ROLE PLAYING BY BETH LARAMORE

Role Playing Role Playing is a dramatic approach in which individuals assume the roles of others; usually unscripted, spontaneous interactions (may be semi structured) that are observed by others for analysis and interpretation (Billings & Halstead, 2005)

Role Playing ▪ Role playing places the learner in reality-type situations to develop their understanding of other people (Redman, 2007) ▪ It is a technique that stimulates feelings and emotional responses in the learners, as they play out the assigned characters (Bastable, 2008)

Application of Role Playing ▪ Plan thoroughly for role play ▪ Monitor and modify students actions/reactions ▪ Situations involving conflict emotions are good scenarios for role-playing

Organization of Role-Play 3 stages: ▪ Briefing-setting stage, explaining objectives ▪ Running-actual role play (5-20min) ▪ Debriefing-discussion, analysis, and evaluation (30-40min) (Billings & Halstead, 2005)

Behavioral Objectives ▪ Role playing is used primarily to achieve behavioral objectives in the affective domain ▪ Behavioral objectives are intended outcomes of the education process ▪ Action oriented not content oriented ▪ Learner centered not teacher centered

Behavioral Theory ▪ All behavior is learned ▪ It can be shaped and rewarded to achieve a particular outcome ▪ Learning results from a process of attaching one element of learning to another ▪ External reinforcement stimulates a change in behavior

Appropriate Setting ▪ Small group settings ▪ Classrooms ▪ Learning resource centers in which faculty design ▪ Highly structured learning environments ( Billings & Halstead, 2005)

Advantages ▪ Opportunity to explore feelings and attitudes ▪ Potential for bridging the gap between understanding and feeling ▪ Narrows the role distance between and among clients and professionals (Bastable, 2008)

Role-Play Strengths (Johnston-Hollitt, 2008)

Disadvantages ▪ Limited to small groups ▪ Tendency for learners to exaggerate character role ▪ Realism/credibility of character is lost if role is exaggerated ▪ Participant may be uncomfortable role- playing and unable to develop true essence of the character (Bastable, 2008)

Ways to Adapt Role Play ▪ Role play, regardless of the particular type of social problem being addressed, will allow the student to focus on the aspects of the situation that is important to them ▪ The attitudes and values of the role players are illustrated through their words, and actions, the problem solution, or the consequences of behavior ▪ This allows the role player to go in many directions—towards analyzing feelings, consequences, and the roles themselves and the ways to play them out (alternate solutions) (Joyce & Weil, 1986)

How to Evaluate Effectiveness ▪ “Role play focuses on the practice of interpersonal communication skills and allows students to observe, evaluate, and provide feedback to each other” (Billings & Halstead, 2005) ▪ Role play promotes critical thinking and helps students gain insight into their performance ▪ Videotaping also allows for evaluation of role play

Conclusion “Making decisions based on one’s own standpoint might not be right. To act in the role play, leads me to be able to understand the others’ reasons and necessity that are different to each other. It makes me value the others more. It is necessary to accept differences and try to negotiate” (Bob Fisher, 2006)

References Bastable, S. B. (2008). Nurse as educator: Principles of teaching and learning. 3 rd Ed. Boston: Jones & Bartlett Billings, D., & Halstead, J. (2009). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty. St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders Johnston-Hollitt, M. (2008) Peer review role-playing as a method of teaching senior undergraduate science. Joyce, B. & Marsha W. (1986). Models of teaching. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall Redman, B. K. (1990). The practice of patient education: A case study approach. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.