TEXT: INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE 
  LEARNING TAXONOMIC LEVEL
  •  Application: Creative Thinking
  •  Application: Problem Solving
  •  Caring
  •  Human Dimension
  •  Integration & Synthesis
  TEACHING PROBLEM ADDRESSED
  •  Lack of Participation
  •  Low Motivation/Engagement
  •  Surface Learning
  ACTIVITY TYPE
  •  Group Work
  •   Reciprocal Teaching
  •  Presentation
  •  Learning Assessment
  Teaching Technique 23
  Role Play
  
  Clarify your teaching purpose and 
  learning goals for the Role Play
  Design the Role Play scenario
  Identify resources (if any)  
  for each role
  Develop a plan for learning 
  assessment or grading
  Create and distribute an  
  assignment handout
  Provide students time to plan, 
  practice, and enact the Role Play
  Reflect upon the Role Play activity 
  and evaluate its effectiveness
  Role Play
  A Role Play is a created situation in which students deliberately act out  
  or assume characters or identities they would not normally assume.
  
  3
  Role Play
  Step-By-Step Instructions
  In this section we provide you with guidance on each of the seven  
  steps involved as you consider this technique.
  STEP 1: CLARIFY YOUR TEACHING PURPOSE AND LEARNING GOALS  
  A Role Play provides an action environment for students to experience the emotional and 
  intellectual responses of an assumed identity or imagined circumstance. At its essence, Role Play 
  is an example of “learning by doing.” The word “role” indicates that students must actively apply 
  knowledge, skills, and understanding to successfully speak and act from a different, assigned 
  perspective. This challenges them to think creatively about how other people would feel, think, 
  and respond to a given situation. The term “play” indicates that students use their imaginations 
  and have fun, acting out their parts in a non-threatening environment. 
  Role Plays engage students in a creative, participatory, and collaborative activity that requires 
  them to apply course concepts as they assume fictional identities or envision themselves in 
  unfamiliar situations. By so doing, students often can learn to care more about what they are 
  learning as they also learn more deeply about the personal and social implications of what they 
  are learning. Role Plays can therefore be used to address a wide range of teaching goals and 
  learning outcomes, and it is important to think through what you want to accomplish by using 
  them in your course.
  STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE LEARNING TASK’S UNDERLYING PROBLEM 
  AND PROMPT  
  It is critical to spend thoughtful time designing the scenario for your Role Play. Appropriate 
  scenarios require interaction from stakeholders with multiple perspectives. Therefore, identify the 
  perspectives and define the type and number of characters and the framework for their actions. 
  In addition to the roles for persons who are participating in the action, consider assigning group 
  process roles such as ‘moderator’ (who can, for example, intervene if a person is falling out of 
  character) or ‘observer(s)’ (who interpret and comment on the action). When crafting the basic 
  story line, it is best to initiate the action through a critical event that the players must respond to, 
  such as a comment by one of the actors or an incident that has just occurred.
  STEP 3: SET ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS    
  • 
   Identify resources (if any) for each of the playing roles and decide how the activity will 
  end. For example, will you set a time limit, or will you let the scenario end naturally?
  • 
  Determine how much time you will allow for students to discuss the problem situation. 
  • 
   Assign or ask students to assume a stakeholder role. If assigning group process roles 
  such as ‘moderator’ or ‘observer,’ make sure students are clear on their tasks.
  
