Conflict Resolution and the National Model United Nations

In: News for Teachers of Political Science, Volume 40, p. 6-7

Abstract

The pedagogical value of experiential learning, or "learning-by-doing," has led to the widespread use of simulations and games in the social sciences and other disciplines. Despite some questions concerning the effective transmission of factual information through simulations and games, their value as heuristic devices in teaching is based on the experience gained by students in adopting strategies and making decisions in a group context, experiences so varied that they would be impossible to relate through conventional classroom techniques. The pressures and constraints of a simulated political environment challenge participants to (1) confront the limited availability of options and approaches for resolving problems; (2) develop a deeper understanding of the concepts, principles, and procedures involved; and (3) formulate and propose novel solutions that may not have otherwise occurred to them.