Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008 - (Page 21)

W alk into any arcade in the 1980’s and you’d see a room full of kids, all knowing that failure was inevitable. These games were an endless loop of increasingly difficult levels, yet kids and adults would line up to play. Knowing they’d lose, they’d put a row of quarters up on the screen to show they were in it for the long haul. If you asked any of them if they wanted to lose, they would say, “No.” Yet they continued to spend time and money. They were motivated by the challenge, driven by an inner desire to win. They knew that one of the keys to winning was to make mistakes, observe the consequences and develop strategies to avoid those consequences the next time. Most of our behavior is derived from what we learn. One of the many ways in which we learn is to make mistakes. When we feel the pain of failure, we internalize the lesson better than through abstract examples. Children only touch the hot stove once, even after their parents yelled “hot!” repeatedly. Just as those arcade players learned through trial and error, your learners can benefit from experiencing the serious consequences of their decisions. Yet many instructional designers live in fear of failure, citing concerns that modeling failure in a learning environment demotivates learners. Designers of immersive learning simulations often embrace failure, presenting it to learners as the ultimate challenge. Used inappropriately, failure scenarios can do more damage than good. Used appropriately, modeling failure can ensure an effective and motivating design. What follows is a list of strategies that have been implemented by experienced simulation designers to leverage the power of failure in their designs. Play Nice Take the perspective that you are challenging your learners rather than trying to make them fail. Learners are hooked by that challenge and rewarded when they see that trying again can teach them to do their job better. When this happens, learners are motivated to study materials and practice skills that will help them succeed the next time through. They have embraced the relevance of the subject matter and are motivated to repeat the exercise and “win.” Example: At the end of each round of a competitive market- ing simulation, learners were presented with a report that showed what market share their product captured. Learners with the lowest market share were motivated to study the competition and market drivers. In the next round, they would make decisions with the specific intention to increase market share. Use Goal-Based Scenarios Present your learners with an accurate description of the challenges in the simulation. Explain to them that this is a simulation of real life, so there is a potential for failure. Make sure you take time at each failure point to reinforce what the challenges were and how they reflect the challenges in the real world. Example: In a branching storyline consultative selling simulation, begin by outlining the challenge. “In this simulation, you will be working with a new client. The client has a total budget of $1 million. You may earn it all, you may earn none.” Add Realism Many learners will react to failure scenarios by questioning the realism of the simulation rather than investigating the behaviors they could exhibit to avoid the problem. Approach these objections carefully and honestly. It is beneficial to explain that failure scenarios are based on research and real-world situations. Present learners with descriptions of these real-world examples. Provide access to research through a resource center to support the validity of the scenario. Example: At the end of a simulated court case, learners may be presented with ratings of the witnesses they chose along with testimonials from real jurors on what they believe makes a credible witness. Establish Causality At each failure point, learners must be told two things: First, that they did not achieve the best results in the simulation. Second, what caused them to fail. To enhance the replayability of your simulation, use a technique often employed in game design: Avoid telling them the right answers. Give them clues to plant the seed for learners to try again. Forcing learners to analyze the situation and their own behavior helps them internalize the scenario and relate it back to the real world. 21 Training Industry Quarterly, Summer 2008 / A Training Industry, Inc. ezine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008 At the Editor’s Desk Contents Ezine Email Winning Organizations Through People Before You Buy… Learning Technologies Games & Simulations: Playing to Learn Designing Learning Simulations: Strategies for Leveraging Failure Business Impact 101: The Value of Learning Strategic Alignment: Transforming the Business of Training Meet David DeFilippo Meet Krys Moskal Meet Vince Eugenio Dealing with Death: Learning’s Most Sensitive Lessons Closing Arguments

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008

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