This Learning Design involves five main activity phases:

• Briefing
• Role Adoption
• Interaction (via email)
• Interaction (via an asynchronous discussion tool)
• Debriefing

View the Learning Design Sequence for a graphical representation of the learning design.

Key stages of the e-Sim: Briefing; Role Adoption; Email Interaction; Forum Interaction; Debriefing.

The e-Sim web site is where participants have access to the Course Management system (e.g., Blackboard) for collaboration tools and links to background material. Offline and online publications support students researching their role and the issues...

The e-Sim scenario design involves identifying relevant personae and then designing scenario news events that create collaborative opportunities for students. They can utilise case studies, analysis of newspaper reports from a region and public inquiries into issues...

The Mekong e-Sim is a component of three different subjects in four participating institutions... Each subject uses the e-Sim to create an experience for the student about the Mekong region and the socio-technical issues facing the region...

Awareness of multiple dimensions and perspectives about natural resource decision-making in the Mekong region; Knowledge about stakeholders roles, responsibilities, values and attitudes of organisations involved with development in the Mekong region;...

Within the learning design there is a strong linkage between learning outcomes and assessment tasks. The assessment includes measures of the performance of the participants while they are undertaking the activity, and measures of their learning from the activity...

The problem addressed by the use of ICT was "How to have access between distributed students?" and how to create a "rich and authentic simulated world in which they could collaborate"...

Pedagogic theories influencing the design include: experiential learning, collaborative learning and situated cognition.

An online role-play/simulation "PollutSim" was first trialled by some of the development team in 1996. It has been progressively evaluated and adapted to suit new contexts...

Mekong e-Sim has been evaluated at all stages of its design and implementation. Student perceptions of their learning and responses to the e-Sim were evaluated using student comments in the debriefing essay, a paper based student survey and focus group discussions...

The various stages of participant involvement in the learning design provide for increased levels of practice and participation in the participants publicly stating their views and shaping the way the issue is discussed...