Simulating Life:
Role Play, Games, Simulations
Harvey C. Foyle
Joanne C. Foyle
Emporia State University, Kansas
“All too often we are giving our young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them
to grow their own plants.” - John W. Gardner
Simulating life in the social studies classroom is one way that teachers can help students to put their knowledge and skills into practice. Role plays, games, and simulations are some approaches to simulating life in a safe environment wherein students can try out their understanding of social studies concepts. For classroom purposes, these role plays, games, and simulations are real life just as being a student is real life. Many aspects of multicultural education, for example, cannot be presented easily in the classroom using traditional approaches. Students may not be able to visit an inner city ghetto. However, elements of that ghetto can be simulated in the classroom. Students are able to learn some ideas about gangs, poverty, unemployment, drugs, and other ghetto-related aspects of life through involvement in role plays, games, and simulations.
Simulating Life
Simulating life is a way for students to actively involve themselves in the social studies. Three typical ways to simulate life are role play, games, and simulations. In role play, students may take on the part of a character (a dialogue) or act out a situation (a play). Dialogues and plays are often found in such resources asScholastic News Magazine Grades 1–6 http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags/ elementary.htm, Junior Scholastic Magazine Grades 5-8, and http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags/middleschool.htm, The New York Times Upfront, Grades 9-12 http://teacher.scholastic.com/ products/ classmags/highschool.htm
Social studies games often are extensions of the students desire to play board games. An example of such a commercial board game is the classic sociology game, Ghetto™ or a newer ghetto game called Can You Get Out of the Ghetto http://www.canyougetoutoftheghetto.com. Simulations are simple or complex combinations of role play and/or games. They can be teacher-led such as the Interact company’s simulation, The Presidential Election Process http://www.interact-simulations.com/ or computer-led such as Tom Snyder Productions’ http://www.tomsnyder.com/ Decisions, Decisions®5.0 series simulation The Cold War. http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=DECDEC
Role plays and games are often intertwined with simulations. Often in the social studies classroom it is difficult to discriminate between these three approaches to student interaction. Some attempt is made here to differentiate among the three approaches in a rather simplistic manner. Further reading can develop a more complete background about role play, games and simulations. A good starting point for free and inexpensive related products is the database found at the Education Resources Information Center http://www.eric.ed.gov/
Role Play
“Put yourself in the other person’s shoes” is a saying that means that you should look at something from someone else’s perspective. Role play is one way to accomplish the perspective of others within the safe and secure confines of the social studies classroom. It is an opportunity to “try out” another person’s viewpoints without the commensurate sanctions that society provides.
Joyce & Weil (1996, pp. 92, 104) indicate that there are four possible focuses for role playing: (1) feelings, (2) attitudes, values, and perceptions, (3) problem-solving attitudes and skills, and (4) subject matter. The subject matter use of role play is very appropriate in the social studies. Students can ‘re-enact’ historical events and decisions or political problems within a subject matter context. Generally, this motivates students to study more closely the context and issues of the subject under consideration. This ‘real’ involvement by students creates a desire for problem-solving and understanding of the subject at hand. Social studies teachers must be cautious to respect student viewpoints, to allow flexibility in student ‘acting,’ and to maintain appropriate classroom decorum among the students.
One middle school source for role play strategies is the Scholastic® magazines which are described at http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags.htm. This news magazine’s contents include the social studies and current events. It has news stories, map and graph skills, and history plays. The history plays provide an entertaining way for students to role play situations. Citania (Stotts & Foyle, n.d.) is role play about citizenship and immigration. It has been used in high school American History and American Government classes, as well as college and university classes.
Games
Games are an ancient part of human culture. The early and modern Olympics, school yard games, military war games, athletic games, and children’s games of tag are all examples of how pervasive games are in our culture. Whether the games are formal events such as the Olympics or informal events such as tag, games motivate people. Classroom games have the same effect upon students. Games move a passive class of students into an active involved group of students. This is one of the greatest benefits of games. One classic work (Boocock & Schild, 1968) explains gaming and its relationship to simulations and makes a good starting point for learning about the use of classroom games.
A geography game called the Mapman Game is found at Scholastic, an educational publisher, http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/games_quizzes/mapman/index.asp. This was an interactive Internet based game that lasted about one week. The game involved such geographical items as cities, continents, countries, lakes, mountains, rivers, states, and provinces. Each student submitted an answer. If the student successfully ‘wins’ the game, the student received a free map from Scholastic. Currently, this game is a question and answer geography quiz.
