ERIC EJ1163872: Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities in Skills-Based Health Education

2017·0.44 MB·English

by  ERIC

Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
All rights reserved
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential
Learning Activities in Skills-Based Health Education

Authors:
Judith A. Johns, PhD
Assistant Professor of Health Education
Health Department
State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY 13045
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Matthew T. Moyer, PhD, CHES
Assistant Professor of Health Education
Health Department
State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY 13045
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [email protected].

Lisa M. Gasque, Major
U.S. Army
Assistant Professor of Military Science
Excelsior Battalion Army ROTC
101 Barton Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Purpose: This paper highlights the importance of conducting structured, student-centered discussions,
known as debriefs, following experiential learning activities in health education. Drawing upon Kolb’s
experiential learning theory and literature from scholars in simulation-based training, the authors outline
key considerations for planning and facilitating debriefs. Methods: The debrief is initiated immediately
following the learning experience. Students are prompted to describe and analyze their experiences,
identify lessons learned, and discuss their application. Conclusions: Conducting debriefs with
experiential learning activities helps students find meaning in their experiences and connect what they
have learned to lesson objectives, the real word, and their own lives.

Keywords: Debrief, experiential learning, skills-based health education, transfer of learning

INTRODUCTION large amounts of facts and information. The
effectiveness of an information-only approach is
Until relatively recently, health instruction based upon two interrelated assumptions: 1)
consisted primarily of using teacher-centered, Youth engage in risky behavior such as
didactic approaches to present students with substance use because they are unaware of the
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 61
Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
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potential consequences of their actions; and 2) if debrief and outlines a teacher-led, three-phase
youth knew the potential consequences of the process through which students deconstruct an
risk behavior, they would choose not to engage experience to identify its critical elements and
in it (Botvin & Griffin, 2003). It has since been explore its application to the real world. In
recognized that a skills-based approach with a specific, the aims of this paper include:
focus on providing relevant, functional health 1) Outlining factors that can influence
information in conjunction with opportunities to students’ ability to participate fully in
develop essential skills is more effective at experiential learning activities and
preparing students to engage in behavior that debriefs and recommending strat-
protect, promote or enhance their health and the egies for minimizing or eliminating
health of others than was an information-only barriers to participation;
approach (Centers for Disease Control and 2) Explaining how to plan and facilitate
Prevention, 2012; World Health Organization a three-phase debrief of experiential
[WHO], 2003). According to the Center for learning activities in health
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the education;
most effective health education curricula use 3) Providing a rubric with which to
experiential learning strategies that allow assess the planning and facilitation
students to apply functional knowledge and of debriefs of experiential learning
perform essential health skills through activities in health education.
participation in authentic, real-life scenarios
(2012). Put another way, the most effective TEACHING METHOD
health education curricula provide students with
opportunities to learn by doing. Experience-based learning and the
experiential learning theory
Today, teachers use a wide array of Experience-based learning activities
experience-based teaching strategies in their encourage engagement, foster decision-making
health education lessons. The impact and critical-thinking skills, and provide
experience-based teaching strategies have on opportunities for students to apply functional
student learning, however, hinges on the degree knowledge and practice health-related skills in
to which students can connect the insights authentic ways. Today, teachers use a wide
gained through the experiences to the lesson’s array of experience-based teaching strategies in
learning objectives and ultimately to the real their health education lessons. Kolb, an
world and their own lives. Following an educational theorist, integrated and built upon
interactive activity, if time remains in a class earlier work by experiential learning scholars
period, many teachers use the last few minutes such as Dewey and Lewin to create the
of the class period to close the lesson by experiential learning theory to explain how
reiterating the key points of the entire lesson. people learn though experience (Kolb, 2015).
There is no concerted or deliberate effort by Per the experiential learning theory, learning is
teachers to help students process what they defined as
might have learned particularly during the “the process whereby knowledge is
learning activity. In other instances, some created through the transformation of
teachers might intend to conduct a closure but experience. Knowledge results from the
unless adequate time is reserved for it, when combination of grasping and trans-
time during the class period runs short, the forming experience. Grasping
planned closure is shortened or omitted entirely. experience refers to the process of
In either case, teachers are leaving up to chance taking in information, and transforming
whether their students will be able to transfer experience is how individuals interpret
what they learned during an experience-based and act on that information” (Kolb, 2015,
learning activity to their own lives in relevant and p. 51).
useful ways. To avoid this risk, teachers must
set aside time during the lesson to help students Kolb (2015) theorized that learning through
make these connections. This time must be experience occurs through a four-phase,
respected as an integral part of the activity, iterative process. Kolb described the process as
rather than as a supplemental or afterthought beginning with the experiencing phase during
that is included if time at the end of class allows. which learners participate in a concrete or
This paper describes how to plan and facilitate a authentic experience. The second phase,
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Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
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reflective observation, was described by Kolb as called a debrief (Greenaway, 2007, p. 60). In
involving the careful consideration and classroom settings, a debrief is a teacher-guided
summation of everything that happened during discussion used to help students process what
the experience from all perspectives, including happened during an experiential learning (EL)
their observations of and impressions about exercise, identify lessons to be learned from
what occurred, when and where it occurred, and participating in the experience, and apply those
how and to whom it occurred. Learners are then lessons to the real world and to their own lives
prompted to compare their observations, (Fanning & Gaba, 2007; Lederman, 1992; Lewis
emotions and understandings generated though & Williams, 1994; Nicholson, 2012).
the learning experience to their existing
understandings and mental models of the Debriefs are used across a wide range of
phenomena. The third phase, referred to by Kolb training settings including medicine, aviation,
as abstract conceptualization, involves extract- disaster and crisis response, military,
ing lessons to be learned through having management, teambuilding and adventure
participated in the experience and using these education, among others (Bolton, 2016; Fanning
lessons to inform the revision of existing mental & Gaba, 2007; Paige et al., 2015; Tannenbaum
models and/or the creation of new plans of & Cerasoli, 2013). Greenaway, in Silberman’s
action for future experiences. During the fourth Handbook of Experiential Learning (2007, p. 61)
phase in the process, identified by Kolb as listed the potential benefits of debriefing,
active experimentation, the learners are including:
provided with opportunities to test out what they  Add value to what is already happening
have learned in authentic or real-world  Increase awareness of other
situations. As the final phase in the process, perspectives
active experimentation serves to provide  Develop communication and learning
learners with a fresh set of experiences upon skills
which to reflect, thus restarting the four-phase  Help learners clarify, achieve, and even
learning cycle (Kolb, 2015). surpass their objectives

