Step 1 - Get into Character

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.