Learning through role play software : A feasible approach to professional education?

We analyze design concepts and efficiency of computer role play software as a tool for professional education. Role play software interactively "tells a story" in which the software user becomes the main character, completes tasks, and achieves objectives. In executing the software, the user makes decisions, gathers information, and generates knowledge. We focus on two types of knowledge generation, tacit and explicit knowledge. An experimental investigation with 32 subjects suggests that role play software use does not necessarily improve explicit knowledge, but that it boosts subjects tacit knowledge. We also identify three key elements of role play software, story, development approach, and implementation, and determine that role play software prototypes can be feasibly developed.