 Use success or failure as a source of
Debriefs: Translating an experience to
learning and development
lessons learned
 Make benefits tangible and generate
Without proper guidance, however, students
useful data for evaluation
often struggle to understand how their
 Improve prospects for the effective
impressions of an experience, manufactured or
transfer of learning
replicated in the artificial setting of the
 Communicate to students that you care
classroom, can be translated to and applied in
about what they experience and value
situations they are likely to experience in the real
what they have to say, and that you are
world (Lederman, 1992; Nicholson, 2012).
interested in the progress of each
Furthermore, the highly engaging nature of
student’s learning and development
participating in experience-based learning

activities such as role plays can easily
TEACHING METHOD
overshadow the teacher’s intended learning

outcome, reducing the educational value of the
In classroom settings, a debrief is a teacher-
role play to little more than simply good theater.
guided discussion during which students are led
(Nicholson, 2012). Paige and colleagues (2015)
through an exploration of what they learned
suggested a formal process following the
during an EL experience and how they can
experiential learning experience is needed to
apply what they learned to the real world and to
help move students “…beyond merely
their own lives (Fanning & Gaba, 2007;
‘experiencing’ [the activity] and actually ‘making
Nicholson, 2012). Debriefs are conducted
sense’ of what happened” (Paige et al., 2015, p.
immediately, or very soon after an experiential
127). A primary role of the teacher when using
learning activity has concluded, when memories
experience-based learning strategies in class-
of events and feelings about the experience are
room settings is to help students make sense of
still fresh in the minds of the students.
their impressions and to learn from their

