This document describes the design of a role play simulation about the Versailles Treaty. It provides details about the context, roles, problem, assessment, moderation, rules, and support for the role play. Key details include that it will be a 3-week online role play for on-campus students, involve up to 6 stakeholder roles representing organizations at the treaty negotiations, be based on the real historical scenario of drafting the treaty, and culminate in a final meeting where the roles negotiate to reach consensus.

1. 8 DIMENSIONS Characteristics of Role Play Design – 77 design decisions Versailles Treaty 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 3 weeks
Duration of online role play interaction only 3 weeks
Function of f2f with teacher: Briefing & role adoption (for on-campus students only) 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 30
ROLES Maximum number of roles 6
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” 
Students in multiple roles 
Teams play one role:  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
MODERATION Resolution process: Moderator decides Moderator in role decides One student role decides History dictates
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 (if any): LMS Yahoo/Hotmail Custom built in-house Hosted service e.g. Fablusi Second Life/3D Virtual World
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