ABSTRACT
Experiential learning is a cyclical, transformative process that involves four components. The learner has concrete experiences, reflects on those experiences, forms new abstractions, and then draws conclusions that can be tested in new situations. The process is continual, and each successive experience can be used to propel new abstractions, in particular when there is previous experience with course content. Advanced General Psychology for Leaders is a core course taken in cadets’ first year of education; it is an advanced course specifically designed for students who have completed prior coursework in psychology, at either the high school or college level. The military has one of the longest histories of using simulations to facilitate learning. The unique missions designed for this exercise are high fidelity, low-threat, and low-cost experiences that expose them to militarily-relevant scenarios where they can see the psychology concepts and theories they learn about in action. Cadets complete three missions in small teams at the simulation center.