experiences. This “facilitation of learning from
Step-by-step processes for facilitating
experience,” when conducted as a planned,
debriefs have been described in the literature
integral element of the lesson or training, is
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 63
Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
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with varying degrees of complexity (Fanning & and improve learning outcomes (Marzano, 2003;
Gaba, 2007). Such variability is necessary to Shukla, Konold, & Cornell, 2016). Creating and
meet the unique demands of each specific maintaining a positive classroom climate
training application or context, the current depends a great deal on teachers’ practicing
knowledge and skills of participants and the effective classroom management and
desired learning outcomes of the experiential communicating clear expectations for student
learning (EL) experience with which the debrief behavior (Marzano, 2003). Teachers are
is employed. Fanning and Gaba (2007), after encouraged to incorporate whole class and
conducting a review of the simulation-based small group activities in lessons leading up to an
training literature, concluded that the EL-based lesson to familiarize students with the
frameworks for debriefing an EL experience or ground rules and expectations for participation
activity shared among them a number of they must adhere to while participating in EL
principal elements. They further argued that activities (Cinelli, Symons, Bechtel, & Rose-
these elements can be condensed into three Colley, 1994).
phases (Fanning & Gaba, 2007, p. 117).The
three-phase debrief described by Fanning and In addition to the influence that the learning
Gaba echo the features of three-phase model environment has on all the students in a class, a
proposed by Steinwachs (1992) and since by variety of individual factors affect each student’s
other authors (also see Bolton, 2016; Lederman, level of engagement in debriefs. Included among
1992; Nicholson, 2012; U.S. Department of the these individual factors is each student’s
Army, 2013). Steinwachs labeled the phases as developmental needs and characteristics. In
the “description phase,” the “analysis phase,” keeping with the tenets of developmentally
and the “application phase” (1992, p. 187).The appropriate practice, teachers must be aware of,
three-phase debrief model that follows aligns and responsive to the cognitive development,
with the four-stage learning cycle of Kolb’s ELT emotional maturity, and life experiences of their
(see Kolb, 2015).This simple, three-phase students (Cantor, 1995; Centers for Disease
process is well-suited for helping students reflect Control and Prevention, 2015; Fanning & Gaba,
upon and make sense of EL experiences in their 2007; Telljohann, Symons, Pateman, & Seabert,
health education classes. In the sections that 2015). Each of these characteristics will
follow, planning considerations and steps for influence how students interpret their
developing and facilitating each of the three experiences and internalize what they learned
phases of a debrief are discussed in detail. (Fanning & Gaba, 2007).

