Role-play is “a form of experiential learning where students adopt different personas and work through a given scenario together, interacting in their assumed roles. A game is a constructed situation in which players make efforts to win within defined rules while simulations model how a complex reality functions, and present participants with a realistic problem to solve. In a role-play, learning takes place through identification with a character in a social context.
Online role-plays are designed to increase understanding of real life human interaction and dynamics, where participants:
• Assume a role in someone else’s shoes or in someone else’s situation
• Do authentic tasks in an authentic context
• Become involved in substantial in-role human interaction such as collaboration, negotiation, debate.
This page provides guidance to practitioners who wish to learn how to use Online Simulations to facilitate and support learning through practice, as per Diana Lauriliard’s model. By following this page, reading its content, watching the videos and following the links provided you will be able to:
Define online siulations and there potential uses in education and training programmes
Discuss the application and potential benifits of utilising online simulations
Provide an overview of the main guidelines and considerations in designing an online simulations
Practice the development of a online scenario using a recommended product
Evaluate the use of online simulations in the context of problem based learning.
Why should I consider online roleplay for practice?
Activity 1:Watch this video from the Nordic Labs Talks Conference 2011 on how role play can be used as a teaching tool or method.
Activity 2:Participate in this online role-play scenario - Preparing for Patient Diagnostic Interviews - from Smartbuilder. The role-play facilitates participants to practice diagnostic interview techniques and skills.
Activity 3:Participate in this online role-play scenario - Clash of Bureaucrats - from Hortan. The role-play facilitates participants to practice negotiation and influencing skills.
Activity 4:Review this paper from Russell (2010) - Online role-play environments for higher education. The paper uses three examples to develop a framework for evaluating how new technologies can support role-based learning activities in universities, taking into account the needs of both learners and teachers.
Task:Having reviewed all the material above, post a message to our discussion forum in response to the following question:
How could online role-play be integrated into your current programmes?
Activity 2: Review this website - Wikihow - which provides a graphical overview of the steps involved in participating in an online role-play. This is the context of the user but the principles will assist in design process from a teaching perspective.
Activity 3: Review this guidebook on Best Practice in Simulation Design. It provides a step-by-step process for developing simulations using a case study approach. The same principles can be applied to the design of online role play scenarios.
Task: Having reviewed all the material above, post a message to our discussion forum in response to the following question:
What are the key considerations and challenges in using online role-lays as a teaching-learning tool?
What products can I use for online roleplay for practice?
Activity 1: Watch this video on using Second Life as a tool for developing online scenarios.
Activity 2: Watch this video on using Articulate as a tool for developing online scenarios.
Activity 3: Watch this video on using Adobe Captivate as a tool for developing online scenarios.
Task: Having reviewed the three tools outlined above, create a short role-play based learning activity using one of the tools. Once this has been completed, please answer the following questions on the discussion forum
Give me an example of using online roleplay for practice!
Activity 1:Watch this two-part video from the University of Rostock in Germany on - Computer Role-Playing Games as an Education Game Genre - Activities and Reflections.
The study looks at the following areas:
Overview of computer role-playing games
Suitability of role-playing games in education
How a number of teaching methods can be realised using computer role-playing
Task: Having reviewed the research study, post a message to our discussion forum in response to the following questions:
Is there anything interesting or useful you have learned from this research study?
What are some things that are difficult to understand?
How did this case study help you think about the application of online role-play for your course?
Tell us about your experience of using online roleplay for practice.
Please use the comment box below to tell us about your experience of using online roleplay for practice. If you have created a resource elsewhere, please provide a link.
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