Role-playing educational games for young people: arranging, motivation, opportunities for personality development

The article examines the theoretical and methodological issues of organizing role-playing educational games for young people and substantiates their personally developing potential. The problem is solved by the example of analysis and testing of the role-playing game “Debate”, in which students of the University of culture and adolescents attending a public organization participate. In the game “Debate”, skills of oratory and polemic are acquired on the basis of a plot imitating the legislative activity of the parliament. The author substantiates the features of the development of the methodological complex of the game process, taking into account the structure of the game, its principles, rules, roles and some features of game tasks. The article provides a detailed justification of how this role-playing game performs a learning function at the preparatory, game and post-game stages, and how to manage the development of motivation to learn from the players. The analysis draws on the legacy of M. S. Kagan and A. N. Leontyev, who developed a systematic approach to the study of human activity, communication, and games. The author identifies a complex of personally developing skills, knowledge, and actions of students playing this game, which differs from the same set of personal competencies of adolescents depending on age and experience of participation in the game. The material was tested at the intrauniversity and regional levels of organization and conduct of this game. The conclusion is drawn about the professional relevance of role-playing educational games, such as “Debate”, in the educational process of universities of culture, since the communicative skills, knowledge and actions formed in the game are included in the set of competencies relevant for modern professions in the “man - man” system.