Redistricting+game



I very much enjoyed the Redistricting game. It tackles a topic that is very much relevant in politics today, in a fashion that is both informative, and fun. In the game the player, a redistricting consultant, is in charge of redistricting, i.e. altering the demographic makeup of districts so that they work in favor of one party, or both parties in certain mission. 
 * //A brief description of the game- //**

The games controls are relatively easy to learn, the challenge is using those controls to design districts that match the specifications that are set forth in each mission. These specifications often include gaining seats for a party, or increasing the victory margins for both parties in their districts so as to ensure that incumbents stay in office.

 The missions start of relatively easy, but get more complex as you become familiar with the game. You can also set the difficulty for individual missions, which allows you to play a mission at a level which is challenging to you, but still engaging.

 **//The kinds of learnin //**** //g involved- // ** While playing The Redistricting game I learned more about how redistricting works, as well as hot to implement various redistricting policies so as to achieve the desired outcome. This outcome might be to gain seats for one party, or to ensure that incumbents in both parties have easy elections. The game provided ample resources for the player to succeed in redistricting. One of the main challenges in the game was learning to use the data to create districts that met with the objectives for your given mission. Learning to use the tools was easy, learning to use them well was the true challenge to the game. The game was successful in providing ample opportunities to learn, and refine the necessary skills to succeed. There was also a fair amount of learning about the additional resources, for example it had a glossary, additional relevant quotes, as well as more information on each mission and how it related to the real world. There were also in game tabs that provided you more information about mission objectives, as well as a help button that I never used.

The game employs the Bottom-Up basic skills principle, the skills are learned through playing the game, and you learn the necessary skills in the context of the game as they are needed to complete missions. Discovery principle- The game gives just the right amount of information to the player for their missions. A fair amount of the learning in the game is through exploration and discovery. You use the tools to achieve the goals it has set out for you. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Transfer principle- The skills learned in earlier missions transfer well to later missions. The problems are more complex, but the skills you learn transfer well to later missions. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Intuitive knowledge principle- In the game you learn how to use the provided tools to meet the desired goals. As you get better at using the tools, and finding your own solutions to the challenges in the game the missions can become more rewarding, or engaging if you want to adjust the difficulty level. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Multimodal principle- The game has characters who display their satisfaction, as well as numbers if you prefer that form of learning. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Probing principle- The game relies on this form of teaching extensively. You constantly try various adjustments to districts and look to see if the results of your action were beneficial. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Multiple routes principle- There are numerous routes to achieve your desired results in the game. You can create a variety of different districts, alter who wins which district, by what margin. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Practice principle- The game provides ample opportunity for the player to refine their skills through the course of the game. Nearly all of the time playing the game is practicing to use the tools and resources provided to meet the objectives of the game.
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The kinds of teaching involved- //**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I enjoyed the game. It was relatively short, but in a brief time period it was able to teach you the fundamentals of what redistricting was, why it was important, and how you would go about doing it. It allowed for the player to familiarize themselves with how redistricting is beneficial to individual politicians, as well as to parties as a whole. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">This game would fit in very well in a social studies class. A teacher might briefly introduce students to the idea of gerrymandering before having students play this game. It’s use could help students truly understand the concept, and not merely memorize a definition. I am also fond how the game’s last mission teaches the player about various proposed reforms to redistricting, as well as the challenges those reforms are facing.
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your overall reflections on playing the game. How might a teacher use the game in their curriculum? //**