Using ChatTutor for role-based investigation in a pharmaceutical approval scenario
In a course where students work with complex, real-world cases, the instructor introduces a pharmaceutical approval scenario in which a company is applying for approval of a new product. The application materials, including large amounts of supporting data and documentation, are provided to ChatTutor, which is set up to act as the company.
Students are assigned different roles, such as regulator, bioethics expert, or reimbursement specialist, and work in groups to evaluate the application. Using ChatTutor, they interact with the simulated company by asking questions, requesting clarifications, and probing the data and arguments presented.
As the activity unfolds, students use their assigned perspectives to identify gaps, inconsistencies, or ethical concerns in the application. The role-based setup encourages them to approach the same material from different angles and to challenge the responses they receive.
The instructor frames the scenario, assigns roles, and facilitates reflection by bringing key interactions and findings into the classroom. For example, groups may compare which questions revealed the most significant issues, or discuss how different roles led to different lines of inquiry.
For students, this creates an active and investigative learning experience. They not only engage deeply with the subject matter, but also develop skills in critical questioning, argumentation, and perspective-taking.
The case illustrates how ChatTutor can be used not just to provide answers, but to simulate complex real-world interactions. By positioning ChatTutor as an actor in a scenario, students move from receiving information to actively interrogating it.
This approach can be adapted to other domains by changing the scenario and roles, for example in policy analysis, business cases, or interdisciplinary problem-solving.