Role Playing African Development: an International Comparison

Abstract

The African Development Game is a role playing simulation developed to demonstrate the difficulties six African countries face in reaching the Millennium Development Goals. The game has been played in three different countries, South Africa, Sweden and Finland, to examine its utility as a learning tool for students who are unfamiliar both with the Millennium Development Goals and the problems of African development. Analysis of the games played in South Africa and Sweden. is based on a comparison of student reflections supplemented by participant observation and spreadsheet information of economic performances. Marked differences in the types of learning and success in repaying debt were observed between the two groups of students. They all commented, however, on the effectiveness of the role play as a learning tool