CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND PEDAGOGY
published: 23 July 2021
doi: 10.3389/ sus.2021.694313
F on ie s in Sus ainabili y | www. on ie sin.o g 1July 2021 | Volume 2 | A icle 694313
Edi ed by:
Rod igo Lozano,
Uni e si y o Gä le, Sweden
Re iewed by:
Gisela Ceb ián,
Uni e si y o Ro i a i Vi gili, Spain
Ba ba a Galleli,
Fede al Uni e si y o Pa aná, B azil
*Co espondence:
Ma c C aps
[email p o ec ed]
Special y sec ion:
This a icle was submi ed o
Sus ainable O ganiza ions,
a sec ion o he jou nal
F on ie s in Sus ainabili y
Recei ed: 12 Ap il 2021
Accep ed: 24 June 2021
Published: 23 July 2021
Ci a ion:
C aps M and B ugnach M (2021)
Expe ien ial Lea ning o Local
Rela ional Tasks o Global Sus ainable
De elopmen by Using a Beha io al
Simula ion. F on . Sus ain. 2:694313.
doi: 10.3389/ sus.2021.694313
Expe ien ial Lea ning o Local
Rela ional Tasks o Global
Sus ainable De elopmen by Using a
Beha io al Simula ion
Ma c C aps1*and Ma cela B ugnach2,3,4
1Facul y o Economics and Business Managemen , Cen e o Economics and Co po a e Sus ainabili y, KU Leu en –
Campus B ussels, B ussels, Belgium, 2Basque Cen e o Clima e Change, Scien i ic Campus o he Uni e si y o he
Basque Coun y, Leioa, Spain, 3Basque Founda ion o Science, Ike basque, Bilbao, Spain, 4Wa e Enginee ing and
Managemen G oup, Facul y o Enginee ing Technology, Uni e si y o Twen e, Enschede, Ne he lands
The in e dependen cha ac e o sus ainabili y challenges calls o collabo a ion among
ac o s wi h di e en capabili ies, in e es s, and knowledge ames. Beha io al simula ions
o e good oppo uni ies o lea n abou dealing wi h hese di e ences. They a e based
on an “expe ien ial lea ning” app oach ha in eg a es he di ec expe ience o he
pa icipan s du ing a simula ion exe cise wi h e lec ion, heo izing, and ac ing. As such
he simula ion is able o mobilize he “minds, hea s, and hands” o he pa icipan s o
s imula e no only cogni i e, bu also a ec i e and mo al lea ning in an embodied way.
This is conside ed o u mos impo ance in educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen . The
simula ion exe cise p esen ed in his manusc ip is inspi ed by a eal case in he Sou he n
Andes o Ecuado , whe e an exis ing mul i-ac o commi ee o he co-managemen o
he egional UNESCO Biosphe e is challenged by he a i al o an in e na ional mining
company. The esul s a e based on an analysis o he simula ion sessions wi h h ee
di e en g oups: (1) social and en i onmen al expe s ha ha e expe ience in he con ex
o he case; (2) s uden s in In e na ional Business Managemen ; and (3) s uden s in Wa e
Enginee ing. The pa icipan s ap in o he po en ial o indi idual and g oup e lec ion
o lea n om hei own expe ience. They demons a e an inc eased awa eness o he
impo ance o he ela ions be ween he s akeholde s o deal adequa ely wi h he wicked
na u e o he case. The inno a ion o he ool consis s in he possibili y o add ess in
a sys ema ic and explici way he ela ional asks ha a e needed in local con ex s o
add ess global sus ainabili y challenges. Especially he a en ion gi en o ambidex e i y
o add ess he ough ension be ween collabo a ion and powe plays is a ely co e ed
by o he ools.
Keywo ds: expe ien ial lea ning, beha io al simula ion, ela ional asks, mul i-ac o collabo a ion, ambidex e i y,
biosphe e, mining con lic s, sus ainable de elopmen
INTRODUCTION
All he main sus ainabili y challenges, like clima e change, ood insecu i y, po e y,
inc easing inequali y, loss o biodi e si y, esou ce deple ion, heal h p oblems ela ed
o con amina ion, e c. a e in e connec ed and alue-laden. Coping adequa ely wi h hese
challenges equi es ha he mu ual dependencies exis ing among di e en ac o s a e aken in o
C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
accoun . This aises he need o collabo a ion be ween ac o s
in ol ed in a sha ed local eali y in o de o con ibu e o
sus ainable de elopmen a a global le el. I equi es an enhanced
awa eness o he ela ional asks ha a e needed o collabo a e
and handle si ua ions whe e disag eemen and con lic may
a ise. He e, we p opose expe ien ial lea ning as an educa ional
app oach and beha io al simula ions as lea ning ools in highe
educa ion o lea n abou hese impo an ela ional asks
o sus ainable de elopmen . The “Mining in he Biosphe e”
simula ion is p esen ed as an example o such a simula ion.
The insigh s ha he pa icipan s acqui e wi h his simula ion,
a e based on he obse a ion o class oom p ac ices and on
an analysis o he indi idual lea ning epo s in h ee di e en
g oups: academic schola s and expe ienced p o essionals in local
sus ainable de elopmen a he Uni e si y o Cuenca, Ecuado ,
s uden s o he mas e p og am in in e na ional business
economics and managemen a KU Leu en uni e si y, Belgium,
and s uden s o he mas e p og am in wa e enginee ing a he
Uni e si y o Twen e, The Ne he lands. We conclude wi h a
discussion abou he unique alue o his simula ion as a e sa ile
lea ning ins umen o lea n abou he ela ional asks ha need
o be add essed in conc e e local con ex s o ad ance global
sus ainable de elopmen .
Welcome in he An h opocene
Geologis s speak abou a new e a in he his o y o ou plane
Ea h, he An h opocene. They ha e obse ed ha he human
ac o has a decisi e in luence on all ecological sys ems o which
human socie ies a e pa (Olsson e al., 2014; S e en e al., 2015).