Preliminary planning considerations A second source of influence on student
Prior to planning an EL activity and debrief engagement in debriefs at the individual level is
for a group of students, teachers must consider a student’s current level of mastery in several
factors that can influence student engagement in key, requisite skills. Debriefs are typically
either the activity, the debrief, or both. The conducted as a group or class discussion.
following preliminary considerations, if not Therefore, included among these requisite skills
properly addressed, can hinder or prevent are communication skills and group processing
students from participating in an EL activity or skills. For example, during the description phase
debrief to their fullest potential, regardless of of the debrief, students must be able to
how well they were planned. First among these summarize their observations and feelings
considerations is classroom climate. When clearly, express their points of view assertively,
students perceive the classroom climate as and listen to others actively (Gillies & Boyle,
physically and emotionally safe, they can feel 2010; Johnson & Johnson, 1999). Students who
free to participate in experiential learning lack experience and confidence in performing
experiences even though they may face difficult these communication skills will likely have
and unfamiliar challenges (Shukla, Konold, & difficulty participating in debriefs. Second,
Cornell, 2016). During the subsequent debrief, debriefs and many of the EL activities upon
they can feel free to share their points of view which they are based are, by design,
about their experiences without fear of criticism cooperative learning approaches. Teachers can
or derision (Fanning & Gaba, 2007; Gillies, support and foster student engagement in EL
2003). A positive classroom climate has the activities and debriefs by introducing their
power to foster student engagement, encourage students to the elements of effective cooperative
cooperation and collaboration among students, learning (see Johnson & Johnson, 1999) and
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 64
Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
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providing them with opportunities to practice would result in earning lower marks on the task.
working in small groups and participating in For this reason, experts have argued against
class discussions in advance (Davis, 2009; using the insights shared by students during
Telljohann et al., 2015). debriefs as a form of summative assessment for
grading purposes (Markulis & Strang, 2003;
A third consideration at the individual level Nicholson, 2012).
that influence a student’s participation in a
debrief is the level of health knowledge and With careful planning, debriefs can be
health skills that the student possesses relative tailored to fit any EL activity, any group of
to the topic being explored. Participation in the students, and any level of existing knowledge
EL activity provides students with opportunities and skill development. Students’ participation in
to draw upon their health knowledge to inform debriefs and in the experiential learning activities
their decision-making and perform an array of upon which they are based is influenced by a
essential health skills (i.e. analyze influences, myriad of environmental and individual factors.
access information and resources, perform These factors include the classroom climate,
actions to improve health or reduce risk, etc.). relationships among students and their ability to
When planning EL activities and debriefs for work together, and the developmental attributes,
students who are in the early stages of acquiring past life experiences, and the current health
functional health information and developing knowledge/skills of the students (Fanning &
new health skills, teachers should select Gaba, 2007; Lederman, 1992). Anticipating the
activities that will facilitate the scaffolding of influence of these factors and planning
instruction and provide a safe, non-threatening accordingly will help teachers minimize and
environment in which to practice new skills, possibly eliminate barriers that often prevent
receive helpful feedback and build self- students from participating to their fullest
confidence. Debrief discussion prompts that potential and greatest benefit (Fanning & Gaba,
focus on describing models and attributes of 2007; Lederman, 1992).
exemplary performance, identifying and
elucidating incremental steps that led to Planning the debrief
success, and formulating plans for revising one’s Once teachers are confident that their
actions during future trials are all appropriate at students are equipped with the requisite
this stage. communication and group processing skills and
an adequate level of health essential skills and
When working with students who already functional knowledge about the topic of interest
possess advanced levels of health knowledge to participate in the lesson to their greatest
and skill, teachers can increase the degree of potential, teachers are ready to proceed with
complexity by designing EL activities that selecting the EL activity and planning the
support the use of multiple or combinations of debrief. Planning the debrief begins with
health skills and allow for greater variability identifying the intended learning objectives for
among possible inputs and outcomes. They can the EL activity (Bolton, 2016; Lederman, 1992).
complement these activities with debrief The learning objectives should identify learning
discussion prompts that explore contingency targets for using health functional knowledge,
planning across a range of real world demonstrating health-related skills, and
applications and life experiences. Regardless of examining health-related personal beliefs and
the level of sophistication, the debrief serves as group norms. The learning objectives should
the means through which the experiences that also align with the National Health Education
students had during the activity become the Standards and, where applicable, state and local
foundation for learning. standards. These student learning objectives
guide the selection of the EL activity and the
One final point with respect to supporting discussion prompts to be used during the debrief
student participation: If students believe they will (Bolton, 2016; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
be evaluated or graded on what they write or
say during the debrief, they are less likely to be After the learning objectives for the lesson
open and candid in their reflections (Nicholson, have been determined, the next planning task is
2012). For example, students who struggled to selecting the specific participatory learning
perform a specific task might be reluctant to strategy and planning the EL activity upon which
share their experiences if they thought doing so the debrief will be based. In experiential
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 65
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learning, students acquire new knowledge, In the health education classroom,
develop skills, and examine personal participatory, experience-based learning
perceptions through, and as the result of, strategies “utilize the experience, opinions, and
participating in the learning experience (Cantor, knowledge of group members; provides a
1995; Fanning & Gaba, 2007; Lederman, 1992). creative context for the exploration and
Whether adapting an existing participatory development of possibilities and options; and
learning strategy or developing a new one for a affords a source of mutual comfort and security
specific application, an activity adapted for use that aids the learning and decision making
as an experiential learning experience in process” (CARICOM & UNICEF, 1999 as cited
elementary and secondary health education in World Health Organization [WHO], 2003, p.
lessons should have the following attributes: 13). Participatory learning strategies commonly
 Opportunities to apply the functional used for building health-related skills through
health knowledge while performing the experiential learning include:
essential health skills that were  One-on-one rehearsals
specified in the learning objectives  Unscripted role plays
(Centers for Disease Control and  Skits (scripted role plays)
Prevention, 2012)  Scenarios and decision stories
 Opportunities to experience what they  Situation analyses and case studies
are learning about in authentic ways  Tabletop drills
(Association for Experiential Education,
 Simulations
n.d.)
 Metaphors and analogies (World Health
 Opportunities for learning through trial
Organization [WHO], 2003)
and error and from one’s own mistakes

