I have completely rewritten and relaunched the Origins of World War One online simulation (available on this page), which now has a detailed work pack, multimedia video clips, a leaderboard, a ‘save game’ feature so that students can return to it as a homework exercise if they don’t complete it in class, and much else besides.

Students take the role of an advisor to the Kaiser and suggest how he should handle the problems he faces in foreign affairs in the years before 1914. By comparing their choices to those of the Kaiser they start to build up an opinion about how far he was responsible for the crisis that engulfed Europe in Summer 1914. Factual test questions are provided throughout, and the work pack ensures that students make detailed notes and conduct wider research as appropriate. The leaderboard allows the teacher to quickly determine who is answering the factual questions correctly and can easily be transferred into a markbook.

You can access the game via this page of ActiveHistory.