Abstract:

Negotiation is widely recognized as a fundamental skill across business, law, diplomacy, and several contexts, yet teaching it effectively requires bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application. Implications and benefits of using role playing as an active teaching methodology include active engagement, empathy building, and immediate feedback, while challenges such as artificiality, unequal participation, cultural variability, and ethical concerns are critically assessed. This paper examines the central role of role play in negotiation pedagogy, positioning it as a cornerstone of experiential learning and a critical active teaching methodology. Drawing on experiential learning theory, social learning theory, and adult learning principles, this research highlights how role play fosters skills development, perspective-taking, and the practical application of concepts. The rapid maturation and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including large language models (LLMs), agent-based simulations, and affective computing, raises questions about the continuing relevance of role play in negotiation pedagogy. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has some benefits when used to teach negotiation and other skills traditionally relying on role playing as the main active teaching methodology, however role playing has unique traits which make it a one of a kind within the active teaching methodologies. Moreover, AI may be at the root cause of current and future cognitive decline across many spheres of human activity, including learning, and therefore a plus and cons analysis is needed to bring clarity into the issue. The methods used ranged from critical thinking to alternative analysis methodologies. This paper argues that role play remains essential but may have to evolve into hybrid learning designs that integrate AI for scalable practice, data-driven feedback, and scenario generation while preserving human interaction for development of empathy, nonverbal sensitivity, and trust building. Future directions may emphasize the integration of technology, gamification, and AI-driven simulations to expand accessibility and realism.

Keywords:

Negotiation Pedagogy, Role Play, Experiential Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Active Teaching Methodology.