The beha io o complex socio-ecological sys ems is he esul o
he in e ac ion be ween a coun less numbe o human and non-
human ac o s ha depend on each o he o hei su i al and
he well-being a sys em le el. Socio-ecological sys ems a e in
a dynamic equilib ium and in pe manen e olu ion. When oo
much (na u al o human-induced) ex e nal p essu e is exe ed,
hey become ex emely uns able, “ u bulen ” un il hey ind a new
equilib ium (Richa dson e al., 2005). The ela i ely s able pe iod
o he Holocene allowed he de elopmen o human socie ies as
we know hem nowadays. Howe e , i seems ha we a e now
in he “bumpy” ansi ion pe iod owa d he An h opocene. In
ou in e connec ed wo ld wha e e ac i i y in one place can
ha e—o en unexpec ed—consequences in o he places and on
he global sys em. Collabo a ion be ween ac o s locally is a mus
o a oid ha he ansi ion o he An h opocene leads humani y
o a plane wi h ad e se ecological condi ions and g owing social
ensions globally, and o lead humani y on he pa h owa d
sus ainable de elopmen (G ay and Pu dy, 2018).
Taking in o accoun he complexi y o socio-ecological
sys ems implies dealing wi h he inhe en unce ain y and
ambigui y o complex sys em beha io (B ugnach e al., 2008).
Unce ain y e e s o he ( ela i e) unp edic abili y o u u e
e olu ions. Ambigui y e e s o he di e en ways ha ac o s
pe cei e and concei e he changes a ound hem, acco ding o
hei in e es s, o me expe iences and (cul u al, disciplina y,
.. .) pe spec i es (C aps and B ugnach, 2015). Howe e , he
managemen and go e nance sys ems ha a e s ill dominan
nowadays, we e designed in di e en imes and con ex s, wi h
mo e p edic able demands, clea e social p io i ies, and mo e
s able ecological condi ions. In hese o me ci cums ances, wi h
a low deg ee o unce ain y and ambigui y, clea -cu p oblems
can be sol ed wi h a ional p oblem sol ing which gua an ees
he mos e icien use o esou ces. Howe e , in u bulen
and complex socio-ecological condi ions, managemen is no
only con on ed wi h inc eased unp edic abili y bu also wi h
inc eased deba e abou wha is eally a s ake, wha a e he
main p oblems ha should be add essed and which solu ion
al e na i es should be p io i ized. The p oblems wi h which
managemen is con on ed a e called “wicked” because hey
don’ ha e one bes de ini i e solu ion (Ri el and Webbe , 1973;
Te mee and Kessene , 2007). A emp s o a i e a a solu ion
o en esul in unexpec ed and undesi able side-e ec s elsewhe e,
ha end o a ec mos ly powe less ac o s, “wi hou oice” in
he deba es.
I wicked p oblems can’ be de ini i ely sol ed, he ques ion is
hen i we can lea n anyhow o deal a bes wi h hem. Highe
educa ion highligh s he impo ance o e idence-based science
in decision-making. This leads o an emphasis on measu emen s
and da a-managemen in sus ainabili y educa ion (Jickling and
S e ling, 2017). Howe e , he inhe en ambigui y o complex
sus ainabili y challenges can’ be sol ed by gene a ing mo e da a,
because he in ol ed ac o s i s ha e o ag ee on he amewo ks
in which hese da a i and make sense (B ugnach and
Ing am, 2012). Dealing wi h ambigui y equi es hus iden i ying,
mobilizing and connec ing ele an ac o s who ha e o nego ia e,
dialogue, and co-c ea e solu ions a he sys em le el o which hey
all depend (C aps e al., 2016,B ugnach e al., 2011). Nego ia ion
s a egies co espond o condi ions in which ac o s wi h di e en
pe spec i es, posi ions, expe iences, esou ces, and possibili ies
de end hei own in e es s. A dialogical lea ning s a egy akes
hese di e ences as oppo uni ies which should be explo ed when
complex challenges a he le el o a whole sys em a e a s ake
(Bouwen and Taillieu, 2004; Dewul e al., 2005) (see Figu e 1).
The en i onmen al, inancial, heal h, and o he sys em c ises
ha he wo ld has aced in ecen imes, ha e omen ed an
awa eness ha by elying exclusi ely on ma ke s o go e nmen s
we a e unable o deal wi h complex, in e connec ed sys em
p oblems (Scha me and Kau e , 2013). Policy a enas ha e been
complemen ed wi h ci il socie y ac o s, p o es ing in he name
o he ic ims o he dominan ma ke economy and eclaiming
hei igh s and bene i s h ough social co ec ions and
en i onmen al measu es. This is when mul i-ac o collabo a ion
comes in o play. In he ollowing sec ion we explain his concep
which e lec s a sea ch o how ac o s belonging o di e en
sec o s should espond join ly o sha ed challenges.
Mul i-Ac o Collabo a ion o Sus ainable
De elopmen
Mul i-ac o collabo a ion, as concei ed in his con ex
o sus ainable de elopmen , is a social p ocess, in which
ep esen a i es o a di e si y o cons i uencies, h ough open
and espec ul dialogue g adually come o syne ge ic solu ions,
sa is ying all he in ol ed ac o s, “beyond hei own limi ed
ision o wha is possible” (G ay, 1989; G ay and Pu dy, 2018).
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
FIGURE 1 | Fou app oaches o manage unce ain y and ambigui y.
Howe e , collabo a i e ini ia i es a e o en con on ed wi h
con adic o y in e es s, incommensu able pe spec i es, and
dispa a e powe . Collabo a i e ac ion s a egies pu emphasis on
building consensus and inding common g ound. This equi es
us , openness, mu ual unde s anding, and dialogical skills
among he in ol ed ac o s.
A dis inc ion should be made be ween “ ansac ional” and
“ ans o ma ional” in e ac ions be ween he pa icipan s in
mul i-ac o ini ia i es. T ansac ional mul i-ac o collabo a ions
a e abou de ending es ed in e es s o he ac o s di ec ly
in ol ed in join ini ia i es. In hese cases ac o s ocus on
hei own speci ic issues. In e ac ions among hem end o be
con lic i e. Con lic s a e esol ed by ba gaining and ansac ing,
based on he p inciples o dis ibu i e nego ia ions, which means:
gi e as li le as possible o he o he , and ake as much as
possible o you sel (Fishe and U y, 1981). Al hough his
kind o nego ia ions has allowed impo an social adjus men s—
he Wes e n so-called social wel a e s a e can be conside ed
an example o i — hey ha e no been able o p e en he
socio-economic sys em s e ching he plane a y bounda ies
and excluding a majo pa o humankind om decen
li ing condi ions.
