The Proudman Group, Inc. -- Programs

Experience-Based Learning Resources

The EBL Guide is now in its second edition. The Proudman Group, Inc., Accessible Adventures, Inc. and The McLaughlin Community, Inc. collaborated to produce a resource for the HR and training professions to adapt experience-based learning into their learning environments. Our educational products are designed for the corporate training market. Items we have for sale include the book(s), an EBL Kit with 15 initiatives that are described in the book and on-site training in how to maximize your organization's benefits from using these inclusive learning tools.

This Experience Based Learning (EBL) Guide and Tool Kit includes 15 exercises or initiatives that we have used successfully in many settings with diverse teams. We are often amazed, given the right frame and debrief, how successful experience based activities can be as a stand alone program, integrated into a traditional stand-up training course, or as an intervention technique. We offer this information and tools to you in the following spirit:

Many corporate groups are captive audiences- they do not always have a choice "to" or "not to" participate in training and development. Make sure when you offer these experiences that participants are allowed to choose their own participation level whether it be physical, emotional or intellectual. You will get better results!
Share your unique use of the activities and tools with others. These experiences will only evolve if diverse groups of professionals provide input into current and future applications.
Update your own skills in both learning the content and context when using experience based activities. Because these exercises are process oriented and facilitator dependent, it helps to get feedback from others.
Manage customer expectations and understand their goals for using experience based training and development. These activities are both cognitive and physical and can elicit strong emotions. Be sure you are clear on boundaries - yours and theirs.

Remember, there are no "right answers" for a group to pursue in each of the activities. The important point to bear in mind is the overall value of the "process" of facilitating through EBL initiatives. Without the proper framing and presentation, the activities can be viewed as games. This can undermine the potential to further the group®s understanding of the potential learning by transferring the insights gained from the exercises to behavior occurring at work.

In the production of this Guide and the Tool Kit, we chose activities and products in which we have confidence because they are safe, light-weight, cost-effective and durable. We attempted to stay away from complicated directions when designing the activities and "bells and whistles" in our product development. Along with the Guide and Toolkit, we offer additional training to help you gain confidence in using experience based learning in your practice. We want to help you be more experience based!