Q: What is GMT, and why does ICONS use GMT?

A: Greenwich Mean Time (sometimes called universal time) is the standard time system used worldwide. No matter where on earth you are, you can figure out what time it is GMT by subtracting or adding hours. The first thing to do is to figure out how many hours behind or ahead of GMT it is where you are located. You do this by subtracting or adding time zones relative to GMT. In other words, if it were 15:00 GMT and you are located 6 time zones behind GMT, then you would subtract 6 hours from 15:00 GMT and it would be 9:00 in the morning local time where you are located.

A note regarding GMT and daylight savings time: If you reside in a location where daylight savings time is observed, make sure to take this into consideration when converting GMT to your local time. (In the continental U.S. you would lose an hour in the spring when daylight savings time begins. For example, if you are 5 hours behind GMT before daylight savings time, you will be 4 hours behind after daylight savings time begins. Just the reverse happens in the fall, where you gain an hour when daylight savings ends. For example, if you are 4 hours behind GMT during daylight savings time, you would then be 5 hours behind GMT after daylight savings time ends) Here is a link that will help you figure out what time it is in where you are located. ICONS uses GMT because the schools that participate in ICONS simulations are located all over the world, and there needs to be a standard time that everyone recognizes. All times listed on the ICONSnet system are in GMT.

Q: What is the faculty community?

A: With each ICONS high school simulation, a completely separate simulation community is set up so teachers can communicate with other teachers in their simulation, and with ICONS personnel. Each teacher receives a unique username and password to access the faculty community. The faculty community is created approximately 4 - 6 weeks prior to the start date of the simulation.

Q: Will each of my students need an e-mail account or address so they can participate?

A: No. All you will need is a computer(s) that can connect to the Internet, and has a graphical browser such as Netscape. The ICONSnet system will do the rest. You will receive a username and password that all of your students will use to access the ICONSnet system. These usernames and passwords are sent electronically to you through the faculty community for your simulation about 7 -10 days before the start date of a simulation.

Q: When will I receive student usernames and passwords?

A: Student usernames and passwords are sent electronically to each faculty member through the faculty community approximately 7 -10 days before the start date of a simulation.

Q: Do my students and I need to exit the simulation when we're through?

A: Yes, this is very important. When you and your students finish your work on the ICONSnet system always click the "Exit Simulation" button. This ensures that whomever uses the computer after you cannot access your country's information. If you simply walk away from the computer without exiting the simulation, anyone has access to your country's messages and can send messages as your country.

Q: Should my students and I change our passwords?

A: Yes. We suggest that students change their password after they receive their initial password from Project ICONS. Students need to make sure the entire country-team is aware of the new password for their country. To change their password, after logging in to the ICONSnet system, click on the "Administrative" button, and then click on "Change Password".

Q: When I click on "Read New Messages" every message that my country has received appears in the list. I do not want this. I only want to see the messages that have been sent to my country since the last time I was logged into the ICONSnet system?

A: Make sure when you are through reading a message, that you mark the message to go into the archive by selecting "Archive #'X'" or into you favorite message archive by selecting "Archive #'X' as Favorite". This will cause only those new messages that you receive to appear in the new message list.

Q: After reading a message, I select "Archive #'X'" or "Archive #'X' as Favorite", but the message continues to appear when I click "Read New Messages."

A: After marking a message to be sent to the archive or to the "favorites" make sure you click one of the ICONSnet buttons (i.e. "Respond" or "Quit Reading Messages"). If you click the Back button on your browser, it may undo all of the messages you have designated to be put in the archive, and they will keep appearing as new messages.

Q: I marked a message to be put in the archive or into the "favorites" archive and it is not there when I try to retrieve it.

A: After marking a message to be sent to the archive or to the "favorites" make sure you click one of the ICONSnet buttons (i.e. "Respond" or "Quit Reading Messages"). If you click the Back button on your browser, it may undo all of the messages you have designated to be put in the archive, and they will keep appearing as new messages. Look for your message in the new messages list and rearchive it using the above suggestion. (Messages in the "favorites" archive can also be retrieved from the regular archive.)

Q: How do I print messages on the ICONSnet system?

A: There are 2 ways to print messages on the ICONSnet system. The first is to simply click the Print button on your browser. You will have to keep clicking the print button to print each screen. The second way is to copy and paste to a word processor all messages you wish to print.

Q: Is there a way to print a continuous stream of messages like on the old Polnet II system?

A: No, unfortunately there is not. Since Windows or MacOS controls all print functions you must continue to press the print button on your browser, or copy and paste a list of messages into a word processor and then print the messages.

Q: Sometimes when I print messages from ICONSnet part of the page gets cut off on the printout.

A: This seems to be a random problem. Make sure that your browser is maximized to the fullest so it fills the entire screen, and then try printing. If the problem persists, make sure your computer is set to display at the correct resolution for your monitor's screen size (i.e. 640 X 480 or 800 X 600). If this doesn't work, try copying and pasting the messages into a word processor and then printing them.

Q: When we are connected to ICONSnet, and the browser is maximized to the fullest so it fills the entire screen, we have to scroll horizontally to see things on the right-side of the screen. How do we fix this?

A: Make sure your computer is set to display at the correct resolution for your monitor's screen size (i.e. 640 X 480 or 800 X 600). ICONSnet is designed to adapt horizontally to any monitor. You should not have to scroll horizontally to the right to read the right-side of the page.

Q: Can I login to the ICONSnet system using multiple computers?

