Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning

Rachel Wlodarsky; Howard Walters; Paula Baughn

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning

Rachel Wlodarsky, Howard Walters, Paula Baughn

Published in International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences (Volume 4, Issue 4)

Received: 9 July 2019 Accepted: 14 August 2019 Published: 29 August 2019

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Abstract

Within the literature, the authors observe a common pattern of learner reaction to simulations. Learners engage in simulated events that is similar to that which would be encountered in the real world. There is a translation, through cognition, of the simulated experience to real-world-learning, in a way that directly situates the learners for reengagement of the real world beyond the simulation. In the current study, the authors have linked these observations to a new set of response data from a study of university professors, in an effort to understand, develop, and support personal and professional development strategies and opportunities for professors across the university. A voluntary sample comprised of 40 professors from two different universities in the Midwest, were asked in a survey to define reflection and discuss cognitive processes that facilitated reflection on their own professional development. A constant comparative procedure, a qualitative coding strategy, was used to examine the data collected and the data were coded for clusters of similar behaviors. This coding was converted to visual representation using concept mapping techniques. A preponderance of participants used the same reflective process to consider, evaluate, describe and structure their professional activities, which began with an experience-an event-of practice and was clearly a precipitating experience linked to a subsequent cognitive processing. For many participants, the event serving as the basis for reflection is not grounded in an historical, real-world or authentic experience; but rather there was a shift to use of simulated or reproduced events that is clear and significant. It seems clear from the authors’ research findings and that of others cited in this paper, that simulations of experience possess the ability to transfer to real-world growth, development, and decision-making and would be preferred for vocational education uses over the reliance on authentic field and clinical experiences. Consideration of simulations as an experiential method for professional growth and development efforts seems, in this analysis, quite more complex an issue when one considers the implications of linguistics and language development to behavioral coding; the uses of cognitive tools to aid learning; and the manner in which language itself shapes, empowers or impedes the embedding of experience into human memory—and activates that memory for professional and personal action. The authors perceive that, while much progress has been made in highlighting these issues and their relationships, much work remains ahead.

Published in	International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences (Volume 4, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
Page(s)	41-49
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Simulated Experiences, Authentic Experiences, Reflection, Cognitive Processing, Learning from Experience, Clinical, Field Experiences

References

[1]	J. Baudrillard, (English translation, 1981). “Simulation and simulacra,” Translated into English by Sheila Faria Glaser (1994). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
[2]	Bearman, M., Greenhill, J., and Nestel, D. (2018) The Power of Simulation: A Large-Scale Narrative Analysis of Learners’ Experiences. Medical Education. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30334299
[3]	W. Benjamin (1934). “Art in an Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Translated into English by Andrew Blunden (1998). UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. www.marxists.org/references.
[4]	Butvilofsky, S., Escamilla, K., Soltero-González, L., and Aragon, L. (2012) Promoting Reflective Teaching Through Simulation in a Study in México Program. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 11 (2), 197-212.
[5]	J. Habermas (2005) “Truth and Justification,” Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
[6]	Kim, M., and Shin, J. (2016) The Pedagogical Benefits of SimCity in Urban Geography Education. Journal of Geography, 115 (2), 39-50.
[7]	King, P. and Kitchener, K. (1994) “Developing Reflective Judgment: Understanding and Promoting Intellectual Growth and Critical Thinking in Adolescents and Adults,” San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
[8]	Lacueva, A. (2014) Theory and Practice in a Science Education Course for Elementary Teachers. Educational Action Research, 22 (2), 196-220.
[9]	Lin, H., and Lin, Y. (2014) Digital Educational Game Value Hierarchy from a Learners’ Perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 1-12.
[10]	J. F. Lyotard (1984) “The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge,” Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota Press.
[11]	Mawdesley, M., Long, G., Al-jibouri, S., and Scott, D. (2011) The Enhancement of Simulation-Based Learning Exercises through Formalized Reflection, Focus Groups and Group Presentation. Computers & Education, 56 (1), 44-52.
[12]	Minnery, J., and Searle, G. (2014) Toying with the City? Using the Computer Game SimCity™4 in Planning Education. Planning Practice & Research, 29 (1) 41-55.
[13]	Monjelat, N., Mendez-Zaballos, L., an Lacasa, P. (2012) Problem Solving Processes and Video Games: The SimCity Creator Case. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 10 (3), 1493-1522.
[14]	Novak, J. D. (1998) “Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps as Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporations,” Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.
[15]	Rector-Aranda, A., Raider-Roth, M., Glaser, N., and Behrman, M. (2017) “I had to live, breathe, and write my character”: Character Selection and Student Engagement in an Online Role-Play Simulation. Journal of Jewish Education, 83, (4), 280–309.
[16]	Schön, D. A. (1983) “The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action,” New York, NY: Basic Books.
[17]	Schön, D. A. (1987) “Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions,” San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[18]	Servey, J. and Wyrick, K. (2018) Teaching Clinical Precepting: A Faculty Development Workshop Using Role-Play. MedEdPORTAL, 14. Retrieved from https://www.mededportal.org/publication/10718/
[19]	Wills, K. V., and Clerkin, T. A. (2009) Incorporating Reflective Practice into Team Simulation Projects for Improved Learning Outcomes. Business Communication Quarterly, 72 (2), 221-227.

