Abstract:

A role-playing game is a modern interactive educational method in higher education institutions. When using this method, students acquire information better and learn to assign roles. It also helps them learn how to find a way out of different difficult situations. This method is helpful in professional skill gaining.
In the research, we consider a role-playing game as a main educational method within the framework of the modern press center work organization module, which is a part of Advertising and PR professional educational program in Kyiv higher education institutions.
The program results of the module are identify and review of the main communication technology concepts, characteristics of the main press center types, review of the “event communication” technologies in press center work, and identify of a press center role in the PR sphere.
The aim of the research is to study of role-playing game effectiveness, and the game in this case is an interactive educational method for bachelors in Kyiv universities.
The researchers have created an original interactive educational method, and it has been successfully introduced into the learning process. The interactive methods is based on task-cards and role-playing games. It is used for implementation of the educational program “Event organization and activities with the media organizations participation”. This educational method has been tested on first- and second-year students earlier. The role-playing game method is used in 30 % of all practical trainings of the educational program.
Before the pandemic situation students simulated press conferences, briefings, round tables, press tours in the classrooms. They planned, implemented and analyzed their projects. After online education beginning the role-playing games follow the same pattern, but with improvement of the technological skill.
This educational method helps students to convey their thoughts, to speak about and prove their points. It also teaches how to argue with the groupmates, to make decisions, and to respond quickly to any changes. The role-playing games in the education process will increase students’ information perception level and their learning attitude level, because of students’ interaction with the information.
On authors’ opinion, the role-playing game effectiveness is in social interaction between the participants, and in personal and professional teacher’s preparation for pole-playing games used in classes. During preparation for a role-playing game (it’s a part of material perception), students get different professional skills for different jobs (a moderator, a press secretary, a speechwriter, a copywriter, a journalist, a manager, etc.).
To evaluate this interactive methods 120 first- and second-year students have been interviewed. The interviews have been conducted in Journalism Institutes of Kyiv universities. The results show that the students have praised the role-playing games in the educational process.
Knowledge and skills gained in the pole-playing games (interactive “event communication” methods in higher education institutions) help students to demonstrate their professional skills on practical trainings in different companies and organizations.
The further research of this theme is in pole-playing game transformation into interactive online educational form. It will help students to adapt to online communication.

Keywords:

Role-playing games, task-card, educational method, professional competencies, press center.