(Association for Experiential Education,
A number of contextual factors should be
n.d.)
considered when deciding which of these EL
 Learning content that students perceive
strategies holds the greatest potential to help
as directly useful, with practical and
students acquire the knowledge and skills
personal relevance in the real world and
identified in the learning objectives. First, in
in their own lives (Centers for Disease
keeping with the tenets of developmentally
Control and Prevention, 2012;
appropriate practice, teachers must be sensitive
Telljohann et al., 2015; World Health
to the cognitive development, emotional
Organization [WHO], 2003)
maturity, and life experiences of their students
 Opportunities for the personalization of
(Cantor, 1995; Centers for Disease Control and
health-promoting attitudes, knowledge
Prevention, 2015; Fanning & Gaba, 2007;
and skills (Centers for Disease Control
Telljohann et al., 2015). Each of these
and Prevention, 2012) and the
characteristics will affect how students
assimilation of feedback and learning
participate in an EL activity, the lens through
into future behavior and performance
which they observe the events that occurred,
(US Department of the Army, 2013)
and the meanings they assign to their
 Opportunities for reflection and self-
experiences (Fanning & Gaba, 2007).
assessment (Association for

Experiential Education, n.d.)
A second contextual factor to consider when

selecting the EL strategy is the amount of time
Note that this list of attributes highlights the
available during the class or training period. In
qualitative nature of experiences afforded by
experiential learning, students learn as a result
participating in an EL activity, rather than the
of participating in an activity or exercise and the
specifications of a product or performance
subsequent debrief serves to guide students
associated with completing the activity. Like the
through reflecting upon the implications and
popular saying, “It’s not about the destination;
applications of what they experienced
it’s about the journey,” in experiential learning,
(Lederman, 1992). Consequently, the sum of
the degree to which students are successful in
both pieces are integral to the impact the
completing a specific task or challenge is less
experience will have on student learning
important than the insights gained while
(Lederman, 1992). If time during the instructional
engaged in the experience.
period expires and either part cannot come to