  4
  Role Play
  • 
   Inform students of the time limit or other parameters that will signify the end  
  of the activity.
  • 
   It is probably best to create a handout that includes the problem situation that  
  forms the basis of the role play as well as other pertinent information regarding  
  logistics and assessment.
  STEP 4: DEVELOP A PLAN FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT  
  OR GRADING    
  If you choose to assess and grade the Role Plays, the Learning Artifact is your record of it.  
  You can choose to video the performance, or ask students to do it, or you can simply assess  
  the performance in progress with a checklist or rubric. The data you gather during the play itself  
  is a measure of student understanding of how humans can or should interact. Role Plays typically 
  are used at the end of a module of content to check for understanding. It is possible, however,  
  to do a Role Play as a pre and post assessment of student understanding. 
  STEP 5: COMMUNICATE ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS TO STUDENTS 
  Distribute your handout. It is important to allow sufficient time for students to ask questions on any 
  aspects of the scenario that are unclear.
  STEP 6: IMPLEMENT THE TECHNIQUE 
  • 
  Ask students to form groups with enough members in each group to assume each role. 
  • 
   Instruct students to enact the role play. The role play should run only until the proposed 
  behavior is clear, the targeted characteristic has been developed, or the skill has been 
  practiced.
  • 
   Follow the role play with a discussion within the small groups and/or with the whole 
  class. Discussion should focus on the students’ interpretations of the roles and the 
  motivations for and consequences of their actions.
  • 
   Consider asking students to re-enact the role play, changing characters or redefining 
  the scenario and then holding another discussion.
  STEP 7: REFLECT UPON THE ACTIVITY AND EVALUATE ITS 
  EFFECTIVENESS
  Consider what worked. Consider what could have been better and why and how. Consider whether 
  the Role Play is something you would like to use in the future. Record your responses so that you 
  can revisit them, when you are deciding whether or not to implement the activity in the future.
  Step-By-Step Instructions (CON’T)
  
  5
  Role Play
  The materials in this section are intended to help you with the process 
  of implementing this technique. For Role Play, we provide examples of 
  different ways to vary and extend this technique as well as a sample 
  assessment rubric. 
  WAYS TO VARY AND EXTEND ROLE PLAY 
  • 
   Allow students to help determine the scenario, identify the major stakeholders,  
  and create the roles.
  • 
   After practicing, have student groups perform the role play in front of the class.  
  Or, instead of having multiple groups participating in multiple role plays, consider 
  having one group role play in front of the rest of the class. Assign observers specific  
  tasks for interpreting the action and dialogue of the role play. 
  • 
   Have one group perform the role play while another group watches, and then have  
  the groups trade places. 
  • 
   Use Role Play to help students develop speaking and listening skills in a technique 
  called “Triad Listening” (Luotto & Stoll, 1996). Groups of three students take turns 
  performing specific roles (Speaker, Reflective Listener, and Referee). 
   ›
   Speakers talk first, trying to state their ideas as concisely as possible and  
  then amplifying and clarifying the idea with an example. 
   ›
   Reflective Listeners say back to the Speakers what the Speaker has said,  
  but in their own words. Reflective Listeners try to be as thorough and accurate 
  as possible. They try to avoid simply repeating the same words, but instead  
  use their creativity to capture the essence of what the Speaker has said. 
   ›
   Referees make sure that group members stick to the rules. If the Referee 
  (or the Speaker) feels that the Reflective Listener’s summary is inaccurate,  
  the Referee interrupts and helps clear up the misunderstanding.
  Support Materials
  
  ROLE PLAY ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
  Table adapted from Role Play Assessment Rubric, provided by the  
  National Science Teachers Association (www.nsta.org)
  4
  3
  2
  1
  Preparedness
  Student is extremely 
  familiar with all 
  aspects of their role.
  Student is familiar 
  with most aspects 
  of their role.
  Student is familiar 
  with some aspects 
  of their role. 
  Student is  
  not familiar with 
  their role. 
  Participation
  Student actively 
  participates, 
  speaking multiple 
  times, adding 
  new information/
  evidence each time.
  Student actively 
  participates, 
  speaking more than 
  once and adding 
  new information/
  evidence each time.
  Student actively 
  participates, 
  speaking more 
  than once, but 
  not adding new 
  information/
  evidence each time. 
  Student does 
  not participate in 
  scenario. 
  Active Listening/
  Response 
  Student 
  demonstrates 
  active listening 
  skills by providing 
  thoughtful 
  responses 
  addressing 
  specific aspects 
  of other students’ 
  statements, 
  including asking 
  questions.
  Student 
  demonstrates 
  active listening 
  skills by providing 
  thoughtful 
  responses to 
  other students’ 
  statements, but asks 
  few or no questions.
  Student 
  demonstrates active 
  listening skills by 
  listening attentively 
  while other students 
  speak, but provides 
  little or no response 
  to any statements. 
  Student provides 
  no indication they 
  are listening to 
  other students, 
  by speaking while 
  others speak, or 
  repeating what 
  others have 
  already stated. 
               Name ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––   Total Points _______  /12 (Potential)
  
  7
  Role Play
  Technique Template
  Following are two templates to assist you as you think through how  
  you might implement this technique in your own class. The first is a 
  completed template, providing an example of how Elizabeth Barkley 
  adapted Role Play in her course, Music of Multicultural America.  
  The second is a blank template for you to fill out to tailor this technique 
  for your course.
  
