The class, taught by professor Glenn Stutzky, has been offered the past four summers, said instructional designer Keesa Johnson, one of the creators of the course.

“It’s about building an awareness for first responders in disasters, catastrophes, and emergencies,” Johnson said. 

She said the class begins as a typical online course, but the second week throws students into a drastically different environment, creating a simulated world for them to travel through.

“He kind of leaves it in mysterious ways, it’s very unknown so far,” said computer science junior Alex Lambert, a student currently in the second week of the class.

Johnson said Stutzky then becomes part of the storyline and the students tend to immerse themselves in the story.

The simulation is just getting started, Lambert said, but there are virtual supplies, goals, and puzzles and problems to solve. 

“You basically have to convince him that you’ve realistically solved the problem or a situation,” Lambert said, adding the simulation requires groups to give real-time Twitter updates.

“The course isn’t really about passing or failing, it’s about what they’re learning,” Johnson said, “a lot of critical thinking (is) involved, a lot of leadership (is) being developed, and they use digital storytelling.”

Lambert said there’s usually several assignments due each week of the class, but they go by quickly.

Though the course maintains a serious demeanor, Johnson said students enjoy the ability to make their own choices in the simulations, deciding their own fate.