Scenario Based Learning

Many would love to instantly know
Kung Fu

“I know Kung Fu!”  I love that line from the movie The Matrix.  This is the movie where the protagonist- Neo – gets plugged into a computer and instantly gets knowledge uploaded to his brain.  This for me is a dream come true.  I would love to be “plugged in” and learn all sorts of things.  Then I would have no anxiety about dinner with the in-laws and that “know it all” Uncle Chris.  Chris knows everything about everything and he lets you know that your brain capacity is inferior to his.

However, there is a new fad in eLearning that claims to be accelerated learning.  According to an article by Ruth Clark, scenario based learning is able to accelerate learning.  Sighting research from the University of Pittsburgh and the U.S. Air Force Clark notes: “Imagine accelerating the know-how of two-year electronics technicians to the level of 10-year veterans with just 25 hours of training!” Wow!  No swallowing a red pill involved. 

What is Scenario Based Learning?

Scenario Based Learning (SBL) is a carefully constructed lesson that involves “real world” tasks and problems.  Clark compares Scenario Based Learning to “problem-based learning” or “case based learning”.  From my research, there may be some slight differences, but the concepts are very similar – practicing newly acquired knowledge to solve real life problems.

I went on a brief quest to find out more about SBL.  Here are some basic characteristics that I have found.

1. Scenarios site prerequisite knowledge or the basic heuristics of the subject matter previously learned.
2. Most scenarios had a character involved.
3. It told a story or involve the problem with a story.
4. The learner was given a chance to use the pre-requisite knowledge, and then given feedback about the choices made.

Some of the experts seemed to disagree with the degree of feedback that the learner received.  It is important to note that all do agree that you can over-do the feedback.  According to Ray Jiménez PhD,  you can´t pontificate or give away the answers.  “When was the last time you watched a really good movie, enjoyed it, and at the end, someone came out of the big screen and interpreted the moved for you?”   I agree.  Part of good learning transfer is about being actively engaged in finding the answers.  Making it too easy by giving away the answers would be inappropriate.  Feedback is necessary of course.  Where you draw the line for the feedback is up to you. 

Works Cited

Clark, Ruth. "Accelerating Expertixe With Scenario-Based Learning." Training + Development (2009): 84-85.

Jimenez, Ray Ph.D. Scenario-Based Learning. Los Angeles: Monogatari Press, 2009.