  8
  Role Play
  Technique Template
  Sample Role Play Completed Technique Template:  
  Content from Elizabeth Barkley
  Course Name
  COURSE CHARACTERISTICS
  What are the situational factors that impact this course? For example, is it on campus or online?  
  How many students? Is it lower division or graduate? Are there student attributes such as attitudes, 
  prior knowledge, reasons for enrolling, and so forth that should be taken into account as you 
  consider this technique?
  STEP 1: CLARIFY YOUR TEACHING PURPOSE AND LEARNING GOALS  
  Why are you choosing this technique? What do you hope to accomplish?
  My course is an on campus, Honors Institute section of a lower 
  division General Education course. The course meets my institution’s 
  United States Cultures & Communities requirement and also 
  the Humanities requirement. It enrolls about 25-30 students. A 
  significant number are international students and we are also trying 
  to recruit more first generation students. As Honors students, they 
  typically have good academic skills and are highly motivated.
  I am looking for an activity that will help students better 
  understand issues related to immigration. I am especially interested 
  in helping them build empathy for refugees and immigrants.
  Music of Multicultural America
  
  9
  Role Play
  STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE LEARNING TASK’S UNDERLYING  
  PROBLEM AND PROMPT  
  What is the question you want learners to address, or problem you want them to solve?
  STEP 3: SET ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS   
  What are the assignment logistics? For example, will this be assigned individually or is  
  it group work? How long will the assignment take? Will students be submitting a product?  
  What materials, resources, or additional information do you anticipate needing?
   
  I will have students participate in a role play exercise I found 
  online that focuses on immigration. It involves asking students to 
  role play from a script in which they argue about immigration and 
  make a number of false and questionable claims along the way. I 
  will ask observing students to make a list of statements made in the 
  role play that could be verified or refuted by facts. After the role 
  play, I will distribute a Facts About Immigration handout and we 
  will have a whole class discussion.
  I will print out the scripts for the two plays as well as the 
  fact sheet. Then in class, I will ask for volunteers to role play 
  the different parts. We will then have a whole class discussion in 
  conjunction with a fact sheet that I will distribute.
  
  10
  Role Play
  STEP 4: DEVELOP A PLAN FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT  
  OR GRADING
  If you decide to assess learning, how will you determine that learning has occurred? For example, 
  will you use a simple +/check/- grading system? If you use a rubric, will you use an existing one or 
  create one? What will be your criteria and standards? 
  STEP 5: COMMUNICATE ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS TO STUDENTS
  How will you communicate assignment parameters to students? For example, through a handout? 
  A prompt on a presentation slide? Assignment instructions in your online course? 
  I want to use this technique as a means for having students 
  explore sensitive issues regarding immigration in a safe environment. 
  For this reason, I am not going to assess and grade it.
  I will simply describe the role play to the class as a whole, so I 
  don’t need to create a handout to communicate this assignment to 
  all of the students. However, I will create the fact sheet handout 
  for all students.
  
  11
  Role Play
  STEP 6: IMPLEMENT THE TECHNIQUE
  How will you adapt steps/procedures for your students? Are there any additional logistical aspects 
  to consider?
  STEP 7: REFLECT UPON THE ACTIVITY AND EVALUATE ITS 
  EFFECTIVENESS
  Note: This step will be completed after you have implemented the technique.
  Did this technique help you accomplish your goals? What worked well? What could have been 
  improved? What might you change if you decide to implement the activity again? 
  I need to copy the role play scripts for the students who are 
  enacting it, and to create the fact sheet handout for the whole 
  class. When I am giving instructions, I need to be careful to 
  emphasize that the students involved in the role play will be stating 
  opinions that may not be their own.
  (Note: I have not yet implemented this technique in class, so am 
  unable at this point to comment on the activity’s effectiveness.)
  
