Using Simulations and War Games for the Homeland Security Workforce
This project has concluded.
So What?
There has been increasing interest in games among government, academic, and private sector stakeholders. Observers believe well-designed games better approximate the real-world experiences of practitioners and decision-makers than do other classroom experiences. However, training advantages remain understudied. This project will contribute to filling this knowledge gap.
Project Summary
This project seeks to improve workforce development for the homeland security enterprise through the development, deployment, and evaluation of homeland security-focused strategic simulations.
Purpose/Objectives
The purpose of the study includes developing modern strategic training games, which will create a training and educational tool that is on the cutting edge of education and workforce development.
Method
The Duke-Valens team will adapt a pre-existing Valens game called Acceleration in an effort to prepare people to enter careers in homeland security and hone related knowledge and skills. The project will include a full-semester university course implemented across two years. It will also include implementing the strategic simulations training program in shorter-form settings for working professional learners. Effectiveness and best practices will be measured through quantitative data (pre/post survey measures) and qualitative data (focus group data collection).
Outputs and Impact
- Develop semester course
- Post-course assessment
- Year-end progress report
- Develop second semester course, making adjustments from first course
- Final report
Research Team
David Schanzer, J.D.- Duke University
- Professor, Director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security
- Sanford School of Public Policy
- Expertise: Counterterrorism strategy, counterterrorism law, and homeland security
- Valens Global
- CEO and Founder
- Scholar, author, practitioner, entrepreneur
- Expertise: Training, lectures, war games, strategy
- Duke University
- Research Project Manager
- Social Science Research Institute
- Expertise: Innovation/pilot programming, research and evaluation methods