Projects by Department | Proposal Guidelines | LTLC Homepage

PROJECT I: USE OF SIMULATION MODELS AND PRESENTATION SOFTWARE

Students in my First Year Seminar formed teams and used the simulation program International Futures Simulation (IFS) to learn about the operation of complex systemn. The exercises began when they changed a parameter in the model then observed, and considered the impact on several economic variables. They then exported the variable values (under the base case and for the changed model) into the spreadsheet program EXCEL where they made then into graphs. Next they exported the graphs into PowerPoint to make slides of the grpahs. Finally they presented the slides to the class and discussed the meaning of graphs. The project when remakably well. I think they learned some real economics through our class discussions of why the variables they observed changed as they had. I'm certain that they learned a good bit about PowerPoint, and I'm sure several will make use of it in the future when they make classroom presentations. They learned less about EXCEL though. I found that we can support Windows based software quite well, and that our students can switch platforms with little difficulty. Project description Using Windows machines my students worked in teams of three to four. Each team was assigned a different region of the world, corresponding to the regions we studied and read about this semester, and they ran a simulation program (International Futures Simulation - IFS) in which they changed a parameter in the model and observed its impact on other variables. For example the Latin American team simulated debt forgiveness, and observed the impact on standards of living, growth rates and several other variables. Each team simulated something different and viewed different variables. After they changed a parameter and ran the model they generated two sets of data for each variable they studied (ie. GDP per capita) one from the base case and one from the changed model. They exported this data from the IFS simulation into EXCEL. The spreadsheet EXCEL enabled them to turn the time series data into two graphs, which show changes much more clearly than a table of 25 figures. The next step was to export these graphs into PowerPoint so that they could make them into slides to show the class on a monitor. Each graph in their PowerPoint presentation had two lines (one from the base case and one from the changed model) and in class they talked about them and what they meant. They saved their slide show in a disk; brought the disk to class and showed it to the class on classroom monitor hooked up to a windows machine. Their presentations took up to 30 minutes as the class discussed what was shown. Thanks go to Mark LeBlanc, my mentor, without whom it would have taken ten times the countless hours to learn to do what I needed in EXCEL, PowerPoint, and with IFS; and to Abdul Shibli, and Jeanne Farrell without whom I never could have gotten the equipment into the classroom and set up for my students run six different times during the semester. Goals I really had two primary goals for this project. First, the most important one was to help them develop an understanding of how economic variables relate to each other. For instance we saw debt forgiveness in Latin America raised its GDP per capita. Why? I had them try to explain. It also raised exports. Could they tell me a plausible story as to why? Usually not initially, but gradually I could lead them to see how. (Remember these students are first semester freshmen without any introductory economics background.) The second goal was to teach computer skills. I hoped that working with EXCEL and PowerPoint would give them a sufficient introduction to these programs that they would feel comfortable using them in the future in other classes or for other uses. Getting my first semester freshmen comfortable with spreadsheets and presentation software I thought would be a good start. Some secondary goals included experimenting with assignments that required Windows, not Mac, softwafe so that we could see if the college could adequately support it. And lastly providing opportunities to hone their speaking skills as they had to make oral Reports to the class. Assessment To some extent I believe I achieved both of these goals, and to some extent I'm sure I fell short. There are three ways I can come at this issue of assessment. First, is my own evaluation of the project. (I did grade these presentations, and write each team a one page memo commenting on their work.) Second, I can Report the numerical average scores that they gave in answer to a evaluation form I handed out the last day of class. Third, I can quote some of the comments that they made on the evaluation forms. (the evaluation form is appended to this Report - it goes without saying that this form was crude and in desperate need of refinement.) My own belief is that the most difficult part was getting them to understand the economic relationships that underlie the simulation. And (surprisingly to me) to realize that the heart of this exercise was in what parameter was changed. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that tracing the economic relationships is not easy, and I do think this venue provided a "fun" way to talk about those "dry" issues. As an extra benefit the discussion also provided a forum for vocabulary practice; leaning the meaning of a "simple term" like the trade balance. This was learning I should have seen coming, but was happy to deal with it as it arose. The numerical average they gave to the IFS simulation program( questions 4 & 5) was 3.375 out of 5.00 - this comes to about 67.5 out of a 100 (a D+? - yes, and I'm happy!!!) They rated the experience with EXCEL (answering questions 6 & 7 about if they leaned something, and would use EXCEL in the future) with exactly the same numbers. On the other hand, they liked PowerPoint much more (questions 8 & 9). When asked if they felt they learned how to use PowerPoint and if they would use it in the future their average response was a 3.8, or a 75.6 out of a 100 (a solid C, great stuff!!). Actually, I think the relative rankings do tell me something. They did find PowerPoint both easy and fun. The Bells and Whistles are snazzy and they played with it a lot. EXCEL was really an intermediate program that they just worked through, and in fact didn't really do much beyond a few very carefully choreographed keystrokes they followed from my direction. And the Simulation was the THE WORK. That was difficult and was what I kept harping on. Not surprisingly what's fun gets higher marks. Their comments belie these low marks. The only negative remarks were to the effect that in one case the student had already known EXCEL and Powerpoint and so didn't learn much new from the exercise. I'll a few of their comments: "The technology greatly enhanced the course." "The technology greatly helped in my understanding of international economics. It was also all new to me because I didn't use any program like that in high school. " (love that student !!!!) "Yes, I feel that all the computer programs will be used in the future." (never did that one away from passive voice) "The required use of technology is a really great aspect of the class. No other comparable experience for most Wheaton students gives us an edge. Something like this (PowerPoint/Presentation) should be a piece of all seminars." On the secondary goals of cheking on support for Windows software the project when virtually without a hitch. Between myself and the computing center there was enough support, and I got all the help I needed with the physical set-up of machines in the classroom. It's difficult to say much about their oral presentations. They went fine and we had some good disucssions of the results. Unlike many presentations these were very sharply focused on the actural results of the simulaltions. That helped students be focused more than they realize. Dissemination Frankly, that's a tough one for me. I don't like to talk about this stuff. But now you see it, so does that count? The only real thing to tell you is that the author of the IFS simulation program (which is part of a book) asked me if I'd write something about how I use the program in my classes. So I sent him the assignments; detailed computer steps and all. He has taken one of the assignments (the one on Latin America) and posted it on his homepage along with a few others that use his book and the simulation program that comes with it. You can see this if you point your browser at: http://www.du.edu/~bhughes/syllab.html Beyond that I have nothing to tell.

Last updated on 12/1/00;
Send questions about this page to: Gordy Weil
or contact Wheaton College.