History and Development
Online debates made their first appearance in January and February of 2010. What had initially been planned as a fifteen minute “canned” simulation for an online school's Model UN club, turned into something far more exciting. As students logged in to the Elluminate Live (now Blackboard Collaborate) virtual classroom, it was apparent that we had tapped into a high interest program. The call for delegates had spread in an “MUN gone viral!” scenario, as students began to log in from locations around the world. Some delegates immediately went to work drafting a resolution, while others simply wanted to check out the room's features. Early participants, in addition to the club’s eager participation, included some big names in the overseas MUN circuit. In one instance, the room stayed open for almost 19 hours, as waves of first time online delegates logged in and out of the classroom—first from Asia, then Africa, then Europe and North America, and then from Asia again.
Using the simple text tools in Blackboard Collaborate, the resolution was posted onto the whiteboard, a new login feature designed to alphabetically list delegates according to their assigned nations for roll call, and the first online system to submit amendments was created. Having yet to discover Skype chat, a second classroom was opened and used for moderator back-channel communication. A world-class THIMUN moderating team, complete with Presidents and Deputy Secretaries General from the esteemed THIMUN program rounded out the moderators.
After two highly successful debates, the global debates program was put on ice, and did not re-emerge until it was reborn as an independent, not for profit education program in the fall of 2011. O-MUN is run by teacher and student volunteers and is free of charge, allowing any high school student with internet access the ability to debate and collaborate with their peers.
Online debates made their first appearance in January and February of 2010. What had initially been planned as a fifteen minute “canned” simulation for an online school's Model UN club, turned into something far more exciting. As students logged in to the Elluminate Live (now Blackboard Collaborate) virtual classroom, it was apparent that we had tapped into a high interest program. The call for delegates had spread in an “MUN gone viral!” scenario, as students began to log in from locations around the world. Some delegates immediately went to work drafting a resolution, while others simply wanted to check out the room's features. Early participants, in addition to the club’s eager participation, included some big names in the overseas MUN circuit. In one instance, the room stayed open for almost 19 hours, as waves of first time online delegates logged in and out of the classroom—first from Asia, then Africa, then Europe and North America, and then from Asia again.
Using the simple text tools in Blackboard Collaborate, the resolution was posted onto the whiteboard, a new login feature designed to alphabetically list delegates according to their assigned nations for roll call, and the first online system to submit amendments was created. Having yet to discover Skype chat, a second classroom was opened and used for moderator back-channel communication. A world-class THIMUN moderating team, complete with Presidents and Deputy Secretaries General from the esteemed THIMUN program rounded out the moderators.
After two highly successful debates, the global debates program was put on ice, and did not re-emerge until it was reborn as an independent, not for profit education program in the fall of 2011. O-MUN is run by teacher and student volunteers and is free of charge, allowing any high school student with internet access the ability to debate and collaborate with their peers.
Mission and Vision
- MUN believes in democratizing the availability of the Model United Nations experience, to engage all students in the collaborative process of problem solving and consensus building, and to foster leadership and positive engagement through the discussion and debate of the world’s most pressing problems.
- O-MUN believes that there is inherent worth in bringing together diverse groups of students, across different cultures and vast geographic distances, in real time, for the process of gaining knowledge and laying the foundation for openness and understanding between people.
- O-MUN believes in the leveling effect of technology, and supports, through its academic programs, the ability to bring diverse students together in an online environment, working together and at the highest academic standards, to promote human development, tolerance, and peace.
- O-MUN believes in open access over exclusivity.
Innovation
Online Model United Nations utilizes several tech platforms to create the first ever MUN social network, able to deliver both the 'traditional' MUN debate experience in addition to real time global community, mentoring and leadership opportunities for students around the world. The O-MUN universe is comprised of an online classroom, our website, social media platforms and a few other tech tools. Blackboard Collaborate is the online conference room where lobbying and debate sessions take place. The Bb room is also used for a variety of training and orientation sessions. Students log into this room using a simple link. All activity (chat and debate) in the virtual room is recorded and archived for future reference.
O-MUN also makes extensive use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Tumblr. Skype and Facebook chat allow delegates to communicate with one another. Titan Pad is used to house the resolutions, and can be used by multiple delegates to collaborate on documents. We use Mighty Bell as a content curation site. The page on Drone Aircraft is an example of ways in which online resources can be used to collect, share and reflect on topic specific issues.
O-MUN's ability to offer this program free of charge rests largely on the fact that our Blackboard virtual room is provided to us through donations. Other free programs allow us to run this program with no cost passed on to users.
Online Model United Nations utilizes several tech platforms to create the first ever MUN social network, able to deliver both the 'traditional' MUN debate experience in addition to real time global community, mentoring and leadership opportunities for students around the world. The O-MUN universe is comprised of an online classroom, our website, social media platforms and a few other tech tools. Blackboard Collaborate is the online conference room where lobbying and debate sessions take place. The Bb room is also used for a variety of training and orientation sessions. Students log into this room using a simple link. All activity (chat and debate) in the virtual room is recorded and archived for future reference.
O-MUN also makes extensive use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Tumblr. Skype and Facebook chat allow delegates to communicate with one another. Titan Pad is used to house the resolutions, and can be used by multiple delegates to collaborate on documents. We use Mighty Bell as a content curation site. The page on Drone Aircraft is an example of ways in which online resources can be used to collect, share and reflect on topic specific issues.
O-MUN's ability to offer this program free of charge rests largely on the fact that our Blackboard virtual room is provided to us through donations. Other free programs allow us to run this program with no cost passed on to users.
Regional leaders meet
up in Singapore
Community and Leadership
O-MUN's community is global in nature. The collective delegate population is more than just students who debate. Emerging out of Online Model United Nations has been the first global social network built around Model UN. Students refer to their "O-MUN family" and go out of their way to meet one another. whether it be in an airport or food court in Singapore, a cafe in Istanbul, downtown Cairo or a Mexican market in California.
O-MUN has also become a global leadership incubator, with students developing 21st century skills in technology, organization, online presence and digital citizenship, in addition to the many skills MUN naturally develops. THIMUN's core philosophy is one of student directed and executed programs, and O-MUN does this on a global scale. You can get a peek at the leadership team and the assistant directors who run O-MUN through regular posts on our blog.
O-MUN's community is global in nature. The collective delegate population is more than just students who debate. Emerging out of Online Model United Nations has been the first global social network built around Model UN. Students refer to their "O-MUN family" and go out of their way to meet one another. whether it be in an airport or food court in Singapore, a cafe in Istanbul, downtown Cairo or a Mexican market in California.
O-MUN has also become a global leadership incubator, with students developing 21st century skills in technology, organization, online presence and digital citizenship, in addition to the many skills MUN naturally develops. THIMUN's core philosophy is one of student directed and executed programs, and O-MUN does this on a global scale. You can get a peek at the leadership team and the assistant directors who run O-MUN through regular posts on our blog.