T ans o ma ional mul i-ac o collabo a ion is based on
p inciples ha Fishe and U y (1981) desc ibe as pa o
in eg a i e nego ia ion. In his case, he in ol ed ac o s iden i y
wi h wha hey sha e and ha e in common. Scha me and Kau e
(2013) e e o i as “eco-sys em awa eness,” which is di e en
om he “s akeholde awa eness” in he case o ansac ional
collabo a ion. Pa icipan s in ans o ma ional collabo a ion do
no ac as me e ep esen a i es o s akeholde s wi h one single
in e es , bu as au hen ic pe sons, wi h complex iden i ies and
in e es s. As a consequence, hei in e ela ions mi o he
complexi y o he ou side wo ld. In o mal social sys ems, based
on mu ual, open-ended commi men a e much mo e adequa e
han bu eauc a ic s uc u es o ha pu pose (Kania e al., 2018).
Mul i-ac o collabo a ion is p edominan ly bu essed by
a cons uc ionis app oach in o ganiza ion and managemen
s udies, ha concei es collabo a ion as an eme gen social eali y
in- he-making h ough in e ac ions be ween indi iduals and
g oups (Bouwen and Taillieu, 2004). Collabo a i e ini ia i es ake
shape and e ol e as ac o s in e ac o e ime. The momen -
by-momen in e ac ions become he mos salien benchma ks
o he collabo a ion, which b ings g oup dynamics o he
o eg ound. A g oup lea ns o collabo a e by engaging in a
join collabo a i e ini ia i e. In e ac ions p o ide oppo uni ies
o lea ning (Bouwen and Taillieu, 2004). Pa icipan s in e p e
each o he ’s in e en ions no only a subs an i e le el, which
e e s o he con en quali y o hei con ibu ions, bu also a
ela ional le el, which s imula es eposi ioning and ine- uning
mu ual expec a ions and in e ac ions. As ac o s become mo e
com o able add essing he quali y o hei in e ac ions, lea ning
abou how o manage issues oge he in ensi ies and opens new
possibili ies o ac ion. Howe e , his de elopmen is a om
su e and hea ily depends on he capaci y o cope cons uc i ely
wi h di e si y (Vansina and Taillieu, 1997; Bommel Van e al.,
2009).
As we concei e mul i-ac o collabo a ion as a undamen ally
in e ac i e lea ning p ocess, lea ning heo ies ega ding
o ganiza ional lea ning (A gy is and Schön, 1978; Hosking and
Bouwen, 2000), social lea ning (Wenge , 2000; Pahl-Wos l and
Ha e, 2004), and g oup de elopmen (Bouwen and Ho elynck,
2006), la gely in o m he nex sec ion.
Lea ning o Manage Mul i-Ac o
Go e nance in A Complex and Ambiguous
Wo ld
Ho elynck e al. (2020) desc ibe h ee ypes o ela ional
asks ha ha e o be ealized simul aneously in mul i-
ac o collabo a ion: connec ing, con on ing, and commi ing.
Al hough he au ho s acknowledge he impo ance o hese
h ee asks h oughou he mul i-ac o p ocess, hey conside
connec ing as a p econdi ion o gene a i e con on a ion.
Connec ing gene a es he b eeding g ound o iche insigh s
and inno a i e p oposals o deal wi h he complex challenges
ha b ing he pa icipan s oge he . The in e play be ween
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
connec ing and con on ing se s he s age o commi men by
all in ol ed ac o s. In he ollowing pa ag aphs we will p esen
some key concep s conce ning hese h ee ela ional asks, ha
a e co e ed by he lea ning p ocess wi h he simula ion as an
educa ional ool, ha we p esen in he nex sec ion.
Connec ing
S akeholde Rela ions Managemen
Collabo a ion s a s by connec ing ele an ac o s ha a e
ela ed o a sha ed eali y which may igge o challenge hem
in di e en ways, acco ding o hei aming o ha eali y.
Connec ing is in he i s place conce ned wi h iden i ying,
mobilizing and con ening he equi ed s akeholde s (Ho isch
e al., 2014; Cu çeu and Sch uije , 2017). Acco ding o Mi chell
e al. (1997) s akeholde s a e mo e impo an o he deg ee
ha hey ha e mo e powe , legi imacy and u gency in he
issue unde conside a ion. Ac o s wi h su icien legi imacy and
c edibili y among he o he ac o s conce ning he issue a s ake,
should ac as con ene s who can con ince hem o engage in
a mul i-ac o endea o . Facili a o s ha e he impo an ask o
es ablishing adequa e con ex s o social ela ions, wi h which
each pa icipan eels su icien ly a ease o exp ess wha eally
ma e s o him o he .
F aming and Re- aming
Connec ing in ol es howe e no only aking ca e o he
ela ional quali ies o he in e ac ions be ween he pa icipan s.
I in ol es also ha pa icipan s amilia ize hemsel es wi h he
speci ic ways he o he s ame eali y, and ha hey unde s and
how he o he s’ aming can be meaning ully connec ed wi h
hei own way o aming he eali y (Dewul and Bouwen, 2012).
Connec ing means hen ha he in ol ed ac o s a e able o e-
ame hei sha ed eali y in such a way ha i acknowledges
i s ambiguous and complex na u e wi h espec o he di e en
in e es s and pe spec i es (Dewul e al., 2005).
Con on ing
Powe in Collabo a ion
Al hough collabo a ion is concei ed as an eme gen p ocess, in
which ac o s h ough open and espec ul dialogue g adually
come o syne ge ic solu ions, mul i-ac o ini ia i es a e
o en con on ed wi h con adic o y in e es s, incommensu able
pe spec i es and dispa a e powe (A elino and Wi maye , 2015).
They equen ly ha e o s a in con ex s ha a e cha ac e ized
by his o ical, deep- oo ed i al ies, and con lic s be ween
he in ol ed ac o s (Lewicki e al., 2002). As a consequence,
ini ia i es isk o esul in a win-lose ze o sum game ins ead o
he expec ed syne gy, h ough which he mos powe ul ac o s
use hei powe o se e hei own in e es s a he expense o
he o he s. Local communi ies and long e m en i onmen al
conce ns a e equen ly ic ims o his powe play (ACIDH,
2011).
