Teaching CSR in Covid-19 Times: A Preliminary Investigation of an Online Role-Play for CSR Communication

Abstract

Covid-19 required major adjustments for educators around the world, especially those within higher education. With students and teachers unable to meet physically in the classroom, several studies have focused on how to teach completely online. This study provides preliminary results of an online role-play for teaching corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and social sustainability at a university in Thailand. Originally intended to be taught offline, Covid-19 restrictions required the role-play to be taught completely online in an emergency remote teaching context. Based on the events of the Nike labor scandal, students role-played different stakeholders of a multinational company dealing with worker exploitation, and student teams then had to conceptualize a CSR communication plan to restore the reputation of the firm from their respective stakeholder roles. The student learning was evaluated in the form of CSR communication presentations the role-play students created for a panel of work professionals with experience in public relations and CSR. The study provides a qualitative analysis of the student experiences participating in the online CSR role-play module, as well as their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses to conducting role-play activities only online. Overall, the students displayed a suitable level of engagement with the role-play even though it was conducted online. Moreover, while the role-play students said that they gained new knowledge about effective CSR communication practice, the work professionals stated that student CSR plans could have been defended more effectively and been more detailed. Preliminary results indicate that the role-play, even when done online, can still be engaging, but seems very reliant on a strong participatory culture among the participants. More quantitative analysis and empirical evidence should be collected to better ascertain the impacts of the role-play activity on learning for CSR communication.