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There are a variety of teaching strategies that instructors can use to improve student learning. The links
below will show you some ways to make your classes more engaging.
Active Learning - Active Learning is anything that students do in a classroom other than merely
passively listening to an instructor's lecture. Research shows that active learning improves students'
understanding and retention of information and can be very effective in developing higher order
cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking.
Clicker Use in Class - Clickers enable instructors to rapidly collect and summarize student
responses to multiple-choice questions they ask of students in class.
Collaborative/Cooperative Learning - Cooperative and collaborative learning are instructional
approaches in which students work together in small groups to accomplish a common learning
goal.They need to be carefully planned and executed, but they don't require permanently formed
groups.
Critical Thinking - Critical thinking is a collection of mental activities that include the ability to
intuit, clarify, reflect, connect, infer, and judge. It brings these activities together and enables the
student to question what knowledge exists.
Discussion Strategies - Engaging students in discussion deepens their learning and motivation by
propelling them to develop their own views and hear their own voices. A good environment for
interaction is the first step in encouraging students to talk.
Experiential Learning - Experiential learning is an approach to education that focuses on "learning
by doing," on the participant's subjective experience. The role of the educator is to design "direct
experiences" that include preparatory and reflective exercises.
Games/Experiments/Simulations - Games, experiments and simulations can be rich learning
environments for students. Students today have grown up playing games and using interactive tools
such as the Internet, phones, and other appliances. Games and simulations enable students to solve
real-world problems in a safe environment and enjoy themselves while doing so.
Humor in the Classroom - Using humor in the classroom can enhance student learning by
improving understanding and retention.
Inquiry-Guided Learning - With the inquiry method of instruction, students arrive at an
understanding of concepts by themselves and the responsibility for learning rests with them. This
method encourages students to build research skills that can be used throughout their educational
experiences.
Interdisciplinary Teaching - Interdisciplinary teaching involves combining two different topics into
one class. Instructors who participate in interdisciplinary teaching find that students approach the
material differently, while faculty members also have a better appreciation of their own discipline
content.
Learner-Centered Teaching - Learner-Centered teaching means the student is at the center of
learning. The student assumes the responsibility for learning while the instructor is responsible for
facilitating the learning. Thus, the power in the classroom shifts to the student.
Learning Communities - Communities bring people together for shared learning, discovery, and the
generation of knowledge. Within a learning community, all participants take responsibility for
achieving the learning goals. Most important, learning communities are the process by which
individuals come together to achieve learning goals.
Lecture Strategies - Lectures are the way most instructors today learned in classes. However, with
todays students, lecturing does not hold their attention for very long, even though they are a means
of conveying information to students.
Mobile Learning - Mobile Learning is any type of learning that happens when the learner is not at a
fixed location.
Online/Hybrid Courses - Online and hybrid courses require careful planning and organization.
However, once the course is implemented, there are important considerations that are different from
traditional courses. Communication with students becomes extremely important.
Problem-Based Learning - Problem-based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method that
challenges students to "learn to learn," working in groups to seek solutions to real world problems.
The process replicates the commonly used systemic approach to resolving problems or meeting
challenges that are encountered in life, and will help prefer students for their careers.
Service Learning - Service learning is a type of teaching that combines academic content with civic
responsibility in some community project. The learning is structured and supervised and enables the
student to reflect on what has taken place.
Social Networking Tools - Social networking tools enable faculty to engage students in new and
different means of communication.
Teaching Diverse Students - Instructors today encounter a diverse population in their courses and
many times need assistance in knowing how to deal with them.
Teaching with Cases - Case studies present students with real-life problems and enable them to
apply what they have learned in the classroom to real life situations. Cases also encourage students
to develop logical problem solving skills and, if used in teams, group interaction skills. Students
define problems, analyze possible alternative actions and provide solutions with a rationale for their
choices.
