Group role-play was used as a teaching method in a large classroom setting to encourage student-to-student interaction and make theoretical concepts more relevant. Students were surveyed after participating in a group role-play activity. Results showed that role-play encouraged peer interaction and social learning. However, students suggested it be better organized and combined with lectures. The study concluded role-play can effectively teach subjects requiring application of theories if properly structured and mixed with other teaching methods in large classes.

1. Group role-play as a method of facilitating student to student interaction and making theory relevant Daiga Kamerāde Salford Business School University of Salford

2. The research/practice problem/s Large group teaching more and more common Limited opportunities for peer to peer interaction in large classrooms A teaching/learning method successfully used before in small group settings but how to adapt it to large groups? From: Morgan (1997) Images of Organisations, p.352

3. Why peer to peer interaction? From http://bit.ly/oaGOMK

4. Action: Group role play

5. Research methods The intuitive proactive action research approach- knew what might work, implement it and evaluate it (Wragg, 1994) Qualitative research strategy A mini-survey with two open-ended questions: In your opinion, what were three main benefits of the group role play? What were the three things that should be done differently if the group role play is used again in a similar session? Participants: 40 students (out of 50 present) Data analysis: Data categorising and coding strategy (Stinger, 2007) used: indentified units of meaning, organised into themes and categories.

6. Results: perceived benefits

7. Results: Suggested changes

8. Conclusions and Discussion Group role play encourages peer to peer interaction and can facilitate social learning in large group settings However, it should be mixed with a lecture. Also it has to be organised so that students’ are encourage to engage and prepare good quality presentations. Group role play also might be used in teaching other subjects (e.g. psychology, sociology, politics, education) where the objective of the session is to teach/learn to compare and contrast and to apply to real life situations different theoretical perspectives that are often seen by students as “too theoretical” or irrelevant to practice