This document outlines the design dimensions of a role-playing simulation called First Fleet Online Role Play used in an educational context. It provides details about the context, roles, problem/scenario, assessment, moderation, rules, and support dimensions of the role play. Key details include that it involved students taking on roles in a historical scenario about the first fleet to arrive in Australia, lasted 4 weeks both online and in-person, included private role agendas as well as public ones, and used a hosted online service and real historical documents to support the simulation.

1. 8 DIMENSIONS Characteristics of Role Play Design – 77 design decisions First Fleet Online Role Play
DESIGNERS Designed by a team: Multi-discipline Multi-institution Educational developers
Branding/naming
CONTEXT Student enrolment status: All on-campus All off-campus Mixed Cross Campus Cross Institutional Cross Disciplinary Cross Borders
Total duration including online and f2f components plus final assessment task 4 weeks
Duration of online role play interaction only 4 weeks
Function of f2f with teacher: Briefing & role adoption Computer lab time scheduled Regular progress meetings scheduled
Regular meetings scheduled in role Culminates in peace delegation or formal meeting in role to aid consensus
Culminates in presentation but not necessarily in role Culminates in a debrief
Approximate number of students in largest class 70
ROLES Maximum number of roles 32
Type of role: Stakeholder organization Stakeholder organization - name changed or removed or composite to protect identity
Stakeholder title Stakeholder title & fictitious name Real person Real person - name changed Real person – historical
Fictional Private agendas as well as public agendas
Students publish role profile: None Position statement only Profile “in” role Profile “about” role
Student chooses own role 
Roles are played anonymously 
Moderator plays “in role” Governor Arthur Philip
Students in multiple roles 
Teams play one role:  sometimes note: team members are thus not anonymous to each other Single site Multi site
PROBLEM Types of scenario: Real & current Based on real world Real & historical Fictional Multiple Episodes
Daily News Money Transactions
ASSESSMENT Role play optional e.g. can opt out & take exam instead 
Percentage of total assessment not assessed
MODERATION Resolution process: Moderator decides Moderator in role decides One student role decides
Derole & Debrief: Stay in role Face to face group debrief Videotaped group debrief Written reflection
Permission needed from moderator for some actions 
Tutors as extra moderators 
Interventionist moderator 
RULES Participant obligations 
Private meeting spaces 
SUPPORT Student Guide 
Moderator Guide 
Team building activities 
Materials or Learning Objects provided: Real documents Fictional documents Grey literature (from academic’s research)
Based on real world Created by students Multimedia/video
Platform: LMS Yahoo/Hotmail Custom built in-house Hosted service e.g. Fablusi Second Life/3D Virtual World
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