Online Learning for Sustainability: A Comparison of Roleplay and Cased-Based Learning Approaches

Abstract

Higher education faces multiple challenges of change in the 21st century. Constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for universities to enhance their technological capabilities. Generation Z students come to school with different attitudes and expectations; they expect to be involved and engaged in their learning. Moreover, employers are expecting students to graduate with attitudes and skills suited to the needs of working in the fourth industrial revolution. This dissertation consists of three essays that focus on the use of role-plays as a pedagogical method, and their application to learning communication strategies for corporate social responsibility. The first essay used a bibliometric review method to document and analyze the full Scopus-indexed literature on the use of simulations and games in school settings. The intellectual structure, or key theoretical streams of research, was comprised of four schools of thought: management education, medical education, technology-enhanced simulations and games, and learning theories in simulations and games. The study found that researchers focusing on simulations and games in medical and management education have progressed on parallel tracks, with relatively little cross fertilization of findings, methods and theories. The analysis of the literature’s intellectual structure further highlighted the important role that cognitive and social learning theories have played in the development of these particular forms of active learning. The second essay presents an experimental study that sought to assess and compare the learning process and outcomes of a unit on CSR communication taught to undergraduate students through a role-play or case-based learning approach. The role-play and case-based learning groups were challenged to solve the same CSR problem faced by a company but engaged in different learning activities in their respective five class sessions conducted over Microsoft Teams. The study found that although there was a marginal improvement in sustainability attitudes for the role-play students, neither group improved significantly in terms of their knowledge of CSR communication. The results highlighted the complexities and constraints of using both active learning approaches in an online learning environment. The qualitative study for the third essay revealed several challenges with the organization of team-based learning activities online. Although activities could still be engaging, there were various communication challenges and passive students who did not actively participate. However, they did mention that presenting a CSR communication plan to experienced work professionals was a key part of their learning and helped them better understand how to do effective CSR communication. In summary, the results of these three essays confirm that role-plays can be highly engaging, even online. However, when these activities are done on complex topics such as sustainability, multiple levels of evaluation are necessary to accurately determine if SSGs activities can really deliver more effective learning outcomes compared to other learning activities such as case-based learning, field visits, or game-based learning. The three essays not only add on to the previous literature on simulation-based learning, but also provide guidance to educators on the necessary conditions for simulation-based learning activities like role plays to be truly effective. The study also provides recommendations for educators on other activities that may be more effective if team-based learning is not optimal for their learners.