SIMULATION MANUAL
Introduction to the Pre-brief
The Importance of the Pre-brief
The pre-brief of any simulation sets the stage for the atmosphere of the entire experience. The brief should excite the learners and prepare them for the simulation that they are about to participate in. The pre-brief will provide a welcoming environment as the learners arrive, an introduction presentation as to what they are going to experience, a facilitated discussion before the scenarios begin, and a video that provides real-life examples of the importance of civil conversation.
The Role of the Facilitator
The role of the facilitator is to guide the participants through the Commonwealth simulation step-by-step. The facilitator does not act in the scenarios, but they follow the learners as they experience each step of the simulation. The facilitator will greet the learners to the event, present the pre-brief content, share the learning objectives in each heat, and guide the debrief at the end of the experience.
Pre-brief
Organizing the participants
As the learners enter the simulation, the facilitators will greet them and have them enter one large room for the introduction. The learners will sit in a big circle and be given time to talk amongst themselves as everyone gets settled. Then, the facilitator(s) will introduce themself and the learners to the OU Simulation Center. After the introduction, discussion, and video, the facilitator will split the large group into 3 smaller groups that will simultaneously go through the three heats of the simulation.
Introduction
The introduction will be where the facilitator formally introduces the simulation and gives a brief preview of what the simulation will look like for the participants.
Here is an example of what the intro may contain:
“Hello everybody, my name is ________ and I am so excited to have you guys today! Before we get started I am going to give you guys a run-down of what we’ll be doing today, and then we will watch a video that goes into some more detail about what civil discourse is, and how it affects you.”
The facilitator should go into more depth about the purpose of the simulation, what we hope the learners will get out of the experience, the benefits the learners will have had gone through the simulation, why we are providing topic videos throughout the simulation, the three different heat levels and the reasoning behind having them, and the elements of discussion throughout each scenario/heat as well as at the beginning and end of the simulation.
Virtual Etiquette
As an alternative, the simulation can be conducted on a virtual platform via Zoom. The virtual etiquette is as follows:
Participants should be muted when facilitators are speaking
If a participant has questions, they can use the chat feature on Zoom to enter questions or wait for a designated time that allows for questions in which they can unmute and ask a question or use the chat.
Participants screens must be turned on during discussions, even if they are observing
Participants should be respectful of the facilitator and their peers during the simulation
If the participant must leave in the middle of the simulation due to an extenuating circumstance, they can enter in the chat or let a facilitator know privately.
There will be breaks built-in periodically throughout so that participants can use the restroom, take a screen break, eat a snack, etc.
Disclaimer
The facilitator should provide a disclaimer for the learners about their participation (which will be mentioned before each scenario as well). If learners do not feel comfortable enough speaking for any reason, they should not feel obligated to speak and can observe others speaking. We do want to encourage participation from everyone to ensure maximum output, but the learners can learn and understand the scenario and situation from being an observer as well.
Video About Civic Discussion
Civil discourse is a conversation that encourages understanding of a topic and looks to find shared opportunity instead of conflict. In our interview videos, we asked our experts for recommendations on how to properly engage in a conversation with respect and understanding. This video will be played by a facilitator to the learners before they partake in the low, medium, or high heat simulation. The purpose of the video is to help learners think about respectful and helpful conversation skills to better understand what the simulation is trying to accomplish.
Discussion
We will have a short group discussion with all of the participants about the insight they gained from watching the video, whether it was helpful in getting them introduced to civil discussion if they haven’t been exposed to it, and talk about elements talked about in the video to use in their discussions as they go through the simulation experience. We can use this time to gauge the learners’ knowledge on the topic of civil discourse and if/when they have had to use it in their lives. This discussion should also be a prep into what skills and learning objectives they will learn and face throughout the experience.
