SPECIAL SESSION ON EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING Developments In Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 22, 1995 154 SPECIAL SESSION ON EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING James W. Gentry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln William D. Biggs, Beaver College John R. Dickinson, University of Windsor David J. Fritzsche M. Keith Wilson, University of Manitoba ABSTRACT The session will focus on specific instances in which mistakes have been made in the use and design of experiential exercises and what the instructors learned from them. A panel of discussants will integrate the experiences and heuristics learned into a framework guiding the use and design of experiential pedagogies. INTRODUCTION Everyone learns from experience, teachers included. The session has five presenters who should have great insight, given all the errors which they have made in the design and use of experiential pedagogies. The intent for the presenters to use the framework of the Thiagarajan (1994) article, in which he candidly discusses his own “learning experiences” as a game designer, and the insights which he gained from the experiences. A panel of discussants will then place the insights shared by the presenters into a more integrated framework, which can be used to help other teachers avoid some of the pitfalls raised. MISTAKES I HAVE MADE IN USING COMPUTER SIMULATIONS Bill Biggs The author groups the absurdly large number of errors made in his undistinguished career into three categories: (I) failing to do enough trial runs; (2) running errors; and (3) creating conditions which cause problems. Trial runs have long been advocated by the author, and he shares personal experiences (including some with his own game) that demonstrate the rationale for this admonition. Running errors include the inadvertent deletion of critical files; clearly a substantial variety of back-up files are a necessity. Once simulation games reach the “routine’ stage, there is a natural tendency on the part of instructors to add complexity. Sometimes the added complexity can have unexpected consequences; numerous “creative” suggestions are made to enable others to dig oneself out of the holes thus generated. MAKING A GOOD THING BETTER (OR, REGRETS, I’VE HAD A FEW) John Dickinson The author discusses his vast experience in designing and using games that are not well integrated with course content. Three specific issues are covered: (1) the game introduction; (2) simulation content not capturing conceptual course content; and (3) the failure to debrief adequately. Lessons learned include: games should be designed to allow increasing decision complexity over time; provide an early overview of course content, in order to prepare proper interpretation of game elements; consider administrative restrictions limiting the complexity of the game early; and schedule the game toward the end of the course. Suggestions are made concerning the enrichment of strategy decisions to capture more of the conceptual course content, and strong admonitions are made concerning game briefing (introduction) and debriefing. BLOOPERS IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Dave Fritzsche The author shares four errors he has made repeatedly, but acknowledges that these four are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of his vast experience. His “favorite errors” were (1) making economic environments too tight (and thus making the game results are too depressing to keep students enthusiastic); (2) providing insufficient information concerning new complexities being added to the game (thus, there is a need to avoid being too subtle); (3) making mechanical errors (make sure you pretest everything); and (4) being overconfident when repairing “bugs” which you have discovered. HOW THE SEARCH FOR REALISM RESULTED IN HOPELESS CONFOUNDING Jim Gentry The author discusses one of his failed attempts to develop an experiential exercise, in this case a cross-cultural negotiation exercise in a trade-show context. The attempt to include comprehensive details in order to make the exercise realistic resulted in an experience that confused greatly and provided little basis for learning. Debriefing uncovered the general lack of insight in terms of the purpose of the exercise, as well as a nearly complete misunderstanding of the role of trade shows in international business. The author argues that the instructor Developments In Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 22, 1995 155 should keep things as simple as possible, at least until there is assurance that the basic structure of the exercise is thoroughly understood. FOOT IN MOUTH, LEARNED EXPERIENTIALLY Keith Wilson The author discusses problems that can occur when too much is made of the results of a trial period. The instructor had been excessively complimentary when a group produced spectacular results in a trial run, only to set them up for a fall when the other groups compensated in the “real” run of the period and they did not. The variability of the performance in trial runs has to be acknowledged by the instructor, and the paper provides a vivid description of the need to “eat crow” after overreacting to a very extreme (and unlikely) occurrence. REFERENCE Thiagarajan, Sivasailam (1994), “How I Designed a Game-- and Discovered the Meaning of Life,” Simulation & Games, 25 (December), 529-536. DISTINGUISHED DISCUSSANTS, PARTICIPATION FACILITATORS, AND SESSION SALVAGERS: Al Burns, Louisiana State University Hugh Cannon, Wayne State University Ron Frazer, Clarkson College John Wingender, Oklahoma State University Table of Contents Volume 22, 1995 Simulation Performance, Learning