"How-to" Learn-by-Doing Simulation

In a "how-to" learn-by-doing simulation, learners discover how to successfully complete a recommended process. The simulation guides learners through a set of steps, allows them to make mistakes, and provides educational guidance and feedback.

Goals: Learners master a step-by-step procedure by practicing a real-life task.

Description: Learners are given realistic scenarios and a simulated environment, then must work through them. A teaching component provides guidance and feedback, just as a real-life coach would.

Guidance and Feedback: One of the key features of this learning model is its robust teaching elements. Guidance can take various forms, from a simple hint to a series of questions, depending on the complexity of the task being taught. In addition, the feedback learners receive after they take an action can range from a simple interruption to something as complex as a Socratic dialog, which causes learners to reflect more on the actions they chose.

Uses: Best for tasks with a recommended way (or ways) to do things. Examples include: operating software or equipment; performing "script-based" soft skills, such as those found in many customer service jobs.