The Experience
The value/role of SPs
Simulated participants are trained actors who are participating in a role that disagrees with the learners. SPs are used to show the other side of the discussion, whichever it may be. This teaching approach is aimed at educating learners on how to have a civil discussion about their views while also having respect for those around them and being open to hearing other views. SPs have the proper case information to realistically portray the topic chosen, and provide valuable feedback for a real-life scenario
SP Training
Depending on the heat scenario, SPs will be provided with detailed documents containing information on the topic to be discussed.
Low Heat
In the low heat, SPs will function as another learner, and their purpose is to maintain conversation if there is a long period of silence. Some possible actions for SPs to alleviate the silence are stating their opinion on the topic, asking another learner a question, etc. The SP in the low heat scenario should not interfere in any way when they observe participants not following the learning objectives because it can serve as a point of reflection in the debrief. SP could possibly bring up important arguments that show the other side if they aren’t naturally brought up. We should also have backup questions/follow-up questions prepared for the SP in case the conversation becomes stagnant.
Medium/High Heat
For the medium and high heats, the SP(s) will be provided with a document that contains the topic and potential talking points for both sides. During the training process, the SP should familiarize themselves with the document’s arguments because they must be flexible when it comes to which side they argue for. The SP’s goal is not to “win” the argument. They will just need to be able to adequately engage in the conversation. For the medium heat, the SP should be able to escalate the argument but also be capable of calming down if the learners agree to disagree. Some special actions that SPs may be trained in for escalating the medium heat are, but not limited to, insulting the other side, interrupting/talking over someone, and ignoring what the other side says and proceeding with their argument.
SPs in the high heat will use many of the same special actions when it comes to escalating the argument. High heat SPs should start off the conversation impolitely and also be incapable of being calmed down. SPs for this heat can even be trained to yell and make loud noises by banging on furniture. Another special action for SPs that should be unique to this heat is using factually incorrect statements in their arguments to support their side. This particular task may be difficult to execute on the spot, so additional training for it may or may not be necessary.
There are is also information specific to each case and that is included in this document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15xywuICuLcq2J7ySo9ZYeNPBymeaQFHjzvGa9jA2qYE/edit
The Three Heats
Low Heat
The low heat scenario is structured to introduce the learners to the simulation format and also introduce some of the skills that they are supposed to practice throughout their experience. The topic will be something that is very unlikely to cause controversy but will hopefully spark some sort of dialogue with varying opinions. The SP in the Low heat is simply acting as another learner and is mainly there to maintain the flow of the conversation. The method is as follows:
Unlike the Medium and High heat scenarios, the Low heat will involve all learners in a very inclusive and hopefully calm discussion.
All of the learners and an SP will sit in a circle and be introduced to the topic. The topic will be simple enough so that no prior knowledge or background information is required and the discussion will be a round-robin style (respectfully take turns but also speak when you want).
The group will begin discussing the topic without being given any insight into their learning objectives. After the first round of about 5 minutes, the learners will be stopped and will have the learning objectives explained to them.
A 2nd 5-10 minute round will be run with the same topic. The learners will hopefully keep their learning objectives in mind this time and work to practice them as they discuss.
Learning Objectives
Learners will be able to implement basic civil conversation skills:
Active listening
One person speaking at a time
Reflect on what your peer said before you speak
Be willing to accept new ideas or beliefs (i.e. open-mindedness)
Details
The learners will sit in chairs in a circle formation so that they are all facing each other.
The facilitator will welcome the learners and present the prompt to the group to begin the conversation.
Time will begin when the first learner engages in the conversation.
The “round-robin” style is a group discussion format and anyone can speak as they see fit.
In the first round of the group discussion, learners will hear a timer bell sound at 3 minutes as a warning.
There will also be a timer bell sound at 5 minutes to alert the learners that time has concluded.
The facilitator will then present the learning objectives to the learners and ask them to keep them in mind as they continue the group discussion.
The second round will have a timer bell sound at 5 minutes to alert learners that half of the time has passed.
