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It strikes me generally as a good idea, especially to defuse the tendency of students in history, philosophy, literature, politics, etc. to act as amateur prosecutors of the many heresies that they find in the material. You see this among law students, too, often in inappropriate contexts.

While I think simulation exercises can be positive for students, where I think it sometimes goes off the rails is in the field of ethics education, which takes particularly funny forms in business classes. You will always be able to get all the students to recite pledges to be ethical or to choose the most ethical option in a simulation. In the real world, when you can actually benefit by, say, embezzling client money or padding on a project, the test is a lot harder. Students put a lot of stock into appearing to be zealous, but I think this effort into moral plumage often exceeds the effort put into building the moral fiber beneath the skin.

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Sep 4, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

I learn much better and faster by doing, than by reading or hearing a lecture. There's something about the kinesthetics of moving that lock in that muscle memory. I'm surprised that the military doesn't work that way. Sandbox scenarios, along with mock-up drills would make things a lot easier for people to learn.

If you've noticed it from the two Perceval Scenarios you've run, I tend to think outside the box. I like to be mobile, and I like to do things people wouldn't think of.

Scenario training would be great for business as well. It's call What-if?

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I participated in the Reacting to the Past game that dealt with the trial of Socrates when I was studying Ancient Greek. I think games like that can work, but for my part I found it to be a distraction from the daily memorization and drill needed to build proficiency. I would include it, but supplementally.

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