The g owing inequali ies, he compe i ion o inc easingly
sca ce esou ces and si ua ions o en i onmen al injus ice, which
ake place in con empo a y socie ies wo ldwide, seem in a o
o a powe pe spec i e as he mos ealis ic and “down o ea h”
op ion. Indeed, in hese ci cums ances an emancipa o y ac ion
s a egy, which c i ically analyzes he powe plays among he
ac o s and empowe s weake ac o s, may be necessa y. Acco ding
o poli ical scien is s and philosophe s such as Chan al Mou e
and Sla oj Zizek, con lic s o in e es and powe plays a e an
essen ial aspec o democ a ic socie ies and mul i-ac o ini ia i es
should no “depoli icize” hem (Kenis and Ma hijs, 2014). They
ad oca e o “ e-poli icizing” deba es when sus ainabili y issues
a e a s ake, o make con lic s o in e es s isible. This may
inspi e public p o es s, ci il disobedience, o o he o ms o
poli ical ac i ism.
Al hough powe ac ion s a egies may seem con adic o y
o collabo a ion, bo h a e in e ela ed and need each o he .
Collabo a ion needs di e ences, esis ance, and a ce ain deg ee
o con lic o push he mul i-ac o g oup owa d inding join ly
c ea i e and inno a i e solu ions a a highe sys em le el.
Wi hou empowe men s onge pa ies isk des oying he
weake ones, a i ing a monopolis ic posi ions. An impo an
ask o a mul i-ac o ini ia i e consis s hen in de eloping
he abili y o cons uc i e con lic . The ambidex e i y concep ,
explained in he nex sec ion, aims p ecisely a con ibu ing o
his abili y.
Ambidex e i y
Ambidex e i y, “ he abili y o pe o m di e ing and o en
compe ing s a egic ac s a he same ime” (Simsek e al., 2009) is a
concep ha helps cla i y how connec ing and con on ing ac ion
s a egies can be uned wi h each o he . The concep , which in he
con ex o Co po a e Social Pe o mance add esses he ension
be ween economic compe i ion and socie al esponsibili y (Hahn
e al., 2016), e e s he e o he abili y o ac o s belonging o a
sha ed mul i-ac o se ing o deal delibe a ely and adequa ely
wi h he ension be ween connec ing and con on ing.
Cao and Gedajlo ic (2009) dis inguish wo dimensions in
ambidex e i y: balancing and combining. Balancing means using
simul aneously bu sepa a ely ac ions ha belong o wo di e en
ac ion s a egies, connec ing and con on ing, so ha one ac ion
can compensa e o he weakness o he o he , e.g., while
ac o s a e in ol ed in a dialogue, i can be use ul o in es
simul aneously in suppo ing he weake pa ies, by gi ing
hem echnical suppo , o by coaching hei nego ia ion skills.
Balancing is p obably he bes al e na i e when he e is much
ambigui y conce ning he issues a s ake and when he e is much
p essu e om powe ul ac o s o impose hei in e es s. Po en ial
solu ions a e hen p epa ed sepa a ely wi h di e en ac o s
ou side he join mul i-ac o space. C i ical ac o s a e ole a ed o
e en suppo ed, wi hou p essu ing hem o pa icipa e di ec ly
in he mul i-ac o ini ia i e, o a oid a ec ing hei c edibili y as
spokespe son o legi ima e cons i uencies.
Combining wo ac ion s a egies in one ac i i y on he o he
hand can make his ac i i y mo e e ec i e, because bo h ac ion
s a egies acili a e and ein o ce each o he . E.g., in ol ing
weake and s onge ac o s in a join ac i i y, may empowe
he weake pa ies as hey lea n how hei in e es s can be
a ec ed by he o he s. S onge ac o s may lea n o accep
he eques s o weake ac o s in a less de ensi e and mo e
empa hic way. Combining con on a ion wi h connec ing ac ion
s a egies in one ac i i y is use ul o unleash he c ea i i y ha
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
is needed o c ea ing no el insigh s and inno a i e solu ions
o complex p oblems. Syne gy equi es linking mechanisms
ha can euni e ac o s wi h p o ound di e ences. Examples
o linking mechanisms a e: go-be weens, double (o mul iple)
iden i ies, sha ed ac i i ies, mixed legal s uc u es, join ac
inding, pa icipa o y model building, e c. (C aps e al., 2004).
Commi ing
Pa icipa ion in Decision-Making and Implemen a ion
Commi men and us a e eme gen aspec s o he in e ac ion
and a e inally pu o he es du ing implemen a ion. Depending
on he ecip oci y in his p ocess, ac o s commi o ag eed-upon
decisions, and la e hey commi o join e o s (Ho elynck e al.,
2020). The “ladde o pa icipa ion” (A ns ein, 1969) has been a
commonly used amewo k o isualize he g adual in ol emen
o ini ially excluded ac o s o ci il socie y in (public) decision
making. The lowe ungs o he ladde e e o manipula i e
p ac ices, gi ing excluded ac o s an illusion o pa icipa ion
wi hou eal in ol emen . Climbing up he ladde leads om
less pa icipa i e and mo e unila e al decision-making based
on one-way communica ion (in o ming, consul a ion, placa ion)
o mo e pa icipa i e pa ne ships based on open, wo-way
communica ion be ween all ac o s, and inally esul ing in
comple e ci izen con ol.
Collins and Ison (2009) poin ou ha in he case o
complex sus ainabili y challenges such a hie a chical iew on
pa icipa ion, ans e ing comple e con ol om one (public)
o ano he (ci il socie y) ac o is inadequa e. They ad oca e
ins ead o social lea ning, a go e nance app oach which is in
line wi h he mul i-ac o app oach o his publica ion. Th ough
social lea ning di e en ac o s lea n o manage oge he complex
sus ainabili y issues, by g adually app ecia ing complemen a y
insigh s and esou ces o each pa icipan .
