VETENTRE_IO1_Toolkit_FV

How to use Role-Playing Games in Teaching Entrepreneurial Skills This section presents how role-playing games can contribute to the development of competencies in entrepreneurship and how anyone can implement them in their teaching practice. Suppose we want to prepare individuals to act like entrepreneurs. In that case, one of the most effective techniques is to facilitate experiments by trying entrepreneurship out in a controlled environment, for instance, through business simulation or role-playing. 8 Role- playing games are particularly suitable when the aim is to encourage students to act independently in an economic environment using means that are as realistic as possible. For this, the learners take on roles and play them as authentically and convincingly as possible. The aim is to adopt economic actors' positions and attitudes and experience them with the game partners, resolve conflicts, and take decisions. With this technique, it is possible to transfer knowledge on entrepreneurial skills more interestingly and effectively. At the same time, the learners directly apply and develop those skills during the game. The learning objectives, which can be achieved through role-playing, are numerous and include, for example, inventiveness, analytical skills, commercial skills, financial competence, communication skills or the ability to delegate or to (self-) organise. Preparatory Phase At the beginning of a role play, the teacher introduces the game situation by describing the fictional scenario:  What is it about?  What is the motivation/ goal to be achieved in the game?  What are the problems?  Which rules of the game do players and observers have to adhere to? When the setting and the rules are clear to everyone, the teacher distributes the different roles, and the players prepare for their roles with the help of role cards. If the game is carried out in multiple rounds, learners can change their roles. 8 Arasti, Z., Falavarjani, M. K. and Imanipour, N. (2012). A Study of Teaching Methods in Entrepreneurship Education for Graduate Students, Higher Education Studies , 2 (1). doi:10.5539/hes.v2n1p2 Useful/Practical Tip: It might be useful to designate some learners as observers. The observers do not take an active part in the role play but observe the game and take notes, which they later share with their colleagues.