Role Play

Active learning emphasizes and reinforces students’ understanding of course concepts.  Students’ performances can help the instructor assess their understanding of these concepts, identifying possible gaps in knowledge or weak points, which should then be the focus for later lessons. Students also receive immediate feedback on their application to the activity.

Be careful to not to use this activity excessively. If it's overused, it can become tedious and feel artificial or silly.

Implementation

Below are the steps to properly implement a role play activity in your course:

  1. Ask students to form groups with enough members in each group to assume each role.  
  2. Present the scenario and allow time for some discussion of the problem situation. 
  3. Assign or ask students to assume certain roles.  
  4. Inform students of the time limit or other parameters that will signify the end of the activity.  
  5. Instruct students to begin role-playing, and allow to run until a designated behavior, action, or skill is practiced, or when the time limit is reached. 
  6. Give immediate feedback to the students in the role play. 
  7. Follow up each role play with a discussion within the small group or with the whole class. Try to focus on students’ interpretations of the roles and the motivators for and consequences of their actions 

Grading

Consider recording the role plays or having students create their own video. Groups can view the video and discuss the specific problems or general principles revealed in the videos, perhaps summarizing and synthesizing their observations into an essay. 

References

  • Persky, A. M. (2012). Pocket guide for evidence-based instruction. Educational Blueprints, LLC. 
  • Bottini, S., & Gillis, J. (2021). Use of an online training with virtual role play to teach preference assessment implementation. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 33(6), 931–945. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-021-09788-8