There will also be a second timer bell at 10 minutes to alert learners that time has concluded.
When the second timer bell rings, the SP’s will then provide their constructive feedback.
Topic Video
In the low heat scenario, we can expect to witness issues that are prevalent among the majority of the citizens in the community. This video will be filled with relatable problems to which the learners can instantly make a connection and feel the need to join in the later discussion. The idea of the video could vary from pressing issues such as the inherent value of voting to something as simple as education matters of testing. Along with this, controversial topics such as social media usage among teenagers will allow most learners to relate to their own personal lives/families and spark a sense of civil interest which this heat is longing for. However, these topics in the video will typically maintain low discourse during the discussion, which was to be expected.
Discussion
The low heat discussion will be about a non-controversial topic so that learners understand how to have a real civil conversation with multiple people. We don’t want this conversation to get out of hand. We want to make sure that everyone hears each out and we have everyone’s engagement as much as possible ( including listening in on the conversation). If someone disagrees with a statement made in the discussion, they should be able to acknowledge others’ opinions and say that they respectfully disagree.
SP Feedback
The SP will provide feedback to the group after both sessions of discussion have concluded.
Ask the learners how they think they did.
Ask the learners what they think went well.
Ask the learners what they struggled with.
Ask the learner how their mind and action shifter after hearing the learning objectives.
Ask the learners what they would change.
It is crucial for the SP to get feedback out of the learner because it is reflective. If the SP stimulates questions and/or ideas in the learner's mind, the learner can move through the simulation actively changing, learning, and growing their mind and skills.
Medium Heat
The primary purpose of the medium heat simulation is to begin integrating real-life political discussions into a scenario. Learners will begin to experience more active civil conversations where the actors begin to elevate tension and exhibit fewer civil conversation skills. Learners will not only observe and rebuke these behaviors, but they will also be more equipped to calm down heated arguments. Learners will be able to ease tension and bring stability back to the conversation. The method is as follows:
2 SPs will be needed. The number of learners will fluctuate from 3-5. Anyone -SPs or learners- will be able to argue for any side they choose. The scenario will be a theatrical scenario (the learners in the scenario will alternate discussing and there will be spectators).
The scenario will last 10 minutes. After a little bit of discussion, the SPs (no matter if they’re arguing together or not) will begin to get upset at the opposing side. They will become agitated and irrational, and this will continue to escalate if the learners (no matter which side they’re on) do not proactively try to calm them down. If the SPs have not been calmed down after ten minutes, or if the learners also become angry, then the scenario is stopped and the learners will self-evaluate.
Before the simulation, 3-5 learners will be selected from volunteers within the group and the rest will spectate. The whole group will be notified of the learning objectives before the volunteer learners enter the scenario space. Finally, a video will be shown to all people that relate to the topic of the specific case of discussion. The video serves to provide even more background information on the topic, in addition to the case information handout all learners will receive.
Learning Objectives
Learners will be able to implement civil conversation skills: active listening, no interruptions, or thinking before speaking.
Learners will be able to differentiate and separate their emotions from their thoughts, maintaining clean, civil discourse.
Learners will be able to maintain their composure when being provoked, building a level of self-control.
Details
In the beginning, the learners will walk into a room with the SPs, and the rest of the group will be spectating from the sides. They must be ABSOLUTELY SILENT to ensure maximum success.
A facilitator will describe the background of the case selected to be debated to the learners and the SPs. They will then provide learners with a sheet including details of the case before showing the video.
After the background of the case is described, there will be two corners in the room for each two opposing views. Learners will be asked to go to the side they support the most. Afterward, SPs will walk to their respective corners (after evaluating the learner ratio accordingly).
In a rare occurrence where all of the learners and SPs agree with each other, both SPs must argue against the rest of the learners by taking up the contrary view. An SP may be left to argue alone, however, a learner MUST NOT be left to argue alone. If a learner is isolated, then at least one SP must argue on the side of the learner.