Communica ion Wi h Cons i uencies and B oade Socie y
Ex e nal communica ion abou collabo a i e e o s and ou pu
owa d he cons i uen o ganiza ions and he b oade socie y is
impo an o os e commi men . I gene a es eedback om he
membe s o hese o ganiza ions and i u ges he in ol ed ac o s
in he mul i-ac o ini ia i e o ake a s and o hei e o s in he
b oade socie y.
Rep esen a i es o “unde -o ganized” o ganiza ions ha ha e
con lic ing iews in e nally ega ding he issue a s ake, will
possibly ha e a di icul ask o con ince hei cons i uencies
o he mul i-ac o ag eemen s and engagemen . This is o en
he case o local communi y leade s, in con as wi h he
leade s o public and p i a e sec o o ganiza ions, ha a e mo e
o mally and hie a chically o ganized. The challenge o hese
ep esen a i es and leade s can be unde s ood by wha is known
as he “dilemma o he nego ia o ” in nego ia ion li e a u e. As
he membe s o an o ganiza ion o en lack he sha ed expe iences
and open con e sa ions o hei ep esen a i es in he mul i-
ac o ac i i ies, hey end o s ick o hei o iginal, mo e de ensi e
posi ions. Communica i e skills a e impo an o leade s o
jus i y hei choices and sha e hei lea ning insigh s wi h
hei cons i uencies.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
UNESCO’s Sus ainable De elopmen Goal numbe ou ,
quali y educa ion, calls o “an ac ion-o ien ed, ans o ma i e
pedagogy, which suppo s sel -di ec ed lea ning, pa icipa ion,
and collabo a ion, [...] and p oblem-o ien a ion” (Ga ney
and Kcenia O’Neil, 2018). Acco ding o hese au ho s
pedagogical app oaches based on expe ien ial lea ning ul ill
hese expec a ions. In his sec ion we explain i s b ie ly he
basic ene s o expe ien ial lea ning, and hen we p esen
beha io al simula ions as adequa e lea ning ools o pu in
p ac ice expe ien ial lea ning on complex opics ela ed o
sus ainable de elopmen in a class oom se ing.
Expe ien ial Lea ning
Expe ien ial lea ning inds i s inspi a ion in a di e si y o ac ion-
o ien ed pedagogies, based on a “lea ning-by-doing” app oach
o he p agma ic educa ional heo is John Dewey, and o he
in luen ial educa o s o social change like Ku Lewin, Paulo
F ei e, and Ca l Roge s. Wi h his app oach he ocus in
educa ion shi s om eaching o lea ning (Kolb and Kolb,
2005). Ins ead o eaching as ansmi ing cogni i e con en s,
he educa o gene a es oppo uni ies in which lea ne s can ha e
impac ul expe iences, can e lec on hese expe iences and on
hei own con ibu ions, can heo ize abou hese e lec ions, and
inally can expe imen wi h new ideas and beha io s o change.
Kolb (1983) desc ibes an expe ien ial lea ning cycle in ou
s eps: (1) Lea ning s a s wi h a pe son being con on ed
wi h a ich expe ience o a conc e e si ua ion; (2) This
expe ience s imula es sys ema ic e lec ion on he expe ience;
(3) Subsequen ly he lea ne looks o heo e ical amewo ks o
in eg a e he e lec ions, o make sense o he expe ience and o
come up wi h ac ion possibili ies o in e ene in he si ua ion;
(4) and inally he lea ne will y ou in p ac ice hese possible
ac ions. Feedback on he ou comes o he in e en ions b ings
he lea ne again a he s a o a con inuous lea ning cycle.
Al hough Kolb’s o iginal concep ion o expe ien ial lea ning was
s ill p edominan ly ocused on cogni i e lea ning, i s po en ial
o “whole-pe son” lea ning has la e been ecognized (Sipos
e al., 2008). Indeed, in expe ien ial lea ning lea ne s a e in ol ed
as whole pe sons, no only in ellec ually bu wi h all senses,
wi h emo ions and alues, hinking, and ac ing. This allows
in eg a ing a ec i e, imaginal, spi i ual, and p ac ical aspec s in
he lea ning p ocess. Th ough join expe iences lea ne s connec
no only o hei own emo ions, bu hey connec also wi h he
o he s in ol ed in he lea ning expe ience, and wi h he b oade
wo ld in which he expe ience akes place. Ins ead o eaching
abou sus ainabili y, educa ion based on expe ien ial lea ning
can become ans o ma i e lea ning o sus ainabili y when he
lea ne s engage in he ac i i y wi h he in en o ans o m he
conc e e si ua ion owa d a mo e inclusi e, sus ainable wo ld
(Sipos e al., 2008; Jickling and S e ling, 2017).
Sipos e al. (2008) ad oca e o lea ning wi h “head, hands and
hea ” o s imula e his kind o expe ience-based ans o ma i e
lea ning o sus ainabili y. Lea ning wi h he head e e s
o in ellec ual, cogni i e engagemen o co ec ly unde s and
he basic ac s, p inciples, and mechanisms o sus ainable
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
de elopmen . This implies paying a en ion o complex sys ems,
c i ical hinking, and ansdisciplina y lea ning. Lea ning wi h
he hands means ha ans o ma i e lea ning o sus ainabili y
mus o esee oppo uni ies o p ac ice skills ha a e needed
o pa icipa ion, con lic esolu ion, and democ a ic decision
making. Lea ning wi h he hea is s imula ed when he
pa icipan s a e in ol ed wi h passion, hey can li e hei deepe
alues, unleash hei c ea i i y and expe ience un, and his in an
inclusi e en i onmen .
In he nex sec ion we p esen beha io al simula ions
as an educa ional ool o expe ience-based ans o ma i e
sus ainabili y lea ning, s imula ing lea ning wi h he head, hands,
and hea .
Beha io al Simula ions
Beha io al simula ions ha e been desc ibed as lea ning
ins umen s o indi iduals in ol ed in mul i-ac o ini ia i es
(Vansina e al., 1996; De Wee d e al., 2009; P ins, 2009)
and mo e speci ically also o sus ainabili y ela ed challenges
(Annandale and Mo isson-Saunde s, 2007; S oboda and
Whalen, 2007; S e anska e al., 2011; Magnuszewski e al., 2018).
