Abstract
Simulations have multiple uses in training and education as intensive forms of role-play. As models analogous to real-world situations, simulations offer students opportunities to learn challenging skills in lower-stakes environments. Building on a background of live-actor simulation for medical education, the researcher created an online simulation that evolved from in-class, to hybrid, to fully online asynchronous use for students in a Risk and Crisis Communication course. This simulation acts as a capstone, testing students’ abilities to rapidly apply course theory, including concepts of stakeholder audiences, confidentiality, ethics, and transparency. Based on a credible fictional scenario, the simulation assumes the students have been hired as crisis communication consultants by a restaurant chain experiencing health and safety concerns, and a subsequent public relations crisis. The scenario evolves in real-time over 30-minutes with students receiving messages from various stakeholders, sometimes with competing interests. At the end of the simulation, students write a news release applying course concepts and based on information from the simulation. Students are also debriefed, either verbally or in a reflective memo. Students report finding the simulation daunting, but also fun and exciting. They test and apply their knowledge, improving their confidence before graduating into professional communication careers. Such simulations can be adopted for use in any language and in a variety of courses and disciplines (e.g., business, medicine, law, engineering, design, etc.). In addition to the paper, an opportunity to run a portion of the digital simulation is presented.
Presenters
Catherine JenkinsContract Lecturer, School of Professional Communication, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Considering Digital Pedagogies
KEYWORDS
Simulation, Experiential, Communication, Theory, Transferable, Online, Asynchronous, Role-play
