Role-playing is an educational technique in which students act out roles in a specific situation or context, often to explore complex concepts, practice social skills, or enhance learning through experiential engagement. This method encourages active participation and helps learners to understand different perspectives.
Student-Centered vs. Teacher-Centered
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Student-Centered: In a student-centered approach, role-playing is used to empower students, allowing them to take charge of their learning. Students collaborate, negotiate roles, and reflect on their experiences. This approach emphasizes active learning, critical thinking, and the development of social-emotional skills.
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Teacher-Centered: In a teacher-centered approach, the instructor directs the role-playing activity, heavily guiding the narrative and outcomes. The teacher may script scenarios and provide specific instructions on how to perform the roles. While this can ensure certain learning objectives are met, it may limit student creativity and engagement.
In essence, role-playing can be implemented in either way, though it is generally more effective as a student-centered activity where participants have more freedom to explore, create, and learn from their interactions.