Rapid Creation of Innovative Online Role Play

Two Case Studies

Albert Ip - Fablusi P/L

Melbourne, Australia

Mary Noggle - Caldwell Community College

North Carolina, USA

a dynamic artificial environment in which human 'agents' interact by

playing roles with semi-defined characteristics, objectives and relations (social rules) to one another and within a

specified scenario (set of conditions).

What is Role Play?

• Live through the experience• Fun, motivation• Interaction, collaboration• Problem-solving constructivist approach• Dynamic goal-based learning• Associative • Non-threatening environment

Why Role Play?

Quiz Time

Case One: The Scarlet Letter

Simulation begins

William BradfordThomas MortonJohn WinthropRoger Williams

Bay Psalm BookThe New England PrimerThe Scarlet LetterAnn Bradstreet

Edward TaylorMichael WigglesworthCotton MatherJonathan Edwards

week 1 2 3 4 5

Letters

Letters from Pearl and John Hathorne

Chat

Task: Write Profile

If thou hast inquiries towards my nature, I plead with you not to place blame against the scarlet bosom of my mother, but rather to stare into mine eyes to gaze into a world beyond your own “pure” ideals.

The literature studied in class proved very useful in characterization and understanding the motives of Puritan America.

Collaboration

Working with a partner was helpful…[It] was good to

have somebody to say, "hey, what do you

think," instead of having all this pressure of

developing this character on your own.

Tiffany

Collaboration

…we made a specific meeting time nightly on AIM and

tried to share the responsibility more by

assigning a particular person to posts for the night. For

the most part, no one posted without having the posts

proofed by at least one other group member.

Amanda

Collaboration

I enjoyed working with another person on the role of

John Wilson. We were able to talk and plan what

we would do, and what we would say. And, my team

member was so proficient in the language and

voice that it really helped inspire me.

Jordan

Evaluation

I felt as though I was living in Boston

in part one of the simulation, walking the streets

with the Wilsons, the Hathornes, and Mistress Hibbins.

Amanda

Evaluation

• This was definitely a very different experience for me!

I have learned more about one book and time

period than I ever have in any of my English classes.

Toni

• I really do thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this. I

learned a lot from this simulation and realize that I probably did

learn more from this than I would have from

writing a paper.Jennifer

Evaluation

When this simulation started, everyone was shy, and the

characters were a bit foggy, but, after a

while, when everyone got the hang of it and opened up,

the characters became REAL!...

Evaluation

I wasn't just reading the story, I was the

story and I could change the plot however I wanted

to.

Stephanie

Quiz Time

Case Two: The Holocaust

Setting and iSpaces1. Prewar (1933-1939)

Katowice, Poland, and Berlin, Germany

2. Beginning of the war (1939-1941)

3. Train to Auschwitz(Sept 26, 1942)

4. First day at Auschwitz (Sept 27, 1942)

5. Spring in Auschwitz (1943)

6. Winter in Auschwitz (1944)

7. Liberation (1945+)

Holocaust Sim CharactersPolish Family

• Adrianna Dankowski-Sister• Anka Dankowski-Grandmother• Marek Dankowski-Brother• Pawel Dankowski-Brother

Jewish Family

• Yosef Cohen-Father, Brushmaker• Rachel Cohen-Mother• Jacob Cohen-Brother• Miriam Cohen-Sister• Renana Yadinovik-Aunt

German Family

• Julius Streicher-Newsman• Franz Streicher-Doctor• Elsa Streicher-Wife, Artist

Neighbors

• Andriy Petrenko- Ukrainian Guard• Bruns Shulmann-German Shopkeeper• Jerzy Levine-Jewish Butcher• Robert Johnson-British Salesman

Letters

Changing StationeryChanging Role

Elsa and Bruns at the shop

Elsa and Franz at the Streicher Home

Letter from a student As a military reservist, I have been waiting 5 years for my

call up to the Middle East and have seriously wrestled with my anger towards Moslems over 9-11,etc; I used to think that any of them who got hurt by U.S. forces mostly deserved it and many of my shipmates think "the only good Moslem is a dead Moslem." I have been immersed in that environment and it is only through your class that I have come to realize that that attitude is a mistake, part of our American "empire" mindset. On thinking it over, my mind and eyes are much more open to what's really going on in the Middle East. It is because of your class that I am actually trying to separate the guilty from the innocent…

Lissa

Quiz Time

Indications of Successquality and quantity

• Understanding of course material evident in transcript

• Immersed in imagination apparent in quality of

postings (value-add, in character)

• Engagement with peers observed through behavior and continuity of role

The Scarlet Letter

• Collaboration with 2-3 students per role

• 10 characters

• Established developed characters

• Encouragement from moderator

TheHolocaust

• Some students worked in isolation of 1 student per role

• 16 characters

• Newly developed characters

• Little contact with moderator

The Scarlet Letter

• Static location

• 2 episodes in a 5 week period

• Inherently communicative setting/atmosphere (communal)

• Dynamic location with changing scenes

• 7 episodes in a 5 week period

• Inherentlynon-communicative with limited accessto discussion

TheHolocaust

Holocaust Improvement

• more background for role to encourage deeper character building

• More news feeds

• diary during concentration camp

• Eliminate some characters

• Real characters or representations of real people

• Increase the time allocated for simulation

Quiz Time

Suggested Use of Role Play

?

Quiz Time

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