GlobalEd 2:
Expanding the Curricular Space
A technology-mediated, multiplayer simulation that put middle-school social studies students nationwide at the negotiating table, building science literacy, persuasive writing, and global perspective along the way.
A simulation simultaneously teaching social studies, science, and argumentation skills
GlobalEd 2 combined a purpose-built web platform with a rigorously studied curriculum, run in 7th and 8th grade social studies classrooms across the country.
Problem-Based Simulation
Classrooms across the country played together in a live, multiplayer simulation, representing countries and negotiating real-world issues like water scarcity, climate change, and alternative energy, building scientific argumentation skills as they made their case for a resolution.
Science + Social Studies
In a simulated international negotiation with other classroom-countries, students had to master the geography, politics, and economics of their country, and the underlying science of the issue, to negotiate effectively.
Research-Backed
Over a decade of IES-funded studies measured gains in writing, science knowledge, and interest in STEM, including for historically underserved student groups.
Two-University Collaboration
Built and studied jointly by teams at the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Connecticut, alongside dozens of graduate and undergraduate researchers.
A decade of design, play, and study
Initial development under the "Expanding the Science and Literacy Curricular Space" IES grant.
Efficacy & replication study scales the simulation to more classrooms nationwide.
Curriculum refinement, teacher professional development tools, and final research studies.
Project concludes; the simulation's multiplayer server is retired.
Curious how it actually worked?
Read about the simulation's three-phase structure, the research team behind it, and the full publication record.
