Role-playing activities and learning environments

When dealing with Second Life as a learning environment, this was mine and my partner's theme for 2nd research paper; I came across a study that compared student performances in role playing activities in face to face environment and Second Life. I found this very interesting, because I have never heard before that that role-playing could be and it is, a successful learning activity.

Study: “Comparing Student Interaction in Second Life and Face-to-Face Role-playing Activities”, from authors Fei Gao, Jeong Min Noh and Matthew J. Koehler, all from Michigan State University.

Authors define the role-playing as a “learning activity in which students assume the role of another person and improvise behaviors or consider a problem in a particular, pre-defined situation. Students are usually asked in role-playing to make a decision, resolve conflict or act out the conclusion to an unfinished story.” Several studies in text-based online role-playing activities suggest that this kind of activity may be an effective method for developing understanding and exploring complex concepts and ideas (Bell, Freman & Capper in Gao et al. 2009)
They mention Dickey who explored the role-playing in a three dimensional environment Active Worlds. He found that role-playing activities offer opportunities for experiential learning and situated learning within a collaboration learning environment. (Dickey in Gao et al. 2009)

The purpose of their study was to examine how students interact differently or similarly in a three dimensional online environment – Second Life and in a face to face environment.

Results:
The study showed no difference in the amount of communication between the role-playing activities in the two mentioned environments. In Second Life role-playing activities students tended to take more turns and have shorter exchanges in each turn. The students also generated more concept-related, though they may not be as elaborated as those in face-to-face environment. This comparison has following implications; role-playing activities work in both environments, second, for online educators who are interested in using role-playing activities the study bring good news – because of no difference between SL and FTF. Trhird, there are affordances of each environment – SL lends itself to a different conversational style, which is shorter exchanges but more turn-taking. On the other hand, FTF environment may not allow form more elaboration.

Gao, Fei, Jeong Min Noh and Natthew J. Koehler. 2009. Comparing Role-Playing Activities in Second Life and Face-to-Face Environments. Journal of Interactive Learning Research v20 n4 p423-443.