Team-Based Learning - Team-based learning (TBL) is a fairly new approach to teaching in which
students rely on each other for their own learning and are held accountable for coming to class
prepared. Research has found that students are more responsible and more engaged when team-
based learning is implemented. The major difference in TBL and normal group activities is that the
groups are permanent and most of the class time is devoted to the group meeting.
Team Teaching - At its best, team teaching allows students and faculty to benefit from the healthy
exchange of ideas in a setting defined by mutual respect and a shared interest in a topic. In most
cases both faculty members are present during each class and can provide different styles of
interaction as well as different viewpoints.
Writing Assignments - Writing assignments for class can provide an opportunity for them to apply
critical thinking skills as well as help them to learn course content.
As Thomas Shuell has said, student-centred teaching is built on the assumption that "what the student does
is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does" (T.J. Shuell,
"Cognitive Conceptions of Learning" (1986), 429 ). Therefore, as an important part of our learning and
teaching approach, UNSW emphasises student-centred and active learning approaches to engage students in
their learning.
If you want your student-centred learning activities to be effective, communicate the objectives, benefits and
expectations to students so that they feel prepared and supported in their learning. In particular, students who
are used to more traditional (teacher-centred) teaching will need this support.
Teaching strategies
The following kinds of activities can be used to facilitate student-centred learning and teaching. Use these
strategies to give students a chance to actively engage with the content and to provide variety within the
lecture or tutorial:
Brainstorming
Case Studies
Debates
Discussion
Group Work
Questioning
Simulations
Teaching Settings (
Roleplays
Scenario-Based Learning
Projects
Brainstorming
What is brainstorming?
Brainstorming is a large or small group activity that encourages students to focus on a topic and contribute
to the free flow of ideas.
1. The teacher may begin a brainstorming session by posing a question or a problem, or by introducing a topic.
2. Students then express possible answers, relevant words and ideas.
3. Contributions are accepted without criticism or judgement and usually summarised on a whiteboard by the
teacher or a scribe as the ideas are called out.
4. These ideas are then examined, usually in a open class Discussion format.
2) Define the problem or idea to be brainstormed. Make sure everyone is clear on the topic being explored.
4) Start the brainstorming. Have the leader select members of the group to share their answers. The scribe
should write down all responses, if possible so that everyone can see them. Make sure not to evaluate or
criticise any answers until the brainstorming is complete.
5) Once you have finished brainstorming, go through the results and begin evaluating the responses. This
can be done quickly by a show of hands to rank the ideas.
6) Some initial qualities to look for when examining the responses include:
7) Now that you have narrowed your list down somewhat, discuss the remaining responses as a group.
Case Studies
What are case studies?
Case studies are stories or scenarios, often in narrative form, created and used as a tool for analysis and
discussion. They have long been used in higher education, particularly in business and law.
Cases are often based on actual events, which adds a sense of urgency or reality. Case studies have elements
of Simulations, although the students tend to be observers rather than participants.
They can serve as the launching pad for a class discussion, or as a project for individuals or small groups. A
single case may be presented to several groups, with each group offering its solutions.
Case studies bridge the gap between a more teacher-centred Lecture method and pure problem-based
learning. They leave room for teachers to give direct guidance, and the scenarios themselves provide hints
and parameters within which the students must operate.
Since case study analysis is student-led, it can be difficult to get the class to move through various stages of
analysis and arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
It places the learner in the position of problem solver. Students actively engage with the materials,
discovering underlying issues, dilemmas and conflict issues.
The resolution of a case is only the last stage of a process. You can observe or evaluate:
quality of research
structural issues in written material
organisation of arguments
the feasibility of solutions presented
intra-group dynamics
evidence of consideration of all case factors.
Various ways to use questions in teaching are discussed in detail on the Questioning page. If you are using
the Harvard Business School Case Study Method, when analysing case studies, use a range of question types
to enable the class to move through the stages of analysis:
Debates
What is debate?
