A Complete Guide to Scenario Based Learning

/ eLearning, Storytelling

What is Scenario based Learning (SBL)? 

Scenario based Learning is a popular instructional strategy and an immersive training environment. This strategy is extensively used in online training where learners meet realistic work challenges with the “active learning” approach. ‘Scenario’ relates to the highly relevant learning experience. This strategy usually creates a lot of engagement. 

Imagine a typical eLearning course, where learners are just absorbing information by reading or listening followed by a quiz. Now imagine scenario-based learning, where learners actively participate in the process from the very beginning to the end of the lesson. 

Why do we go for Scenario Based Learning ? 

Learners: Scenario based elearning provides with relatable situations, problem-solving environment and involves them in the decision-making process. This increases skill levels and lets them achieve higher proficiency. 

Learning and Developing: Provide and give us a validating scenario based learning experience, facilitates the application of the learning, allows learners to make decisions and helps build critical thinking skills. 

Scenario based learning can be made by similar eLearning authoring tools like Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, Lectora, iSpring Suite, and Twine. 

 

What are the Benefits of Scenario Based learning ?  

• It Makes Learning Engaging 

If you are given a chance to solve real-life situations, scenario based elearning automatically becomes interesting because you know you are going to deal with them too. It lets you immerse yourself in work situations. It also gives you a safe environment to practice this because mistakes are regarded as just a learning process and you can’t be discouraged if you are finding out what works and what does not. 

• Scenario Based Learning Provides a Safe Space 

To gain that level of proficiency and mastery required of you, you will go through making mistakes. But scenario-based learning does not negatively look at this. Instead, it allows learners to make mistakes, take feedback, set out the right approach and find the solution. 

• Provides Better Retention

As we have mentioned that this is not a typical learning process where you take in and absorb information, you are encouraged to critical thinking and make actual decisions. You are learning and remembering decisions as you take them because you can see the consequences your decisions take. While implementing scenario based elearning remember these concepts because you are behind enforcing them so yes scenario based elearning provides better retention

• Scenario Based Elearning Gives Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills 

You come across many issues daily, and taking part in scenario based elearning can derive you to think very critically. When you go through all of this, you are solving problems. It’s becoming a very important skill now too. 

• Shows cause-effect relationship 

You make a decision, there is an effect and you see the consequence. All of this shows you exactly what the reasons are for every cause and every effect. But not all effects are seen immediately, and with scenario based elearning and you can see what these consequences can be. 

 

How to Create Scenario Based Learning ? 

Before starting to create a scenario or a course for scenario-based learning, make sure that you have everything you need. You should be properly equipped. Hear us out: 

• Set your goals and objectives 
• Set your focus on the development of problem-solving 
• Your learners and employees should have basic skills that they will use to solve scenarios 
• Prepare for risks: time management and budget  

Now for the Creation: 

It’s important to know that your scenarios, 

• Must force the learners to use their critical, analytical, judgmental, and evaluative skills 
• Must encourage the learners to think outside the box 

1. Storyboard 

We know that finding a solution to a problem is the main motive of a scenario based course or a scenario based learning . After a ‘problem’, make branches of various paths depending on learners’ choices. Make detailed outlines of what happens next. Storyboard the entire course. This will help you to track the flow of the course and see the transitions smoothly. 

2. Create Outcomes of every Scenario before: 

You should plan the ending in the start. There should be a final, preferable outcome of every scenario. It is up to you, there can be many endings co-relating to every scenario, but all endings must be planned.  

3. Work with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): 

To make a scenario, you need a subject matter expert. You will need help to make a scenario relevant and make all character’s sound like real people. Give them human names like a manager ‘Elle’ or a customer ‘Sarah’. Your learner has to care about the character. You must know the context and the proper wording and language. Ask to share the most common mistakes and completely avoid making all of them. You need to make a course that tells learners that you know what you are talking about, and SMEs will help in that. 

4. Choose a format: 

 There are wide-ranging options of formats that you can use to create SBL. You can use: 

• Images and animations 
• Videos / Interactive videos 
• Virtual Reality (VR) 
• Gamification 
• Microlearning 

5. Set level of difficulty: 

There can either be a Mini or basic Scenario-Based Learning approach or a Complex one. Mini helps to understand what the learner’s basic knowledge and comprehension ability are. Complex figures out the learner’s proficiency and how they can apply their knowledge. 

6. Leave distractors and cues: 

Since we have established that making mistakes is very normal for the learners, be sure to leave some good distractors. Learners need to use the best of their abilities and analyze situations. Create helpful cues, but make distracting ones as well. This will allow to figure out what they need to analyze.

Conclusion: 

Scenario-based eLearning offers incredible opportunities to create fully immersive and engaging courses. They enhance learners’ performances and let them show off their skills and have real-life experiences which will help them in any environment.