The groups will then meet back in the middle of the room at a table/desk. They will sit down, and the discussion will commence with an SP asking a question that should start passively (or maybe even passive-aggressive):
Why do you think that [the contrary view] is better?
How could [the contrary view] be correct when [all these things] are true?
How can you believe [this contrary view]?
Finally, a bell should be implemented to sound at 3, 5, and 10 minutes. actors should consider the first sound, as it is a hint to them to begin elevating tension. They should disregard the next two sounds, as they are meant to remind learners that they must calm the actors down. The final sound then means time is up.
Topic Video
The topic video for the medium heat scenario will be played before the simulation begins in order to give participants a foundational understanding of the selected topic, as well as a focus on the main goal of civil discourse and a look into the strides currently being made in their own community. The topic videos are made to correspond to a topic of discussion that can be used during the simulation. The topic selected for the medium heat simulation should be of a moderate emotion level in order to best suit the simulation’s learning objectives.
Discussion
The discussion will build upon the civil conversation skills that were learned in the low-heat scenario, but the main focus will be learning to de-escalate a heated conversation. The SPs will start off civil and mirror the actions of the learner. For example, interrupting the SP will make them also start to interrupt you. Since this scenario is a group discussion, any person’s actions can serve to escalate the scenario. A few minutes into the scenario, the SPs will begin to increase their intensity without regard to the learner’s actions. After five minutes, the SPs will be open to reducing the tension and coming to an agreement to disagree, but only if a learner brings it up first. SPs will not try to make the rest of the learners come to this conclusion, but they may offer assistance by agreeing to diffuse some tension after the first learner brings it up. A note to the SPs, do not be afraid if the scenario doesn’t reach the intended conclusion. If the learners are unable to diffuse the tension, it can become a talking point in the debrief.
High Heat
The purpose of the high heat scenario is to put as much pressure on the participant as we can through the SP. This is a theatrical style simulation, as one participant will play against one SP. The other participants will sit around and watch. The goal of the high heat scenario is for the participant to know when to walk away. The SP will become very aggressive and agitated throughout the simulation and it’s the participant’s job to know when the conversation is no longer constructive and therefore walk away. The simulation discussion will be over a very controversial subject and the participant will get to pick their side. The conversation will be between 5-10 minutes. The method is as follows:
One SP will be needed along with one learner. It will be a one on one discussion over a select, controversial topic. This scenario will be in a theatrical format (The rest of the group will be spectating the one-on-one discussion).
The scenario will last at most 10 minutes. Over a short amount of time, the actor must transition from somewhat civil/passive-aggressive to absolutely infuriated (in other words, their face must be completely red and steam must come out of their ears like a tea kettle). Once this happens, the learner has the duration of the time left to realize that the conversation is worthless, settle things with the SP (although the SP will not be settled), and leave the discussion. If the learner does not leave after the 10 minutes are up, the scenario is stopped, and the performance will be evaluated in the final debrief.
Before the simulation, a learner will be selected by means of a volunteer from the group after the discussion topic is disclosed. This allows the participant to know what they’re arguing and if they feel comfortable arguing it. Afterward, the goal of the learner and the learning objectives will be announced (in fact, emphasized) by the facilitator to the whole group. Finally, a video will be shown that addresses the topic that will be argued or, if there is no video regarding a topic, no video will be shown.
The TAP OUT option will then be disclosed to the learner who is engaging in the simulation. If the learner feels uncomfortable, they will be able to completely tap out of the conversation and the scenario will be ended.
For High Heat, the topics will be very controversial and selected by the SP. It will be easy for an SP to get angry over a familiar topic, making it more of a challenge for the learner to respond accordingly.
Learning Objectives
Learners will be able to identify when a political conversation has exceeded beneficial standards, and when this occurs, they will learn that walking away with dignity in their opinions is the most effective way to end a dispute.
