STUDENT RESPONSES TO SURVEY QUESTIONS

1. What was your initial reaction to the project? Explain briefly.

Positive Responses

• We get to argue.
  
• I liked the idea of being in a sort of reality surrounding of what the UN goes through. And to take action.
  
• Good way to realize global issues.
  
• It seemed different and interesting because it is work orientated (on your own). It seemed like it would be fun because I've always wanted to debate and take action in issues.
  
• Working and researching info on the project.
  
• Something new.
  
• An interesting way to examine countries, debates are usually entertaining.
  
• It's a pretty good idea.
  
• Would get to know more about the world.
  
• At first I thought it would be hard but later on it was fun to do and it was fun to be able to learn about different countries.
  
• I thought it was good in the way we were able to explore other worldwide issues.
  
• It helped us in learning more about the events that happen in other countries other than Canada.
  
• We get to argue.
  
• I thought it was going to be fun but I didn't know what it was going to be like so I was a little nervous.
  
• It gave me a chance to argue for what I believe in.
  
• Showed us what the world issues are like from a country other than Canada.
  
• It was pretty positive. I thought there was a lot to do with this project because the end of the year is coming so soon, I thought I wouldn't get it done. But with long nights of homework and spending extra time at the library I was able to finish. I only wish it was done earlier in the year.
  
• I thought it would be fun. It would be much better than taking notes out of a textbook every class.
  
• I like debating on interesting important issues.
  
• They were fun but it was kind a hard to get both done at the same time.
  
• A chance to think about the current world. Not so much history.
  
• It was fun to talk on all your stuff since it's more hands on.
  
• I liked how we each get a country and grow patriotism for it.
  
• Learned lots about other nations and their needs.
  
• Because you see how different countries agree on some issues and totally disagree on others.
  

Negative Responses

• Lots of research.
  
• It was somewhat hard to keep up with 2 different projects at the same time.
  
• Huge amount of work - mainly no idea how to start.
  
• It seemed like a lot of research, which sometimes is hard because you can't find the right information you want.
  
• Trying to find resources to find info.
  
• Will take too much time.
  
• Not enough clear indication of the research needed.
  
• It needs more guidelines, more structure.
  
• It seemed like a lot of confusing work.
  
• Oh no, lots of marks.
  
• We should have been able to pick our own continent that we wanted. Like if we wanted a country in
• Asia, then we should have that choice.
  
• I didn't like the brief explanations of how to perform in a debate.
  
• Have to do a lot of work.
  
• I thought it was different then what I'm used to.
  
• Sounded like a big project to do.
  
• It sounded like a lot of work. I find it hard to keep on task in the library but eventually I concentrated well.
  
• A whole lot of research.
  
• It would have been better if we could know what was going on entirely right from the start instead of the presentation ½ way through. And be able to pick our topics after we know something about our country because some topics don't suit some countries very well.
  
• Hard to stay in character sometimes. Makes it a little bit difficult.
  

2. In regard to the debates:

a. Did you feel prepared? Why or why not?

• Yes because I knew what I was supposed to debate.
  
• Yes, I feel I had enough information to get the position of my country across.
  
• Mostly. I had speeches ready.
  
• I felt prepared because I had lots of information but then when we debated, everyone had different opinions. So I wasn't sure if I was always right.
  
• No, I didn't have much info to back up my questions.
  
• In one of the resolutions I did because I understood it. The other one, not so much.
  
• No, much of my research was irrelevant.
  
• I was prepared for my first one because I didn't organize my time very well. It was harder because we had 2 projects going.
  
• Yes, because I had researched enough and knew enough about the country. And I also like debating anything.
  
• No. Haven't really debated before and didn't know what to expect.
  
• I felt prepared but I didn't always know what to say or it was hard to get my point across.
  
• Somewhat because I honestly had no idea how to construct an opening speech.
  
• Yes, it was easy to argue points in debate form, even if your total understanding wasn't high because you could go off of what other people said.
  
• No, I saved all work till the night before.
  
• Yes, I had a lot of information.
  
• I felt prepared because we had enough time to research and know our debating issues.
  
• Yes, I made sure I had the facts I needed to defend my point.
  
• At the beginning, no I wasn't because it wasn't explained very well to me. Once I knew I got the hang of it and I was very prepared. It was the first time I ever did a debate.
  
• Yes I did feel prepared. I knew what my countries opinion was but I also put some of my own opinion in too because you don't know exactly what a Nepalese would say.
  
• Yes, I knew where my country stood on the issues.
  
• Kind of. It was hard to tell what everybody else was going to say in their speech. But it was good.
  
• I felt mostly prepared except for urbanization and industrialization. I wasn't too sure of what to say.
  
• Yes, I felt well prepared since I had ample time to work on it.
  
• I felt prepared enough because I had all my written research handy and a nice, big opening speech.
  
