In one class of 100 last month, Freeman found that every student had private Internet access. Some academics misuse the medium by merely posting their lectures on the Web, he says. They take the identity of people such as John Howard, Allan Fels, or securities regulators, with their real identities staying secret until the program ends. The program was based on a method used at Macquarie University in a simulation of Middle-Eastern politics. Students must research how their character would react, and type responses to the central on-line site.
Freeman is the only observer able to read the messages.
Since each student researches a unique situation, cheating is difficult. In team debates, groups take positions on issues such as corporate law reform, and hone their responses in private conferences before posting them on the Internet. Many students in their professional lives are already feeling the effect of corporate law reform, and have strong opinions. Even at 4am there can be lively interchanges among six students using the site. Shy people are not argued down, rhetorical flourishes can't be used, and non-English students cope better with the language.