Learners will learn to have empathy for those who come to different conclusions and not lash out at them for what they believe. They will develop the ability to remain calm underneath the tensest discussions while pushing back with their own opinions.
Details
Before the learner enters the space, the facilitator will first inform the learner of the topic that they will be discussing with the SP and the sides of the argument to give the learner ideas of what to argue. The rest of the group will take their spectating positions. ABSOLUTE SILENCE once again is required.
The learner will then walk into the room with the SP, sitting at a desk. The learner will then sit on the opposite side of the desk. The SP will already know of the topic and it will be their responsibility to begin the discussion. They may choose to begin the discussion with one of these lines provided or improvise their own:
So, it has been brought to my attention that we should be discussing [topic], I would like to know what you think about it.
How would you describe [topic], what would you say about it? (This question would be useful for a more vague extraction of beliefs of the learner)
Do you think the government should do anything regarding [topic]? How should it be done?
After the discussion commences, it will be the job of the SP to disagree with, nullify, or criticize ANY claim that the learner makes. It does not matter what the learner says, the SP must be ready to refute the statements provided by the learner. At first, the SP should be somewhat civil in their rebuttals; however, after a small amount of time has passed, the SP must transition from calm to erratic.
Once the SP becomes angry, one or more of the following actions must be taken to emphasize to the learner that the conversation is hopeless:
Slamming the desk
Getting up from the desk and walking to the wall, maybe even banging the wall
Getting in the learner’s face
Making the argument personal, criticizing the learner for believing what they believe
Using clearly false facts to support the actor's argument. Make up lies to support the argument
Yelling and shouting
Taunting
The discussion will then continue until the learner walks away or until ten minutes pass. The learner may retaliate against the SP, and if this occurs, then the SP should increase the frequency of the actions provided above. There should be no signs of calming down from the SP.
Once the learner begins to walk away, the SP should perform one or more of the following actions to encourage it:
Taunting the learner for leaving
Shouting and yelling
If the learner fails to walk away, the facilitator will retrieve the learner and the rest of the group and proceed to a high heat debrief. There can be discussions of what the learner wanted to say but couldn’t.
Topic Video
The topic videos accompanied with this heat will include all those associated with welfare: homelessness and food deserts. Although only one video will be shown per session, they are nevertheless crucial in order to provide background on a “High Heat” topic.
Discussion
Following the high heat scenario, the group will discuss what they noticed, problems with the discussion, and praise the learner for actions they did well during the simulation. The discussion will help encourage the learner (since they may be a little ensnared emotionally from the conversation) and provide the basis for everyone else to learn the essential tactics to avoid such harmful political discussion.
Debrief
Introduction to the Debrief
The debrief is a session of reflection hosted at the end of the simulation experience. It will be headed by the facilitator, and it is for the students to have time to regroup and discuss their feelings and takeaways after they have gone through the various heats.
The Importance of the Debrief
The debrief is what ties the experience together. It is important for the learners to have some time to gather their thoughts and have a designated time to reflect before they leave the simulation center.
The Role of the Facilitator
The facilitator, in the context of the debrief, is there to guide the discussion towards a productive and reflective conversation, and to help the learners connect their experiences to the learning objectives.
Logistics of the Debrief
The debrief will be led by the facilitator. The learners will gather back into the large room to sit in a large circle. The facilitator will ask a set of questions to the learners to stimulate a group discussion to reflect on their experience. The questions are designed so that learners can share their perspectives and also hear how others felt throughout the experience.
Large Group Discussion
Debrief Questions:
How did you feel about the experience overall?
Is there anything you wish you could have done?
What emotions came to the surface?
Did you feel engaged? Why or why not?
What did you want to say that you couldn’t figure out how to say?
What did you say that did not come out right?
Is there something you wanted to say, but are just remembering now?
What kept you from speaking up?
Was it hard for you to NOT speak?
What learning objectives did you have the hardest time with?
