Figurant types in scenario-based exercises

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

Table 2 Figurant types—major advantages and disadvantages

Type of figurants	External	Semi-external	Internal
Characteristics	Externally recruited	Student in other class or semester within the same education programme	Classmate or teacher
Characteristics	Unknown to the practising student	Often unknown to the practising student	Known to the practising student
Advantages	Add realism	Add relative realism
	Increase focus
	Offer variation in age, gender and body types
			Same level of knowledge could be a learning gain
		New knowledge or repetition for the student acting as figurant
		Counterpart’s perspective for the student acting as figurant	Counterpart’s perspective for the student acting as figurant
Disadvantages	Economically costly
		Challenge to schedule
			Personal relations and the atmosphere in the group impact the exercise