This seminar will describe both the background, design and pedagogical underpinning of developing and delivering an online role play simulation based on a real crime. This highly successful online role play simulation was used to train companies as part of their crisis management. To develop games to meet specific training/learning needs is expensive and time consuming. Nevertheless, games, especially the design of game goals provide us with insight into how an engaging learning experience may be designed and delivered. Role play simulation is both a popular form of play and a common learning strategy used by the very young. As we approach adulthood, this immersive learning is gradually replaced by formal, information intensive teaching. This seminar will describe how online role plays can provide engaging learning experience for students to enable deep appreciation of the subject matter instead of information shoveling and the role of teachers in this type of learning.
Dr. Albert Ip has a long history of working in learning technology. Back in 1986, he designed learning technologies such as MonNet, a Local Area Network for Apple II computers with a special emphasis for novice programmability. In 1994, he worked at the University of Hong Kong to design TeleNex, an English language teacher support system for incorporating hypertext database, automatic generation of test items, online asynchronous conferencing and English corpus database. Albert is well known for his work on online role play (recognized by US NASA as an expert in the field) and he is the creator of the FablusiTM online role play simulation platform. He is currently resident in Melbourne, Australia and is the Managing Director of Digital Learning Systems P/L, a company that provides online learning solutions to educational and training institutions and value-added reseller of WebMentor- a SCORM compliant learning management system. He has recently supported Open Learning Australia in adopting the SCORM model in OLA's learning portal project. He is also a member of the Australian and Joint Australian/New Zealand standards committee on IT for learning, education and training.