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APA Style

Rachel Wlodarsky, Howard Walters, Paula Baughn. (2019). Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 4(4), 41-49. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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ACS Style

Rachel Wlodarsky; Howard Walters; Paula Baughn. Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. Int. J. Psychol. Brain Sci. 2019, 4(4), 41-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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AMA Style

Rachel Wlodarsky, Howard Walters, Paula Baughn. Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. Int J Psychol Brain Sci. 2019;4(4):41-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11,
  author = {Rachel Wlodarsky and Howard Walters and Paula Baughn},
  title = {Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning},
  journal = {International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences},
  volume = {4},
  number = {4},
  pages = {41-49},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  abstract = {Within the literature, the authors observe a common pattern of learner reaction to simulations. Learners engage in simulated events that is similar to that which would be encountered in the real world. There is a translation, through cognition, of the simulated experience to real-world-learning, in a way that directly situates the learners for reengagement of the real world beyond the simulation. In the current study, the authors have linked these observations to a new set of response data from a study of university professors, in an effort to understand, develop, and support personal and professional development strategies and opportunities for professors across the university. A voluntary sample comprised of 40 professors from two different universities in the Midwest, were asked in a survey to define reflection and discuss cognitive processes that facilitated reflection on their own professional development. A constant comparative procedure, a qualitative coding strategy, was used to examine the data collected and the data were coded for clusters of similar behaviors. This coding was converted to visual representation using concept mapping techniques. A preponderance of participants used the same reflective process to consider, evaluate, describe and structure their professional activities, which began with an experience-an event-of practice and was clearly a precipitating experience linked to a subsequent cognitive processing. For many participants, the event serving as the basis for reflection is not grounded in an historical, real-world or authentic experience; but rather there was a shift to use of simulated or reproduced events that is clear and significant. It seems clear from the authors’ research findings and that of others cited in this paper, that simulations of experience possess the ability to transfer to real-world growth, development, and decision-making and would be preferred for vocational education uses over the reliance on authentic field and clinical experiences. Consideration of simulations as an experiential method for professional growth and development efforts seems, in this analysis, quite more complex an issue when one considers the implications of linguistics and language development to behavioral coding; the uses of cognitive tools to aid learning; and the manner in which language itself shapes, empowers or impedes the embedding of experience into human memory—and activates that memory for professional and personal action. The authors perceive that, while much progress has been made in highlighting these issues and their relationships, much work remains ahead.},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning
AU  - Rachel Wlodarsky
AU  - Howard Walters
AU  - Paula Baughn
Y1  - 2019/08/29
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N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
T2  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
JF  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
JO  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
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AB  - Within the literature, the authors observe a common pattern of learner reaction to simulations. Learners engage in simulated events that is similar to that which would be encountered in the real world. There is a translation, through cognition, of the simulated experience to real-world-learning, in a way that directly situates the learners for reengagement of the real world beyond the simulation. In the current study, the authors have linked these observations to a new set of response data from a study of university professors, in an effort to understand, develop, and support personal and professional development strategies and opportunities for professors across the university. A voluntary sample comprised of 40 professors from two different universities in the Midwest, were asked in a survey to define reflection and discuss cognitive processes that facilitated reflection on their own professional development. A constant comparative procedure, a qualitative coding strategy, was used to examine the data collected and the data were coded for clusters of similar behaviors. This coding was converted to visual representation using concept mapping techniques. A preponderance of participants used the same reflective process to consider, evaluate, describe and structure their professional activities, which began with an experience-an event-of practice and was clearly a precipitating experience linked to a subsequent cognitive processing. For many participants, the event serving as the basis for reflection is not grounded in an historical, real-world or authentic experience; but rather there was a shift to use of simulated or reproduced events that is clear and significant. It seems clear from the authors’ research findings and that of others cited in this paper, that simulations of experience possess the ability to transfer to real-world growth, development, and decision-making and would be preferred for vocational education uses over the reliance on authentic field and clinical experiences. Consideration of simulations as an experiential method for professional growth and development efforts seems, in this analysis, quite more complex an issue when one considers the implications of linguistics and language development to behavioral coding; the uses of cognitive tools to aid learning; and the manner in which language itself shapes, empowers or impedes the embedding of experience into human memory—and activates that memory for professional and personal action. The authors perceive that, while much progress has been made in highlighting these issues and their relationships, much work remains ahead.
VL  - 4
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Author Information

