1. Participatory Simulation: The Virus Game on PDAs

2. Participatory Simulations Students become the “agents” in computer- mediated simulations of a complex system Provide rich learning experiences where technology and social interaction are key Use relatively simple and cheap Palms Games include Sugarscape (economics), Big Fish Little Fish (ecology), Virus (health), Live Long and Prosper (genetics), and NetsWork (the science of networks).

3. Virus! …an interactive computer simulation of the spread of an infectious disease through a population.

4. Turn the device ON press this button

5. press here to bring up the keyboard Enter your name. enter your name then click “done”

6. Do not press “Start” …otherwise you might get out of sync with the simulation!

7. Once we start the game.. a happy face means that you appear to be healthy – you are not showing evidence of any virus infection

8. and... a sad face means that you are sick.

9. To Meet each other only ONE PERSON clicks the MEET button You “meet” by holding your Palm device near another device as shown, and then ONE PERSON clicks on the “MEET” button.

10. The names of those you meet will be listed here Data collection

11. Your goal is to meet as many people as possible without getting sick. Any questions?

12. After completing a round, ask for Observations and Hypotheses, Then ask participants what they want to find out and for experiment designs. Vote on which experiment to try in the next round.