GET INTO CHARACTER

• This role-play scenario requires the teacher to play a role as well. Instead of the traditional knowledge-transfer role with the teacher driving the learning, the teacher assumes the role of facilitator in a largely student-driven learning environment. Oversee the learning, but let the students take charge of creating the content in a playful, yet serious way.
• Role-play scenarios are popular tools in clinical and technical apprenticeship training. In this case, the learning environment of a funding competition allows the learners to generate knowledge about the research world by being active participants – experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting. Facilitate your students’ socialization into a professional community of practice.
• Depending on your learning/teaching style and the diverse learning styles of your students, a role-play scenario could be a challenging undertaking. Without getting into the details of the extensive research underpinning experiential teaching/learning, suffice it to say that to a large degree, teacher and student worries can be offset by careful planning of the learning activity. This involves having clearly stated expectations, timelines, deadlines and support materials in place. This is exactly what this Fund$ Game provides. Guide the students through the four stages (set-up, preparation, game play and post-game work) of the activity in a timely and encouraging way. Expect different reactions from your students. Some will thrive in this participatory environment while others may struggle to adapt.

Suggestions

1. It is reassuring for learners to know that the teacher is also playing a role in the game. Be frank with the students about the role that you will be assuming for the game. Invite them to review the Teacher Script.
2. As some students may be intimidated by role-play, provide reassurance that we all play roles (student, athlete, sibling, friend…). This game is intended to provide them with a low-stakes environment to learn something about the dynamics of knowledge production in the social sciences. A positive by-product may be that they learn something about their own skills in a professional setting that they will be able to draw on in a job interview.

CREATE ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS AND ORDER MATERIALS OR EQUIPMENT

• View the main touchpoints of the website material under the Fund$ Game section, especially the other Scripts.
• Refer to the Setting Assignment Parameters to help you devise your own assignment instructions.
• See the Sample Assignment Instructions and Evaluation Grids for guidance.
• If you want the players to take the preparatory work seriously, be sure to assign a grade value to the completion of the role-specific SCRIPT FORMS. These take three to five hours to complete (see class/lab/homework weighting in their scripts).
• Consider how and when players will need access to various parts of the website material.
• Complete the assignment instructions and deliver them to the students as soon as you determine a start date. Most teachers deliver instructions and assign roles on the first scheduled day of classes; some wait a while.
• Decide what materials and equipment you may need to order in advance for the GAME PLAY. Refer to the Materials and Templates for the menu of GAME PLAY paraphernalia.

Suggestions

1. Carefully review the completed assignment instructions with the students during lab or class time.
2. Navigate through the main touchpoints of the Fund$ Game material to ensure they understand the connection between your assignment instructions and the website material.
3. Explain how the students will be expected to behave and speak in ways befitting their respective roles:
   
   1. During class or lab time, discuss the Fund$ Game Code of Conduct as a way to introduce them to forms of professional standards of behaviour.
   2. Authenticate the experience by explaining that you will incorporate name placards, gavel, currency…

ASSIGN ROLES

Consider which disciplines to include, all or some, and how well the assigned topic will work for these disciplines.

Role Assignment Parameters for ~40 students

PLAYER GROUPS	NO. REQUIRED
Journalists	2
Judges	3
General Public	2
Discipline  Teams/Researchers 10 teams	33 (3-4 per team)
Total	40 students

 

• Decide how to configure the allotment of roles based on how many students you have.
• Also decide how to assign the roles – self-assignment or pre-assignment.
• Set limits for the number of students in each role category.
• Try to ensure no student is alone in any one of the roles and that team members are scheduled during the same lab period. (In some colleges, the lecture group is divided into two separate lab groups.) Consider using the Sample Role Sign-Up Sheet for sign-up purposes.

Suggestions

• Briefly introduce the students to highlights of the assigned topic (definitions or significant research).
• Show them the list of disciplines and briefly explain how disciplines function in the social sciences.
• Explain where the research proposal is located in the research cycle.
• Focus their attention on creating the team and how to work collaboratively.
• Show them the schedule for completing the numbered steps of their Scripts and invite them to get started.

