Coaching Training

Debriefing Experiential Learning

As you can see, experiential learning, or participative training, requires that the trainer play the role of facilitator of learning rather than the dispenser of knowledge. The latter model can be thought of as the “sponge” approach: the trainer dispenses knowledge and the participants soak it up. Experiential learning appeals to adults because it is maximally sensitive to their experiences and insights. It also can result in broader application of learning; because trainees develop the learning for themselves, they “own” it.

Some trainers fill their sessions with activities and fail to work through the learning cycle adequately. A rule of thumb is to spend at least as much time debriefing exercises as conducting ...