that NS is a good educational game?It may make one think and inspire education, but the game itself is not educational. IMO many issues make no sense and could be harmful to someone in the process of forming his/her political views. The UN isn't educational, either; AFAICT a lot of people just vote for the current resolution, even if it's repealing one they just voted for.

Why do I keep getting logged out? <_<

The game itself isn't very educational. However, the forums are. The General forum, despite a reputation for spam, often has very thought-provoking debates with well-argued points on both sides. The International Incidents and Nationstates forums are also educational, in a different way. I found that the RP forums (mainly II) have improved my writing skills immensely, while General gave me a greater interest in politics and a new understanding of many viewpoints.

It may make one think and inspire education, but the game itself is not educational. IMO many issues make no sense and could be harmful to someone in the process of forming his/her political views. The UN isn't educational, either; AFAICT a lot of people just vote for the current resolution, even if it's repealing one they just voted for.

I totally agree with Nianacio's point about the inspiration NS can provide. :)

I think NationStates, particularly its daily issues and UN resolutions can be thought provoking, and in a classroom setting where a teacher might have students explain why their "countries" choose one issue or side on a UN resolution, it could be educational.

The other advantage of a classroom setting is, unlike the forums, a teacher can help focus the discussions on the topics and avoid other students from basing their comments on the individuals stating an opinion (something even the most senior people of NS forget to do).

When I've written UN resolutions, I've tried to make them long eough, so that a high school civics or history teacher might be able to take the resolutions and turn them into a short class discussion. I've also purposefully tried to illustrate a trade-off similar to the way most of the daily issues seem to work.

making school uniforms mandatory pushed me back into a corrupt dictatorship again for some reason.

That's a little extreme isn't it? Very weird. I would have school uniforms.

xxx

While I post more in my region's forum than the II forum, this game does let me practice my creative writing skills.

The game is not educational since the effects of the issues are whacked. And the educational value of the forums is determined by the quality of the players that are posting. If a teacher wanted to set up a unit on how countries interact, it would be better to look at real-life since it is pretty obvious that most people don't govern their nation realistically. NS can serve, at best, as a possible template that a teacher can use. As stated earlier, it didn't start out as an educational game but to promote Max's book.

This game depends on what you do outside the game. The game could be educational or brain rotting, it just depends on how you think "outside the box."

This discussion is heavily biased in 'Yes'. I need more 'No' people.