TRACK STUDENT PROGRESS

• Review the PREPARATION stage in each of the four scripts to ensure that each group is advancing in tandem. The players are required to search for a variety of source information. They will need some instructional guidance for these searches.
• Bear in mind that the Researchers and General Public have a heavier load at the beginning, while the Journalists and Judges have their work spread out over a lengthier period.

Suggestions

Deliver a brief instructional session* on the following:

• Searches for discipline-based research sources.
• Value of overview material for researching a topic. This is especially useful since most of the scripts require them to consult a specialized social science encyclopaedia entry on the assigned topic.
• Online searches.
• Differences between popular and scholarly sources.

Manage their Script Form work as follows

• Confer with each group and ask to see their Script Forms to see how they are doing with the PREPARATION stage.
• Provide a friendly reminder that even though they are working collaboratively, much of the Script Form is individual work.
• Make sure that the Judges communicate their judging criteria to all participants by no later than five or six days after the roles are assigned.
• Spend a bit of time coaching the Judges on how to run a meeting: how to be organized, fair, on track and directive during the GAME PLAY.

*You could arrange in advance to have all or part of the instructional session delivered by library staff, if available. This is highly recommended for teachers new to teaching and to the library’s resources.

RUN DECISION CIRCUIT ACTIVITY

• Schedule some time to review the materials for the DECISION CIRCUIT before the players start using it in earnest.
• The DC consists of three decision boards that are clustered around a series of method questions, with choices offered under each question. A glossary of terms is available.
• The Researchers will use it to design the Method Plan component of the Research Proposal Template as explained in their Script Forms. The other players will need to understand its logic and vocabulary.

Suggestions

• Since the Researchers will use the DECISION CIRCUIT as a template to construct their research proposals, you should take some time to navigate through this material with them, explaining the main touchpoints.
• Schedule some class or lab time for Decision Circuit work as it is best done when the discipline teams can work on it collaboratively.
• Arrange to give the players access to the necessary website material.
• Encourage the other players to spend some time examining the DECISION CIRCUIT as well.
• Show and discuss the video Plan Your Research the Decision Circuit Way and the Decision Circuit In Use podcast.

OVERSEE GAME PLAY

• In advance, take a look at the Agenda and carefully plot out the time required to run the game. With a full retinue of disciplines presenting and a time limit of five minutes per team, you require approximately two hours. This can be split up into two or more sessions or run during a single, lengthy class.
• Reserve 15 minutes at the beginning and 15 minutes at the end for briefing, arranging the classroom and de-briefing. All players are asked to help with set-up and re-set, especially the Judges. If you are running a one-session show, then you need a 15-minute break at the end of the presentations for the Judges to finalize their decisions. Otherwise, you fade into the background during the GAME PLAY.

Suggestions 

• Once the room is set up, make a few pre-game announcements: remind everyone again of the Fund$ Game Code of Conduct, assignment requirements such as taking notes during presentations, the agenda for the day and the fact that the Judges will be in charge and that the Players can only leave or attend to non-game matters during the scheduled break.
• Turn over control of the class to the Judges and let the game begin. Sit in an inconspicuous location. Do not encourage the presenters to establish eye contact with you during presentations. Also, resist answering questions by individuals during the GAME PLAY.
• Intervene only if there are serious breaches in the Fund$ Game Code of Conduct or something out of the ordinary occurs (e.g., a student develops a bloody nose). If the Judges have difficulty controlling the class or staying on track, discreetly request they address the problem at hand. One effective option is to communicate with the Judges by text message during the GAME PLAY.

WRITE AND SEND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• Devise a series of questions designed to get the students to think about the GAME PLAY experience.
• Read the Sample Post-Game Reflection Questions for ideas but try to devise questions related to your own GAME PLAY experience. No two GAME PLAYS are alike and the students should be drawing on their notes and experiences in the GAME PLAY.
• Send out the reflection questions within 24 hours of GAME PLAY completion and give the students a few days to a week to complete them.

