Using Professionally Trained Actors in Social Work Role-Play Simulations

Abstract

The literature available to social work educators contains limited discussion of the use of role play simulation in the classroom. This paper presents the experiences of first-year MSW students in a foundation generalist practice class who were evaluated using role play for their final examination. In a unique arrangement, clients in these simulations were role-played by first-year acting students from the university's theater arts department. The reaction of the social work students to role play with professionally trained actors is described and discussed from voluntarily submitted descriptions of the experience.