WebkinzÒ is an Internet safe, secure, and appropriate website for children. A plush toy animal is purchased. A secret sign in code is attached to the toy. At the Webkinz website, http://www.webkinz.com, the plush toy is registered, a login name, and password are selected. A quick overview is provided in the “Take a Tour” area. A variety of typical computer games can be played. Some are just for fun. In the Arcade area others are educational in nature. “Booger gets an A” is a math game that allows children to practice addition. “Lunch Letters” provides keyboarding practice. “Quizzy’s Word Challenge” practices word formation by clicking on letter tiles. This website prepares children for using computers and interacting electronically. Often the skills of children out pace the skills of adults. The Webkinz website provides the following information copied from the “Parent’s Area”. http://www.webkinz.com/pa_ webkinz_learning.html
Webkinz World and Learning
Webkinz World is a great place to learn and play!
- Your child can learn lots of fun facts at Quizzy's. The questions at Quizzy's are age-appropriate, and most are educationally based.
- We also have several arcade games that promote learning:
Lunch Letters helps children to learn how to type and spell
Quizzy's Word Challenge aids in spelling
Operation Gumball encourages children to think logically
- Webkinz Newz and the W Tales encourage reading, and our many contests encourage writing, creativity, and problem-solving.
- Your child can learn about money in Webkinz World; by earning KinzCash, your child learns how to save and spend money.
- Webkinz World also helps to teach children about responsibility, caring for a pet, and getting along with others.
Webkinz World is getting better and better all the time.
We hope you and your child will come on in and play!
Simulations
Simulations are usually complex teacher-led activities. The teacher attempts to replicate some historical or political event in order to provide students with a greater understanding of the subject matter under discussion. The teacher explains the rules of the simulation. The rules are the perimeters or structure of the historical or political events that the social studies teacher is attempting to simulate or replicate in the classroom. The teacher acts as a facilitator making sure that the rules are followed. The teacher provides students with background information that helps them simulate the conditions that are being studied. A key element of all simulations is the teacher-led debriefing at the end of the simulation. The simulation’s process and product are analyzed and compared to the actual events or settings. This debriefing provides higher level thinking to occur through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the simulation. Simulations have been developed in print format and in computer format.
A major simulation publisher is Social Studies School Service. This company provides teacher and student materials in print format. Its products often blur the line between role plays and simulations. One of its most popular subject areas includes simulations about the Civil War. http://catalog. socialstudies.com/. Search for Civil War and check the pages that come up.
A publisher of computer format simulations is Tom Snyder Productions Educational Software http://www.tomsnyder.com/. One of its more popular computer simulations is that of Decisions, Decisions 5.0. This simulation allows individual students or groups of students to simulate the U. S. presidential election campaign. It is up-dated for the current presidential election. Tom Snyder Productions provides the following information about this particular simulation.
For more about simulations turn to Sage Publications’ http://www.sagepub.com/ Simulation & Gaming: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Theory, Practice and Research. The title may be searched from almost 500 journals that are published by Sage. This journal is the official journal of the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL), the International Simulation and Gaming Association (ISAGA), the Japanese Association of Simulation and Gaming (JASAG) and the North American Simulation and Gaming Association (NASAGA). Older resources are Garvey (1967) and The Foreign Policy Association (1968). There is a wealth of information on role play, games, and simulations in the ERIC data base.
The most popular simulation for teenagers and adults is Second LifeÒ. http://secondlife.com/ It is “… an online, 3D virtual world imagined and created by its Residents.” Its motto is “Your World. Your Imagination.” The virtual world placed online for the public in 2003. It is free to join and use. However, it can incorporate money by using LindenÔ dollars or real money. Each person creates an avatar or made up being to live electronically in the world. One older mature professor has an avatar named Harvey Columbia, who is young and ‘buff’ wearing jeans and a white t-shirt with an American flag on it, because the professor previously taught American History courses. Another younger professor’s avatar is named Professor Kaos - a short, tuxedo wearing, cigar smoking monkey. What could be the symbolism there? The avatars can fly, walk, build and own houses, play, sing, and do a multitude of things that they do in real life or cannot do in real life if they are handicapped in some manner. Educationally, Second LifeÒ involves a variety of concepts from the disciplines of Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Politics, and Religion. Companies advertise in this world. Universities hold classes. Religious groups offer worship experiences. Almost anything goes in Second LifeÒ. However, there is a teenager section that has specific rules about appropriate behavior for teenagers.
Social Studies Methods students might use the handouts the follow to identify role plays, games, simulations, and computer programs for sharing in their methods class with other students. Role plays, games, and simulations are another instructional method to motivate students interest in the social studies. Finding different ones to use can add spice to classroom lessons.
