Today's Tip
Roleplays
Can Be Your Best Choice (Part 2)
 In
part
1 of this Tips article, I explored with you the purposes of
roleplays, and some different kinds of role plays you might consider
using. In
part 2, I want to share the steps for developing a structured roleplay.
What is a structured role play? A structured roleplay is one that
has enough structure (directions, standard materials, etc.) that it
can be repeated while achieving very similar results. Structured roleplays
are tested and revised until they work as intended. This provides for
predictable scheduling and predictable results.
Structured roleplays
are designed to be self-contained so others can facilitate them with
minimal required skills . This increases the scalability
of the roleplay, that is, many different instructors may use the roleplay
and achieve very similar results.
I once worked with
a career education course that needed such an approach, given that
there were several part time instructors for the course
and the turn-over rate was high for the part time instructors. While
roleplaying, one of the participants learned to recognize and experience
six different personality
types. The roleplay involved six students, each playing
one of the six different personality types. To give the role play context,
the scenario for the roleplay was set around a family member discussing
the issue of whether to return to college or not. Each of the six roleplay
participants argued for or against going back to college roleplaying
one of the six personality types. These personality types were tied
to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. This roleplay provided one
decision-making point in the career education course to help them
decide on occupational
areas for which they might be well suited.
Here are the steps we followed to develop the role play:
- Select
a topic appropriate for the structured roleplay format. Topics
that involve practicing interpersonal skills or rehearsing
specific
behaviors are best suited.
- Specify the
learning outcomes, including experiential objectives.
- Select
a critical issue and analyze its pros and cons.
- Sketch a story line for the natural events for a story on your
issue.
- Create
a cast of characters.
- Select
the critical junctures (for example, providing input during the
roleplay that provides additional information.)
- Assemble
the scenario.
- Devise
roleplay materials.
- Prepare
a prototype, complete with instructions and debriefing questions.
- Try
out and modify.
Roleplays focus
on the interpersonal interactions people need to have in the work
place. Developing structured tested roleplays should be a part
of the repertoire of master instructional designers. Give a structured
roleplay a try on something really important to your learning audience.
Until next time,
Darryl
Article © 2006
Darryl Sink & Associates, Inc
|
Vol.
2, No. 12 July
12, 2006 
