Developing Effective Simulations
Ensuring students are collaborating and not competing is a significant criteria to planning and implementing in-class simulation learning sessions. Often students will become competitive with one another and resist helping each other achieve successfully as a team effort. By engaging all forms -- or as many forms of learning as possible in the activity, students have the opportunity to engage at two levels. They will engage with the group / team to achieve the desired goal; and, students will learn through the reflection of the experience and results of team-play.
Debra,
this is as great observation & one I have witnessed. Sometimes I'll bring this out in the debrief, asking what the goal was for the activity. Many times students will say "to win" & I'll point out that idea was never stated & use that to show how we too often let competition run away with us, even in the work environment.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Often adult learners are insecure about their decision to pursue a new career path. Their behavior in class reflects how they really feel about themselves and their decision. My role as their instructor is to clarify the course objectives, provide the means for students to achieve success and to provide a safe environment for everyone to blossom.
Interestingly in one of my Oral Comm clases I have a couple. They often have a second conversation going on between them. It seems that the guy is often more insecure than the woman. She often wants to go first...I guess to show how well she can perform. I've found that the guy is very shy...and often wants to know who many points he will lose if he skips the exercise.
My future technique with him is to meet with him outside of class to review assignments. Also rather than giving the class the option of practicing speeches before giving them for credit, I am going to make the practice speech mandatory. The guy refuses to take my suggestion of coaching with a practice speech. He's too concerned with the woman's perception of him. (ugh). So...adult learning has all kinds of outside factors to contend with...not least of which is to have the significant other in the same class.
Debra,
great ideas on the use of practice speeches. And so true regarding the various "factors" that come with adult learners.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I can see that the interaction and application of the lesson is embedded in student learning as there is little dependance on the instructor while collaborating and the student experiences real interaction rather than talking about the interaction.
Jenni,
yes, the students need to have a foundation, but the move to application & simulation is vital.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
