Overview of the ABSEL Guide to Experiential Learning and Simulation Learning

Abstract

"Last year at the conference in Hilton Head the ABSEL Board voted to support the creation of the ABSEL Guide to Experiential Learning and Simulation The chapters to be included in the Guide are abstracted on the following pages; the entire chapters will be available from the authors at the Guide sessions at this conference. The primary reason for the incorporation of the chapters into the conference is to provide the authors an opportunity to obtain feedback from the membership as a whole before preparing a final draft. The purposes of the Guide itself are numerous, It is intended to provide instructors with insight as to the variety of approaches available, and as to the problems and benefits associated with them. Several chapters also attempt to provide insight as to future changes in pedagogies stressing experiential learning. Finally, several chapters will discuss the evaluation of various experientially-based pedagogies: the problems to be considered in developing a research design, the results of previous studies, and issues still needing much research. Many of the chapters are extensions of previous ABSEL papers. Besides being intended to provide a very solid research volume which can serve to promote experiential learning and to help prevent more reinvention of the wheel, the Guide is also intended to promote our organization. Much of the work presented at this and at previous ABSEL conferences is at the forefront of the gaming and experiential learning areas. Those without access to our Proceedings are largely unaware of many of these efforts. Hopefully, the Guide will create greater awareness of our organization as well as provide a solid base for further development of the area. "