THE MISSING INGREDIENTS IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 THE MISSING INGREDIENTS IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Erwin Rausch, Didactic Systems PURPOSE This workshop is intended to: - Emphasize the need for inclusion of ALL the steps for a fully effective learning experience, when designing an experiential workshop for classroom use, even if the classroom is a step in a work-based learning program. - Highlight those steps that are often neglected or even ignored in the design of a complete learning experience. - Provide for exploration of the form that these steps might take, in various topic areas. - Provide an opportunity for practical application of the design process. RATIONALE For many years it has been an implicit assumption that a complete learning experience includes the following five steps: - Acquisition of new knowledge - Demonstration of how that knowledge can be applied - Application in a real or simulated environment - Debriefing (post application reflection and analysis) - Correction of misconceptions (possibly with a repeat of some or all of the preceding four steps) The increasing complexity of learning for the post- industrial era, with its imperative for continuing learning, has heightened awareness of the need to create foundations (possibly neural receptors) which can help absorb and integrate new knowledge for better understanding and greater retention, prior to application. At the same time, there has been a spectacular increase in learning techniques intended to create bridges between theories and their application. Where there were originally only case studies, then simulations, games, and role plays, there are now a number of comprehensive programs under various names such as Action Learning, Project-Based or Problem-Based Learning, and Work-Based Learning. Many of these new approaches, and even many simulations and role plays, fail to develop adequate foundation for the application of valid theories and concepts. They therefore do not prepare the learner as effectively for coping with the complexities and ambiguities of the 'real' world, as is possible. There is increasing need, beyond strengthening the demonstration and debriefing steps, for better foundations: - to help absorb and integrate complex new knowledge - to increase understanding, retention, and application Such an enhanced foundation can be provided in: - case studies - simulations, games, and role plays and also in - Action Learning - Project-Based or Problem-Based Learning - Work-Based Learning The enhanced foundation can be provided: 1. Prior to application, by bridges between theories or concepts, and their application 2. During virtual and even during actual application, with reminders of the concepts to be applied. ONE PROMISING APPROACH In addition to strengthening the demonstration and debriefing steps, the following should be provided: 1. Prior to actual or virtual application, opportunities for multiple loops of:: - reflection with preliminary analysis (whenever possible with a tentative relevant conceptual model and/or initial basic, self-developed, questions to remind of issues to consider), and - validation of the model and/or reminder questions, as much as possible with the aid of relevant theories and concepts from the literature - preliminary, tentative, mental application 2. During application: 130 Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 - reminders of either the model or the questions Many issues may be involved in reflection, analysis, model/guideline development and preliminary mental application. Still, sharply honed appropriate thought habits can help learners gain full mastery of the process that will, later on, be very helpful in making decisions and developing plans almost as quickly as they would do without these steps. First across the gulf we cast Kite born threads, till lines are passed And habit builds the bridge, at last. John B. O'Reilly, A Builder's Lesson EXAMPLE - SALES PRESENTATION An example can illustrate the process. A model of a complete sales presentation that can be used, or modified by the user, for reflection prior to application consists of: 1. Steps in the presentation 2. Concepts/skills to apply during the presentation Steps - Opener - Probing for customer needs - Providing product/service explanation with emphasis on customer needs - Determining objections - Responding to objections, with emphasis on customer needs - Recommending action - Obtaining commitment Concepts/Skills - Active listening - Eye contact - Probing - Empathy - Analyzing customer statements The model, (concepts and steps) should be reviewed when planning any specific presentation. They should also serve as reminders during the presentation, possibly in abbreviated form or in summary form. An abbreviated reminder model for use during a presentation (appropriate for the needs of a specific representative) might consist of: - explanation based on needs - responding to objections, with emphasis on needs - listening - eye contact If such a model is modified by the learners, based on what has previously been presented, prior to practical application, after some demonstration, it satisfies the need for reflection, possibly with a tentative, relevant conceptual model and/or initial basic, self-developed, questions to remind of issues to consider). At the same time there is an opportunity for validation of the model