Learn More - CM Overview

More specifically, Civic Mirror participants do 3 things:

1. Interact in an economy to provide for a fictitious family
2. Implement a civic system in order to save the country from chaos and corruption, and;
3. Work towards fulfilling political and ideological Hidden Agendas.

HOW DOES THE GAME WORK?
The 36 hex-map you see on this page is The Civic Mirror country. The hexes with green backgrounds represent the country's natural environment. The hexes with purple backgrounds represent residential areas citizens can own or rent for their families. The other hexes represent the country's economy. These hexes produce different units that satisfy the citizens' different needs and wants.

Every hex has an owner and any hex can be developed into something else. Countries must build strong economies by developing hexes, but they must also worry about sustaining their natural environment. Both present unique costs and benefits.

As in the real world, there is not enough ‘stuff’ to satisfy every player's needs. Scarcities are common. When demand is greater than supply, people fight and argue over who gets what. To manage this conflict, players must implement a set of rules and a system of government. Because The Civic Mirror attempts to simulate the civic system of the country it is being played in, the players use a shortened version their real country’s constitution to institute law & order (e.g. U.S. Constitution, Canadian Charter, etc.). The idea is that students become citizens who live in and manage a miniature version of their own country.

WHAT HAPPENS IN CLASS?
The Civic Mirror is played in two settings: online and in-class. The simulated scenario described above is managed online and it sets up political, economic, and civic events which take place in the classroom. These in-class events include:

1. a Legislative event for making & changing laws
2. an Economic event for buying, trading, & selling,
3. a Judicial event for prosecuting one another's illegal actions, and
4. a Town Hall event where all players voice questions & concerns.

To add focus, at the start of the game every player is given a Hidden Agenda. These agendas are economic, political, or ideological in nature. They motivate players to participate in the classroom events, the online strategizing, and they create richness and diversity to the civic discourse.

WHAT HAPPENS ONLINE?
What’s amazing is that The Civic Mirror utilizes Web2.0 technology to make class activity better and more exciting, while making the teacher’s job easier at the same time. CivicMirror.com not only allows students to interact in the game scenario (e.g. buying, selling, trading, etc.), but online discussion boards, wiki-technology, live chat rooms, and email accounts allow students (and teachers) to prepare, strategize, and talk about the events that occur in class. It’s truly one of a kind. Whereas most of the other tech-ed games and learning resources replace face-to-face learning (in a fun and awesome way mind you), The Civic Mirror does the opposite: Its technology enhances and improves the social learning that occurs in classrooms!

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS
The Civic Mirror has many benefits:

• Because the students in every class are different, every simulated country "mirrors" its classroom culture. As students learn about political, economic, and civic processes, they also learn about themselves.
• Experience and reflection become the most powerful components in the learning process.
• As it is in the world, teachers become mentors and books become resources.
• Through first-hand experience, students learn that nations can only ever be as good as the sum of their parts... Without active citizenship, everyone fails!