COLLECT AND EVALUATE WORK

• Give the students no more than a week to complete the remaining work. Too long a delay makes it difficult to recall details.
• Inform the students what is due, when it is due and how it should be submitted.
• Clearly distinguish between individual and group work, as this is occasionally a source of confusion.
• Evaluate student learning based on your evaluation criteria and grade weight value.

READ THE JOURNALISTS’ NEWS ARTICLE TO THE CLASS

• Discuss with the Journalists how they would like to share their article with the class.
• Use it as an opportunity to talk about the experience of playing the game with the class.

CONTINUE CONNECTING TO THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

• Playing the game can be an exhilarating experience. The students are usually quite eager to continue with the research methods course material at this point. Take the opportunity to take stock of what has been accomplished and build on it.
• Consider engaging the students with the other two role-play scenarios provided on this website.

These ponderations show the estimated weighting for a three-week compressed version of the Fund$ Game according to the Lecture-Lab-Homework (#-#-#) division of coursework.

Aim to complete the SET-UP and PREPARATION in the first two weeks, reserving the third week for GAME PLAY and POST-GAME WORK. This could be extended by adding an extra week or two to the PREPARATION stage.  

Researcher

SET-UP (1-2-3)

• Get to know your team members.
• Quickly scan the website material.
• Read the assignment instructions provided by the teacher.
• Begin filling out fields in your Researcher Script as per the teacher’s instructions.

PREPARATION (2-2-3) 

• Complete the Researcher Script during designated class/lab times and as homework.
• Pay attention to in-class/lab instructions and guidance provided by the teacher.
• Consider the Judges’ funding criteria.
• Prepare a proposal with your team for the upcoming GAME PLAY.
• Consult with your teacher when necessary.

GAME PLAY (2-2-1)

• Help the Judges to set up the classroom for GAME PLAY.
• The JUDGES will follow the recommended meeting agenda below:
  1. The GENERAL PUBLIC opens with a brief speech
  2. The RESEARCHERS present their research proposals
  3. The JUDGES announce funding support for the winners
  4. The GENERAL PUBLIC critiques the JUDGES’ funding dispersals
  5. The JOURNALISTS ask questions
  6. Q & A period
  7. Meeting adjourned
• Help to re-set the classroom before leaving.

POST-GAME WORK (0-0-2)

• Submit all or some of the following, depending on the teacher’s requirements:
  1. Reflection on the learning
  2. Completed Researcher Script
  3. Role-specific material, such as presentation material

Judge

SET-UP (1-2-3)

• Get to know the other Judges.
• Quickly scan the website material.
• Read the assignment instructions provided by the teacher.
• Begin filling out fields in the Judge Script as per the teacher’s instructions.

PREPARATION (2-2-3)

• Complete the Judge Script during designated class/lab times and as homework.
• Pay attention to in-class/lab instructions and guidance provided by the teacher.
• Communicate the funding criteria to the players in advance of the scheduled GAME PLAY.
• Review the GAME PLAY agenda with the team.
• Prepare materials with the team for the upcoming GAME PLAY.
• Consult with your teacher when necessary.

GAME PLAY (2-2-1)

• Set up the classroom for the GAME PLAY.
• Chair the GAME PLAY following the recommended GAME PLAY Agenda and Set Design.
• Re-set the classroom before leaving.

POST-GAME WORK (0-0-2)

• Submit all or some of the following, depending on the teacher’s requirements:
  1. Reflection on the learning
  2. Completed Judge Script
  3. Role-specific material that you generated such as judges’ score sheets/criteria

Journalist

SET-UP (1-2-3)

• Get to know the other journalist.
• Quickly scan the website material.
• Read the assignment instructions provided by the teacher.
• Read the Sample Material in this Journalist Script.
• Begin filling out fields in the Journalist Script as per the teacher’s instructions.

PREPARATION (2-2-3)

• Complete the Journalist Script during the designated class/lab times and as homework.
• Pay attention to in-class/lab instructions and guidance provided by teacher.
• Consult with the teacher when necessary.

