learning patterns for the design and deployment of mathematical games

Virtual School
Created	Andrew Law, 22 November, 2006	Modified:	22 November, 2006
Summary	An experimental 'sand pit' for emerging leaders in UK schools. Made by the BBC for the NCSL. This - management and leadership challenge simulation provides a series of scenarios where the users decisions have impacts on the range of virtual 'objects' in their virtual school.

Context

Virtual school (http://devvirtualschool.ncsl.org.uk/) was developed by BBC WIL (www.bbcwil.com) for the National College of School Leaders. The College runs a series of online and blended programmes to support school workers in Leadership and Management (see http://www.ncsl.org.uk). This NCSL programme ('Leading from the Middle') was aimed at 'emerging leaders' - people who had potential but no formal leadership role in their school community. The Virtual School was just one part of a blend of learning materials (standard e-leanring modules, face to face sessions, online discussion etc).

mathematical content	content domain: ; target audience: ; Skill Domain: ;
Learning and Instruction	Mathematical content: T2; Didactical functionalities: T2; Metaphor: T2; Rationale: T2; T2: T2;
Educational Context	production: T3; cultural: T3; teacher support: T3; intervention: T3; T3: T3;
Games	Game as activity: T4; games as genres: T4; game as media: T4; T4: T4; T4: T4;
Interface and interaction	user interface: T5; accessibility: T5; user setting: T5; T5: T5; T5: T5;
Software Design	Requirements: T6; Development Methodology: T6; Customisation: T6; T6: T6; T6: T6;

Aims

To help emergent leader become aware of the typical range of challanges they might face in a new leadership role. Gain a sense of existin skills and capabilities as well a sense of where there might be areas of challenge/development.

Details

Practise in private at no risk to your career, school, colleagues or students! Virtual School enables teachers to experience school issues in a computer simulation. Users tackle dilemmas ranging from improving academic attainment to staff development.

Scene from Virtual School - showing children and teacher in class

Virtual School presents a number of authentic scenarios written by leading educational professionals. Each scenario has a number of equally plausible options. There is no right or wrong answer but each action has a series of possible short and long-term consequences. Users see the effects of their decisions on the characters within the simulation. The school's characters include classes of children, colleagues and the senior management team. The effects range from changing attainment levels to morale to hours worked.

Obviously Virtual School cannot be a completely faithful reproduction of school. It is at times provocatively simplistic and restricted. However, it is not a stand-alone exercise but an activity that stimulates thought and discussion in online community and face-to-face meetings. Its shortcomings are as important to learning as its authenticity.

Outcomes

There is a significant split between the 35years and under and the post 35s. The younger age range tended to prefer the open ended experience - some said the best part of the programme. The older members found it more challenging and with no clear 'purpose'. Currently the system is under development - a key issue will be to