• I felt prepared. We had enough time for prep. The only part that was confusing was learning how the debate was run. A demo would have been good.
  
• Yes, but the debate came faster then
  

b. Do you feel that you came to understand the debate topics? Why or why not?

• I understood status of women, trade and peace and security really well. I just had to read the resolutions over and figure out the big words.
  
• Yes, I soon realized the positives and negatives of the global issues around the world.
  
• Yes, but it was hard to find details.
  
• Yes, because when you researched for your country, you only focused on one side. But when you debated, you learned more about both sides and heard ideas that you never thought of that made or didn't make sense.
  
• Yes. Most topics are understandable.
  
• Yes, because during the debate the same things were said over and over again.
  
• After the debates the issues were more clearly understood because of everyone's opinions.
  
• My country was hard to find information for. I felt less understanding of my topics compared to some other people.
  
• Yes, especially once we got into and heard other opinions.
  
• Most of them, somewhat, in very technical terms.
  
• Yes. I have gained better understanding from country's perspectives.
  
• Mostly. There were a few resolutions that were worded in a way that made it difficult to understand.
  
• Some. Debating world economics when everyone knows squat about it.
  
• Definitely. I got to see both sides and how the countries really (probably) feel.
  
• Most topics I came to understand but a couple were a little off and hard to follow.
  
• Yes, because we had lots of time to research on the topics.
  
• Yes, definitely. It's an excellent way of learning. I have a lot of understanding of the topics.
  
• Yes. I researched and I understood the meaning of the resolutions. Since I knew Nepal was a very poor country I could understand the point of view they would take.
  
• Yes, understand complexity of issues.
  
• Yes, I understand the debate topics after we got debating about them and talked more about them.
  
• After the debates the topics became clear to me.
  
• Yes, they were easy to understand and well brought out.
  
• Sometimes it would totally lose me but not usually.
  
• There were some that were a little shady. I asked 2 teachers opinions on one and we all were wrong with what we came up with.
  
• Yes, especially the ones I was involved in.
  

c. What would you do differently next time in order to prepare for the debates?

• More research, more facts.
  
• I would maybe have the desks set up differently and let the debaters have more say so that there is a contribution towards a solution to the global issue.
  
• Nothing. (X2)
  
• I would maybe get more information about my country because I was a bit broad.
  
• Look for better resources.
  
• Spend less time on statistics and more time researching essays, opinions, etc.
  
• Find more information on the issues. (World wide)
  
• Have more facts to prove your point better. Don't leave it open to be shot down by arrogant countries.
  
• Get more information.
  
• Work harder.
  
• Get facts or statistics of the other countries to as to have defense from.
  
• Better opening speeches and more number of facts.
  
• Get more facts.
  
• Study other countries that are in the same debate so that I could attack them or prove them wrong. I'd find more interesting facts.
  
• Focus more deeply in certain issues.
  
• Don't get nervous; make sure I have all my facts with me.
  
• I would have practiced my speech and made it more interesting with gestures and eye contact.
  
• I would use my library time more effectively. I only got to work when there were about 4 classes left so I had to work hard in that time.
  
• Find out more about the nations I am debating against.
  
• Think of more to say during the debate and try to say more.
  
• Think of specific cases and research these instead of being so general.
  
• Maybe research more on other countries actions and weak points.
  
• Think about how the debate will go and write some quick but sound arguments.
  
• Nothing really. I felt it went well.
  
• Nothing.
  

c. Suggestions for Next Time

• People should debate from their country's perspective and not their own.
  
• Have more developed countries.
  
• Go into theatre and make it seem more like a conference to add to the fun.
  
• Don't pack up the library books so soon.
  
• Give more direction towards the topics.
  
• Do debates before Take Action.
  
• Not have so many third world countries in the same position. Take countries from all levels.
  
• Make sure people argue for their country and not their own opinions.
  
• Have the debates, then do Take Action Project so then we have a better idea of what is really going on in the countries.
  
• Have the desks already arranged so that it doesn't take so long to get organized.
  
• Possibly debate in more than two topics directly.
  
• Have topics that take less outside knowledge. (Ex: no economic debates).
  
• Explain how the debate is going to be. Be blunt, say the class will get one class for each debate, etc…
  
• Explain more what each debate is about so when time comes to debate, everyone knows what the topic is really about.
  
• Put this before Take Action Project.
  
• Don't have it right at the end of the year.
  
• There needs to be more variety between the countries. It was always lots of poor countries against 1 or 2 developed ones.
  
• Keep nations that are very controversial to that issue on the debate.
  
• Make the topics more specific. A few of them I wasn't sure what they meant when I was researching.
  
• Maybe a more balanced system to work on since it's hard being a developed country.
  
• If people could see the debate first (a recording of last year) there would be a lot better understanding of the topic.
  
• Word the topics more straightforward.
  
• More people involved.

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