THE USE OF EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING TECHNIQUES: CREATIVITY vs. CONFORMITY Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 16, 1989 53 THE USE OF EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING TECHNIQUES: CREATIVITY vs. CONFORMITY William A. Ward, Alan R. Warehime Professor of Business Administration, Sigmund Weis School of Business, Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA 11870 And Eugene G. Gomolka, Professor and Chairman, Department of Management, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio 45469 ABSTRACT This paper discusses the need for the expansion of experimental and experiential (E&E) teaching techniques using creative methods and approaches. It contrasts traditional, more conformist academic styles with a more creative style, which is needed to enrich the classroom educational situation. Through the use of the methodology of Improvisatory Theatre (IT), an example of the classroom use of E&E is discussed. In summary, the paper seeks to promote experiential learning and creativity as a way to enhance learning and education. INTRODUCTION One of the concerns often articulated in the academic environment is the criticism regarding non-dynamic or non-effective teaching. This is particularly “en vogue” at present because of the added emphasis on or Outcomes demanded by academic administrators, legislative bodies whom appropriate funds, boards of directors/visitors, and others who influence academic performance and funding. As an example, one need only read Allan Blooms The Closing of the American Mind in order to review the supposed current crisis in American higher education. One of the current criticisms of academic performance is that teaching is mundane; i.e., that it is not creative enough or innovative enough or that teaching is non- dynamic in delivery. In essence, this criticism or argument must be evaluated in light of a continuum or systemic approach that has academic creativity as one boundary and academics, the dynamics in a more creative direction. SOCIALIZATION College and university professors are socialized creatures, having been made to undergo intense socialization and “normalization” while in graduate school. In essence, the “Ph.D. process" is itself usually antithetical to the enhancement of creativity. The doctoral student soon learns that conformity (to professorial, departmental, college, and university “NORMS”) is the surest road to successful completion of the program (“getting credentialed”) rather than any "radicalism" smacking of creativity. Graduate students learn “how to do it” They learn how to speak, write, use jargon, and prepare things in a “journalistic style” (for publication, of course), but rarely do they learn to use creativity, especially as it might apply to the teaching environment. In addition, graduate students learn to copy "a professorialized mode of teaching." E&E - A CREATIVE APPROACH In order to formulate and implement a more creative approach to university teaching, ideas and techniques of an innovative character should be considered. Experientialism and experimentation (E&E) are two of these techniques that have proven useful in enhancing the quality of the classroom educational experience. Therefore, emphasis should be of placed on the incorporation of these and other techniques into the social- Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 16, 1989 54 ization process described above and into the professional development process of academicians. Professors need to acquire and utilize a broader range of skills for use in their teaching environments. The use of this broader range of skills should lead to a more productive and higher quality teaching environment in two distinct areas: (a) LEARNING: E&E for example, are “learning- enhancers”. The breadth and depth brought about by experimentation is worth considering. Experimentation is possible on either the micro or the macro level of teaching. An example of the micro-level would be the incorporation of audio- visual techniques in a classroom situation where they had not been previously utilized in order to promote better visualization and conceptualization of course materials. An example of the macro-level would be to utilize and experiment with a whole new range of teaching methodologies or teaching approaches to be used in the course or curriculum. Both of these examples have the potential for the enhancement of student learning. (b) EMOTIVE: E&E are also “emotive- enhancers”, bringing to the classroom environment a more rewarding, interesting, exciting, and entertaining "set" and “mix” that enhance student motivation for learning. Experientialism is particularly useful as an “emotive-enhancer” because of the wide variety of situations, responses, and intensities that are possible in the classroom setting utilizing experiential exercises and techniques. Response variations generated by students to experiential techniques often produce varied and sometimes unexpected results. However, most of these results are still beneficial to both the student and the professor. In summary, E&E adds creativity and innovation to the teaching environment. The use of E&E as a creative approach is still not without career risk, however. The more conformist approach is often the “dominant norm” in many departments, colleges, and universities. If the organizational reward structure is heavily tied to the use of conformist approaches and teaching techniques, then potential creativity (using E&E for example) may be too risky for a professor to formulate and use. Hence, creativity is inhibited and little is done with E&E or other techniques. E&E - AN EXAMPLE During the past seven years, the authors have reviewed and “tried out” numerous