  12
  Role Play
  Technique Template
  This template is intended for use when planning to implement Role Play 
  in your class. Fill in the blanks below, and use the information provided 
  elsewhere in the Instructor’s Guide to assist you in your thinking.
  Course Name
  COURSE CHARACTERISTICS
  What are the situational factors that impact this course? For example, is it on campus or online?  
  How many students? Is it lower division or graduate? Are there student attributes such as attitudes, 
  prior knowledge, reasons for enrolling, and so forth that should be taken into account as you 
  consider this technique?
  STEP 1: CLARIFY YOUR TEACHING PURPOSE AND LEARNING GOALS  
  Why are you choosing this technique? What do you hope to accomplish?
  
  13
  Role Play
  STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE LEARNING TASK’S UNDERLYING  
  PROBLEM AND PROMPT  
  What is the question you want learners to address, or problem you want them to solve?
  STEP 3: SET ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS   
  What are the assignment logistics? For example, will this be assigned individually or is  
  it group work? How long will the assignment take? Will students be submitting a product?  
  What materials, resources, or additional information do you anticipate needing?
   
  
  14
  Role Play
  STEP 4: DEVELOP A PLAN FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT  
  OR GRADING
  If you decide to assess learning, how will you determine that learning has occurred? For example, 
  will you use a simple +/check/- grading system? If you use a rubric, will you use an existing one or 
  create one? What will be your criteria and standards? 
  STEP 5: COMMUNICATE ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS TO STUDENTS
  How will you communicate assignment parameters to students? For example, through a handout? 
  A prompt on a presentation slide? Assignment instructions in your online course? 
  
  15
  Role Play
  STEP 6: IMPLEMENT THE TECHNIQUE
  How will you adapt steps/procedures for your students? Are there any additional logistical aspects 
  to consider?
  STEP 7: REFLECT UPON THE ACTIVITY AND EVALUATE ITS 
  EFFECTIVENESS
  Note: This step will be completed after you have implemented the technique.
  Did this technique help you accomplish your goals? What worked well? What could have been 
  improved? What might you change if you decide to implement the activity again? 
  
  16
  Role Play
  PRIMARY SOURCE  
  Content for this download was drawn primarily from “Collaborative Learning Technique 10: 
  Role Play.” Barkley, E. F., Major, C. H., Cross, K.P., (2014). Collaborative Learning Techniques: A 
  Handbook for College Faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, pp. 206–211. It includes material 
  that was adapted or reproduced with permission. For further information about this technique, 
  including examples in online and on campus courses, see the primary source:
  Barkley, E. F., Major, C. H., Cross, K.P., (2014). Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook  
   
  for College Faculty. 2nd Ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  CITATIONS AND ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR  
  FURTHER READING   
  • 
   McClure, L. (2017). Role Play: Immigration Fiction and Fact. Morningside  
  Center for Teaching Social Responsibility. Retrieved November 23, 2018 from  
  https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/
  roleplay-immigration-fiction-and-fact
  • 
   Naidu, S; Ip, A; Linser, R. (2000). Dynamic goal-based role-play simulation the Web:  
  A case study. Educational Technology & Society 3(3) pp190–202. 
  • 
   Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice:  A role-playing exercise. 
  Teaching of Psychology 27 (3): 198–200.
  COPYRIGHT
  These materials supplement the “Role Play” teaching technique video on the K. Patricia  
  Cross Academy Video Library (https://kpcrossacademy.org). Copyright © 2018 Barkley and  
  Major. Includes material that is adapted and/or reproduced with permission from: Barkley, E.F.,  
  Major, C.H., Cross, K.P. Collaborative Learning Techniques. Copyright © 2014 by Jossey-Bass. 
  Released for use under a creative commons attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives license 
  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). You are free to use it, copy it, and share  
  it, as long as you don’t sell it, don’t change it, and do give us credit for it.
  References and Resources
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Kid Friendly/1. Parent & GM Advice & Helpful Hints/Teaching Using RPGs/Cross Academy - Teaching Technique - Roleplaying.pdf