Portland Program
October 12, 2004

Simulations:  Learn by Doing
with Clark Aldrich

When you think of training for your workforce, do you consider how practice takes place? Many training participants are now increasingly pragmatic, craving interaction and personalization, computer-savvy, problem-solvers, who are highly visual and may be adverse to reading. Computer games also continue to influence expectations. How can we meet these needs?

Clark Aldrich, a leading expert in e-learning simulations, will discuss via distance conferencing, critical differentiators between types of simulations. Aldrich’s presentation will also be combined with a break-out lab with practice time to try out various types of simulations.

The interest in simulations for corporate, government, military, and academic use has grown over the last few years. Yet, there is still confusion surrounding using simulations in training. This program will help you:

• Understand the types of simulations (“genres”)
• Understand success factors for simulations
• Gain an understanding of where the field is going
• Gain insights into planning, managing, and executing simulation deliverables

The information Aldrich shares in his presentation is based on hundreds of interviews with practitioners and analysis of best practices and trends. During the session, Aldrich will discuss and analyze:

• Proven and established computer-based simulations, highlighting their appropriate uses and defining components
• Why these first models are not sufficient
• Other types of tangential simulations, including non-technology simulations, computer games, and military flight simulators
• Innovative simulations that are breaking new ground, along with some of the challenges these models have highlighted and overcome
• Implementations of different types of simulations in the real world

In addition to Aldrich’s presentation (via distance conferencing), the program includes a break-out lab with practice time to try out various types of simulations. The focus of the session is on computer-based simulations, although the concepts apply to other types of training simulations.

Speaker

Clark Aldrich
eLearning Consultant
clark.aldrich@att.net

Clark Aldrich is the internationally acclaimed e-learning analyst and consultant serving dozens of Global 1000 clients. He has been identified as an "E-learning Guru" by Fortune Magazine, "Visionary of the Industry" by Training Magazine, and a member of "Training's New Guard" by the American Society of Training and Development.

Aldrich was the lead designer of SimuLearn's Virtual Leader (Best Online Product of the Year, T+D magazine, 2004), and is the author of hundreds of articles, chapters, keynotes, reports, and columns, as well as the books Simulations and the Future of Learning (Pfeiffer, 2004) and the upcoming Learning by Doing: Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy (Pfeiffer, 2005). Previously, he was the research director and topic leader for Gartner Group's e-learning coverage.

Details

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