fruition, the overall impact the experience has on
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student learning is likely to be compromised. students (Lederman, 1992; Steinwachs, 1992).
Exactly how much time during a lesson should The goal of this first phase is to help students
be reserved for an EL activity and debrief is develop a rich and detailed, collective
influenced by the type and complexity of the EL understanding of what happened during the EL
activity planned as well as the level of depth and activity. Interrogatives such as who, what, when,
breadth of discussion desired for the debrief, where, why and how, also known as Five Ws
and the number of students in the class and the and an H, or as journalists’ questions, provide a
pace at which they work. Additional factors that simple framework upon which open-ended
can influence the selection of one EL strategy discussion prompts can be generated. General
over another strategy include having access to examples of prompts that can be adapted for
the instructional resources and materials use during the description phase are listed in
needed, the physical characteristics and Table 1. Close observation of students as they
accessibility of the classroom space, and the participate in the EL activity will likely provide
teacher’s own expertise and familiarity with additional contexts and “teachable moments” for
conducting experience-based learning activities. more discussion. The information gleaned
Lederman (1992) referred to the “contextual during the description phase becomes the
factors that may have shaped the debriefing starting point for the next phase.
experience” collectively as “situational
constraints” and emphasized the degree to Planning the analysis phase.
which a debrief is effective in achieving the The second phase of the debrief, analysis
educational goals of the lesson depends on how phase, is often the longest and most in-depth of
effectively teachers anticipated and addressed the three phases. The overarching purpose of
them (p. 155). Fortunately, even when an EL the analysis phase is to guide students through
activity does not go as planned, a well-executed the identification and investigation of lessons to
debrief will help students glean valuable lessons be gleaned from participating in the activity.
from the experience (Nicholson, 2012). These lessons are examined from two
perspectives. The first perspective examines
After an appropriate EL strategy has been what has been learned in relation to prior
selected and the actual activity planned, learning, current course content, and the
teachers are ready to move on to planning the intended learning objectives and performance
debrief. This final step involves drafting the expectations associated with participation in the
reflection and discussion prompts that will be EL activity (Lederman, 1992; Paige et al., 2015;
used to guide students through each phase of Steinwachs, 1992; US Department of the Army,
the debrief. Each phase of the debrief has a 2013). The second perspective examines what
specific goal or purpose. The descriptions of has been learned in relation to similar events
each phase given here are an amalgamation of and situations occurring in the real world
the three-phase models proposed by Lederman (Lederman, 1992; Paige et al., 2015;
(1992) and by Steinwachs (1992). A number of Steinwachs, 1992; US Department of the Army,
general reflection and discussion prompts have 2013). In specific, the goals of the analysis
been provided as examples (see Tables 1-3) but phase include helping students:
also to illustrate the focus of each phase. In  Analyze the relationship between the
practice, teachers will need to tailor the information and skills they used during
discussion prompts to match the unique the activity and course/lesson content
parameters or demands of the EL activity, the (Lederman, 1992; US Department of the
learning objectives of the lesson they are Army, 2013).
planning and the developmental needs and  Determine the degree to which the
attributes of their students. intended learning objectives and
performance expectations were
Planning the description phase. achieved and which actions contributed
The first phase of the debrief, the description to success and/or failure (Bolton, 2016;
phase, is often the shortest of the three phases. Lederman, 1992; US Department of the
During the description phase, students are Army, 2013);
prompted to provide an objective account of  Compare the simulated experiences of
what happened during the activity from their the EL activity to environments and
unique points of view and to listen to situations they have experienced or
descriptions and observations shared by other expect to experience in their own lives
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and in the real world (Lederman, 1992; Examples of prompts that can be adapted for
Paige et al., 2015; Steinwachs, 1992; use during the application phase are listed in
US Department of the Army, 2013). Table 3.
 Identify and analyze cause and effect
relationships occurring in the EL activity There are no specific guidelines specifying
and extrapolate to predict outcomes how few or how many prompts must be
across a variety of contexts in the real discussed in each phase of the debrief. Time is
world (Steinwachs, 1992); a scare commodity in the health education
classroom and the number of prompts planned
As the goals listed above reveal, participating for each phase of the debrief will influence how
in the analysis phase involves the use of higher- much time will be needed to complete the
order cognitive and critical thinking skills to phase. Debriefs often run longer than
elucidate the lessons learned. General anticipated (Bolton, 2016) so teachers should be
examples of prompts that can be adapted for conservative in the number of prompts they
use during the analysis phase are listed in Table expect to cover, judicious in their selections, and
2. generous in their estimations of how long they
expect each phase will take to discuss.
Learner tasks associated with both the Fortunately, debriefs need not be exhaustive to
description phase and the analysis phase of the be effective. Using the lesson’s learning
debrief, including describing the experience from objectives as a guide, the number of prompts
