University of Massachusetts Boston to present teacher-training workshop utilizing Senate Simulation

BOSTON - Sept. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- The new Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate (EMK Institute) has created a Senate Simulation Module (SIM) for an immersive simulated Senate experience, in a full-scale reproduction of the Senate chamber.   And on February 28, University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) will collaborate to present a training program for teachers, grades 8 to 12.

The one-day professional development program explores key debates in Senate history, centering on the Civil War. It engages teachers in role-play, deliberation, negotiation, and debate as they assume the roles of United States Senators and take part in a SIM about the Compromise of 1850.

“Teachers engage their students everyday, but I think that what they get from the SIM is an engagement that is a unique sort of perspective on what they get everyday in a classroom.” — Greg Hurley, teacher, Malden High School

Segments of the workshop will bring teachers into the Senate deliberation process as participants, highlighting the role negotiation plays in the creation of a bill, and the importance of constituent viewpoints in influencing policy decisions. The day will culminate in a formal vote on the drafted legislation and debrief.

“We are very excited to be forming this partnership with the EMK Institute, “ says Dean Philip DiSalvio of the College of Advancing and Professional Studies at UMass Boston.  “The future of learning lies in finding these intriguing new ways to make history and the legislative process come alive.”

The first pilot workshop will take place February 28, 2015, and participants will be eligible for 10 Professional Development Points (PDPs). Additional workshops will be offered on historic and current day topics, after the building opens to the public in a formal dedication in March.

To see more on the SIM:http://emkinstitute.org

For more information: caps.umb.edu/senate

·      For questions about registration, please contact UMass Boston: renee.covalucci@umb.edu617-334-9348

·      For inquiries about the Professional Development Program, and the SIM, please contact the Institute: 617 740 7000