Decisions, Decisions

Educational role-playing video game series

Video game series

Decisions, Decisions

Genre(s)| Educational, simulation, role-playing
Developer(s)| Tom Snyder Productions

Decisions, Decisions is a 15-part educational role-playing video game series by Tom Snyder Productions, released from the 1980s to the early 2000s.[1][2] It has also been described as a "media-assisted Simulation Game" series.[3]

## Development

[edit]

While Tom Snyder originally created games that would suit the "one-computer classroom" model, this series was part of a new gaming focus of "choice-driven discussion generators".[4] The software was designed specifically to foster academic discussions within the classroom.[5] An online learning extension named Decisions, Decisions Online was also created.[6] David Dockterman, VP and Chief Academic Officer of Tom Snyder Productions, commented "the series grew out of my frustration teaching high school history during the Iranian hostage crisis. I thought it would be valuable for my students to discuss what was happening in the world."[7]

In 1999 a free service Decisions Decisions Online was released, which allowed students to discuss events taken from current headlines, with a new topic featured every month.[8][9] Hedrick Ellis, executive producer of Decisions, Decisions Online, was reluctant to introduce advertising, and instead noted that Tom Snyder Productions would eventually charge for the products.[10]

In 2002 Tom Snyder Productions was bought by Scholastic, and this series fell under Scholastic's Interactive Educational Software division.[11]

Realwordedtech suggested the series died out because it "was expensive to create and even more difficult for teachers to integrate an increasingly prescribed data-driven curriculum".[12]

## Gameplay

[edit]

Each game puts the players (recommended to be a classroom) into a scenario based on actual facts and encourages them to come up with solutions.

An example is in the title Decisions, Decisions: Prejudice, in which the players take the role of the mayor of a tourist town, in which a newspaper has editorialised against a business trading racial memorabilia.[4] Students discuss the problem in teams, then enter their strategies into the computer, which advances the story, leading to 300 alternate paths.[4] Members of the team receive booklets from the perspective of an adviser to the decision maker, for instance in Decisions,[13] Decisions: The Environment, they could be a campaign manager, and environmentalist, a scientist, and an economist; players then debate this conflicting information to reach a justifiable compromise.[14]

The games encourage a five step critical thinking process:[15]

1. Analyze the situation[16]
2. Determine and prioritise goals[17]
3. Consider their options[18]
4. Make a decision[19]
5. Examine the consequences[20]

Follow-up activities include: taking quizzes, drawing political cartoons, writing to state and federal legislators, seeing how others parts of the country voted on the issue, and research Web links.[21]

## Titles (incomplete)

[edit]

* Decisions, Decisions: Current Issues
* Decisions, Decisions: AIDS
* Decisions, Decisions: Colonization
* Decisions, Decisions: Immigration
* Decisions, Decisions: On the Campaign Trail[22]
* Decisions, Decisions: Prejudice
* Decisions, Decisions: Revolutionary Wars
* Decisions, Decisions: Substance Abuse (also known as S.M.A.R.T. Choices)
* Decisions, Decisions: The Budget Process
* Decisions, Decisions: The Constitution
* Decisions, Decisions: The Environment
* Decisions, Decisions: Urbanization
* Decisions, Decisions: Violence in the Media
* Decisions, Decisions: Ancient Empires
* Decisions, Decisions: Drinking and Driving[23]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Education World gave Decisions, Decisions Online an A+, describing it as an effective online resource to stimulate the critical thinking skills of young people.[6]

Laura Cirillo-Boilard of USJ gave Decisions, Decisions – The Constitution 10/10, praising its ability to develop skills in cooperative learning, reading comprehension, oral communication, problem-solving, and decision-making.[15] Teaching TV Production in a Digital World: Integrating Media Literacy recommended the use of Decisions, Decisions: Violence in the Media within the school curriculum.[3] Character Education in America's Blue Ribbon Schools felt the series effectively allowed students to work together in solving real world problems and analysing the results of their decisions.[24] Multimedia Schools said Decisions, Decisions Online is an "interesting, informative, and affordable" product.[25]

The website was The New York Times' featured site on January 5, 2000.[26] The Washington Post reported that the series could be ground-breaking in the move from learning distinct subjects to a synergistic approach, using all these skills to complete practical and realistic projects.[22] Macworld noted that Decisions, Decisions 5.0: The Constitution was not a replacement for a U.S. history textbook.[27] Teacher Librarian praised it as one of the best ethics-based simulations on the market.[28] Shirley Neill, co-editor of Only the Best, noted “Snyder tries to get kids to see the issue from a lot of different points of view".[29] From Now On deemed it the leading producer of historical simulations.[30] While Kliatt praised the series for addressing current issues, it noted the games were not "culturally balanced".[31] Tech & Learning wrote "These thought-provoking programs enriched learning in countless ways."[32] MacWorld suggests the series challenges the student view that historical events are "far-removed from their own lives and have little relevance to the present".[33]