Rachel Wlodarsky

College of Education and Human Services, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, USA
Howard Walters

College of Education, Ashland University, Ashland, USA
Paula Baughn

College of Education and Human Services Doctoral Studies, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, USA

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APA Style

Rachel Wlodarsky, Howard Walters, Paula Baughn. (2019). Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 4(4), 41-49. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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ACS Style

Rachel Wlodarsky; Howard Walters; Paula Baughn. Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. Int. J. Psychol. Brain Sci. 2019, 4(4), 41-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

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AMA Style

Rachel Wlodarsky, Howard Walters, Paula Baughn. Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning. Int J Psychol Brain Sci. 2019;4(4):41-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11,
  author = {Rachel Wlodarsky and Howard Walters and Paula Baughn},
  title = {Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning},
  journal = {International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences},
  volume = {4},
  number = {4},
  pages = {41-49},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpbs.20190404.11},
  abstract = {Within the literature, the authors observe a common pattern of learner reaction to simulations. Learners engage in simulated events that is similar to that which would be encountered in the real world. There is a translation, through cognition, of the simulated experience to real-world-learning, in a way that directly situates the learners for reengagement of the real world beyond the simulation. In the current study, the authors have linked these observations to a new set of response data from a study of university professors, in an effort to understand, develop, and support personal and professional development strategies and opportunities for professors across the university. A voluntary sample comprised of 40 professors from two different universities in the Midwest, were asked in a survey to define reflection and discuss cognitive processes that facilitated reflection on their own professional development. A constant comparative procedure, a qualitative coding strategy, was used to examine the data collected and the data were coded for clusters of similar behaviors. This coding was converted to visual representation using concept mapping techniques. A preponderance of participants used the same reflective process to consider, evaluate, describe and structure their professional activities, which began with an experience-an event-of practice and was clearly a precipitating experience linked to a subsequent cognitive processing. For many participants, the event serving as the basis for reflection is not grounded in an historical, real-world or authentic experience; but rather there was a shift to use of simulated or reproduced events that is clear and significant. It seems clear from the authors’ research findings and that of others cited in this paper, that simulations of experience possess the ability to transfer to real-world growth, development, and decision-making and would be preferred for vocational education uses over the reliance on authentic field and clinical experiences. Consideration of simulations as an experiential method for professional growth and development efforts seems, in this analysis, quite more complex an issue when one considers the implications of linguistics and language development to behavioral coding; the uses of cognitive tools to aid learning; and the manner in which language itself shapes, empowers or impedes the embedding of experience into human memory—and activates that memory for professional and personal action. The authors perceive that, while much progress has been made in highlighting these issues and their relationships, much work remains ahead.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Simulated or Reproduced Reality Events as the Basis of Reflective Learning
AU  - Rachel Wlodarsky
AU  - Howard Walters
AU  - Paula Baughn
Y1  - 2019/08/29
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
T2  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
JF  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
JO  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
SP  - 41
EP  - 49
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1573
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20190404.11
AB  - Within the literature, the authors observe a common pattern of learner reaction to simulations. Learners engage in simulated events that is similar to that which would be encountered in the real world. There is a translation, through cognition, of the simulated experience to real-world-learning, in a way that directly situates the learners for reengagement of the real world beyond the simulation. In the current study, the authors have linked these observations to a new set of response data from a study of university professors, in an effort to understand, develop, and support personal and professional development strategies and opportunities for professors across the university. A voluntary sample comprised of 40 professors from two different universities in the Midwest, were asked in a survey to define reflection and discuss cognitive processes that facilitated reflection on their own professional development. A constant comparative procedure, a qualitative coding strategy, was used to examine the data collected and the data were coded for clusters of similar behaviors. This coding was converted to visual representation using concept mapping techniques. A preponderance of participants used the same reflective process to consider, evaluate, describe and structure their professional activities, which began with an experience-an event-of practice and was clearly a precipitating experience linked to a subsequent cognitive processing. For many participants, the event serving as the basis for reflection is not grounded in an historical, real-world or authentic experience; but rather there was a shift to use of simulated or reproduced events that is clear and significant. It seems clear from the authors’ research findings and that of others cited in this paper, that simulations of experience possess the ability to transfer to real-world growth, development, and decision-making and would be preferred for vocational education uses over the reliance on authentic field and clinical experiences. Consideration of simulations as an experiential method for professional growth and development efforts seems, in this analysis, quite more complex an issue when one considers the implications of linguistics and language development to behavioral coding; the uses of cognitive tools to aid learning; and the manner in which language itself shapes, empowers or impedes the embedding of experience into human memory—and activates that memory for professional and personal action. The authors perceive that, while much progress has been made in highlighting these issues and their relationships, much work remains ahead.
VL  - 4
IS  - 4
ER  -

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