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July 19, 2007
By Kristi DeBruin
 When Randy Campbell, associate professor and chair of mathematical sciences, was preparing and planning for his first May Term class, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
“I wanted to give students the opportunity to think in new ways, but at the same time offer a course that they would find interesting,” said Campbell.
His class, “Strategy, Tactics, and the Military Art through Discussions, Study, and Simulation” fits these criteria. With war being so prominent in the news, he thought it’d be an intriguing class for students.
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| Students played board games like those pictured above during the May Term class "Stategy, Tactics, and the Military Art through Discussions, Study, and Simulation." |
During the three week
period, students played a number of war-related board games pertaining to different periods of history, including
Napoleon’s Battle at Waterloo, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II to name a few. Students would play the game from the perspective of each of the parties involved in the war. For instance, in the Revolutionary War game, students would play the game once as the British, and then again as the Americans. After this each student would write a summary, analyzing the turning points of the game and the eventual outcomes.
“This analysis allowed students to really see what had transpired, to think critically about what they should have done differently to win the game," Campbell said.
In addition to the games, the class featured two guest speakers. Dr. Pat Bass, professor of history and political science, and Dr. Sam Clovis, professor of business administration and economics.
“The guest speakers gave students insight into the human element of war—how each strategy and course of action in war is much more difficult than moving a token across a board, that in war, every course of action could mean life or death for many people,” said Campbell.
 Brandon Sturges (pictured at left), a junior art major from Sioux City, enjoyed this May Term course.
“I learned a great deal about actual war battles and important events that took place. I also saw the importance of thinking critically, of being aware of my opponents and taking steps to make them play into my hands, in order to win the game,” said Sturges.
“It’s easy for us to read a history book and to think that the course of action taken was obviously wrong, but students had the opportunity to be the military commander, to make the tough decisions, and to see how their decisions affected the rest of the ‘history,’” said Campbell.
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