Global education via the Web: the GlobalEd project

GlobalEd is an interactive simulation project designed for middle and high school students in the northeastern USA. The simulation is embedded within an academic course and lasts for approximately six weeks during which teams of 12-15 classes engage in international negotiations across the Internet. Classes are assigned a country for the period of the simulation approximately two months before the simulation begins. During the simulation, each class acts "in character" of the country they are assigned. Negotiations are made across the web during scheduled weekly conferences but are also open to negotiation during nonscheduled e-mail contact. The goal of the class is to develop a treaty with another country. As part of the simulation, students and teachers complete a set of instruments designed to assess changes in their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to the simulations, problem solving, decision-making, leadership and educational technology.