Beginning the Year
The beginning of the school year is a good time to start using role plays, games, and simulations. Jeff Gruber’s lesson (1994), The First Day of Class is a good way to start a class on law or government. This social studies lesson uses an icebreaker to demonstrate that government is a part of students’ daily lives. Jeff Norris (1994) in Planning a Government begins a high school government class with the formation of a fictional government. Lindy Melvin (1998) in Using the Internet to Express Your Voice helps students become aware of ways to express their political opinions using the Internet. These social studies lessons can begin the school year with active involvement of students in simulating real life and being involved in real life.
Conclusion
Social studies teachers talk about preparing students for life, for citizenship, and for the future. Role plays, games, and simulations are interactive methods that are readily adapted to the social studies classroom. Care should be taken to prepare students, parents, teachers, and administrators about the use of these methods. Specific social studies concepts and skills are learned when students do not over-react in simulating life in the classroom. Careful preparation is as important with these methods as with any methods used in the social studies classroom.
Role Play Activity
1. Locate a non-computer based role play.
2. State the bibliographic information below.
3. In what subject would you use this role play?
4. What is the purpose, goal, or objective of the role play?
5. How would you go about using this role play?
Games Activity
1. Locate a non-computer based game.
2. State the bibliographic information below.
3. In what subject would you use this game?
4. What is the purpose, goal, or objective of the game?
5. How would you go about using this game?
Simulations Activity
1. Locate a non-computer based simulation.
2. State the bibliographic information below.
3. In what subject would you use this simulation?
4. What is the purpose, goal, or objective of the simulation?
5. How would you go about using this simulation?
Computer Programs Activity
1. Locate a computer program that uses a role play, game, or simulation.
2. State the bibliographic information below.
3. In what subject would you use this computer program?
4. What is the purpose, goal, or objective of the computer program?
5. How would you go about using this computer program?
References
Berg, R. (1983). Analytical criteria for microcomputer-based simulation/games. ERIC NO: ED 231-741.
Boocock, S. S., & Schild, E. O. (1968). Simulation games in learning. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
The Foreign Policy Association. (1968). Simulation games for the social studies classroom. New York, NY: The
Foreign Policy Association.
Foyle, H. C. (2005). ESU education. Social Studies Mehtods and the Internet: Making Sense of It All. Retrieved
March 29, 2008, from http://www.geocities.com/esueducation/
Gardner. J. W. (1995). Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society. NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,
page 21.
Garvey, D. M., & Garvey, S. K. (1967, December). Simulations, role-playing, and sociodrama in the socials studies.
The EmporiaState Research Studies, XVI(2).
Ghetto™. New York, NY: Western Publishing Co., Inc., School and Library Department, 850 Third Avenue.
Gottlieb, S. S. (1992, August). Teaching about the constitutional rights of students. ERIC Digest. ED 348-320.
Gruber, J. (1994, May). The first day of class. An AskERIC Lesson Plan # AELP-GOV0010.
Heitzmann, W. R. (1976). Social studies simulations and attitudinal change: The research findings. ERIC NO: ED
133-251
Joyce, B., & Weil, M. (1996). Models of teaching. (5th Ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Leming, R. S. (1993, May). Teaching about the fourth amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and
seizures. ERIC Digest. ED 363-526.
Melvin, L. (1998, January 31). Using the internet to express your voice. An AskERIC Lesson Plan # AELP-CUR0009.
Norris, J. (1994, May). Planning a government. An AskERIC Lesson Plan # AELP-GOV0028.
Parent’s Area. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from the WebkinzÒ website
http://www.webkinz.com/pa_webkinz_learning.html
Roberts, N. (1976). Simulation gaming: A critical review. ERIC NO: ED 137-165.
Stotts, J., & Foyle, H. C. (n.d.). Citania: A Role Play Involving the Process of Citizenship.
Zeleny, L. D. (1974). How to use simulations: How to do it series, Number 26. ERIC NO: ED 088-755
Webpages
Can You Get Out of the Ghetto? Retrieved March 29, 2008 from the GLB website:
http://www.canyougetoutoftheghetto.com
Civil War Topic. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from the Social Studies School Services website:
http://catalog.socialstudies.com/
Decisions, DecisionsÒ 5.0. Retrieved April 5, 2008, from
http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=DECDEC
InteractÒ - Learn through Experience. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://www.interact- simulations.com/
Mapman Game - The Geography Game. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/games_quizzes/mapman/index.asp
The Presidential Election Process. Retrieved April 5, 2008, from http://www.interact-simulations.com/
Sage. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from http://www.sagepub.com/
Scholastic®. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags.htm
Tom Snyder Productions’. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://www.tomsnyder.com/
Second LifeÒ. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from http://secondlife.com/
WebkinzÒ. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://www.webkinz.com/ |
