Exploring the Experience of Students Who Take on Alternative Viewpoints Within a Role-Based Simulation

Abstract

We seek to understand the experience of undergraduate students who participated in a technology-supported, role-based simulation as part of large undergraduate course on video games and learning. Students took on the role of an admissions reviewer for one of six universities to make decisions about who to admit from a pool of ten fictitious applicants. Students used information about their affiliated institution (e.g., admission rates, admission stances, and institutional mission statements) and details from a “private” biography (e.g., life story, biases) to inform decisions about who to admit. We analyzed survey responses (n=60) and semi-structured interviews (n=7) of students who participated in the simulation. We report on students’ perceptions of role-playing and focus on how they negotiated internal conflicts that arose when their personal viewpoints did not align with those of the roles they embodied. Six themes emerged that fall under 3 categories: experiencing, understanding, and decision-making.