PathFinder: Add Decision Points to a Simulation

Once you create the shell of a simulation, you are taken to the simulation workspace where you add decision points (objects) to the simulation. You can preview the whole simulation at any time to see how the simulation works for students.

Objects can be one of three types:

1. Start — Students start at these points in a simulation. If there is more than one start point in a simulation, students are randomly assigned a start point.
2. Decision — When a student reaches this point in a simulation, they have to make a choice (even if there's only one choice to make — Continue). Decision objects can have exits to one or more other decision objects or end objects in the simulation. It's through creating decision objects and adding exits to other decision objects or end objects that the simulation is built into a decision tree.
3. End — If a student reaches this object, the simulation ends. The ending can be successful (eg; they reached the goal) or a failure (eg; they failed to reach the goal).

Objects have the following properties:

• Title — The title of this object/step in the simulation.
• Exit(s) — Links to one or more other objects/steps in the simulation. If this is an end object, there will be no exits.
• Type of object — See above for descriptions of start, decision, and end objects.
• Randomize display order of exits — Select if you want the display order of all exits from this object to be randomized when displayed to students.
• Hint — Add an optional hint to help students pick the right exit.
• File to display to students — If you want to link a file for students to open at this point in the simulation, you can add that file here.
• Instructional Text — This is the content that is displayed to students at this point/step in the simulation. This content can include large amounts of text, images, or even videos.

How to Add Objects to a Simulation

1. Click PathFinder under Activities and Assignments on the main Faculty Tools page.
2. From the main PathFinder page, click Edit next to the simulation you want to work on.
3. Click Edit Paths in the form that appears.
4. Click anywhere in the white space within the simulation workspace. The Add new object form appears:

5. Fill out the form as needed. See above for details of what each item means.
6. Click Save Changes.
7. Repeat for all of your start, decision, and end points in the simulation.

Remember: Creating a simulation in PathFinder occurs in the following steps:

1. Add a New Simulation
2. Add Decision Points to a Simulation (this step)
3. Create Paths (links) Between Decision Points in a Simulation