Debating is structured way of exploring the range of views on an issue. It consists of a structured contest of
argumentation, in which two opposing individuals or teams defend and attack a given proposition.
forces the participants to consider not only the facts of a situation, but also the implications
encourages participants think critically and strategically about both their own and their opponent's position
encourages engagement with and a commitment to a position, by its competitive nature
encourages students to engage in research
develops listening and oratory skills
provides a method for teachers to assess the quality of students' learning.
1. Brainstorm topics and have the students present them as statements with a strong and clear point of view.
For example: If introduced, capital punishment would solve the crime problem. Jobs are more important than
the environment.
2. Divide the class into teams of 6 (3 in favour of the motion, 3 against it). To start with, it is best if the students
debate their own point of view. Spare students can take on the roles of time keeper, adjudicator,
chairperson.
3. Allow sufficient preparation time. It may be best to set the task and allocate positions in advance
4. Set the room up appropriately. The illustration below shows one way this can be done.
5. The chairperson introduces the debate.
6. Debaters speak, in the order (i) Affirmative 1 (ii) Negative 1 (iii) Affirmative 2 etc., for an agreed time, which
would vary according to experience and age.
As the group gets more experienced, it is worth renegotiating many of the "rules" to suit their evolving
method of debating. For each team:
1. Introduce topic, team's argument and team. (Speaker 1 in the negative can rebut also.)
2. Rebuttal and continue team's case
3. Rebuttal and summary of team's case
Use brief, 3-minute debates to practise the skills with less experienced or reluctant students:
1. Students work in groups of four for each topic. Each side has one presenter and one coach to assist
in preparation
2. Preparation time is brief, a maximum of 5 minutes to start with
3. One side presents an argument, followed by the other side
4. The class votes on the winning argument through a show of hands.
How can debate be used to evaluate students' learning?
The following can be assessed through debating:
knowledge of content
social skills in working with others
contextual understanding
speaking and listening
research skills
Rebuttal: arguments made by the No effective Few effective Some effective Many effective
other teams are responded to and counterarguments counterarguments counterarguments counterarguments
dealt with effectively. made made made made
Discussion
What is discussion?
An effective discussion moves towards one or two major points, but unlike the Lecture, this process is not
controlled by one individual presentation. Rather, the teacher must walk a fine line between controlling the
group and letting its members speak.
Why use discussion?
Discussion lets class members work actively with the ideas and the concepts being pursued, and discussion
sessions can be an extremely effective in changing behaviour or attitudes. Consequently, teachers use them
frequently in instructional situations where the goal is to:
You can direct a discussion by asking Questions before and during the session. The questions should offer a
genuine starting point for debate.
At the beginning of a discussion session, ask students open-ended or multiple-answer questions such as,
"What did you think about a particular chapter (or article)?" These have several advantages:
They decrease the odds that students will be completely unable to answer the question.
They encourage multiple viewpoints.
It is less likely that the most vocal student in the class will answer and dispose of the question straight away.
If you record these multiple responses on the blackboard, you can use them to begin further topics for
discussion; students often participate more freely in discussions when they feel their own concerns and
ideas have contributed to the agenda. (See Brainstorming)
Effective discussion leaders know their students' skills and perspectives. They use this knowledge to decide
whom to call on to start a discussion moving in the appropriate direction, and to maintain its momentum.
If you pose a question that asks for real debate, pause long enough for participants to think and respond;
this is referred to as "wait time". Not waiting long enough after posing a question is one of the most
frequent errors by beginning teachers.
If silence follows after the first person presents an opinion, ask follow-up questions, such as, "How do the
rest of you feel about it?"
Alternatively, pursue the topic with the first student by asking them to clarify or elaborate, or analyse further
(for example, "What reasons do you have for thinking this?" and "How might someone state the opposite
perspective on this point?").
Emphasise that students should listen to each other and not just to you. Model this behaviour by:
If a student asks a complex question, or some members of the class don't hear the question, restate it for the
whole class.
A vocal student who dominates a group is a common problem in discussions. Another problem can occur
when the entire class hijacks the discussion and moves it on to another issue.