multiple perspectives, comparing the new can often be distilled down to three or four key
information and experiences to prior knowledge, or high priority, essential questions for each
and identifying lessons learned have been phase. Supplementary prompts can be planned
grouped together in the experiential learning and kept in reserve in case the discussion stalls
theory as occurring during the reflective or if time allows for further discussion.
observation stage (see Kolb, 2015). When
facilitating the debrief, however, creating a clear TEACHING PROCEDURES
demarcation between description phase and the
analysis phase serves as a reminder to teachers Facilitating the debrief
and students that each phase has unique goals As soon as the EL activity portion of the
associated with it. lesson is completed, teachers should begin
debriefing the experience with their students.
Planning the application phase. For many teachers, the debrief is often the most
The third and final stage of the debrief is the enjoyable and rewarding part of teaching
application phase. The application phase of the lessons that include EL activities. The debrief is
debrief aligns with the abstract conceptualization the point in the lesson at which teachers step
stage of Kolb’s experiential learning theory down from their central role as “sage of the
(Kolb, 2015). The purpose of this phase is to stage” (King, 1993, p. 30) to assume the
help students transfer or apply what they have supporting role of facilitator as they journey with
learned to their own lives and behavior in their students through processing the
personally meaningful ways. For this reason, of experience through which they have just come
the three phases of the debrief, the application and exploring the implications of what the
phase is likely the most important to health experience has taught them. Facilitating the
education teachers. The specific goals of the debrief involves posing the discussion prompts
application phase include helping students: planned for each stage of the debrief,
1. Translate what they learned about their moderating discussion, and supporting student
thoughts, feelings and actions during the engagement. The following paragraphs expand
activity to how they might think, feel, and on this simple description, highlighting key
act in similar situations they are likely to considerations and strategies for teachers as
encounter in the real world (Lederman, they facilitate debriefs.
1992);
2. Make the decision to act, set goals, and When teachers decide the time to end the EL
develop a plan for applying what they activity and begin the debrief has been reached,
have learned to modify current behavior they should bring the EL activity to a clear and
or to adopt new behavior. definitive stop. Creating a distinct demarcation
between the end of the experience and the start
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of the debrief will help students transition, both to share his/her observations and impressions of
literally and psychologically, from being the experience and to listen closely to the
immersed in the activity and continuing the observations shared by the other students.
experience, to exiting their roles as participants Consequently, students will rely heavily on their
so they can begin to reflect upon what happened interpersonal skills during this phase. By
(Steinwachs, 1992). Bringing an EL activity to a combining everyone’s input and the answers
full stop could involve, for instance, signaling generated to the discussion prompts, a
students to immediately stop what they are comprehensive and detailed description of the
doing, put away any materials or equipment experience will emerge. The role of the teacher
used during the activity, and then gather during the description phase is to guide the
together in the predetermined area. discussion by posing the prompts planned,
encouraging and acknowledging each student
As soon as students are settled and listening, for his/her contribution, precluding any one
teachers should introduce the debrief by explain- person from monopolizing the discussion, and
ing the overall purpose of the debrief and how it modeling active listening skills. As much as
relates to the lesson’s objectives as well as the possible, teachers should try to avoid inserting
goals of each phase and how they will be themselves into the discussion (Steinwachs,
conducted (Markulis & Strang, 2003). Teachers 1992). If students appear to be overlooking a
should emphasize that all contributions to the key detail, however, teachers can nudge the
discussion, no matter how small or from whom, discussion toward it by asking students to
provides a valuable piece of the puzzle and elaborate on a specific observation or by calling
contributes to the class’ collective understanding attention to elements not yet discussed. A
of what happened and what it might mean. particularly important function of the teacher in
Also, investing a couple minutes to review with this first phase is to ensure that any details
students the qualities of a good partner/ related to the lesson’s learning objectives have
teammate, the elements of effective cooperative been identified and described. When teachers
learning (see Johnson & Johnson, 1999), and feel the discussion prompts have been
the expectations for participation and personal adequately addressed, teachers should bring
conduct will help ensure a positive learning the phase to a close by quickly summarizing the
experience for everyone. Last, if the class will be information gathered by the group and
subdivided into smaller groups, teachers will highlighting key details about the experience
want to explain to students how they will be that will become the focus of discussion during
placed into groups and how the groups will the second phase.
share information with the rest of the class.
Ideally, the teacher will have reserved an
Facilitating the description phase. adequate amount of time during the lesson to
Whenever possible, the description phase of work through all three phases of the debrief in a
the debrief should be initiated immediately after single class period. In many settings, however,
the EL activity has ended, as this is when the length of a class period is too short to allow
