Bold Strike
Background
One of my jobs at West Point was to implement the Follow Me wargame into the curriculum. This guide is a reflection of one aspect of doing that.
When it comes to using technology, the weakest link will almost always be the instructor. Whether it's a fancy projector or a computer wargame, the instructor can be your biggest obstacle when it comes to using technology in the classroom.
I saw it as part of my job to make using “technology” as comfortable as possible for them.
In this case, I was approached by Major Matthews to “digitize” one of the paper-based Tactical Decision Exercises to work with Follow Me. I created the scenario, map graphics, and coded the whole thing in FM. It occurred to me that a “Facilitator's Guide” would be useful not just for the game but also to provide the instructor ideas on classroom “activities” that would engage the students. This was my inspiration for creating the guide.
Digital or Analog? That is The Question
I created this guide to be a standalone product that focuses on the lesson, not the technology. You do not need a computer game to use it.
There are three sections:
- Skills and Abilities.
- Things to do.
- “See.”
Skills and Abilities The items in this section are “indicators” of knowledge or abilities that the instructor can use to determine gaps in the student's thinking or skills.
Things to do This provides the instructor with ideas on how to engage the whole class with group activities. These activities are meant to drive group discussion.
See Even if the student demonstrates knowledge in the “Skills and Abilities” section, it does not mean they know how to apply that knowledge.
The “See” section is meant to take what you know and apply it to the current situation.
NGW Custom Content
This guide is an example of custom content for the NextGen Wargame. The idea would be to create a guide for each scenario in the custom content package.
More importantly, a guide like this can improve the quality of your instruction, especially for those instructors who need help. Let's face it; not all instructors are created equal. Some of them will require a certain level of hand-holding to ensure success in the classroom. This guide could help them improve their instruction in the classroom.
Right click and “Save link as” to download the guide. Or click the link and view it in your browser: Bold Strike