If you encounter these problems, it may be that the students do not have enough information to engage in the
intended discussion. Another possibility is that the topic at hand might be too controversial for them to deal
with it objectively.
Sometimes, finding out what students are thinking and how they respond to a given question is more
important than momentary control. Listen for a while until you see the students' agenda clearly; try to
summarise the key points they have made, then, if appropriate, ask the group to connect their points to those
you originally made.
To be truly effective, each discussion session must work within the course as a whole. Never operate
without some kind of a curriculum-related plan. Sometimes, your students will comment or raise questions
in class that will make you adjust the discussion's objectives, but without a plan to begin with, it is difficult
to make these adjustments responsibly.
One way to ensure the alignment of discussion with learning objectives is to assign specific tasks before
each class, such as setting study questions to provide a common ground for the discussion and focus the
students on the goals of the course.
Points to consider
If my students left this discussion with one or two key ideas or insights, what would they be?
Who are my students?
o What can I assume with absolute certainty that they know?
o What evidence do I have for these assumptions?
o What misconceptions are they likely to have about the topic?
o What misconceptions are they likely to have about what is expected of them in the class?
How important is it that we achieve consensus?
On which points will I be most tolerant of divergent viewpoints?
With which kind of group process am I most comfortable?
o Do I want to control the whole agenda, or might the students set part of it?
o Do I plan to call on my students? If not, do I have an alternative plan for encouraging participation
from the whole group?
o How will I handle digressions?
What kinds of digressions are likely? How might I make them work for the goals of this session?
How does this class session fit in with the last class discussion? With subsequent ones? With the course as a
whole?
Are there parts of this class that would be better served by the lecture format?
Group Work
Overview
Group work or cooperative learning is a method of instruction that gets students to work together in
groups. Employers value a person's ability to work cooperatively. Indeed, studies show that they value it
more highly than the ability to work independently. This is because, in most contemporary workplaces,
people work in teams, which are often cross-disciplinary and quite diverse (DETYA, 2000). The value, to
students, of cooperative learning has long been well recognised.
This page discusses the use of group work as a fully-fledged teaching strategy that requires students to
engage in learning activities within the same group over a period while working on a substantial task with a
shared outcome (e.g. a report or a project).
When to use
In the past two decades there has been a rapid growth in the use of small group learning experiences in
higher education (Fink, 2004), where group work is used:
Benefits
For teachers, group-based learning can often reduce the marking and feedback load associated with
individual assessment.
-
Challenges
Although group work has the potential to encourage positive student learning experiences, research evidence
suggests that this potential is not always realised (Fink, 2004, Pieterse & Thompson 2010). Although some
students report that their group work projects or tasks are the best learning experiences of University, others
find them the worst, and feel reluctant to work in groups again.
Some students (particularly students who do not feel confident about their ability to communicate, or to
communicate in English) prefer to work independently, and find the group experience challenging and
confronting.
Added to this tension is group work's appeal for teachers in the face of increasing class sizes and staff
workloads (Burdett, 2003). But teachers often underestimate the effort involved in organising effective
group work. Staff have commented that group work can be time consuming and difficult to implement.
Nevertheless, given the benefits for learning and future employability, it is important that all students have
the chance to work in groups during their study at the university.
When it comes to developing students group work skills, there is no single best approach or assessment
strategy. It all depends on your particular learning and teaching context and objectives. The challenge is to
choose a range of strategies that will allow your students to develop effective group work skills within the
context of your discipline.
Strategies
The page Ideas for Effective Group Work is a useful quick guide to some group work strategies you might
use.
For more in-depth resources, consult the following pages of this website:
For advice on using group work for assessment, see Assessing by Group Work in the Assessment Toolkit
section of this website.
For how to embed group work in your course and incorporating reflection into skills development,
see Integrating Group Work in the Curriculum Design section of this website.
Questioning
What is questioning?
The art of asking questions is at the heart of effective communication and information exchange, which
underpins good teaching. If you use questioning well, you can improve the student learning experience in a
whole range of Teaching Settings.
