The GlobalEd Project: An experimental study of negotiation and decisionmaking

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The GlobalEd Project An experimental study of
negotiation and decision-making
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What is the GlobalEd Project?

• An Experimental Web-based Study of Student
  Decision Making and Negotiation Skills.
• A problem-based simulation related to
  international studies, the use of technology, and
  student outcomes.

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GlobalEd Roots
ICONS International Communication and
Negotiation Simulations University of Maryland
Emphasis College and High School Students
CPIN Connecticut Project in International
Negotiation University of Connecticut Focus
High School and Middle School Students
GlobalEd Focus High School and Middle School
students throughout the U.S.
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Supporting Literature

• Transfer of knowledge (Bednar, Cunningham, Duffy,
  Perry, 1992).
• PBL (Scardamalia Bereiter, 1994 Brown et al,
  2003).
• Global Citizenship (Lima Brown, 2008 Lima
  Brown, 2007).
• The GlobalEd Project (Boyer et al, 2005 2006
  2007 Brown et al, 2002 2003).

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The GlobalEd Project at UConn

• Problem-based learning environment using an
  online simulation.
• Embedded in the social studies curriculum.
• Interdisciplinary
• Students from a class negotiate treaties
  concerning current word issues, while they
  represent real-world countries.
• Students are assigned to issue area groups (4-5
  students).
• Synchronous life conferences and e-mail
  communication.
• Simulation controllers (SIMCON).
• A doctoral student in international relations

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Brief Overview of the Simulation

• Each classroom from various schools is assigned a
  country.
• 4-6 weeks before the simulation begins, students
  receive a scenario set 6 months into the future.
  
• Begin exchanging opening messages outlining
  initial positions and interests.
• Continue by responding to other countries
  statements and proposals.
• Participate in real-time conferences to work
  toward the formulation of common policies and
  positions. Generally 2 conference sessions per
  issue area.
• Students Goal To negotiate treaties among the
  countries

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Issue Areas of the Simulation
Global Environment
World Health
Human Rights
Conflict and Cooperation
International Economics
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Previous Simulations Students from across the
USA
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The delegates of the Canadian Conflict and
cooperation committee would like to request that
the global community unite all efforts against
terrorism by aligning with support for a treaty
proposed by Pakistan, US, or Russia. If
possible, we feel that the merging of all
treaties would be in our best interest. As
always we would like the input and responses from
the world's delegations.
In response to the request for the U.S. opinion
on listing the priorities of negotiating a treaty
on this subject, we will not negotiate in the
areas of animal cloning, human cloning, and sex
selection. For, these topics are a blunt
violation of human rights.
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How is data collected?
With teacher, student and parent cooperation
With web-based surveys
Through email traffic on the GlobalEd system
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Methods

• Participants are assigned to all male, all female
  or mixed gender groups within their class.
• 2 weeks before the simulation began, students
  filled out the instruments

• On-line Instruments
•  Student Demographic Information
•  Student interest
• Technology Self-efficacy
•  Academic Self-efficacy
• Leadership
•  Global Citizenship
•  Learning Styles Inventory

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Our General procedure
Measuring pre- post- follow-up student learning
outcomes

• Knowledge
• Attitudes
• Behaviors

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Knowledge Items

• Rate your knowledge about the country that you
  have been assigned.

• Rate your overall knowledge of the other
  countries in the simulation.

• Rate your knowledge of American foreign policy.

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Attitudes/Interest Items

• I am very interested in the topic of
  international relations.
• I am very interested in international
  environmental issues.
• I enjoy working on group projects in school.
• I am motivated to do well in school.

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Behaviors/Skills Items

• Rate your skills for working in groups in
  educational settings.
• Rate your problem solving skills in educational
  settings.
• Rate you negotiating/conflict resolution skills.
• Rate your communication skills (speaking and
  writing).

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Descriptive Data
Students provided descriptive responses to the
questions
-- What are the top 3 things you hope to learn
from the simulation? -- pretest
-- What are the top 3 things you have learned
from the simulation? -- posttest
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Instrument Quality

• Reliability for stability measure

-- knowledge items pre-test .62 post-test
.71
-- behavior items Pre-test .88 post-test .88
-- interest items Pre-test .84 post-test .87

• Validity use of experts

-- Current version validated by experts
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High School Student Comments
We believe that this simulation was a successful
look on how real negotiations might go. . . . I
personally feel that it really opens your eyes to
how to handle trying to reach common goals and
how hard it really it sic to do so.
We believe to avoid such problems as countries
trying to have their ways is to open your eyes to
others views. Also trying to think as another
country is a good way to understand others views.
Global recognition of others views is a great way
to understand everyone's ideas, thoughts,
comments, beliefs.
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www.globaled.uconn.edu