Our Shared Experiences
In this part of the debrief, the learners will be able to share what their experience of the simulation was like. The purpose of this section is for everyone to get a different perspective on different parts of the simulation. Learners can discuss what challenges they personally faced, what they were able to accomplish and how it made them feel, and their overall experience.
What, So What, Now What
Once participants have had time to reflect on the skills they’ve learned, the facilitator will conclude the debrief and overall simulation with a clarification of what comes next. Participants will be encouraged/reminded to transfer the skills from the simulation to the rest of their future interactions.
Video Curriculum
Video Topics
The video topics are the general subject matter being discussed in a video interview. These topics will also be used in the simulation once a video is made on them. All final topics are chosen with a specific interviewee (or multiple interviewees) in mind. The amount of potential future topics is infinite, but the topic should be presented in an easily digestible way to the learners. Note: there is one unique video on civil discussion, which doesn’t follow the usual topic interview formula.
Civil Discussion Video
In each interview, multiple questions about “civic discussion” were asked in order to demonstrate how the experts see the skill used around them. Clips of those questions will be taken from each individual topic video and combined into a cumulative “civic discussion” video. The purpose of this cumulative video is to introduce the skill of civic discussion for the upcoming simulation and to provide an understanding of its application/importance.
Topic #1
The topic of food deserts was chosen in order to educate people on how communities are affected by lack of access to grocery stores, which can inhibit people’s abilities to get easy access to food when they need it. It is a subject that is particularly prevalent in the local community, as North and Northwest Tulsa are both food deserts. We are interviewing Gretchen Guillette. She is an employee at the Northwestern Tulsa Hub, an organization that works to provide grocery stores, community centers, and other businesses to impoverished areas.
Topic #2
The topic of prison reform was chosen with the goal of educating today’s teens about the realities, flaws, and reforms of our justice system on a local and national level. The interview that we conducted was with Eric Cullen, a private investigator, and owner of both Cullen and Associates and a nonprofit called Another Chance Justice Project. He and his team have worked to exonerate those who were wrongfully incarcerated. He provides information about his personal experiences with the criminal justice system and prisons, and he explains what changes he would like to see and how learners can get involved.
Topic #3
The topic of homelessness was chosen to encourage and enlighten the Tulsa community of the overwhelming homeless population and what actions we can take to help. For this video, we interviewed David Grewe, the executive director at Youth Services of Tulsa, about what his job entails and ways to volunteer, effectively, around our city.
Topic #4
The topic of education was chosen to educate teens on the specifics of the education system in Oklahoma and explain steps they can take to improve the education they receive. Education is a major issue in Oklahoma, where we are consistently ranked in the lower bracket for quality of education, which is one reason why this topic is important to focus on. The interviewee is Dr. Lee, a co-founder of the high school, Tulsa School of Arts and Science.
Video Production
Interview Prep
Finding interviewees is a simple process. First, decide on topics that are most relevant to the project and reach out to local leaders around town that focus on these desired topics. Send an email to the targeted interviewees with a brief overview of who you are, what you hope to accomplish with the project, and why the recipient of the email is the best candidate for the interview. From there, communicate with both a local production company, a high school, and the interviewee to find dates and times that work to conduct the interviews.
Location
The interviews are filmed in an open area of a local high school. While it is not necessary to conduct the interviews in a high school, the school environment is the best representation of a student-based project. Ideally, the interview should take place in an open space with plenty of natural light.
Video Setup
To film the interviews, hire a video producer who will provide camera and lighting equipment. Be sure to set up in front of a large window with natural light. The person conducting the interview will sit off-screen behind the camera, while the interviewee sits in front of the camera with a table to place their notes on.
The Process
During the filmed interview, an off-screen YPI student reads previously written questions to the interviewee. Ideally, the interviewee thoroughly answers the questions by sharing narratives of their personal experiences from the workplace. Our film producer will choose specific parts of the interviewee’s stories to use in the video in order to make our video more effective.