Socrates believed that to teach well, an educator must reach into a learner's prior knowledge and awareness
in order to help the learner reach new levels of thinking. Recent research into student learning (Biggs and
Tang, 2007) and learning from experience (Andresen, Boud and Cohen, 2000) support this view. You can
use questions to draw from and build on students' prior knowledge and experience to help them to develop
deeper understanding of a topic.
connect concepts
make inferences
think creatively and imaginatively
think critically, and
explore deeper levels of knowing, thinking and understanding.
Developing good questioning skills is particularly important if you use Case Studies in your teaching.
Sometimes lecturers tend to overuse particular types of questions, for example, only factual or only
divergent questions (see question types in the table below). This can hinder the development of a good
debate, or stop students moving through discussion towards a conclusion.
Types of questions
There are 5 basic types of questions: factual, convergent, divergent, evaluative and combination.
EXAMPLE:
What is the name the Shakespeare play about the Prince of
Denmark?
Convergent Answers to convergent questions are usually within a very finite
range of acceptable accuracy. These may be at several different
levels of cognition (comprehension, application, analysis) or the
answerer may have to make inferences or conjectures based on
personal awareness, or on material read, presented or known.
EXAMPLE:
On reflecting on the entirety of the play Hamlet, what were the main
reasons why Ophelia went mad? (This is not specifically stated in
one direct statement in the text of Hamlet. Here the reader must make
simple inferences as to why Ophelia committed suicide.)
Divergent Divergent questions allow students to explore different avenues and
create many different variations and alternative answers or scenarios.
Correctness may be:
Be prepared for the fact that there may not be right or definitely
correct answers to these questions.
EXAMPLE:
In the love relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia, what might
have happened to their relationship and their lives if Hamlet had not
been so obsessed with the revenge of his father's death?
Evaluative Evaluative questions usually require sophisticated levels of cognitive
and/or emotional or affective judgment. In attempting to answer
evaluative questions, students may be combining multiple logical
and/or affective thinking processes, or comparative frameworks.
Often an answer is analysed at multiple levels and from different
perspectives before the answerer arrives at newly synthesised
information or conclusions.
EXAMPLES:
a) What are the similarities and differences between the deaths of
Ophelia and Juliet?
b) What are the similarities and differences between Roman
gladiatorial games and modern football?
Combination Combination questions blend any combination of the other 4 types.
Tips and techniques
Plan key questions to provide structure and direction to the lesson. Spontaneous questions that emerge are
fine, but make sure to plan the overall direction of the discussion.
Phrase the questions clearly and specifically. Avoid vague and ambiguous questions.
Adapt questions to the level of the students' abilities.
Ask questions logically and sequentially.
Ask questions at various levels.
Follow up on students' responses.
Elicit longer, more meaningful and more frequent responses from students after an initial response by:
o maintaining a deliberate silence
o making a declarative statement
o making a reflective statement giving a sense of what the students said
o declaring perplexity over the response
o inviting elaboration
o encouraging other students to comment.
Give students time to think (wait time) after you ask a question.
Use divergent questions, as the question type that is most likely to produce a range of responses.
Simulations
What is a simulation?
Simulations are instructional scenarios where the learner is placed in a "world" defined by the teacher. They
represent a reality within which students interact. The teacher controls the parameters of this "world" and
uses it to achieve the desired instructional results. Students experience the reality of the scenario and gather
meaning from it.
A simulation is a form of experiential learning. It is a strategy that fits well with the principles of Student-
Centred and constructivist learning and teaching.
a game
a role-play, or
an activity that acts as a metaphor.
Simulations are characterised by their non-linear nature and by then controlled ambiguity within which
students must make decisions. The inventiveness and commitment of the participants usually determines the
success of a simulation.
Simulations promote concept attainment through experiential practice. They help students understand the
nuances of a concept. Students often find them more deeply engaging than other activities, as they
experience the activity first-hand, rather than hearing about it or seeing it.
