I have been doing a lot of reading lately about how the brain works. It has also exposed me to several articles on educational games. The one that is really intriguing to me is Democracy, a government simulation game where the player must introduce and alter policies in seven areas - tax, economy, welfare, foreign policy, transport, law and order and public services. I could see obvious uses in political science but also think it would be interesting to have students in philosophy, accounting, social work, and civil engineering play the game as well. Let me know if you have used this type of teaching resource or have played it yourself. The Southern Regional Faculty and Instructional Development Consortium (SRFIDC) is currently accepting proposals (due December 13) for their annual conference to be held March 25-29. They are looking for proposals that focus on strategies, tools, pedagogies, or technologies related to this year's theme: Reflecting on the Past, Building for the Future. All sessions should include a strong and practical element of audience involvement. If you are interested in online course design, I would recommend this short (11 minute) podcast by Dr. Robin Smith.