Engaging the Whole Class Through Strategic Role Assignment

When a simulation or role play requires the direct involvement of only a small subset of students, the rest of the class may find themselves disconnected from the action. Even students within the subset of chief participants can become disengaged if their individual role is ill-defined. In this video, Richard Schwartzstein and Jeffrey William discuss how strategic role assignments can maintain engagement and “involve the crowd.” In this simulation specifically, the main actors in the simulation fulfill roles that mirror those on a hospital floor, while other students in the class act as medical consultants and family members of the patient. Not only does this strategic role assignment boost class-wide engagement, but it also creates a more dynamic learning experience and ensures that all students feel the urgency of the simulation.

Profiled: Richard Schwartzstein, Ellen and Melvin Gordon Professor of Medicine and Medical Education, teaches "Homeostasis I" to 40 students at Harvard Medical School.