Scenario-based learning is an instructional design strategy that places learners in situations that mimic real-life work environments.
Does it work?
What makes it effective?
What can your learners gain out of it?
In 2019 I participated in a Train the Trainer programme in which all the participants had to go through a wide set of scenarios to learn how to act and react while facilitating a session.
What if a student uses their phone in class?
What if a student is always late to class?
What if a student disagrees or challenges you?
What if a student misbehaves or is nasty to other students?
What if a student keeps interrupting you?
What if a student is sick in class?
To begin with, it felt like a burden to be asked to act out the scenarios; some of us were shy, all of us were uncomfortable. It was easier to take notes while listening to the facilitator. But as we progressed we felt more confident and better learnt the tactics to apply to a variety of situations.
The facilitator was extremely supportive to get us comfortable, we were given multiple chances, we analysed how different participants dealt with the same situation differently, evaluated what worked and what didn't, and we got immediate feedback.
At the end of the session, this exercise allowed us to make judgments, take decisions and face its consequences in an extremely low-risk environment to get immediate feedback. It was far more effective and engaging than presenting the strategies in a PPT with a monologue.
Much later, we learnt that this session and other similar ones were the most loved and most highly rated in a group of over 25. This was a clear signal of the effectiveness of scenario-based learning.
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