Simulations help students appreciate more deeply the management of the environment, politics, community
and culture. For example, by participating in a resource distribution activity, students might gain an
understanding of inequity in society. Simulations can reinforce other skills indirectly, such as Debating, a
method associated with some large-scale simulations, and research skills.
Simulated experiences are more realistic than some other techniques and they can be so engaging and
absorbing that students forget the educational purpose of the exercise.
If your simulation has an element of competition, it is important to remind the students that the goal is not to
win, but to acquire knowledge and understanding.
Some simulations require one hour, while others may extend over weeks. Scope and content varies greatly.
However, similar principles apply to all simulations.
Ensure that students understand the procedures before beginning. Frustration can arise when too many
uncertainties exist. Develop a student guide and put the rules in writing.
Try to anticipate questions before they are asked. Some simulations are fast-paced, and the sense of reality
is best maintained with ready responses.
Know what you want to accomplish. Many simulations have more than one instructional goal. Developing
evaluation criteria, and ensure that students are aware of the specific outcomes expected of them in
advance.
Teachers must monitor the simulation process to ensure that students both understand the process and
benefit from it. Ask yourself:
Does this simulation offer an appropriate measure of realism for my group of students?
Are the desired instructional outcomes well defined?
Is the level of ambiguity manageable for this group?
Does the student demonstrate an understanding of his/her role?
Are problem-solving techniques in evidence?
Does the research being generated match the nature of the problem?
Is cooperation between participants in evidence?
Has the student been able to resolve the issue satisfactorily?
Does the student provide meaningful answers to probing questions?
Will follow-up activities be necessary?
You might find it best to use simulations as part of the process of learning rather than as a summative
measure of it. Use follow-up activities to establish a measure of comprehension and as a de-briefing
mechanism when students return to reality (e.g. use reflection on the process as the assessable component of
the activity, rather than participation in the simulation itself).
Teaching Settings
As a lecturer, you probably teach in both large group and small group contexts. For some academics a large
class might be 40 students, for others it might be 400. The definition of "large" and "small" classes can be
quite variable depending on: the discipline, the nature of the class (e.g. lecture or lab work), the level of the
course (e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate) and the perceptions of lecturers and students.
You teach within a context of wider changes in higher education, including: increasing internationalisation,
larger numbers of students and increasing numbers of students from non-traditional academic backgrounds.
(See also Teaching Diverse Groups)
The implications of these changes generally are that as class sizes have increased at UNSW while staff-to-
student ratios have decreased. As a consequence, you might have to organise your teaching in ways that are
more compatible with the numbers of students involved, to:
Teaching settings
The implications of large and small group contexts are discussed in the following pages:
Some teaching strategies discussed in these pages can be applied equally well in large and small group
teaching. The benefits, challenges and appropriate strategies for the most common teaching contexts in
universities are discussed in these pages:
Tutorials
Lectures
Laboratory or Practical Session
Studio Teaching
The terms "role play" and "simulation" are sometimes used inconsistently or interchangeably. However,
"simulations" often involve a familiar or realistic situation in which a participants role may not be as
prominent or distinctive as it would be in a role play. Frequently simulations incorporate role play, leading
to the term "role-playing simulation". The difference is generally one of degree rather than kind.
Role plays and simulations function as learning tools for teams and groups or individuals as they "play"
online or face to face. They alter the power ratios in teaching and learning relationships between students
and educators, as students learn through their explorations and the viewpoints of the character or personality
they are articulating in the environment. This student-centered space can enable learner-oriented assessment,
where the design of the task is created for active student learning. Students are actively involved in both self
and peer assessment and obtain sustainable formative feedback.
Using Role Plays in Formative Assessment - Ben Barry & Gail Trapp
When to use
Good-quality learning design provides opportunities for situated and authentic learning. As Figure 1
indicates, high quality learning is situated in a real-life context and simulates the learning activities of the
graduate's employment area.
