| Links to... | Why a Simulation? Simulations and active learning techniques offer an invigorating way to practice "social imagination," a hallmark of human social intelligence that allows us to grasp other points of view, explore different ways to respond or behave in a situation and apply information to realistic scenarios. Richard Powers, a psychology professor with extensive experience designing and facilitating simulations, observes that playing a role in a good simulation generates empathy in most players. Consequently, players develop insights about a problem because they see it through the eyes of others. This is especially important in the training of planning students, a field which often needs to reconcile widely varying points of view.Good simulations are slices of life presented in a "safe" environment within a compressed time frame. They create experiential "hooks" upon which to hang cognitive information and encourage multidisciplinary thinking. They also accomplish a number of learning goals, for they: - promote long-term retention;
- demand team work, compromise and negotiation skills;
- expose participants to many points of view;
- help bridge the gap between knowledge and experience.
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