Relevance of Instructional Simulations to Adult Learning
“Adults learn best by doing.”Doing" involves taking responsibility for one's actions, receiving feedback, and having an opportunity to improve through time. Simulations support learning in a non-threatening but competitive environment of the kind that are faced every day.” (Blocher, n.d.)
Malcolm Knowles has completed a vast amount of research in the field of adult education and has provided a theory that details items that are related to the motivation of adult learners. Instructional simulations as an instructional strategy fit well with these items as defined by Knowles.
Malcolm Knowles has completed a vast amount of research in the field of adult education and has provided a theory that details items that are related to the motivation of adult learners. Instructional simulations as an instructional strategy fit well with these items as defined by Knowles.
- Adults need to know why they are learning something. Well laid out simulations will address this need at the beginning of the simulation as well as help the adult learner to see the real-world application of the skill.
- Adults have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Simulations can help to expand on existing knowledge and experience and offer an opportunity for learners to “jump in” where they are comfortable.
- Adults need to be involved in their learning. Simulations allow adult learners to help shape the direction of the simulation and therefore their learning.
- Adults want to learn things that have immediate relevance to their work and life. Simulations provide a safe and constructive environment for the learner to practice skills and tasks as if they were performing them in the real-world. This helps to make the transition from the classroom to the real-world seamless for the learner.
- Adult learning is most effective when it is problem-centered. Simulations are just that – centered around a problem for the adult learner to resolve.
Transfer of Learning
"That almost magical link between classroom performance and something which is supposed to happen in the real world." (J.M. Swinney)
Transfer of training is effectively and continuously applying the knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that were learned in a classroom to the job environment. Closely related to this is transfer of learning which is the application of skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes that were learned in one situation to another learning situation. (Perkins, 1992) This increases the speed of learning. Since instructional simulations provide a real-world environment to practice with they increase the level of learning and training that a student can transfer.
"That almost magical link between classroom performance and something which is supposed to happen in the real world." (J.M. Swinney)
Transfer of training is effectively and continuously applying the knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that were learned in a classroom to the job environment. Closely related to this is transfer of learning which is the application of skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes that were learned in one situation to another learning situation. (Perkins, 1992) This increases the speed of learning. Since instructional simulations provide a real-world environment to practice with they increase the level of learning and training that a student can transfer.