The document discusses experiential, problem-based, and simulation approaches to instruction and their key principles and theorists, including how they differ from traditional approaches through authentic experiences, problem-solving, and interactive models, and the roles of adult facilitators in framing experiences and guiding reflection.

1. Experiential, problem-based
and simulated learning :
The role(s) of adult facilitators
Philip Viana
4F32 Facilitating Adult Learning
Session 6

2. Experiential Approach / Problem-Based / Simulation Approach to
Instruction
AGENDA
AND
OVERVIEW – Methods and principles
– Examine the theorists
– Applications
– Drawbacks
– See examples of these approaches

3. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
How is this approach different?
Learner’s experiences are part of learning goals
Real World feedback
Social Constructivist approach

4. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
UNIVERSAL METHOD AND PRINCIPLES
Framing the Activate Reflect on the
Experience Experience Experience
• Objectives/goals • Authenticity • Reflect on
• Assessment • Work with learner challenging
methods to create authentic assumptions
• Establish a outcomes • Build community
Community • Create a Problem • Help Students
• Expected behaviour • Use optimal • Understand
of participants difficulty • Assessment of
goals
• Application of
results

5. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
John Dewey
“child learns how to fly a kite not because
external facts are conveyed to his brain, but
because of the direct experience of flying the
kite”
… a cycle of
Primary experience
Flying the kite
And secondary experience
How people process the
primary experience

6. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
John Dewey
“Experience and education cannot be directly equated, because
in fact some experiences are “miseducative” in that they arrest or
distort the growth of future experience (Dewey, 1938)"
What is your interpretation of this
statement?

7. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
Jean Piaget
… assimilation and accommodation is at
work in humans as they interact with
their world
impacts experiential learning
• Complexity
• Problem-orientation
• Self-directedness

8. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
David Kolb
Cyclical model of the experiential process
Four stages:
1. Concrete experience
2. Reflective observation
3. Abstract conceptualization
4. Active experimentation

9. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
DRAWBACKS
“…Many people have learned to probe the underlying meaning of
their experiences, but such cognitive ability is not characteristic of
all learners”
David Kolb (1984)

10. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
DRAWBACKS
“not all experience leads to the growth of ever-widening and deeper
experiences”
“… even for those experiences that offer the potential to be good
learning opportunities, the individual’s interpretation of the experience
may be misguided.“
Merriam (1994)

11. Soldiers hold live-fire exercise in Gagetown
REAL WORLD
EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING
http://goo.gl/cE9ks

12. Soldiers hold live-fire exercise in Gagetown
REAL WORLD
EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING
“Learning is promoted when learners activate
relevant cognitive structures by being
directed to recall, relate, describe, or
demonstrate relevant prior knowledge or
experience“
Merrill (1984)

13. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION

14. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
How is this approach different?
• facilitated problem solving
• organized around a complex problem
• does not have a single correct answer

15. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
Universal Principles or Methods for PBI
1. Select an authentic problem
2. Fit within the discipline but encourage cross-discipline thinking
3. Tutors role is to support student’s metacognitive processing and
problem solving skills
4. Authentic assessment practices to validate the learning goals
5. Consistent and thorough debriefing activities to consolidate key
concepts

16. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
Howard Barrows
One of the innovators of PBI in medical education
…suggested that the conventional
methods of teaching probably inhibit,
if not destroy, any clinical reasoning …
And that students had forgotten their
freshman [course content] by the time
they reached their clinical course as
juniors…. [This] led to my design of a
method stressing development of the
clinical reasoning or problem-solving
process.

17. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
TYPICAL PROCESS
THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THE PROBLEM
GENERATE IDEAS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
DETERMINE WHAT THEY CURRENTLY KNOW AND DO NOT KNOW
ESTABLISH LEARNING GOALS
ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DEVELOP A VIABLE SOLUTION
REFLECT ON THE PROBLEM UTILIZING THE NEW INFORMATION
REFLECT ON THEIR PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS

18. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
DIFFERENCE FROM A CASE STUDY?
• With most case studies there
is one right answer (and
some close answers)
• The learning task for the
student is to pick up on all
the clues that are important
(and avoid the red herrings)

19. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
PROBLEM SHOULD BE …
1. Grounded in by the curriculum
2. Engaging
3. Relevant
4. Using same knowledge, skills, and attitudes as a real-world
5. Challenging enough to require contributions from all learners
6. Misleading and loose framework
7. Prepared to offer learners supplies and content to start the
activity

20. PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
POSSIBLE HURDLES
• Lack of Prior Experience with PBI
• Large Class Sizes
• Commitment of the instructor and the
organization
• Commitment to the complete PBI process
• Shift of teachers’ pedagogical beliefs

21. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION

22. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
How is this approach different?
• Dynamic models of physical or conceptual systems…
• Engaging interactions with effecting state changes to models
• Nonlinear logic
• One or more designed augmenting instructional functions…
• One or more instructional goals.

23. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
INSTRUCTIONAL SIMULATIONS AND MICROWORLDS
Simulations and Microworlds include:
1. Self-directed learning
2. Complex tasks
3. Testing of knowledge base and skills
4. Multiple judgement decision
5. Changing circumstances
6. Adaptive
7. Coaching and feedback available

24. FIRST
INTERACTION
WITH THIS TYPE
OF LEARNING …
AREOBIZ / SNES (1992)

25. SPANS MANY
FIELDS OF
STUDY…
IN THE FIRST DEGREE / PC
(1993)

26. EARLY
MEDICAL
SIMULATION
EXPERIENCES
…

27. Video
http://goo.gl/r1Z2a

28. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
MICROWORLDS
Includes:
1. Set of primitive model-building elements joined to
illustrate cause–effect model relationships
2. Tools in virtual plane may be provided by the
designer to support learning activities.
3. Construction elements is often themed
4. Ability to build a narrative through character models

29. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
MICROWORLDS
Includes:
1. Nonlinear interactions in constructing models and
carrying out interactions within a specific range
2. Actions are constrained by operational commands
created by designer.
3. Guided Exploration

30. MICROWORLD
EXAMPLE
Alice 3.x © 2008-2013,
Carnegie Mellon University

31. SIMULATION APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
MICROWORLDS
Elements that are needed in a Microworld:
• Content function : MODEL CONTENT
• Strategy function: INSTRUCTIONS
• Control function: USER CONTROLS
• Messaging function: COMMUNICATION
• Representation function: ELEMENTS
• Media-logic function: EXECUTE REPRESENTATIONS
AND COMPUTATIONS
• Data management function: MANAGE DATA RESULTING
FROM INTERACTIONS
• Fidelity