Introduction:

PoliSIM is a Role-Playing Game-based (RPG) Educational Program for teaching principles of Law and Government. I first conceptualized the game while watching the Netflix show “House of Cards” when I realized there was a rift between the academic study of Political Science, and the actual practice of politics.

Players of PoliSIM begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way up, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. Game would be classroom-based or online; players work to accomplish tasks such as: passing an article of legislation; holding confirmation hearings for appointees to the Cabinet or the Supreme Court; writing a speech; adding an amendment to the Constitution; or some other function commonly performed by the US Government. Game outcomes ranges from post-nuclear apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened golden age.

The Curriculum

For curriculum development, I would like Political Science students to network with Political Science professors to come up with the game’s syllabus and testing materials. Additionally, I want the students to develop relationships with elected officials, and other political leaders, to learn what qualities go into the making of a successful politician. To help with this, I’ve formulated a survey for professors and politicians to get at the ‘difficult’ questions, such as: how would you instill good ethics in your students? What would you consider the most valuable character asset for a person aspiring to public office?

Status of Game Development:

Last year, a group of Suffolk University students did extensive market research on the game’s viability, and examined sources of funding.The numbers are incredible. In 2018, the gaming industry captured nearly $140bn. The CAGR for educational games is projected to reach 32% by 2023. They also found that including gaming into the curriculum of law programs significantly increased the first-time success rate at passing the bar exam.

Also last year, a group of students at Humber College created a demo version of the PoliSIM game, for marketing purposes. Although not fully developed, the demo will serve as an MVP – a ‘bare-bones’ version of the game to entice game developers into building on the existing framework.

I Can Offer:

I have worked with more than 250 students on various projects over the last three years though Riipen. I have considerable experience supervising the students; keeping them on track, offering constructive feedback, and making sure that they aren’t overloaded. I offer all the student groups that I have worked with the same pledge: I will keep track of the students’ efforts, so that when the finished product is marketable, they earn a percentage that is commensurate with their efforts. And in the near term, I offer glowing job references for excellent work.

Additionally, the students will gain experience networking and developing relationships with actual politicians; an opportunity that will no doubt go on producing rewards long after they have left the classroom. And finally, the group that takes on the challenge of developing the PoliSIM curriculum has an unprecedented opportunity to leave an imprint on the future of RPG-based learning in the field of Political Science.