The power of Role Play by Bart Verswijvel

Carol, Barcelona

cbarrius — 2024-09-23 07:19:39 UTC

The proposal engages students by immersing them in a real-world situation, enhancing their motivation and participation. The need to communicate their ideas clearly and defend their decisions helps improve their communication skills, while the complexity of balancing economic opportunities with environmental and social impacts develops their problem-solving abilities.

To maximize the experience, it would be beneficial to incorporate structured reflection sessions after the role-play. These sessions (virtual or not) could focus on what students learned from the experience, how they approached problem-solving, and what they might do differently in a real-world situation.

Emiliana, Italy

emiliana_rufo — 2024-09-23 12:42:25 UTC

By engaging students in a project which stimulate their creativity, we are not only teaching them about the science of ecology and the principles of business but also fostering the 21st-century skills. The task of designing a sustainable hotel, considering factors such as local ecosystems, waste management, and energy efficiency, forces students to think critically, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions. Besides, the ethical implications of tourism development, such as the impact on local communities and cultures, encourage students to develop a sense of social responsibility. As a teacher who regularly uses real-world tasks into my classroom, I find that activities like this not only make learning more engaging but also help students with the skills and knowledge they need to become responsible global citizens.

Edward, Catalunya

elockhar — 2024-09-24 14:49:59 UTC

I've been using role-playing for a while, but in a different way. In my case, it's in the sense of fantasy adventures and the learners taking on the characters of a story.

I couldn't agree more with the benefits of this type of approach:

Enhanced engagement and motivation: most of the learners doing the subject in which I play a roleplaying game with them, love the subject and are more motivated towards learning.
Improved communication skills: the objective of the subject I teach is to help the learners improve their oral command of English, and they are aware of these improvements at the end of the experience.
Development of problem-solving abilities: they confront so many difficult situations and choices, that they have to negotiate possible solution.
Increased empathy and understanding: they have the tendency to judge the non-player characters when they first meet them, but then, when they have the chance to share some time with them, they realize that not everything is what it seems.
Safe environment to practice: not only about the difficult situations they face in the game, but also about the language. They can commit mistakes with no repercussions.

Maja (North Macedonia)

2024-10-02 00:03:02 UTC

The scenario of the course was very interesting, engaging and motivation. I, as a teacher, enjoy every second passing through it. It was a new experience that keep me engaged and I have learnt a lot during the activity. I think that it can be easily adapted to our school environment and real-life situations from our community.

Students can analyze in depth some situation from their environment, which can develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By putting them in the concrete role they can approach the problem, thinking of possible solution and identifying benefits and possible drawbacks. Furthermore, it can develop students' empathy and understanding of the situation, taking into account various perspective and making rationale conclusions based on facts.