Virus!
An interactive experiment
in scientific thinking and process
Virus!
…is an interactive computer
simulation of the spread of an
infectious virus through a
population.
The simulation uses Palm Pilot
technology, and is part of the
PDA Participatory Simulations
effort of the Teacher Education
Program, Massachsuetts
Insitute of Technology (M.I.T.),
Cambridge, MA.
The previous “wearable computer
badge” has been replaced by…
the PDA
Participatory Simulation!
Turn
the device
ON
press the button
Enter
your
name.
When
told to,
press
“Start”
You will now see this screen:
From this
point forward,
only click the
buttons as you
are instructed.
…otherwise you might
get out of sync with the
simulation!
A happy face
means that you
appear to be
healthy – you
are not showing
evidence of any
virus infection.
It is time to
MEET EACH
OTHER
You “meet” another
by holding your Palm
device near another
device as shown, and
then ONE PERSON
clicks on the “MEET”
button.
The device will show
the names of those
whom you’ve met.
The
names of
those you
meet will
be listed
here
only
ONE
PERSON
clicks
the MEET
button
When you’ve met
all you intend to
meet,
click the “READY”
button
to LOCK your data.
Now you cannot
send or receive any
more “meetings”.
Wait a few minutes…. observe what happens to
everyone. If you become sick, you will hear a
sound and see a “sick” face.
Raise your hand
if you become “sick” with the virus.
HEALTHY
SICK
?
?
Make a list of everything you
observed about what happened.
Do not leave out any details.
You are searching for clues
to a mystery!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Formulate hypotheses about what is happening in this game.
Pick a single hypothesis to investigate.
Devise an experiment to test the hypothesis.
Conduct the experiment (start “New Game”)
Record observations.
Repeat this entire process until the mystery is solved.
End