E&E ideas, exercises, and techniques as evidenced by the references for this article (l-31). One of the most rewarding and possibly far-reaching techniques they have used is the application of IMPROVISATORY THEATRE (IT) to the business classroom teaching environment in OR, OD, or OC courses. (18X25)(28)(29) Using IT (Improvisatory Theatre) casts the professor directly into the roles of actor, director, producer, choreographer, etc. The professor is expected to be well-prepared, smooth and capable in order to explain, demonstrate, and exemplify the IT techniques. How should a professor become prepared for the use of the IT techniques? The answer must come from the flexibility allowed by the creative approach rather than the conformist one. Perhaps as an aside to their business school rigorous preparation, graduate students interrogated in OR should be encouraged to undertake formal IT training in The College of Communication and Theatre Arts. Perhaps young academicians (or more mature ones also) should be encouraged to seek IT training as a part of their professional development. The results of seeking such IT training would appear to be beneficial. The success of the IT technique has been partially assessed by the authors during the past seven years and the results have proved positive in both categories mentioned above: (a) Learning Enhancement and (b) Emotive Enhancement. Students have offered a great deal more in the way of positive response to the use of IT techniques than in the form of negative criticism. Most of the negative criticism has been by students who felt they were being “inconvenienced” by the use of the IT techniques. This was probably a correct assessment in that the use of IT techniques does require more creativity and hard work on the part of the student than the normative lecture environment (DRONE-DRONE- DRONE). Several of the authors previous works as listed in the references, address the issues of student workload, expectations, performance, etc., and suggest some professorial preparation techniques that might be helpful in implementing the IT technique and addressing student concerns (“no surprises rule”, etc.).(18)(25) SUMMARY The purpose of this article has been to contrast creativity and conformity in the teaching environment. The background of the problem of non-creative, non- dynamic teaching has been examined in the SOCIALIZATION section of the article. The formulation, development, and implementation of experimentation and experientialism (E&E) as creative techniques for enhancing (a) LEARNING and (b) EMOTIVISM have been discussed. Improvisatory Theatre (IT) as an example of an E&E technique that has been successfully utilized by Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 16, 1989 55 the authors have been discussed. Through the use of the authors professional teaching experience as reported in the references (1-31), documentation has been offered to support the article's contention. We need to move away from conformist approaches in the teaching environment and move toward more creative approaches such as the use of E&E in teaching in order to enrich both the student and professorial experiences. REFERENCES 1. Gomolka, Eugene, “Perceptions of Motivation Theorists”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1982, Sanders and Veiga, editors, p. 14. 2. “New Approaches to Qualitative and Quantitative Organizational Research", Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1983, Vrendenburg and Schuler, editors, p. 83. 3. _______ “Performance Appraisal: An Exercise in Rating Other Class Members", Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1983, Vrendenburg and Schuler, editors, p. 156. 4. _______ “Individual vs. Group Grade: An Exercise in Decision-making”, ABSEL Proceedings, Volume 11, 1984, Currie and Gentry, editors, pp. 128-132. 5. _______ “Problem Solving: An Exercise on Learning, Coaching, and Operant Conditioning”, ABSEL Proceedings, Volume 11, 1984, Currie and Gentry, editors, pp. 202-205. 6. _______“Satisfaction, Expertise, and Participation as Individual Explanatory Variables in Experiential Exercises”, Proceedings of the Southern Management Association, 1984, D.F. Ray, editor, pp. 416-418. 7. _______ “Applying the Experiential Methodology to Quantitative Management Courses”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1985, Vernon-Wortzel and Dexter, editors, p. 30. 8. _______ “Images of Effectiveness: A Classroom Exercise”, ABSEL Proceedings, Volume 13, 1986, Burns and Kelley, editors, pp. 138-139. 9. _______”A Multiple-Stage Exercise for an Experiential Organizational Behavior Course Which Uses Student Papers as the First Step", Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1986, Gueutal and Kavanagh, editors, p. 190. 10. _______ “Management Science and Computer- Based Applications to Business Policy and Strategy Simulations”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1986, Gueutal and Kavanagh, editors, pp. 262-263. 11. _______ “To Be Continued - A Multiple-Stage Exercise for an Experiential Organizational Behavior Course Application”, Proceedings of the Southern Management Association, 1986, D.F. Ray, editor, pp. 120-122. 12. _______ “Current Development in Experiential Learning”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1987, Beutell and Lenn, editors, p. 264. 13. _______ “Towards the Generation of Individual- Specific Information, Decision-Support, and Expert Systems”, Proceedings of the Southern Management Association, 1987, D.F. Ray, editor, pp. 286-288. 14. Gomolka, Eugene and Marchione, A.R., “Teaching Management and O.B. to the Adult Learner”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1981, Kilmann and Jelinek, editors, pp. 174-176. 