GAME PLAY (2-2-1)

• Help the Judges to set up the classroom for GAME PLAY.
• The JUDGES will follow the recommended meeting agenda below:
  1. The GENERAL PUBLIC opens with a brief speech
  2. The RESEARCHERS present their research proposals
  3. The JUDGES announce funding support for the winners
  4. The GENERAL PUBLIC critiques the JUDGES’ funding dispersals
  5. The JOURNALISTS ask questions
  6. Q & A period
  7. Meeting adjourned
• Help to re-set the classroom before leaving.

POST-GAME WORK (0-0-2)

• Submit all or some of the following, depending on the teacher’s requirements:
  1. Reflection on the learning
  2. Completed Journalist Script
  3. News Report 

General Public

SET-UP (1-2-3)

• Get to know your fellow general public member should you have one.
• Quickly scan over the website material.
• Read the assignment instructions provided by the teacher.
• Begin filling out fields in your General Public Script as per the teacher’s instructions.

PREPARATION (2-2-3)

• Complete the General Public Script during designated class/lab times and as homework.
• Pay attention to the in-class/lab instructions and guidance provided by the teacher.
• Consider the Judges’ funding criteria.
• Practise the opening speech for the upcoming GAME PLAY.
• Consult with the teacher when necessary. 

GAME PLAY (2-2-1)

• Help the Judges to set up the classroom for GAME PLAY.
• The JUDGES will follow the recommended meeting agenda below:
  1. The GENERAL PUBLIC opens with a brief speech
  2. The RESEARCHERS present their research proposals
  3. The JUDGES announce funding support for the winners
  4. The GENERAL PUBLIC critiques the JUDGES’ funding dispersals
  5. The JOURNALISTS ask questions
  6. Q & A period
  7. Meeting adjourned
• Help to re-set the classroom before leaving.

POST-GAME WORK (0-0-2)

• Submit all or some of the following, depending on the teacher’s requirements
  1. Reflection on the learning
  2. Completed General Public Script

Setting Assignment Parameters

TOPIC

See Topics and Proposal Abstracts for The FUND$ GAME

OBJECTIVES

What do you hope to achieve with this assignment?

• Which elements of the course competencies can be addressed? How?
• How can the learning from this assignment contribute to the learning during the rest of the semester (and beyond)?

EVALUATION AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

• Identify key criteria that could reasonably and fairly be used to evaluate student learning.
• Determine what each of the role groupings need to produce and submit for evaluation of the learning (should be roughly equitable in terms of input of time and output of words and documented proof). The Player Scripts do this for you.
• See the samples provided for guidance.

GRADE VALUE

Overall, what do you think this assignment should be worth?

• General practice has been about 10% of the total grade value for the semester.

TIME TABLE

Set the dates for following through on the four stages (Set-up, Preparation, Game Play, Post-Game Work), culminating in a final due date.

Communicate this to the students before game set-up.

Sample Assignment Instructions

RM LAB #1 Winter 2016
The Fund$ Game
“VIOLENCE”

General Instructions

This game is a simulation of a competition for research funding. It is designed to help you learn more about the dynamics of social science research. Each student is expected to faithfully play the role of a stakeholder (journalist, researcher, general public or judge) and fully contribute to each stage of the simulation, from library research to class presentation. You will be evaluated on the basis of your quality of engagement, script preparation, presentation and reflection.

The game will be played in Week 4 of the lecture class. After the game, each of you will submit a completed script and a reflection (the Journalists will also produce a news article). This collection will be submitted as individual work and will be graded out of 10 lab marks.

Refer to the evaluation grid below for details. Unexcused absences during the simulation will mean you cannot fully complete the lab work. 