and Struggle Are Good Simulation Performers Consistently Good? Cognitive and Behavioral Consistency in a Computer-Based Marketing-Simulation-Game Environment: An Empirical Investigation of the Decision-Making Process Chalk & Cheese: Executive Short-Course vs. Academic Simulations Revisiting Personality Bias in Total Enterprise Simulations Are Good Strategies Consistently Good? Investigating the Use of a Computer Simulation as an Effective Pedagogical Tool for the Application of a Strategic Model The Problem of determining an Individualized Simulation's Validity as an Assessment Tool A Simulation Based Analysis of the Value of Information in the Hrebiniak Joyce Typology of Adaptation Relative to Porter's Generic Strategies The Impact of Sales and Income Growth on Profitability and Market Measures in Actual and Simulated Industries A Comparison of a Stand Alone Version of a Simulation with the Traditional Competitive Version Computer-Assisted Gaming of International Business Analyzing Simulations with Computer-Based Programs and Applying the Experience to a Real-World Business A Preliminary Investigation of the Use of a Bankruptcy Indicator in a Simulation Environment Graduates' Views on the Use of Computer Simulation Games Versus Cases as Pedagogical Tools An Analytical Advertising Model Approach to the Determination of Market Demand Dealing with the Complexity Paradox in Business Simulation Games A Prototyping Approach for Incorporating Large Data Bases into Media Planning Simulations: An Example Using Magazine Media Through the Looking Glass, Inc: Superior-Subordinate Personality Type and the Leniency effect Evaluating the Effectiveness of Role Playing Simulation and Other Methods in Teaching Managerial Skills Student and Teacher Perceptions of a Management Simulation Course Performance Evaluation: The Effect on the Propensity to Create Budgetary Slack Management Team Formation for Large Scale Simulations Comparative Static Analysis with the Complete PPA Package: A Strategic Market Planning Tool Consistency in Intent: Learning Objectives at the 1994 Intercollegiate Business Policy Competition A New Twist on an Old Game: The Business Strategy Game: A Global Industry Simulation 3ed Evaluation of Performance in Management Simulation: A Management Coefficients Model Building SimuWorlds: Strategic Management Games of the Future Bulls and Bears: A Stock Market Simulation A Systems Thinking Paradigm and Think Computer Simulation Model of Broadcast and Cable Television Industry Competition Jacket Factory The Sales Management Simulation The Marketing Management Simulation A Demonstration of Promodel Demonstrating A New, Cross-Functional Business Simulation: Vision+ A Cost Chain For The Business Strategy Game Simulation Special Session On Experiential Teaching Compensation Dilemmas: An Exercise In Ethical Decision-Making Organizational Storytelling: Telling Tales In The Business Classroom Evaluating Experiential Training: Case Study And Recommendations The Internship Portfolio: An Innovative Tool For Experiential Learning, Critical Thinking, And Communication An Ethnographic Analysis Of The Pedagogical Impact Of Cooperative Communicating Consumer Behavior: A Long-Term Integrated Exercise Using Personal Consumption Journals And Consumer Analysis Papers An Experiential Paradigm For Teaching Business Problem Solving Developing Leadership Skills The Spss® Student Assistant: The Integration of A Statistical Analysis Program Into A Marketing Research Textbook Negotiating With Your Students Using TQM Principles To Transform Accounting Systems Into An Experiential Exercise Enhancing The Effectiveness Of Outdoor-Based Experiential Training Using Virtual Reality Concepts Case Writing In A Developing Country: An Indonesian Example Experiential Learning Using Focus Groups How Real Should Experiential Pedagogy Be? A Viewpoint From Our Students Reengineering The Internship: A New Approach To Experiential Learning Utilizing The Cosmopolitan/Local And Marginal Man Constructs To Measure Students' Propensity For Creativity Developing Experiential Processes For Teaching Quantitative Techniques For Business Team Learning Roles: A Cooperative Learning Technique Creating the Ultimate Small Business Student Experience: Melding Score/Ace with SBI The Development of Trust in Work Teams: The Impact of Touch Some Outcomes of Experiential Learning: How the Cultural Dynamics of Different Countries are reflected in Workplace Norms & Values Incorporation of Job Analysis Results in Various Forms of Selection Interviews Chudesno, Inc.: An Evaluation of an Experiential Training and Development Simulation An Exercise for Exploring the Relationship between Jungian Psychological Types and Organizational Dynamics Partnership: A Radical Approach to Experiential Learning Partnership: A Nice Idea, But How Do I Get Started? Recognizing Discrimination at Work Using Critical Incident Skills Questions to Help Students Become More Successful at Job Interviewing The Video Project Introduction to Psychological Type Theory Come On Down Understanding Facilitation for Development and Continuous Learning: A Micro-Workshop Leadership and Empowerment: An Experiential Exercise in Decision Making Experiential Exercises and Pedagogy Track Workshop: Selecting a Manager for Maquiladora, Inc. Experiential Training In Multi-Cultural Corporate Settings The Role of Facilitation as an Aid to Complete Learning An Experiential Exercise to Illustrate Difference in Information Processing Behaviors and Styles How to Deliver Accessible Survey Results Age Diversity in the Workplace- Family Feud Style Nafta Standoff: A Cross-Cultural negotiating Role-Play Three Strikes and You're Out!: A Downsizing Experiential Exercise