Training and Education Uses for Virtual U
Virtual U is a versatile tool that can be applied to numerous educational situations. In this package we have compiled some of the early experiences of the Virtual U project team and other early adopters. Among the various ways to apply Virtual U in education situations are:
Classroom Use - Virtual U is already being used in several higher-education administration graduate programs and early results have been quite positive. Virtual U is a great new way to present cases to students and provide team learning opportunities. It can also be used as a supplement to other materials.
Training Seminars - A one-day seminar conducted by an experienced Virtual U user can be an excellent way to introduce people to the inner workings of a university. Virtual U can also be used to catalyze conversation and bring a new style and energy to topics that have been covered repeatedly. The Virtual U project team is ready to help plan your seminar. We can also provide experienced facilitators.
Professional Workshops - Virtual U is ideal for one- and two-day workshops featuring hands-on play by attendees. The Virtual U project team has produced several successful two-day workshops. We can help you plan your workshop. We've documented some of our workshop experiences and advice in this package, including a number of suggested workshop styles you can power with Virtual U.
Administrative Retreats - Team building and inter-departmental understanding are important for any organization and universities are no exception. Virtual U is a useful tool for administrative retreats. Teams of administrative staff can use Virtual U to improve their decision-making processes and understand the key relationships and economic value of different departments and policies of a university.
Student Competitions - Virtual U can help bring together the student body (undergrad, graduate, or student government) to learn more about the operation of the institution they attend. As demonstrated by a successful pilot at the University of Pennsylvania (materials are included in this package), a great application for Virtual U is a student competition. Various groups of students play Virtual U under set rules to achieve specific goals. The student(s) who achieve the most in the least amount of time and properly document their strategy and outcome win the competition.
Distance Education - While Virtual U is not a Web-based application, it can easily be downloaded from the Web. Saved games can be emailed to and from professors and students making Virtual U a useful tool for distance education courses. In a distance education environment, students would obtain or download Virtual U. Once installed, students can learn Virtual U and use it to follow cases and other directives offered by a professor. As they use Virtual U they can post their experiences to message boards and post saved games so others can download, view, and analyze the results.
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