Using Roleplay to Teach Conflict Avoidance

COURSE: Conflict Transformation

SEMESTER: Coursera MOOC

INSTRUCTOR: Ellen Ott Marshall

PROJECT IN BRIEF

Professor Ott Marshall hoped learners would be able to identify different causes of conflict as well as practice comprehensive analysis of a conflict event through three diagram tools. Wanting to enhance the handouts she typically provides her learners, Professor Ott Marshall chose to develop 2-minute demonstrations using student actors. With her narration providing the context to the scenario being analyzed and the procedural steps being shown, learners of the course can now follow along when completing the assignment and have clarity on how to use the tools successfully.

TECHNOLOGIES USED

Brief roleplay demo with student actors
Voice-over narration and talking head lecture
Coursera platform
Academic Production Studio staff and equipment

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Evaluate and apply three conflict analysis tools.

ASSIGNMENT

Learners are asked to apply a conflict tool to an event in the news. At the end of the module, they are asked to submit a brief write up describing their analysis process with a diagram.

LESSONS LEARNED

Visually demonstrating the application of a tool worked well for students instead of simply providing a worksheet with instructions. Simple scripting for the voiceover narration was beneficial in preparing for production. Real students were recruited for the demonstrations, which provided authentic and practical production of the demos.

Interested in doing something similar? Email us at classes@emory.edu.