students’ recall of details and of their for both the EL activity and a full debrief,
impressions can be expected to be the most requiring a second class meeting to complete
vivid, authentic, and self-determined. Second, the debrief. When this is expected to occur (or
because students tend to be highly motivated to occurs unexpectedly), teachers should plan for
begin talking about what they have experienced and strive to complete the description phase
during the activity, moving directly to the debrief immediately following the activity and prior to
allows teachers to take advantage of this class dismissal. As mentioned above, having
tendency. Similarly, starting the debrief without students describe the details of the event before
allowing for a break will help discourage their memories have faded is important for
students from beginning to share their thoughts accuracy and completeness. The description of
with individual students in a spontaneous, the activity they generate will serve as the
informal manner, rather than as part of a starting point for the analysis and application
facilitated discussion among the entire group phases of the debrief during the next class
(Steinwachs, 1992). meeting. As a means of closure, teachers
should briefly summarize key aspects of the
The performance expectation of students description and any additional details about the
during the description phase is for each student activity itself that they want students to keep in
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 69
Journal of Health Education Teaching, 2017; 8(1): 61-76 Copyright: www.jhetonline.com
All rights reserved
mind or think about in preparation for the Performance expectations of students during
analysis phase of the debrief. the analysis phase include using higher order
cognitive skills and critical thinking skills as they
If beginning the debrief immediately after the consider their responses to the discussion
EL activity is not possible (e.g. the EL activity prompts and practicing effective communication,
required the entire class period to complete), teamwork and group processing skills while they
teachers can help students prepare for the interact with their classmates. As students
initial, description phase of the debrief by discuss what went well and what did not go well
assigning independent work intended to help during the activity, teachers might need to
them remember and later recall what occurred. remind them to focus on understanding why and
For example, teachers can ask students to: how things went the way they did, rather than on
 Draft a timeline, placing descriptions of assigning blame to a specific person for
the events in the order in which they something that did not go well (Paige et al.,
occurred; 2015; US Department of the Army, 2013).The
 Create a graphic organizer depicting the teacher’s role during this phase is the same as it
individuals involved and what each of was during the description phase, including
them did or said; presenting students with the discussion prompts
 Write a reflective essay describing their planned, encouraging and acknowledging each
impressions of the activity and their student for his/her contribution, precluding any
experience; one person from monopolizing the discussion,
 Draft a newspaper article chronicling the modeling active listening skills and monitoring
Five Ws and an H (who, what, when, the passage of time to keep the debrief on
where, why and how); schedule. Teachers may also wish to “play the
devil’s advocate” to challenge assumptions and
The discussion prompts planned for the logical fallacies as they arise. Note, however,
description phase can also serve as the that the role of the teacher does not include
substance of additional ideas for independent deciding for students or dictating to them what
work. This independent work can be completed they have learned or how they should feel about
as in-class assignment, as homework, or some it (Lederman, 1992; Steinwachs, 1992).
combination of both. With thoughtful planning,
teachers can minimize the negative effects that When teachers are satisfied with the
delaying the start of the group discussion portion identification and analysis of the lessons learned
of the description phase could have had. and ready to proceed to the final stage of the
debrief, they should close the phase with a brief
Facilitating the analysis phase. summary of the main points discussed. Included
Teachers should begin the analysis phase by among the main points summarized should be
providing students with a quick explanation of any lessons or insights related to the lesson’s
the purposes of the analysis phase, which learning objectives.
include 1) identifying the lessons they learned
through participating in the activity and Facilitating the application phase.
comparing these lessons to the learning The application phase is the final phase of
objectives of the lesson; and 2) examining the the debrief. The purpose of the application
similarities between the activity and the real phase is to help students transfer or apply the
world. Note that the lessons learned are realized insights and feedback generated in the previous
from the students’ perspective, not dictated to phases to guide their own health-related
them from the teacher’s perspective or decisions and their actions. Performance
expectations (Lederman, 1992; Steinwachs, expectations of students include using essential
1992). If a break in time occurred between the health skills for accessing information/products/
first and second phases, including a short services, decision-making, goal-setting and
summary of the EL activity and a recap of the action planning to create plans for adapting an
perspectives shared will help students recall key existing health behavior or adopting a new
details. Students can be called upon to volunteer behavior. The teacher’s role during this phase
this information but teachers should be careful to include serving as moderator, motivator, and
not allow the discussion to digress back to time-keeper. The teacher might also assist
describing what happened to them (the focus of students with brainstorming strategies for
the first phase).
Planning and Facilitating Debriefs of Experiential Learning Activities Page 70