Information sharing is a critical aspect of effective team functioning. However, it can be challenging to discern whether the information communicated is fact, opinion, or someone's best guess (FOG) due to the varied understandings, assumptions, and interests team members bring to any collaboration. In this article, we introduce a role-play…

Responding to change is a critical workforce competency and an essential skill for effective leadership and management along with abilities to work in a group, problem solve, and demonstrate critical thinking capabilities. In this experiential exercise, students collaborate in groups, think critically, and respond to customer demands in a…

Students routinely take part in group assignments, but many faculty fail to provide a supportive work environment. The author argues the value of team building and introduces a conceptual framework for developing multipart group assignments. The author's purpose is to provide management faculty a framework for an interactive group assignment in an…

Resistance to change is a central topic in the study of change management, with resistance by employees often portrayed as an inevitable and undesirable response to planned change that managers must attempt to overcome. While resistance can be detrimental to organizations, it can also be beneficial, by prompting deeper analysis of a change, or by…

Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE), such as Second Life (SL), can serve as important pedagogical tools that provide students and faculty members with unique opportunities for online group collaboration. Specifically, MUVEs provide an experience that, due to the visual component offered by the technology, helps students feel more connection and…

If the goal of teaching ethics is to affect behavior and ultimately produce thoughtful, ethical people, then the best process to do this is by embedding ethical practices in student discussions. One teacher demonstrates how she has done this in her classrooms.

J. Pfeiffer and J. Jones' experiential learning model can be modified to direct students toward learning principles, processes and skills which have an influence on relationship dynamics. Students have a particular relationship in mind (called a focus partner) as they study the concepts. Students are encouraged to watch how the concepts would…

Group processing after an outdoor experience provides feedback and the opportunity for critical reflection, which can enhance the benefits of the experience. This paper outlines some common problems in processing and suggestions to help outdoor leaders improve their facilitation skills. Common pitfalls that hinder effective processing include…

This handbook presents a collection of over 35 experiential and adventure-based activities using only a single item of equipment--a 15-foot long section of 1-inch tubular climbing webbing, called a raccoon circle. Some of the activities are quiet, some are loud, and they range from low to high challenge levels. Different-sized groups can be…

A common problem in an "experiential class" is the lack of attention devoted to group closure at the end of the course. Toward the end of the semester, students working in small groups in organizational behavior classes often experience anxiety over losing the support and identity that they enjoyed as members of a small learning group. A final…

This book, written for trainers as well as for persons who occasionally provide training in a work setting, is organized in three parts. Each fact is individual, although there is some cross-referencing. "Running Staff Training Groups" focuses on the way in which trainers can use action learning methods such as role play to impart their…

Materials on 11 topics presented at a winter workshop for Quebec outdoor educators have been compiled into this booklet. Action story, instant replay, shoe factory, sound and action, and find an object to fit the description are described and recommended as group dynamic activities. Directions for five games (Superlative Selection; Data…

Reports on a collaborative learning project in which college-level counseling students designed and presented workshops on therapeutic intervention. Finds workshops stimulated more personal involvement with the topic and individual written papers ensured that all shared the workload. Concludes that workshops prepare students for collaborative…

The advantages of using an authentic group experience for teaching group leadership skills to social work undergraduates is the focus of this paper. The model presented integrates small group dynamics content within a human services course. Literature describing the use of experiential group membership in teaching group work is reviewed, and the…

This book aims to assist facilitators and trainers of human resource development in the use of outdoor games as a vehicle for learning. The games address such work-related areas as communication, decision making, problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and goal setting. The introduction offers a commentary on how and why the use of experiential…