Objectively, the class was a disaster, Jean Abshire recalls.
She had invited an observer into a particular political science class that she was teaching using a role-playing simulation in the course. The observer specifically wanted to see what teaching with simulations looked like.
These simulations are not digital games. They require students in a physical classroom or an online class to take on specific roles in an organization involved in a realistic international issue—like a cyberwar, nuclear negotiation, or an international crisis.
To prepare, students learn the goals of their organization and the specific context of the event at hand. Then within the limitations of their role, they engage, cajole, negotiate, and debate other members of the class who have roles in other stakeholder groups. The goal is to find a winning resolution.
This simulation, though, was not going well. The main political parties in the scenario were imploding and were unable to reach the right result.
Minor parties ended up dominating the scenario. Students were very engaged, but the result was not matching up to reality. At the end of the class, Abshire apologized to the observer for the class being such a mess, but the observer's response stopped her in her tracks:
Abshire, an associate professor of political science at IU Southeast, does not solely teach through role-playing simulations; she also uses lecture and discussion. But the simulations play a major part in certain courses.
Beyond learning the international issues and political science content needed for the simulation, students also gain useful life skills. These include critical thinking and active listening skills—and experience building coalitions, collaborating, and negotiating with people who see an issue from a different perspective to solve a problem.
Abshire often uses simulations from the Council of Foreign Relation's CFR Education website and from Reacting to the Past. CFR has a comprehensive set of games that are shorter and simpler than those of Reacting to the Past. Simulations from Reacting to the Past include a variety of disciplines, she said, and they also tend to be more elaborate but also more engaging for students.
Simulations from both groups offer some materials and support, though she says that the Reacting to the Past simulations offer more guidance and have more deeply developed student materials.
The time involved in running a simulation can vary. Some simulations may take several weeks for students to prepare for and complete, while other simulations may take only a class meeting or two.
In classes that use simulations, Abshire scaffolds activities to help students learn about the scenario, their organization, and their role. While the simulation itself has a participation grade, she often includes other written assignments or speeches related to the simulation as assessments for the class. Each role-play also includes a written reflection about the experience.
So, what is it like to teach using a role-playing simulation?
She describes it as a fun and rewarding but unpredictable experience. Abshire says that she loves watching students try to thread the needle to find their own creative solutions to the thorny problems they are given.
There are some things to keep in mind, though. While some students warm up to this new type of learning, it can be a source of anxiety for others. These students feel uneasy because the class does not have a familiar mix of lectures and discussions that they have successfully tackled in the past. To counter this, Abshire reaches out to these students to give them support as they work through the scenario.
If teaching with role-playing simulations sounds intriguing, she advises jumping in and trying it out. She says not to worry if the game goes in ways that you might not expect. The underlying skills and experience can be deeply meaningful for some students, and you can debrief students about more realistic results. Secondly, she suggests connecting to other faculty who teach this way for support and advice.
Giving learners the space to explore curiosity, with the freedom to fail, can open opportunities for authentic learning. As Abshire puts it, "It's a fun way to teach. Putting a student in a situation and asking them to make arguments based on that situation is basic academic stuff. We want to train our students in perspective-taking. Why not add an occasional die roll?"