Figure 1: eLearning opportunities to address principles of high-quality learning design (Wills, Leigh & Ip,
2011).
Engage learners Consider learners' prior knowledge and desires and build on their expectations.
Acknowledge learning Consider how the implementation of the learning design is positioned within the broader
context program of study for the learner.
Challenge learners Seek the active participation of learners, encouraging them to be self-critical.
Encourage learners to articulate and demonstrate to themselves and their peers what they
Provide practice
are learning.
Siemens & Tittenberger: Summary of Principles
Role plays and simulations significantly contribute to students' learning and assessment when they allow
students to view multiple perspectives on their responses in a safe but challenging environment.
Benefits
Widespread evidence suggests that educators and students experience satisfaction with assessment-as-
learning through role play, games and simulation (Russell & Shepherd, 2010). Simulated learning
environments (SLEs) provide a safe, supportive environment where students can develop their clinical skills,
competency and agency.
SLEs are also flexible and controllable, and educators find they can design suitable and varied education
events within them.
The blended learning environment can provide face-to-face students with a virtual classroom where students
and educators can deliver content and interact in a simulated learning environment. This benefits both staff
and students; it has, however, meant a shift in practice for the educator as the room changes to accommodate
the required infrastructure and seating arrangements.
The benefits listed below are attributed to either role plays or simulations; however, some benefits can be
attributable to both forms to some extent.
Challenges
As with the benefits, the issues are listed here as characteristic of either role plays or simulations; however,
some apply to both forms.
Strategies
align the task with the learning outcomes and structure it accordingly
provide clear and explicit information as to what is expected of students
ensure that the task is authentic and real-world based
scaffold the learning experience, breaking tasks down to manageable size
use both formative feedback and summative assessment.
Once debriefing sessions have been held, evaluate the learning design. Gredler (1996) suggests using a 3-
step evaluative procedure to redesign a role play or simulation:
Role play
Online role play is described by Project EnROLE as having the following characteristics (Wills, Leign & Ip,
2009):
These characteristics can also aid in setting up the face-to-face learning environment of a role play or
simulation.
As Figure 2 demonstrates, adaptive learning in role plays includes modelling and input from students that
can alter the learning outcomes. These disciplines can utilise this type of active and adaptive learning and
can film it for evaluation (including peer- and self-evaluation). Actors can be used to perform the role of a
patient or client, so that students' communication and clinical decision-making skills can be explored. Actors
are usually trained in the details of a case, in the array of issues and behaviours a patient or client is likely to
present to the health professional, and to replicate the performance from student to student to ensure
standardisation of assessment . Studies have shown the level of standardisation achieved is usually very
high.
In the following table, Siemens and Tittenberger (2009) outline the ways in which you can use role play
with other experiential learning. They enumerate the opportunities that role-based eLearning provides for
high-quality learning design and the tools that can be integrated into the learning experiences. The elements
of design for authentic eLearning specified by Lombardi (2007) include basing a learning task on real-life
problem solving, within a meaningful context. Online role plays embody Lombardi's suggestion that a
learning task provide long-term student engagement with learning, involve a variety of resources and
perspectives over a sustained period of time, and entail collaborations to promote engaging, open
conversation.
Figure 2: Role play in comparison with other experiential learning activities (Wills, Leigh & Ip, 2011,
modified from Siemens & Tittenberger, 2009).
