Engaging Learning Experience
Using
Role Play Simulation
Albert Ip
Fablusi P/L
albert.ip.w.c@gmail.com
American Literature
Success indicators:
 0 drop out for all the courses using the
simulation
 21 out of 23 got a distinction in the last
run
 and ...
Scarlet Letter
I enjoyed working with another person
on the role of John Wilson. We were
able to talk and plan what we would do,
and what we would say. And, my team
member was so proficient in the
language and voice that it really helped
inspire me.
Jordan
Scarlet Letter
I felt as though I was living in
Boston in part one of the simulation,
walking the streets with the
Wilsons, the Hathornes, and
Mistress Hibbins.
Amanda
Scarlet Letter
This was definitely a very different
experience for me! I have learned
more about one book and time
period than I ever have in any of my
English classes.
Toni
Scarlet Letter
I really do thank you for giving me the
opportunity to do this. I learned a lot
from this simulation and realize that I
probably did learn more from this
than I would have from writing a
paper.
Jennifer
Scarlet Letter
When this simulation started, everyone
was shy, and the characters were a bit
foggy, but, after a while, when everyone
got the hang of it and opened up, the
characters became REAL!...
Evaluation
I wasn't just reading the story, I was the
story and I could change the plot
however I wanted to.
Stephanie
Holocaust
As a military reservist, I have been waiting 5 years for my call up
to the Middle East and have seriously wrestled with my anger
towards Moslems over 9-11,etc; I used to think that any of
them who got hurt by U.S. forces mostly deserved it and many
of my shipmates think "the only good Moslem is a dead
Moslem." I have been immersed in that environment and it is
only through your class that I have come to realize that that
attitude is a mistake, part of our American "empire" mindset.
On thinking it over, my mind and eyes are much more open to
what's really going on in the Middle East. It is because of
your class that I am actually trying to separate the
guilty from the innocent…
Lissa
Corporate Training
Collateral Damage
 Recall 3 million bars
 Off the shelf for 4 months
 Relaunch as an exercise of a “new
brand”
 250% increase in sell after relaunch
Political Science
Second Language
Quiz time
What is Role Play?
a dynamic artificial environment
in which human 'agents' interact by
playing roles with semi-defined
characteristics, objectives and relations
(social rules) to one another and within a
specified scenario (set of conditions).
Why Role Play?
 Live through the experience
 Fun, motivation
 Interaction, collaboration
 Problem-solving constructivist approach
 Dynamic goal-based learning
 Associative
 Non-threatening environment
Quiz time
My Trade Secrets Reviewed
Why some are more successful than
others?
You can only lead a horse to the water.
Learning Objectives are NOT
game goals
 Ideal situation: achieving game goals
require mastery of the outcome of
the learning objectives
Role is not the same as
stakeholder
 Multiple stakeholder view points
 Role has personality and character
(including a name)
 Provide brief descriptions - let players’
imagination fill in the gaps (ownership
of role)
Scenario is not the same as
kick-start episode
 Scenario creates the “imaginative”
environment
 Kick-start episode creates a compelling
reason to act, pro-act or react
 “set the ball rolling”
Putting these together - step 0
Make sure
 each role is played by a team

forces articulation among team members
 anonymity
 encourage creativity and
experimentation
Putting these together - step 1
 Role profile





understanding scenario, background
information, historical facts, ...
understanding the stakeholders’ view
embellishment of the role
articulate game goals (public and private
agenda)
(1st learning objective)
Putting these together - step 2
 Release kick-start episode


roles evaluate the impact of the new
situation
devise strategies and tactics
 require search, research, discuss,
brainstorm, … (2nd learning opportunities)
Putting these together - step 3
 Interact


“The game part” - trying to advance game
goal
Learning Opportunity Proper
 experiment, make mistakes, take risk,
 validate personal view points (against roles’
and stakeholders’ view points)
 develop diverse prospective
 experience and have FUN
Putting these together - step 4
 Role summary



Reflect on the experience
Identify learning
Consolidate learning
Putting these together - step 5
 Debrief

de-role (by increasing the framing distance)
 as the role in the game
 as a player of the game
 as a person looking into the game
 theoretical analysis of the process and outcome
of the game
Quiz time
Final words
 Framing distance and design



closer to the role, higher the emotional
commitment of the player
closer to the role, stronger the impact of
the message (teachers are typically nperson story teller)
Great distance away is good for theoretical,
framework formulation and validation
 Did you remember when you were
young and how you enjoyed role
playing?
 Have fun and let your students/trainees
have fun too.
Quiz time
Resources
 www.simplay.net

demo simulations
 www.roleplaysim.org/papers/

published papers and other resources
 www.fablusi.com

Home of role play simulation platform
 elearningrandomwalk.blogspot.com

my blog
Albert Ip
Fablusi P/L
albert.ip.w.c@gmail.com