Using the Role Play Method in Military Pedagogy

This paper aims to identify and discuss relevant issues, in terms of military pedagogy, regarding the using of role play in the training of future officers, given the characteristics of the military organization and the psycho-behavioral traits required of commanding officers. A secondary analysis of quantitative and qualitative data (collected through an opinion questionnaire) was conducted. The results show that role play is perceived as an effective method of training, especially for the psycho-behavioral and attitudinal component, and less for the intellectual component of personality. The data show that, although role play is a collective method, which can only take place with the participation of the military team, the process of developing leadership skills is an individual one. Every student, whether actor or observer during the role play, evolves on their own, regardless of their relationship with colleagues or their position in the military team. The timely and proper intervention of instructor-facilitator in the role play could increase the success rate of this pedagogical method.