Reports the results of a field study evaluation of a virtual role-play environment, "Ghostwriter," which was designed as a preparation activity for writing stories. Examines the effects of "Ghostwriter" has on characterization in children's imaginative writing. Participants were 60 children aged between 10-12 years. Results…

Discusses various class activities conducive to second-language learning. These include working on a legal document, group singing, a presentation on environmental pollution resulting from plastic bags, and listening to a tape on an organization and then posing and answering questions regarding dealings with that group. (CK)

Interactive Drama for Education and Awareness in the Schools (IDEAS) is an artist-in-residency program designed for classroom use by deaf adolescents and their teachers in urban areas. Using dramatic role playing, sign language, and drama-based teaching methods, the program presents content and provokes discussion in three broad categories:…

Describes the function game, or input-output game, and its benefits. One person is the computer and thinks of a rule. Classmates give input values and the computer gives the corresponding output. The object is to guess the rule. Benefits include the use of mental mathematics, problem solving, communication opportunities, and fostering key ideas,…

Thirty-one 6th-grade students with and without mild disabilities participated in an eight-week project-based investigation about immigration to the United States. Students were assigned the role of the immigrants or opponents of immigration and asked to debate desirability of immigration. Debates promoted high levels of engagement and equal…

Discusses studies that indicate that most American Indians have a historical and contemporary aversion to writing and reading. Suggests that the use of process drama in American Indian classrooms can bridge the gap between Western philosophies and education and American Indian religious attitudes and oral traditions. Concludes if educators…

Focuses on an undergraduate course, "Outside Politics: How Minorities Play the Political Game". Describes how to create a foundation for active and collaborative learning and to promote critical thinking, discussion, and writing through reading assignments. Discusses the use of debates and role playing, autobiographies and videos, and…

Sixty training tips are presented for university phonathon fund-raising managers, focusing on training materials, the training session, role playing, talking points with trainees, togetherness, food and prizes, morale boosters, talking points with prospects, and how to ask for a pledge. (DB)

Describes two-step exercise for applying imagination to summer-camp programing. Step 1 involves casting programs in imaginary environment, altering them for new setting. Step 2 involves role playing, encouraging participants to "wear" new cultural roles such as American Indians, cowboys, or sailors. Emphasizes value of imagination for improving…

Advocates role playing for teaching a unit on the legislative branch of government. Students were divided into political parties, sat on committees, and produced legislation. Concludes that experiencing the governmental process enhances citizen participation. (GG)

Describes a simulation that enhances student ability to gain a perspective on the opposite sex and their world view. Includes a guided mental imagery trip in which the instructor asks questions about daily activities and role reversal simulations using group activity. Cautions that debriefing is essential for success. (KO)

A program using role-playing to model humanistic attitudes and encourage humanistic behavior in internal medicine residents is described. Resident attitudes and key features relating to the program's success are noted. (MSE)

Communication competence for hearing-impaired individuals who use speechreading involves understanding nonverbal cues, making communication needs known, using alternative strategies, and using component skills effectively. Speechreading training should include real-life simulations, situational role-playing, and modeling of difficult situations…

Explains the motives behind the production of educational materials based on interactive methodologies (role-playing) and to present it to inservice teachers during updating courses. Observations of the didactic effect of the proposals and on the importance of encouraging a change in the teachers' way of thinking are presented. (LZ/Author)

This article describes virtual reality (VR) technology and discusses its potential application to the teaching of social skills to children and youth with behavior disorders through the use of interactive role plays. Limitations of the current technology and difficulties inherent in modeling simulations of human behavior are noted, as are…