Type of
What is it? Media forms Technique Technologies Tools
learning activity
CMAP, Hot
Processing Concept mapping, Potato, Google,
narrative brainstorming, Word processing MS Office
media Lectures, DVDs or buzzwords, software, presentation products, social
Assimilative
managing and reading texts crosswords, defining, software, text, image, bookmarking,
structuring mind maps, web audio, video blogs, wikis,
information search pageflakes,
Google reader
An
environment
Simulations, Virtual worlds, models, Second Life,
Adaptive that changes Modelling
games simulations, games MMORPG
according to
learner input
Electronic
whiteboards, email,
Asynchronous or Reasoning, arguing, Online bulletin
discussion boards,
synchronous coaching, debate, board, Skype, IM,
chat, instant
Communicative Discussing discussions, discussion, Facebook, social
messaging, VOIP,
chats, text negotiation, bookmarking,
videoconference, web
messages performance blogs, wikis
conferencing, blogs,
wikis
Artefact, book
Creating, Creative applications
report, thesis, essay,
producing, (image editing, CAD, Indesign,
exercise, journalling,
Learners writing, drawing, design software) Photoshop,
literature review,
Productive producing composing, computer-aided YouTube, Google
multiple choice
something synthesising, assessment tools, Video, Office
questions, puzzles,
remixing, electronic learning software, Sketch
voting portfolio,
mashups environments
product, test
Games
You can use role play and simulation within a game, or use a game within a role play or simulation. Games
are engaging, can be highly authentic and can incorporate a competitive element, up to and including
advancement to the next stage or problem, or winning a prize at the conclusion of the game. Game feedback
is generally immediate, reinforcing the students application of subject matter knowledge.
The success of using games in learning relies on the application of strict rules. In the academic setting they
should meet 2 requirements (Gredler, 1996):
Crookall and Saunders (1989) view academic games as a simulationa representation of an authentic real-
world system that can itself take on some aspects of reality for participants or users. Games are useful tools
as feedback responses for students; a key characteristic of game learning is that one cannot progress to the
next stage of a game without gaining the knowledge to accomplish the requisite task. Groups as diverse as
the American military and the National Association of Home Builders in the United States invest in games
that represent and instruct their particular content and views (Squire, 2006). "Serious games" such as the US
Army's America's Army are designed to impart their content by immersion of the players in game-playing
activities.
Simulations
Simulations have the "potential to develop students' mental modes of complex situations as well as their
problem solving strategies" (Gredler, 1996). You can use experiential simulations in a number of strategic
ways for groups or individual students, and assess them using various techniques. Some examples of
simulations are:
Experiential learning that focuses on the interactive activities of problem solving fits with Kolbs
experiential learning cycle (Kolb (1984). Kolb differentiates learners according to which feature of the
experiential learning cycle they prefer: concrete experience, active experimentation, reflective observation
or abstract conceptualisation. Kolb (1984) developed this concept of the learning process to "ensure that
teaching and tutoring activities give full value to each stage of the process. This may mean that for the tutor
or mentor, a major task is to 'chase' the learner round the cycle, asking questions which encourage reflection,
conceptualization, and ways of testing the ideas" (Atherton, 2010).
Assessing simulations
In the course outline, give students adequate warning of the workload requirement for the simulation. This
gives them a chance to opt out if their current load is already heavy.
Arm students with the required content.
Have them work on a position paper and an objective sheet from the initial stages.
Conduct surveys before and after the simulation, and implement a debrief questionnaire.
Dedicate the final class to debriefing the students about the process and evaluating the learning within the
simulated environment.
Virtual reality and other online tools can play an important role in both online teaching and simulated
environments. They provide what Russell and Shepherd (2010) referred to as optimal elements of learning
design, a complex social learning space and reflective practice.
Educators commonly combine these simulated environments for assessment. For example, combining a part-
task trainer within a role play scenario, or a DVD can create a high-fidelity simulation environment.
Low-fidelity SLEs such as case studies and role-plays are being overlooked "despite an established base of
research to support their effectiveness". Published research does indicate that higher fidelity is better;
however, the effectiveness of any simulation technology depends on how it is used (Beaubien & Baker,
2004, 55).
Mannequins are commonly used by medical and allied health disciplines to assess clinical competency, such
as self-confidence, clinical judgment, interpersonal communication and inter-professional teamwork. More
common to the medical and allied health disciplines are part-task trainers, which utilise anatomical models
or computer software models that replicate a specific physical intervention; for instance, a spinal simulator
to assess physiotherapy students' ability to perform passive oscillatory movements.