Life Cycle
of Role-Playing:
Development
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Jump directly to any 'Development' subsection, or review
them in sequence:
Preliminary Observations
Understand Issues
Pursue Agenda
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Preliminary Observations
This is the key stage of the experience building process.
For an online role-play lasting for 4 weeks, this stage
may start at the beginning of the second week and will
last for about 2 weeks. The duration should depend on
the complexity of the issue and the frequency of connection
in the agreed participation obligation*.
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* MORE ABOUT "PARTICIPATION OBLIGATION"
Effective game progression requires that every role
meets the "participation obligation" of
role-playing. If a role with a critical stakeholder
viewpoint does not participate effectively, it is
difficult for the whole online role-play to explore
issues related to that particular viewpoint. Participation
obligation is a term used to describe the requirement
of players to participate with regular frequency and
involvement. This is usually set as a "hurdle"
requirement and must be communicated to students before
they are assigned a role in the online role-play.
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Understand Issues
At the early part of this stage, roles need to understand
the issues and formulate a strategy to achieve and advance
the roles’ public and private agendas. Understanding
of issues may include researching, reading cases, sharing
experiences both within and outside the role-play. The
strength of online role-play as a learning environment
is the ability for the roles to practise the strategy
and try to advance the roles’ agenda in a safe
environment in the later part of this stage.
EXAMPLE from First Fleet RP (...description>>)
A moderator, assuming the role of Captain Arthur Phillip
points students to issues and resources
that may help in the First Fleet Role-Play.
Sandra Wills, UoW
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Pursue Agenda
Roles interact in order to pursue their public and
private agendas using the various communication channels
available in online role-play. They will be using tactics
such as forming alliances, explaining positions, or
exercising legal rights. The online role-play moderator
is now the guardian angel, the manipulative devil, the
resident learner/educator, improvising story teller
and the administrator. The focus is to allow roles to
gain experience and have time to consider every move.
EXAMPLE from World Politics in Transition RP
Roni Linser, UMelb
Online role-play provides opportunities to understand
issues, to discuss and debate possible strategies and
to advance the roles' agenda. It is also an opportunity
to refine their generic skills in communication and
negotiation therefore the moderator needs to be skilled
not only in the content of the profession but also in
the skills of the professional.
EXAMPLE from Middle East Politics
RP (...description>>)
Note: Negotiation skills, communication skills, empathy,
patience…
However the role-play must also reach a conclusion,
a consensus, a negotiated settlement or an outcome.
Assisting students to conclude the role-play satisfactorily
is one of the most difficult roles for the moderator.
EXAMPLE from Environmental
Decision-Making RP (...description>>)
EXAMPLE from Environmental
Decision-Making RP (...description>>)
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Online Role-Play
