Advancing student engagement in business management education: The impact of practice-based role-play as a pedagogical tool

This paper explores the findings of an action research (AR) project, part of a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCert HE) educational research project, aimed at understanding the impact of role play as a pedagogical tool to increase student engagement. The study involved a diverse cohort of 56 Master´slevel students enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme at a higher education (HE) institution in London. A mixed methods approach was adopted, combining surveys, semi-structured interviews, and participant observations to gather comprehensive data to understand the impact of role-play as a method for increasing student engagement and consequent academic outcomes. Using Lewin´s AR model, this study followed the British Educational Research Association’s Ethical Guidelines (2018) with ethical approval given by the university´s ethical board, and the findings validated through triangulation principles to minimise researcher bias and ensure reliability. The study achieved a 60% response rate from participants across two different seminar groups, with the results indicating a strong positive relationship between the use of role-play and increased student engagement. Role-playing activities fostered active participation, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving amongst learners. The competitive elements embedded in the role-playing activities, such as ‘internship role-playing’, resulting in significant improvements in key employability and consulting skills – including communication, leadership, and strategic decision-making. The high pass rates for the module (96.5% for group 7 and 88.9% for group 12), further validates the effectiveness of this teaching approach.

Furthermore, the findings suggest that role-play, when integrated into business curriculum, holds significant potential for improving learning outcomes and preparing students for real-world challenges, lowering the gap between academia and practice. These results provide a basis for further exploration and refinement of active learning strategies in HE, contributing to authenticity in teaching and learning in HE.