Northern Arizona - teaching simulation online (fwd)

Hugh W. Jarvis (hjarvis@ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU)
Thu, 10 Oct 1996 20:52:20 -0400

I am forwarding thi smessage for Reed Riner. Please direct any comments
to him directly, using his address below.
Thanks,
Hugh


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 13:54:39 -0700
From: "Reed D. Riner" <Reed.Riner@nau.edu>


The Northern Arizona University SOLAR SYSTEM SIMULATION is
an on-line social science laboratory. It operates in a MUD program,
a text-based virtual reality environment, supplemented by e-mail, list-
servers, news groups, and Web pages.

Typically each class/ team collaborates in building a 'working
model' of a community in a shared future Solar System contemporary with
the establishment of the first permanent settlement on Mars. Each
community should be as plausible, desirable and sustainable as possible.
The primary objective is to achieve and sustain mutually beneficial
communication among all participants.

Faculty are being asked to declare the courses that wish to teach
in Spring Semester 1997. I hope you will declare one that can use the NAU
Solar System Simulation to help you better achieve your particular learning
objectives.

The simulation web site is http://www.nau.edu/~anthro/solsys.

I have journal articles, "Simulating Future Histories" and
"Virtual Ethics <- Virtual Reality", the Mountain Campus News article
describing our awards from EduCom and the Center for Networked Infor-
mation (CNI), and the syllabus from my most recent offering of
ANT390 Cultural Simulation: The Mars Settlement here at NAU ... that
I can send you for more detailed description, and in substantiation
to your request within your Department/ College. Also instructors
from previous iterations - John Bregenzer (UDayton), Jim Funaro
(Cabrillo College), Chris Jones (E Ore State), and Doug Raybeck
(Hamilton) are available to discuss their experiences with you.

Please give serious thought to having one of your classes
participate in the 8th iteration of this nationally recognized 'virtual
laboratory' for social learning.


Reed Riner
Professor of Anthropology
Northern Arizona University