and/or reminder questions, as much as possible with the aid of relevant theories and concepts from the literature, if theories are relevant. Learners can be provided at this stage, with a specific situation, and prior to role-play application, asked to develop a preliminary, tentative, mental presentation (possibly with written notes) Then, during application, it could be possible to provide reminders of either the model or the questions. One technique that has been used is to have one member of the learning team hold a card with reminders in large letters (such as the abbreviated reminder model described above), for the learner in the role play to see. The learner holding the card, or another one can then point to specific words to remind of steps or concepts which the role player is neglecting. In the workshop, there are two activities, the first one prior to explanation of a management/leadership model, and a second one after that explanation. Instruction for the first activity are given below. ACTIVITY 1 - APPLYING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENT STEPS As a team, decide on the enhancement steps for a simple learning experience, and develop: 131 Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 26, 1999 1. The tentative relevant conceptual model and/or initial basic, questions which a learner might develop (to remind of issues to consider), that would be appropriate for reflection, and validation PRIOR to practical application 2. A short list of reminders to keep in mind during application which would help to ensure that all the concepts and steps that are needed for thoroughly competent application are indeed applied. An initial list of leadership decision considerations* In preparation for the second activity, the issues which effective leaders would consider are provided. 1. Goals for the organization or organizational unit: - vision - direction - priorities - understanding of accountability 2. Appropriate participation - who, when and how. 3. Communications with stakeholders, individually and in groups 4. Coordination and cooperation - policies and procedures - anticipating, preventing, and managing potentially damaging conflict 5. Competence of all stakeholders - selection - competence development - use of competence strengths 6. Rewards - intangible - tangible - for spectacular contributions of employees - for non-spectacular contributions of employees - for other stakeholders *This list is based on Rausch, Erwin and Washbush, John B., 1998, High Quality Leadership: Practical Guidelines to Becoming a More Effective Manager. ASQ Quality Press, Milwaukee, WI Instructions for the second activity, which followed the explanation of leadership issues are given below. ACTIVITY 2 - DESIGNING A COMPLETE LEARNING EXPERIENCE As a team, develop a complete learning experience, as far as possible within this workshop, either for the management/ leadership decision considerations as given above or as modified by the team, or for a topic of the team's choice (the topic from Activity 1 may be appropriate). Include what should be covered in each of the following steps: - Acquisition of new knowledge - Demonstration of how that knowledge can be applied - The tentative relevant conceptual model and/or initial basic questions which learners should develop to remind them of issues to consider (that would be appropriate for reflection, and validation PRIOR to practical application) - The short list of reminders to keep in mind during application which would help to ensure that all the concepts and steps that are needed for thoroughly competent application are indeed applied - Appropriate application in a real or simulated environment The next steps cannot be planned since they depend on what happens during the application steps. However, some thought could be given to what should be stressed during: - Debriefing (post application reflection and analysis) - Correction of misconceptions (possibly with a repeat of some or all of the preceding four steps) CONCLUSIONS Expanding the definition of a complete learning experience by ensuring that learners develop adequate conceptual foundation prior to actual or virtual application of new learning, and reminders during initial practical application can significantly enhance the transfer of learning to its intended use. This is especially important in Action Learning, Project-Based or Problem-Based Learning, and Work-Based Learning, where learners are often thrust directly into application, sometimes even with little more than a review of theories, often without any bridges to their application in practical use. 132 Table of Contents Volume 26, 1999 ABSEL's Historical Research Interests Back From the Future: An ABSEL Merlin Exercise for the Year 2005 The Contributions of ABSEL During the 1980's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential Exercises in the 90's ABSEL's Contributions to Experiential learning/Experiential Exercises: The Decade of the 1970's Business Simulations - Algorithms and Model Enhancements: A 25 year Review A Study of the ETS General Field Test as an AACSB Assessment Tool and the Impact of Experiential Exercises and Simulation on Learning A Framework for Assessing the Competencies Reflected in Simulation Performance Developing A Learning Culture: Assessing Changes in Student Performance and Perception Financial Simulation Using Distributed Computing Technology Analyzing