They consis o a desc ip ion o a p oblema ic si ua ion in
which di e en in e es ed ac o s ha e o in e ac o esol e he
p oblema ic si ua ion. The pa icipan s in he simula ion a e
di ided in g oups, pu ing hemsel es in he posi ion o he
di e en ac o s in ol ed in he simula ed case. They can mee
and in e ac wi h he o he s in in e nal mee ings (wi hin hei
own ac o g oup), bila e al mee ings (wi h one o he o a limi ed
numbe o o he g oups) and mul i-la e al mee ings (plena y, o
“ own hall” h ough ep esen a i es).
Simula ions esemble ole-playing, bu he e is an impo an
di e ence. In simula ions he oles o he ac o s a e no
p esc ibed bu comple ely open o imp o isa ion by he
pa icipan s. They ha e o iden i y wi h he ac o g oup o which
hey a e pa and ac om he pe spec i e: “Wha would I do
being in his posi ion?”
Simula ions a e oppo uni ies o he pa icipan s o
expe ience a ele an , complex and challenging si ua ion, bu
hey a e only a i s s ep in he expe ien ial lea ning cycle.
Subsequen ly he pa icipan s a e s imula ed o e lec on
hei expe ience, o en ich hese e lec ions wi h concep ual
amewo ks, o expe imen wi h al e na i e ways o in e ening
in he simula ed eali y, and inally o apply he lea ning insigh s
in simila si ua ions in hei own li e.
The “Mining in he Biosphe e” Simula ion
A Real Case as Inspi a ion
The simula ion is based on a eal (s ill ongoing) case conce ning
mining and sus ainable esou ces managemen in he Sou he n
Andes o Ecuado (C aps e al., 2017). In his case a b oad
g oup o local and na ional ac o s collabo a i ely ob ained he
o icial ecogni ion by UNESCO o hei egion as a Biosphe e
a ea. Biosphe es a e geog aphical a eas wi h an excep ional
di e si y o habi a s, including p o ec ed a eas (Na ional Pa ks),
p oduc i e a eas (e.g., o ag icul u e) and human se lemen s
and ci ies. Thei main pu pose is o se e as spaces o
aining and educa ion abou local, egional, na ional, and global
sus ainable de elopmen . The “El Cajas Biosphe e,” he case
inspi ing he simula ion, co e s an a ea o 976,000 has, anging
om 4,450 m abo e sea le el ill he opical Wes e n Paci ic
Coas . I includes i e comple ely di e en socio-ecological zones:
mang o e swamps and opical lowlands, dese s and d y bush,
cloud o es s, al i ude ag icul u e and pas u e, and moo lands.
The “Na ional Pa k El Cajas” is a p o ec ed pa in he cen e o
he biosphe e o 28,000 has wi h 768 lakes and wa e holes. This
a ea is e y impo an o he wa e supply o nea by Cuenca,
he hi d ci y o he coun y wi h o e 400.000 inhabi an s
(Rod íguez e al., 2013).
The di e se g oup o ac o s ha lobbied o he UNESCO
ecogni ion, has cons i u ed a mul i-ac o commi ee o he
join managemen o he Biosphe e. They a e inspi ed by
he sus ainabili y- ela ed p inciples o “ he Good Li ing”
(“Sumac Kawsay” in he Ki chwa indigenous language), a
key concep o he Na ional Cons i u ion. The a i al o a
mul ina ional mining company s ongly challenges he mul i-
ac o commi ee. I causes in ense deba es, as well wi hin
as be ween he ac o g oups conce ning he accep abili y o
mining ope a ions in he Biosphe e. The company p omises
o enhance he economic oppo uni ies and basic se ices
o he egion, bu simul aneously h ea ens he agile socio-
ecological en i onmen .
The ac o s ep esen a high deg ee o ho izon al di e si y
(be ween di e en sec o s o socie y: go e nmen s, ci il socie y,
companies, u ban, and u al g oups) as well as e ical di e si y
(local, egional, na ional, and in e na ional le el). The e a e
majo di e ences in sou ces and deg ees o powe be ween he
in ol ed ac o s in he simula ion. Al hough a i s sigh his may
seem a simple pola ized con lic be ween a migh y “Golia h” ( he
mining company as bad guy), and he poo bu mo ally supe io
“Da id” ( he locals), he simula ion e okes a much mo e complex
pano ama, in which each o he ac o s has o deal no only wi h
ex e nal bu also wi h in e nal ensions abou he possibili y o
inco po a ing mining ac i i ies in he Biosphe e, al hough each
ac o o e y di e en easons.
The simula ion is based on exis ing documen s and i s -
hand in o ma ion by wo alumni o o me aining p og ams
ega ding mul i-ac o collabo a ion o sus ainabili y ( acili a ed
by he i s au ho ). They we e bo h ac i ely in ol ed in he mul i-
ac o p ocess which esul ed success ully in he acknowledgmen
by UNESCO o he a ea as Biosphe e in 2013 (one ep esen ing
he local go e nmen o he nea by ci y and one ep esen ing an
impo an en i onmen al NGO).
Di e en S eps
The whole lea ning p ocess wi h he simula ion in ol es ou
s eps: (1) An (op ional) p epa a o y phase, p o iding ele an
concep ual amewo ks; (2) Playing he simula ion; (3) G oup
e lec ion on he simula ed expe ience; (4) Lea ning epo s. A
de ailed o e iew o he di e en s eps in he whole lea ning
p ocess can be ound in Figu e 2.
In his sec ion we ocus on he second s ep, which is dedica ed
o he simula ion as such.
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
FIGURE 2 | G aphical p esen a ion o he whole lea ning p ocess.
In oducing he Simula ion
A e explaining he gene al p inciples and lea ning objec i es
o he simula ion, as p esen ed in he o me sec ion, he
pa icipan s ecei e a gene al desc ip ion o he si ua ion in which
he simula ion akes place. This is a syn hesis o ha desc ip ion:
“The Minis y o he En i onmen has gi en he ope a ing
license o mining o he mul ina ional company June ield.
