{"id":31453,"date":"2019-05-27t09:18:31","date_gmt":"2019-05-27t14:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.imrbdigital.com\/?p=31453"},"modified":"2019-07-30t09:20:16","modified_gmt":"2019-07-30t14:20:16","slug":"teaching-innovations-at-vanderbilt-neil-kelley-jennifer-bradham-and-class-simulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.imrbdigital.com\/2019\/05\/teaching-innovations-at-vanderbilt-neil-kelley-jennifer-bradham-and-class-simulations\/","title":{"rendered":"teaching innovations at vanderbilt: neil kelley, jennifer bradham and class simulations"},"content":{"rendered":"
by faith rovenolt, cft undergraduate intern<\/em><\/h5>\n

\"\"<\/a>neil kelley<\/strong> teaches ees 1030l: oceanography lab, assisted by his tas, michaela peterson<\/strong> and jennifer bradham<\/strong>. i was able to speak with kelley and bradham about a specific lab that, quite frankly, made me want to take the course just so i could be a part of it. and that\u2019s a big statement for someone with an entirely different major. during the \u201claw of the sea\u201d lab session, students work through a simulation where they renegotiate international use and rights to the ocean. from a student\u2019s perspective, it\u2019s incredibly compelling and real.<\/p>\n

kelley and bradham have each taught the course multiple times. bradham was there to see what this lab looked like at its inception: an almost scripted, unengaging activity that wasn\u2019t interactive. bradham, and now kelley, have worked to reshape both the course overall and this lab. now, students walk into class and are greeted by a large map, depicting a fantasy world with countries that they will represent. presented with a brief description and location of their country, they are then instructed to work with other groups to reach an agreement on the sovereign rights each country has to ocean resources. each group has information that explains the country\u2019s strengths, needs, and (to some extent) cultural expectations, and groups are expected to take these perspectives seriously as they negotiate.<\/p>\n

this lab has been extremely well received. bradham told me students often tell her it is their favorite lab activity. part of why this activity goes over so well is that it appeals to the diversity of students in the class; oceanography attracts more than just stem majors, and this activity allows students to bring their different backgrounds to the simulation. this simulation is also a culminating activity that makes students form connections between different facets of the material they\u2019ve learned during the semester. it brings together what they\u2019ve learned and makes them think critically about it.<\/p>\n

each time they do this lab, bradham and kelley are pleasantly surprised by just how passionate students can get with the activity. and it\u2019s something very doable in other courses as well. as bradham pointed out, most fields have a controversial topic that can be debated or simulated by students. implementation is fairly easy and works best when:<\/p>\n