15. Gomolka, Eugene and Ward, William A., “Perspectives on a Management Choice: Motivating vs. Controlling”, HRMOB Western Regional Conference, 1985, proceedings publication unknown. 16. _______“Reconsidering a Management Choice: Motivating vs. Controlling”, Southeast Decision Sciences Institute Proceedings, 1987, R.J. Fox, editor, pp. 289-291. 17. _______ “Conflict with the Boss: Analysis and Examples”, HRMOB National Proceedings, 1987, H. Copur, editor, pp. 272-275. 18. _______ “A Review of Current Development in Experiential Learning", ABSEL Proceedings, Volume 15, 1988, Sanders and Pray, editors, pp. 235-238. 19. Gomolka, Eugene; Ward, William A. and Mackin, Joanne, “An Innovative Educational Application; Quantitative Management Courses and the Experiential Methodology”, National Proceedings of the Decision Sciences Institute, 1986, S. Lee et al, editors, pp. 368-370. 20. Thurman, James B. and Ward, William A., “Strategic Management Decision Making Researched via Simulation Gaming”, ABSEL Proceedings, Volume 11, 1984, Currie and Gentry, editors, pp. 166-169. Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 16, 1989 56 21. Ward, William A., “OD as an Experimental, Experiential Exercise”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1981, Kilmann and Jelinek, editors, p. 175. 22. _______ “A Toxicology of Ologies or if You are Sick of Ologies - Try the Participant Observer Method for Research”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1983, Vrendenburg and Schuler, editors, p. 83. 23. _______ “Are Simulation Games Effective Teaching Aids?” Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1986, Gueutal and Kavanagh, editors, p. 261. 24. _______ “An Approach for Teaching Business Policy to MBA Students”, Proceedings of the Eastern Academy of Management, 1987, Beutell and Lenn, editors, p. 264. 25. Ward, William A. and Gomolka, Eugene, “The Reinforcement of Adult Learner Performance Through the Use of Creative Interactions”, Academy of Management Proceedings, 1982, K.H. 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Table of Contents Volume 16, 1989 Quality Control Circles (QC™s): Towards a Computerized Simulation The Canadian Hospital Executive Simulation System (CHESS) The Impact of Using Group Performance Evaluation as an Experiential Exercise The Impact of Leader and Team Member Characteristics Upon Simulation Performance: A Start-Up Study Planning for Career Success: Is Where you are Going Where you Really Want to Be? The Production Frontier: Modeling Production in the Computerized business Simulation A Study of the Need for Valid Business Game Algorithms Modeling the Human Component of Business Simulations A Stimulating Simulation in International Business Business Ethics, Experiential Exercises and Simulation Games Collective Bargaining Simulation: Adding Reality Through Point Scoring The Use of Experiential Teaching Techniques: Creativity vs. Conformity Visualization and Guided Imagery in the Organization Behavior Class: An Experiential Exploratory Approach Arranging an Agenda: An Activity on Running Better Meetings Harried Harry: An Experiential Capstone for Students of Organizational Behavior Coping with Stress: An Experiential Exercise Fairness in the Classroom: An Empirical Extension of the Notion of Organizational Justice A Study of the Relationship Between Student Final Exam Performance and Simulation Game Participation Competency Based Development: A Management Development Exercise Simulation Performance Revisited: The Fit Between Instructor Style and Learning Style An Evaluation and Application of an Instrument for Measuring Pedagogical Effectiveness A Knowledge Based System to Support Reasoning by Analogy for Business Simulation Gaming using Forecasting Accuracy as a Measure of Success in Business Simulations The Development of Algorithmic Functional Business Games Strategy Design, Process and Implementation in an Unstable/Complex Environment: A Second Exploratory Study Simulation Integration Contrasts Between MBAs and Undergraduates in the Capstone Policy Course An Investigation of the Real World Usefulness of a Strategy and Policy Course Using a Business Simulation Framework Duel (sic) Views of Internships, as Experiential Learning The Impact of Decision Support Systems on the Effectiveness of Small Group Decisions - An Exploratory Study An Investigation of the Relationship Between Formal Planning and Simulation Team Performance Under Changing Environmental conditions Sensitivity Analysis with the Complete IFPS/Personal Student Analysis Package: A marketing Decision Support System A New Approach to Teaching Salesmanship using Persona, Microskills, and a Sales Process A Rational Case for Synthetic Experience as a Prime Ingredient in the Marketing Curriculum SalesHire: A Microcomputer-Based Salesperson Selection Exercise TRANSECON: An Interactive Program for Learning Transportation Economics Hypercard as a Construction Tool for Short Instructional Exercises A Game to Introduce Accounting Information Systems Students to Certain Internal Control Concepts "Commitments" - A Demonstration Proposal An Analysis of Popular Games as Experiential Models for Corporate and Collegiate Management Education An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Strategic Emphasis in Management Games on Attitudes, Interest, and learning in the Business Policy Course Predicting Individual Decision Making Performance in a Business Simulation: An Empirical Study Strategic Planning And Organizational Performance In A Business Simulation: An Empirical Study, PAM (Planning Action Management) Simulation of a District Sales Territory Lifelong Learning and ABSEL: An Inquiry on Definitions and Relationships A Review of Salient Trends in Proceedings: A Fifteen year (1974 - 1988) Review of ABSEL Contributorship