The mining si e is si ua ed in he UNESCO Biosphe e, nea a
Na ional Pa k a ea. The company can s a he exploi a ion o
he es ima ed ese es o 605,000 ounces o gold and 4,300,000
ounces o sil e . A unnel will be exca a ed o ex ac 800 ons
o ock daily o e he cou se o 8 yea s. Tailing ponds will be
c ea ed on si e o he mining was e. The possible en i onmen al
impac s can a ec (.. .) he wa e ways, li es ock p oduc ion,
cacao, banana ees, sh imp and ish. Acco ding o Ecuado ian
legisla ion, a leas 51% o he economic bene i s by mining ha e
o go o he Na ional Go e nmen , o a end o he needs o he
neighbo ing communi ies (...) like oads, schools and sani a y
sys ems (.. .). The app op ia e ea men o mining is impe a i e
o he u u e o he egion. The UNESCO Biosphe e is managed
by a Mul i-ac o Commi ee, o which ou o he i e ac o s
in his simula ion a e membe s (bu no he mining company).
The Commi ee has no ye o mally conside ed i and how
his ac i i y could i wi hin he objec i es o he “Good Li ing”
p inciples o he Na ional Cons i u ion and he unc ion o he
Biosphe e, and how o educe he possible nega i e social and
en i onmen al impac s, in case he mine would go ahead.”
The ask o he pa icipan s in he simula ion is p esen ed
as ollows:
•“De ine how he Biosphe e Mul i-ac o Managemen
Commi ee can become an app op ia e space o deal wi h
issues ela ed o mining”
•“De ine he condi ions unde which he Biosphe e
Managemen Commi ee can accep he mining ac i i ies,
and he mechanisms o con ol and moni o ing o
hese condi ions.”
Con o ming Ac o G oups
The pa icipan s a e di ided in o i e ac o g oups. In eali y
he e we e many mo e ac o s, bu o he didac ical pu pose o
his exe cise he ac o cons ella ion is educed o he ollowing
ac o s: he Na ional Planning Depa men (NPD); he local
indigenous communi y, li ing in he immedia e neighbo hood
o he mining si e; he Chambe o Comme ce o a nea by
ci y; he en i onmen al Non-Go e nmen al O ganiza ion G een
Wo ld (NGO); and he managemen eam o he Mul ina ional
Company June ield.
Pa icipan s can eely choose he g oup in which hey wan
o pa icipa e. They end o choose an ac o g oup wi h which
hey iden i y o sympa hize spon aneously. Howe e , hey a e
s imula ed o pa icipa e in a di e en g oup, as his will gi e
hem an oppo uni y o explo e eali y om ano he pe spec i e
as hey a e used o. A maximum o di e en numbe o
pa icipan s can be es ablished o he ac o g oups, e.g., in he
simula ion exe cises ha we analyzed o his publica ion, he
numbe o pa icipan s in he mining managemen eam and in
he Na ional Planning Depa men was limi ed o i e, whe eas
he numbe o pa icipan s in he local communi y was open.
Apa om he gene al desc ip ion o he si ua ion, he
pa icipan s also ecei e speci ic in o ma ion o hei own ac o
g oup sepa a ely. This in o ma ion is acco ding o he in e es ,
he access o in o ma ion sou ces and o me expe iences o he
ac o s in eali y. As a consequence, a he s a o he simula ion
exe cise, he pa icipan s do no know which in o ma ion he
o he g oups ha e.
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In e ac ion Rounds and Du a ion
The simula ion s a s wi h a i s in e nal mee ing, in he own
ac o g oup, o assimila e he in o ma ion, de ine hei posi ion
and decide hei ac ion s a egy owa d he o he s. Nex he e is
oppo uni y o bila e al mee ings, ollowed by a i s mul ila e al
mee ing (“ own hall”), wi h one ep esen a i e o each g oup, and
all o he pa icipan s obse ing wi hou in e ening. The cen al
ques ion o he i s own hall mee ing deals wi h he ques ion
how he mul i-ac o commi ee o he co-managemen o he
Biosphe e should be adap ed o deal wi h he new challenges
ela ed o mining. A e his i s mee ing he ep esen a i es
go back o hei own g oup, and discuss in e nally he cou se
and ou comes o he i s own hall mee ing. Then hey can
en e in bila e al con e sa ions wi h o he g oups and adap hei
s a egy, be o e s a ing a new mul ila e al mee ing.
One cycle o hese h ee ypes o mee ings akes a leas
1 hou . We conside ha a leas wo cycles a e needed. Taking
in o accoun he ime needed o in oduce he simula ion and
he deb ie ing a e wa ds a simula ion session will ake a leas
3 hou s. Howe e , i is ecommended o ake mo e ime, e.g., one
whole day, and o add mo e in e ac ion ounds. This allows he
de elopmen o a iche and mo e a ied e olu ion in he ela ion
p ocess o he simula ion, and a mo e p o ound iden i ica ion o
he pa icipan s wi h hei own ac o g oup. A simula ion session
should be complemen ed wi h a leas one addi ional session o
e lec ion and analysis.
Deb ie ing
Immedia ely a e inishing he simula ion, i is con enien
o o esee an oppo uni y o he pa icipan s o exp ess he
emo ions el du ing he exe cise and hei sa is ac ion wi h he
ou comes o i . Fo his deb ie ing hey s ay in hei own ac o
g oups as hey exp ess hemsel es while s ill iden i ying wi h hei
ac o pe spec i e. They e lec on he ques ions:
- To wha ex en did we achie e he expec a ions o ou own
g oup? How and why (o why no )?
- To wha ex en did we ake in o accoun he expec a ions o
he o he g oups and did we achie e common goals? How and
why (o why no )?
To s imula e his e lec ion, a wo-dimensional g aph can be
used wi h “own objec i es” on he e ical axis and “common
objec i es” on he ho izon al axis. Each pa icipan is in i ed o
s ick a do wi h he co esponding colo o hei own ac o g oup
in his g aph.
In a plena y session pa icipan s sha e wha mos ly has
called hei a en ion du ing he simula ion. They ha e o a oid
con inuing discussions ha a e ela ed o he con en o he
simula ion and hey a e s imula ed o ocus hei a en ion on
he ela ional p ocesses. This is an impo an s ep owa d he
e lec ion and analysis o he ela ional asks ha will be desc ibed
in he nex sec ion.