A: Yes, you can use the same username and password to login multiple computers to the system. HOWEVER, during conferences we highly recommend using only one computer to send messages and one or two machines to read messages. When multiple machines are used during conferences there are times when a country will send conflicting messages. It is important for teams to collaborate and construct messages together. Using only one computer for sending messages during conferences seems to ensure that solid, non-conflicting messages are sent by a country.

Q: If my students have already sent a message can they delete it from the system?

A: Yes, but only if that message has not already been read by the countries it was sent to. The message will only be deleted, and not seen by countries who have not yet read that message. To delete a message, click the "Administrative" button and then click "Delete Message". Enter the number of the message you wish to delete.

Q: Can I delete a message that has been sent to me from another country?

A: No. Any message you receive from another country or from Simcon cannot be deleted by you. You can only put them in the archive or in the "favorites" archive.

Simulation Procedure

Q: When can I expect to receive the scenario and related materials for the simulation?

A: We recognize the sooner that you receive the scenario for a simulation the better. For fall simulations, you should receive your copy of the scenario as well as other important simulation materials no later than 4 - 6 weeks before the start of a simulation. In the spring, depending on the date of the simulation you are participating in, you should receive your scenario and other important simulation materials no later than 4 - 8 weeks before your simulation begins. A copy of the scenario and related materials will be mailed directly to you, and posted on the ICONS Web page at the same time.

Q: When should my students begin their research for a simulation?

A: We recommend that students begin the research process about 4 to 6 weeks before the start date of the simulation. This gives ample time for students to learn about the policies and procedures not only of their country, but of the other countries in the simulation. It also allows time for a position paper to be written.

Q: Should my students write a position paper?

A: We strongly recommend that each country complete a position paper. Generally, each subgroup of a country-team will research the country they are representing to learn about its policies in the "real-world" in regards to the different issues of the simulation. From these policies, each subgroup will begin to formulate its own policies and procedures for negotiation. Finally, all subgroups will compile their policies into one position paper for their country. The position paper helps students focus on the issues of the simulation, and gets them thinking about how they are going to negotiate with other countries. Some teachers quiz their students throughout the pre-simulation research process to make sure they are gathering correct information concerning the policies of the country they are portraying in the simulation.

Q: How should I divide my class into groups?

A: Each simulation has a specific set of issue areas, for example human rights, international trade, world health and so on. Each simulation has approximately 6 of these issue areas. Most teachers divide their classes into groups so that each group focuses on a specific issue area of the simulation. Therefore, if you have a class of 30 students, and there are 6 issue areas in the simulation, there would be 5 students per group. Each group then becomes "experts" on the particular issue area that they have been assigned to. Each group is responsible for attending both online conferences scheduled for that issue during the simulation. Some teachers use slightly different methods so students will be exposed to more than one topic. Some teachers hold weekly or bi-weekly briefings so each group can inform the rest of their country-team what is happening with their particular issue in the simulation, and how their country is responding.

Q: What is SIMCON?

A: SIMCON, or simulation control, is the facilitator of the simulation. SIMCON will read all simulation messages and provide feedback when appropriate. SIMCON will not take any stand on the issues at hand. However, SIMCON may point out potential problems in proposals or agreements. SIMCON receives ALL messages both public and private. SIMCON establishes the conference schedule and the conference agendas. SIMCON will be the chair of each conference. SIMCON has no policy role in the simulation. SIMCON will guide the substance of the negotiation to ensure that all aspects of each issue are considered. SIMCON maintains complete administrative responsibility during the simulation.

Q: What is the difference between "regular mail" and conferences?

A: The term "regular mail" refers to the majority of messages that students will send and receive on a daily basis. The majority of negotiations during a simulation take place in the "regular mail". Students can read and send messages in the "regular mail" when it is most convenient for them (mostly during their regular class period, for example). Conferences occur at scheduled times, and require that all countries scheduled to attend the conference be online at that time so real-time discussions can take place. Topics for discussion in conferences is limited specifically to agenda items unless Simcon advises otherwise.

Q: How long do online, real-time conferences last?

A: Each online conference lasts for one hour.

Q: Are real-time conferences held everyday of the simulation?

A: In most cases, yes. The first real-time conference of the simulation is usually scheduled on about the third day of the simulation. After this first conference, there will generally be at least one conference per day for the rest of the simulation. However, only the students representing the particular issue being discussed that day need to be present for the conference. Therefore, the same students do not attend conferences day after day.

Q: Are real-time conferences held at the same time everyday of the simulation?

A: Generally speaking, they are not held at the same time day after day. Times will vary.

Q: Does the entire class need to attend each real-time conference?

A: No, it does not. Only the group that has been assigned to represent the one issue area being discussed in a scheduled conference needs to attend that conference.

Q: Are real-time conferences ever scheduled on the weekends?

A: No. However, if you are located in a part of the world where the time difference is great between the U.S. and your location, a conference could occur in the late afternoon or evening on Friday your local time.

Q: How do I evaluate my students during ICONS activities?

A: Evaluation procedures vary from teacher to teacher. A good way to get ideas about this is to send a message in the faculty community asking for suggestions or ideas on how to evaluate students during and after the simulation.

Q: What happens after a simulation concludes?

A: After the conclusion of a simulation, students should be guided through debriefing activities. These activities should be designed to get students to talk about the substantive issues of the simulation. Approximately one week before the conclusion of a simulation an ICONS staff member will send a list of questions that will help you debrief your students. When the simulation ends, the entire database of messages is opened so countries have access to all other countries' messages. This way you can, if you choose, examine the progress of one particular issue, and how different countries responded to certain messages surrounding this issue.