Using Role-Play in Teaching Economics
‘I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do and I understand’
Even the most liberated teacher approaches role-play with caution. The huge benefits from its use in the learning environment must be tempered by its limitations as a teaching method, which can be severe.
Games, simulations and role-play: what’s the difference?
The use of games and simulations in economics is well established. Role-play, is often referred to in the same context as games and simulations; however, it has received far less attention, whether as a medium for teaching or regarding its application within the discipline. It has tended to be overlooked or, even worse, ignored.
By contrast, a free or open role-play approach to teaching is widely used in other social sciences and in professional courses for social welfare practitioners, e.g. social workers.
What, then is the difference between games, simulations and role-play? Collectively, games, simulations and role-play involve providing the student with some form of imaginary or real world within which to act out a given situation. Beyond this however, each is quite distinct.
Games, in general, are defined as having a set of clear rules and encompass an element of competition. Simulations are created to represent particular environments, in order to act out hypothetical situations, thereby allowing a better understanding of either models or the real world.
Both games and simulations encompass a measure of role-playing. Such roles, however, are tightly constrained by the rules of the game or the simulated environment. With roles tightly constrained, the action(s) and reactions of the role players are to a degree predictable. Although this might be desirable in many instances, there are occasions when less rather than more control over the learning environment might be preferable.
Role playing, by contrast, involves asking individuals to act out, either as themselves or as another person, a given situation. By using whatever knowledge they might have, they are expected to behave as the situation and role demands. Such roles and situations may be simple or complex; they might be roles with which individuals are familiar, or they might be new.
Role-playing scenarios are as you define them. So long as they achieve the learning goals that you identify, they may take many forms. Role-plays can be (and often are) acted out within the context of a debate, or as part of a presentation. These traditional approaches to teaching have simply been given a new twist and emphasis.
Educational advantages of using role play
The educational advantages from using role-play in teaching include the following:
- It encourages individuals, while in role, to reflect upon their knowledge of a subject. As such, role-play is an excellent teaching method for reviewing material at the end of a course of study.
- Individuals are required to use appropriate concepts and arguments as defined by their role. As roles change, so might relevant concepts and arguments. Students may come, as a consequence, to appreciate more fully the relevance of diverse opinion, and where and how it is formed.
- Participation helps embed concepts. The importance of creating an active learning environment is well recognised if the objective is one of deep, rather than surface learning. Role-playing can make a valuable contribution in this process.
- It gives life and immediacy to academic material that can be largely descriptive and/or theoretical.
- It can encourage students to empathise with the position and feelings of others - something that, in the normal process of teaching, is likely to be missed.
Educational weaknesses of using role play
Using role-play as a teaching method, however, does have its limitations and drawbacks. These include the following:
- The tutor loses control over what is learnt and the order in which it is learnt. This perceived ‘weakness’, however, is likely to be as much a reflection of our own insecurity as teachers as it is a problem of teaching method. However, role playing, especially if the scenario is loosely defined, is heavily dependent on student knowledge and understanding, which will be difficult to predict.
- The threat of simplification. Complex roles in complex situations require sufficient knowledge on the part of the role player to act them out successfully. There will always be the likelihood that where knowledge is weak the role being acted out will in some respects be inadequate, simplified or stereotyped.
- The success of the role-play will be heavily dependent upon the quality of students and what they know. As such, the use of role-playing scenarios at the end, rather than at the start of a course are likely to be more successful.
- It may be seen as an entertaining and frivolous exercise, and not taken seriously.
- If used as part of summative assessment, it may be difficult to assess individual students’ performance.
Overcoming the drawbacks
The drawbacks from using this teaching method are not insurmountable. Role playing will be more successful if the following simple guidelines are followed.
Scripted role-play and the use of clear guidelines
When tutors use role-play, they often feel uncomfortable with the fact that they are required to relinquish control over the learning environment. To overcome this problem, and to ensure that the educational value of the role-play does not get lost, it is imperative that the tutor produces clear guidance notes for students. These notes might take the form of outlining a character profile, or identifying key aspects of knowledge that the role player needs to consider while in role. Depending upon the quality of student, the guidance notes can be as brief or as comprehensive as required. They are, however, crucial.
A more sophisticated version of providing guidance notes is to construct a scripted role-play. A scripted role-play is much like a play, but with no written lines. In such a role-play, role players are told what information they are required to impart and when. As to how they deliver this information and express their knowledge, this is left up to the role player. This element of structure in the role play, although losing some of the benefits of the more open role-play, still allows students to reflect upon what they have learned, and, as a tutor, you can ensure that the direction and content of the role-play remains focused and relevant.
The importance of debriefing
A full and comprehensive debriefing following the role-play is essential. The debriefing will aid the process of reflection, where those in role can evaluate their experience. It is also an opportunity for the tutor to correct mistakes or rectify other errors of fact. It also provides a forum where those in role can re-evaluate and trace through the consequences of their actions. The debriefing session is crucial if the full educational value of the role-play is to be realised.
Role-play in assessment: debate and presentation
Attempting to assess student performance within an open role-play is no easy matter, and would require careful consideration. However, there is no reason why some limited role-play, in the form of debates and presentations, might not be more easily assessed. Debates and presentations might easily be designed, such that arguments are required to be made from a particular perspective or viewpoint. Part of the presentation or debate mark can then be allocated according to how successfully or convincingly the role or viewpoint was expressed.
Opportunities in economics for using role-play
As economists we are blessed with a discipline that is awash with potential role-playing situations. Often, all that holds us back is our own creativity (and time!).
Areas that encompass policy debate are role-playing gold mines. Policy issues invariably involve competing interest groups and thus lend themselves to being considered as role-playing exercises. Environmental policy would be one such area where the interests of different groups might be represented: government, business, and environmental pressure groups could all be involved. World trade issues would be a further area where the diversity of interests over issues such as child labour or GMOs might be debated from a multitude of differing perspectives.
What about theory? Can it be incorporated into a role-play? There are many instances where theoretical perspectives and debate might be the basis of role-play. One suggestion might be to act out a meeting of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee. Having given students a particular perspective from which to conduct their analysis – Keynesian, new classical or any other variant – ask them to forecast inflation and assess policy alternatives based on their perspective. Then let them debate their findings. Here the policy element is overwhelmingly secondary to the theoretical differences between the debaters. However, the theory is shown to have policy relevance, and a social context within which the theoretical debate matters.
Whatever the format the role-play takes, ensure that students are adequately briefed before they start, and fully debriefed when they are finished. This will help ensure that the full benefits of using role-play will be realised by both student and tutor.
For an interesting example of a scripted role-play see Dave Alden "A role-play for Environmental Economics".