### Awards

[edit]

* 1988 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Middle or Secondary School Program – Decisions, Decisions Series[34]
* 1997 Codie award for excellence in technology[35]
* 1998 Excellence in Software Award for Best Curriculum Software for Middle School – Decisions, Decisions: Ancient Empires[36]
* 1998 Excellence in Software Award for Best Education Software Upgrade – Decisions, Decisions: The Environment[36]
* 1999 Education World – Best of 1999 – Decisions, Decisions Online[37]
* 2001 Codie Award Finalist: Best School Based Secondary Education Software – Decisions, Decisions Online[38]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "David Dockterman Profile". Harvard Graduate School. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
2. ^ "Decisions, Decisions Trademark – Registration Number 2021985 – Serial Number 75020891: Justia Trademarks". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
3. ^ a b Kenny, Robert (2004). Teaching TV Production in a Digital World: Integrating Media Literacy. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 9781591581994.
4. ^ a b c West, Peter (March 24, 1993). "Reaction to Software on Slavery Raises Issues Surrounding New Types of Media". Education Week. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
5. ^ Harness the Power of Projectors and Interactive Whiteboards Archived July 13, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ a b "Best of '99: Decisions, Decisions Online". Education World. 1999. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
7. ^ "An Interview with David "Dock" Dockterman: The Changing Nature of Educational Software". August 12, 2008. Archived from the original on August 12, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
8. ^ "F.Y.I. – Tom Snyder Productions –".
9. ^ "Welcome To Decisions, Decisions Online". July 21, 2001. Archived from the original on July 21, 2001. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
10. ^ "Gale – Product Login".
11. ^ "Scholastic purchases software maker Tom Snyder Productions". eSchool News. February 1, 2002. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
12. ^ "Why Ed Tech had it right at the very start but lost its way". Retrieved March 28, 2022.
13. ^ Kenebrew, Keith Tyson (March 2005). Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: Seeking God's Will. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-34223-5.
14. ^ Dockterman, David A. (2002). Easy Ways to Make Technology Work for You: From Grade Books to Graphic Organizers. Scholastic Inc. ISBN 9780439437615.
15. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved March 18, 2018.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. ^ "Analyze the Situation". Archived from the original on May 1, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
17. ^ "Determine Your Goals". Archived from the original on May 6, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
18. ^ "Consider the Options". Archived from the original on May 9, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
19. ^ "Make a Decision". Archived from the original on May 16, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
20. ^ "Consider the Consequences". Archived from the original on May 21, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
21. ^ "Follow-Up Activities". Archived from the original on May 22, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
22. ^ a b Goldberg, Debbie (November 1, 1992). "From Blackboard to Keyboard". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
23. ^ "Teach Students to Avoid Drinking & Driving –".
24. ^ Murphy, Madonna (July 9, 2002). Character Education in America's Blue Ribbon Schools: Best Practices for Meeting the Challenge. R&L Education. ISBN 9781461666912.
25. ^ "Gale – Product Login".
26. ^ "Site of the Day: Decisions, Decisions Online". events.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
27. ^ "Education Software". Macworld. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
28. ^ Troutner, Joanne (April 2005). "BEST NEW SOFTWARE". Teacher Librarian. 32 (4): 40, 67.
29. ^ West, Peter (June 19, 2019). "The Mouse That Roared". Education Week. ISSN 0277-4232. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
30. ^ "Focus on History, Literacies and ICT". fno.org. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
31. ^ Hammer, Brad (2002). "Energy and the Environment".
32. ^ Gwen Solomon (April 28, 2015). "Software Grows Up: Interactive Multimedia And More". TechLearningMagazine. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
33. ^ "Education Software". Macworld. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
34. ^ "1988 Winners". www.siia.net. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
35. ^ "2004: Tom Snyder". publishers.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
36. ^ a b "TMF: drop in sales due to lack of award winning title / Learning Company, Inc., The". boards.fool.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
37. ^ "Education World® : Best Of Series : 1999 : Review : Decisions, Decisions Online". June 17, 2001. Archived from the original on June 17, 2001. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
38. ^ "Runaware – Decisions, Decisions Online". June 17, 2001. Archived from the original on June 17, 2001. Retrieved March 28, 2022.