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PART ONE
A. THE EXPERIENCE-BASED TRAINING CYCLE
Background 1.
In the nineteen sixties and seventies, methods of participants-centered methods were created. Experiential learning as a concept and term has been developed in the early eighties of the
twentieths century, mainly by the scientists Mezirow, Freire, Kolb and Gregorc. They assumed that learning took place by processing experience, particularly by critically
reflecting on experience.
This concept is based on the assumption that learning takes place when a person acting on hisher own responsibility implements his knowledge, capabilities, attitudes and socio-
communicative competencies in a determined situation and afterwards reflects on this.
Experiential Learning Cycle 2.
Based on this assumption the experiential learning cycle has been developed on which the simulation exercises are based upon. The trainer presents problems as if they were “real
experiences”, thus leaving space for individual solution approaches on the participants’ side. This does justice to an adults need to be able to develop herhis own ideas independently.
In this way, learning can come from the persons own direct experience. It also allows for learning from the experience of other participants and to learn with the assistance of the
trainer, who can broaden the participants horizons by controlling and guiding the evaluation process. In this way, it integrates a broad spectrum of experience. By having to take on other
roles and reflecting on them afterwards, the participants get to know different perspectives.
How does the learning take place? There are five steps:
2.1 Action Experience
In the phase action experience participants live a simulated situation which is typical for business people from small and medium-sized enterprises. It is the duty of the trainer to
separate and delimit the situation. He then gives instructions constituting the basic framework within which the participants can act. Depending on the intention, these instructions can be
either extensive and complete or sparse and even imprecise and incomplete. With these
instructions you as a trainer are creating a ‘world’ in which the participants can act during this phase. At the same time, the phase simulates the scenario of incomplete information in
the real world of the business person: people in business have to act on the basis of incomplete information and responsible for actively searching for further information.
Action experience
Publishing
Processing Generalization
Application
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The action phase can be of varying lengths and divided into several rounds. The participants receive clear instructions on how much of the time they have for planning and execution and,
for example, for production or buying or selling goods. Checking that these instructions are followed is a task you as a trainer should carry out consistently. In real life, the market does
not make any allowances for a company which, for some reason cannot supply the contractually agreed quantity at the agreed time. Nevertheless, you may change time
stipulations in individual cases. Then you have to announce this in good time for everyone, though, without hindering the groups which you are running.
In the action phase, the participants can act freely within the framework of the conditions stipulated. This phase serves the development of individual planning, execution and control
tools. When there are situations which also have to be dealt with in groups, there are further co-ordination processes, conflict-solving situations etc.
2.2 Publishing
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