EVALUATION GRIDS 

EVALUATION GRID (1) - The Fund$ Game Grading Scheme @ 10%

Student name: _______________________ Student role: ________________________

Engagement/Quality of intervention/presentation	Complete	Partial	Insufficient	/2
Script	Complete	Indicates limited individual effort	Incomplete/Missing	/4
Reflection (300-400 words) Relevant Thoughtful Integrates material presented in GAME PLAY & textbook	Well done	Satisfactory	Needs Work	/4
				/10

 

EVALUATION GRID (2) - The Fund$ Game Grading Scheme @ 15%

Student name: _______________________ Student role: ________________________

JUDGE		JOURNALIST		GENERAL PUBLIC		RESEARCHER
Quality of criteria/judging	/3	Substantive news article	/3	Quality of speech/interventions	/3	Quality of presentation/team work	/3
Thoughtfully completed script	/6	Thoughtfully completed script	/6	Thoughtfully completed script	/6	Thoughtfully completed script	/6
Well-considered reflection	/6	Substantive news article	/6	Well-considered reflection	/6	Well-considered reflection	/6
	/15		/15		/15		/15

 

Sample Role Sign Up Sheet

Journalists (2)

1.   

Research Council Judges (3)

1.   
2.  

General Public (2)

1.   

Anthropology (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Business (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Economics (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Geography (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

History (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Philosophy (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Political Science (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Psychology (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Religious Studies (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Sociology (3-4)

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  

Sample Post-Game Reflection Questions

The students are instructed to provide responses to a few reflection questions. The goal is to have them step back from the game experience and consider how social science knowledge is produced. The parameters for the responses are that each response is written in full sentences, is thoughtfully formulated and makes very specific and concrete references to the game and the textbook (where relevant). The usual word length is 300 to 500 words in total (excluding the question).

QUESTION BANK

Here is an extensive bank of questions that have been used by a variety of teachers. Select the ones that best coincide with your GAME PLAY experience.

• This role-play scenario is designed to provide players with an “inside view on the inner workings of researchers and research decisions.” Based on the role you played, how were your views of science impacted by this role-play scenario?
• What is the value, if any, of having social science researchers compete for research funding?
• The real world of research does not operate like a den of venture capitalist dragons, eager to get a “cut of the profits.” What do you suppose would happen to the research on the topic if the research council judges really were motivated by private profit?
• If any of the disciplines could combine their resources and expertise to work together to research this topic, which ones would you choose? Briefly explain.
• The natural sciences and the social sciences each have distinct fields or disciplines of study. What do you suppose are the reasons for the existence of distinct disciplines of study in the social sciences?
• Which two aspects of [topic] research do you want to know more about?
• Previous research studies were referred to in many of the proposals. Why? What is the logic behind referring to previous research?
• What have you learned about how the social science community conducts research that you did not realize before playing the game?
• Were most of the proposals exploratory, descriptive or explanatory (in textbook)? Briefly explain.
• What is the value of a council of judges dispensing research money based on pre-set criteria?
• Critically evaluate the judges’ criteria used in our competition. What worked? What did not work? What would have been more valuable?
• Scientific ways of knowing differ from non-scientific ways of knowing. Contrast the general public’s concerns to the scientific concerns of the social scientists in our competition.
• As demonstrated in the competition, what were the noticeable differences between the general public (common sense) ways of knowing about the topic and the social scientific ways of knowing?
• The discipline proposals provided ample examples of research questions on [topic]. Generate three research questions related to this topic. Be sure to formulate social science questions that are researchable (where the answer is not obvious).
• What did this game teach you about how social science knowledge is produced?
• What purposes do research proposals serve in the research process? Make specific reference to the actual competition.
• Should competition for research funding be enhanced or diminished? Explain your position in light of this competition experience.
• Which two social science disciplines deserve the most funding and support for research work on this topic? Briefly justify.
• What was so outstanding about the top two research proposals?
• Which discipline had the most developed and sound research proposal? Briefly justify your choice.
• Which research proposal do you see yourself potentially using as a basis for following through with your own research on this topic? Briefly explain.

GAME PLAY PARAPHERNELIA

Although it may be peripheral from a pedagogical standpoint, making team placards and having a gavel for the judges add authenticity to the GAME PLAY experience.

• Make some simple group name placards – 13, one for each of the 10 discipline teams and one for each of the following player groupings: judges, journalists and general public. Print on 8X12 card stock, with the names on top and the group on the bottom, and folded lengthwise.
   
• Gavels can be purchased in a trophy store or ordered online. Or consider buying a toy one at a dollar store or have your judges make one out of cardboard. In a pinch, a shoe will suffice.