Managers' Judgements and Decisions with an Educational Business Simulation Understanding Your Business through Home-Made Simulator Development An Examination of a Reanalysis of the Impact of a Market Leader on Simulation Competitors' Strategies Applying Shocks to TE Simulations: A Demonstration Increasing Efficiency of Management Skill Assessment A Testbank for Measuring Total Enterprise Simulation Learning Developing Leadership Skills - Video Live! LEADSIMM: Collaborative Leadership Development for the Knowledge Society A Team Approach to Producing Multi-Media Laptop and Video Formatted Presentation Tinkertoys Revisited: Exploring Trust Based Relationships Overall Dominance in Total Enterprise Simulation Performance Success or Bankruptcy: The Relationship between Personal and Goal Orientation and Simulation Performance Assessing the Effects of Feedback: Muti-method and Muti-directions in Multi-pedagogical Courses The Missing Ingredients in Experiential Learning Purpose and Learning Benefits of Business Simulations: A Design and Development Perspective Building Capabilities for Change through Laboratory Simulations Modeling Innovation as a Process of Design in Educational Business Simulation The Need to Measurer variance in Experiential Learning and a New Statistic to do so Assessing Effectiveness of an Experiential Oriented Course Over Time Developing Participant Satisfaction Models of Experiential Exercises in Business Education Perceptions of Learning in TE Simulations Students' View on the Use of Business Gaming in Hong Kong Management Gaming's Lost Opportunity: Meditations about the Russian Experience and Prospects for the Future Unanticipated Enhancements in the Business Strategy and Policy Game when Running in Windows 95 Using a Business Game to Demonstrate Broad Business Concepts A New Model for Business Courses (Getting the Student Connected) Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Integrating Knowledge Using Large Scale Simulations in Capstone Business Strategy Classes Is It Here To Stay? A Roundtable Discussion of the Inter-Group Interaction Interactive Tools Used in Applying Financial Concepts Strengthening Essential Skills through a Finance Exercise: Calculation of Beta A Model of Currency Exchange Rates Understanding Currency Exchange Rates: A three-part Exercise Student Experiences in the World Intercollegiate Business Game Competition Student Experiences in the International-Collegiate Business Policy Game Competition Using Boards of Directors in Simulation Environments: Comments From Board Members Sharing Best Practices: Teaching Smarter, Not Harder Star Power: A Simulation for Understanding Power and Empowerment The Marketing Game: A Marketing Principles Simulation Alexander Islands: GSSM Tiny Business Simulator on the WWW Putting Strategy into Strategic Business Games Industry Analysis, Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Group Maps in the Business Strategy Game Simulation The Use of Concept Mapping to Improve Student Performance and Understanding of Strategic Management Concepts: A Comparison of Techniques Transformational thinking in the Organizational Behavior Course: The Use of Metaphor as an Assessment Tool Creation of a Virtual Learning Community for the Global Virtual Enterprise Project Inter Institutional use of Educational Resources: Joint Use of Management Simulation Games Business Insights: Theory and Practice with the Aid of a Business Simulation Progress: An Experiential Exercise in Development Marketing The ABC's of teaching the Theory of Constraints to Undergraduate Business Students Demonstrating Principles of Organizational Purchasing Behavior through an Experiential Exercise The Virtual Manager: A Different Simulation for Managing Complexity When the Rules are changing and Chaos Breeds Innovation: Recapturing the Value of Constructive Thinking and Play in Simulation Training The Pitfalls, and Potential, of Actual Events as Problem Drivers Using Business Games to teach Environmental Awareness and Green Management: The International Experience with the ENSIM Game A Review of my ABSEL-Related Work Simulation of Government: A Workshop Using GEO Creating Internet-Based Games Using Perl and JavaScript Who's on First? Exploring the Concepts of Problem-Based Learning, Experiential Learning, and Lifelong Learning Students Learn Customer Service and Selling while Conducting Research So You Want to Run an NFL Football Team–An Honors Interdisciplinary Project Supervised Internship: The Employer's Perspective Using Computer Assisted Simulation to Teach International Business Strategy: A Case of the Multinational Management Game (MMG) Multi-Cultural Experiential Learning: A Computer Simulation in China An Appreciative Stance on Diversity as We Move into the 21st Century: A Timeline Exercise to Identify Key Experiences in Good Work Relationships between Black and White Peers A Day in the Life of an Interactive, Real Time, and Internet Delivered Course: A Demonstration Comparing Internet Search Engines: An Experiential Learning Exercise Total Enterprise Simulations and the Internet: Assessing Student Perceptions and Preferences Teaching Accounting Information Systems in a Practicum Format Providing Experiential Learning in Accounting through a Field Study Payroll Project A Spreadsheet Based Business Simulation Game Computer-Behavioral Simulations Training for Project Managers Simulation Scenarios - Rationale and Illustration