Abstract:
Online Roleplay-Simulation has widely been shown to be an effective teaching and learning tool based on
participant feedback. Central to achieving the desired learning outcomes from these activities is the way communication
media is used within them. The communication media within online roleplay-simulation environments often include
email, text chat, discussion forums (using bulletin boards) as well as Internet search tools. It has been recognized that
these different forms of communication delivery are not neutral-they invoke or evoke particular kinds of learning
behaviour. While electronic dialogue can support interactions such as information exchange, opinion and suggestions
which are integral to such simulations it is less suited for communicating agreement and disagreement and for socialemotional
tasks involving conflict and negotiation. A key feature of role-based learning is their experiential nature and
the reliance upon retlection of actions within the activity. This presents a challenge for educators to design activities that
use communication media effectively. During various stages of an online roleplay-simulation challenges arise in relation
to online dialogue management, online tools for reflection, online socialization and supporting persona development and
participant interaction. Some strategies that have been found to address these issues include using features of the online
roleplay-simulation software to monitor participant interaction, promoting groupwork interactions and learning designs
that consider the limitations of the available communication media and Internet access, creating activities which develop
participant information literacy skills, and the appropriate use of blended learning to support activities which are
constrained by the available communication media.
