CAC: Performance Development Group-Phil Charron

Phil showed a simulation, which you can view here. while talking about the development process and how it was designed to give specific feedback based on learner interactions with the simulation and how the simulation dealt with “failure.”

He talked about building an environment in which people interact and make decisions while receiving realistic feedback such as a change in the attitude or tone of voice of other characters within the simulation. They are allowed to experience failure.

He talked about failure being a good tool for learning. He said that you should not blindly avoid negative consequences. So the design included the concept of experiencing consquences due to decisions and actions of the learner.

• Challenge learners in a productive manner:
• Make simulations difficult to win
• Improve replayability
• Leverage competition
• Challenge learners constuctionly so they return
• Model relevent aspects of reality
• Highlight the role of failure
• Trust Your Learner

He recommends asking the question, “Would you rather learners fail in a virtual world, or on the job?” And designing learning that challenges the learners and, when you challenge learners, at times they will fail but will learn from that failure.

He also recommended a simulationof an airport screener which is a great simulation.

Check out Phil’s blog Learning Simulations.
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