For those like me, a visit to the big city often means catching a play—a ritual complete with plush seating, intermissions, applause, and the polite wave of attendees exiting. However, there was one unforgettable performance of Macbeth that shattered my theater expectations entirely.
From the start, everything was atypical. After purchasing a ticket online, no confirmation arrived in my inbox. At showtime, I simply approached what was formerly the Admissions booth and stated my name, akin to entering an exclusive event.
No ticket, no specific seat, and remarkably, no phone. After surrendering my phone at the coat check, I received an opaque white mask covering my entire face.
Thus anonymized, my companion and I wandered into what felt like a speakeasy, descending via a freight elevator into the depths of a New York City hotel. We explored for hours, delving into drawers and observing scenes that unfolded like dreams.
Many may identify this performance as Sleep No More, the immersive, film noir-inspired adaptation of Macbeth hosted at the McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea. This was theater reimagined, leaving an indelible impression of Macbeth.
After such a surreal experience, I wondered, “What if learning could be like this?”
Not necessarily noir-themed or involving elevators, but live, experiential, and deeply engaging. Let’s explore what this could mean for learning and development.
Embracing Live Experiential Learning
Is live experiential learning, or LEL, just a new label for traditional instructor-led training?
Absolutely not. LEL bears as much resemblance to conventional ILT as Sleep No More does to standard theater.
Instead of passively nodding along with an instructor, learners actively engage, get involved, and concentrate on what truly interests them.
LEL invigorates learners, making them more curious and open-minded. Here’s how it is realized and its practical workings.
Crafting the Experience: Two Key Strategies
Two main strategies enable the creation of effective LEL:
High-Fidelity Learning:
Ensure training mirrors the actual work learners will perform. By integrating existing data and formats from their roles, learners seamlessly transition their skills to real-world scenarios.
Empower Choice and Control:
Enable learners to discern their requirements and provide easy access to needed resources when they need them.
Programs can commence with a self-assessment of an individual’s skills, followed by forming interest groups for participants to self-organize learning activities.
Illustrative Case Studies
Case Study 1: Tailored Business Education for Medical Professionals
To assist medical professionals who are natural healers and not business experts, an LEL approach centered on real data improved profit margins and empowered effective business decisions.
Case Study 2: Learner-Led Management Development
By matching mid-level managers into cohorts to facilitate sessions themselves, a consulting firm scaled its management training globally, promoting autonomy and community.
Case Study 3: Mentorship in Medical Upskilling
Providing a “Build Your Own Mentorship” guide allowed medical professionals to create personalized mentorships, fostering continuous development and internal knowledge transfer.
Strategies for In-Person LEL
- Shared Experiences: Create opening rituals to establish unity and shared goals.
- Integrate Microexperiences: Engage learners with brief, impactful learning bursts.
- Narrative Immersion: Use storytelling to emotionally engage and connect deeply with the material.
These strategies are not confined to learning alone; they can be observed in unique culinary experiences, such as those at Counter in Charlotte, N.C.
Technology and Psychological Safety
Role of Technology
While preserving human interaction, technologies like VR and AR enrich LEL by delivering immersive learning experiences.
Assessment and Safety
Focus on performance-based evaluations reflecting real-world applications and maintain a culture where learners freely explore and learn without judgment.
Call to Action
Envision transformative learning and ignite it by integrating LEL into your programs. Here’s how you can start:
- Incorporate real-world relevance and immersive storytelling in your programs.
- Experiment with microexperiences and technology to enhance learner connections.
- Use performance assessments and ensure a psychologically safe learning environment.
The era of passive learning is ending: Embrace the chance to deliver learning experiences that engage, challenge, and transform your audience.