Tools o Re lec ion and Analysis
G oup Re lec ion
To s a he e lec ion, he pa icipan s a e in i ed o iden i y
wha we e he mos c i ical momen s o signi ican e en s ha
happened du ing he simula ion (“in e en ions o in e ac ions
ha had a decisi e in luence on he u he cou se and he
ou come o he simula ion”), and o pu b ie desc ip ions o
hese momen s on a imeline o he simula ion. They explain
wha happened exac ly a ha momen om hei pe spec i e:
who did o said wha o whom, and how his el ; and he o he s
add hei pe spec i e o hese inciden s. This c i ical inciden s
exe cise may s imula e pa icipan s o look a he simula ion
expe ience om di e en pe spec i es. I may also en ich he
e lec i e con e sa ions wi h conc e e illus a ions.
Subsequen ly he pa icipan s a e o ganized in mixed g oups
(wi h membe s o di e en ac o g oups in he simula ion)
o exchange expe iences and e lec on hem. Each g oup has
o ocus on one impo an aspec o mul i-ac o collabo a ion
(see sec ion Lea ning o Manage Mul i-Ac o Go e nance in a
Complex and Ambiguous Wo ld).
- S akeholde ela ions managemen : analyse he s akeholde
cha ac e is ics (powe , legi imacy, and u gency) o he ac o s
in ol ed in he simula ion, and he way hese cha ac e is ics
we e aken in o accoun .
- F aming and e- aming: how did he pa icipan s deal wi h
he di e en pe spec i es and in e es s in play, and did hey
ac i ely y o connec hese di e ences in o p oposals ha can
be sha ed by all?
- Powe plays: we e con e sa ions and nego ia ions a he based
on dis ibu ing ad an ages and disad an ages among he
pa icipan s in a ansac ional way, acco ding o he powe
esou ces o each; o we e he e also e o s o ans o m he
challenges o he s a ing si ua ion in o a sus ainable ou come,
by in eg a ing social, ecological, and economic conce ns?
- Ambidex e i y: did he pa icipan s s a egically swi ch
be ween di e en ac ions o opposi ion o esis ance on he
one hand and collabo a ion on he o he hand, acco ding
o he posi ion in which hey ound hemsel es in di e en
momen s o he p ocess? (Lea y, 1957) (see Figu e 3).
- Pa icipa ion in decision making and implemen a ion: o
wha ex en each o he ac o s was in ol ed in he decision
making p ocesses and how could his a ec hei willingness
o implemen ag eemen s?
- Communica ion o cons i uencies and b oade wo ld: how can
ac o s a o he necessa y suppo o he ag eemen s (o lack
o i ) wi h he o he s no di ec ly in ol ed in he mul i-ac o
p ocess ( hei cons i uencies, powe ul ac o s whose suppo
is needed o implemen a ion o ag eemen s, public opinion).
The lea ning insigh s a e sha ed and discussed in a plena y
session. In Addendum 1 o his publica ion an elabo a e se o
conc e e obse a ions and ques ions o s imula e he e lec ion o
he pa icipan s is p esen ed. Howe e , o he ools o e lec ion
can possibly be applied as well, acco ding o he lea ning
objec i es and co e concep s o he cou se o aining e en
in which he simula ion akes place, and o he cha ac e is ics,
in e es s, and expec a ions o he pa icipan s.
Indi idual Lea ning Repo s
The pa icipan s a e also in i ed o w i e an indi idual
lea ning epo ( wo pages app oxima ely), based on he
ollowing ques ions:
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C aps and B ugnach Expe ien ial Lea ning o Rela ional Tasks
FIGURE 3 | Tool o e lec on ambidex e i y be ween powe plays and
collabo a ion. Inspi ed by (Lea y, 1957).
- Wha did I see? (desc ip ion o he cou se o e en s o
in e ac ions ha mos called you a en ion)
- Wha did I eel? (dominan emo ions du ing he exe cise,
momen s, and easons ha you we e emo ionally
mos in ol ed)
- Wha did I hink? (mos s iking lea ning conclusions,
ele ance o hese new insigh s o you pe sonal, and u u e
p o essional li e)
- Addi ional commen s o e lec ions.
The wo i s ques ions can bes be answe ed as quickly as possible
a e he simula ion, when memo y is s ill esh and emo ions a e
i id. The la e ques ions should be answe ed a e he e lec ion
session desc ibed in he o me pa ag aph, and a e eading
some ecommended ele an a icles. They ha e o en ich he
lea ning insigh s by linking hem o he concep ual heo ies o
hese publica ions.
RESULTS
Empi ical Da a
Two main ques ions guide ou analysis o he lea ning p ocess
wi h he “Mining in he Biosphe e” simula ion, o deal wi h
complex sus ainabili y challenges:
- How do he pa icipan s lea n? We a e in e es ed in which
way and o wha ex en he pa icipan s expe ienced he
expe ien ial lea ning app oach, implici in he simula ion, as
help ul o hei lea ning p ocess. Mo e speci ically we wan
o know i he simula ion can con ibu e o he embodied
lea ning “wi h mind, hea and hands,” which is called o in
educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen (Ga ney and Kcenia
O’Neil, 2018). We would also like o know i his way o
lea ning helps he pa icipan s o ans e lea ning insigh s o
hei pe sonal and p o essional li e beyond he class oom.
- Wha do he pa icipan s lea n?
We wan o know i he pa icipan s e e o insigh s conce ning
he ela ional asks ha a e conside ed impo an o deal wi h
he ambigui y o complex sus ainabili y challenges and o come
up wi h inno a i e and inclusi e ac ion al e na i es: connec ing
(s akeholde managemen , e- aming), con on ing (powe ,
ambidex e i y) and commi ing (pa icipa ion, communica ion).
The esul s p esen ed he e a e based on he implemen a ion
o he “Mining in he Biosphe e” simula ion in h ee
di e en educa ional con ex s, namely in a aining p og am
o expe ienced schola s and p o essionals in sus ainable
de elopmen a he Uni e si y o Cuenca, Ecuado (Sep embe
2015), in a cou se on Co po a e Social Responsibili y o a
mas e p og am on in e na ional business managemen a
he KU Leu en, Belgium (Ap il 2017), and in a mas e o
science p og am in wa e enginee ing a he Uni e si y o
Twen e, The Ne he lands (May 2017). S uden s di e among
hese h ee educa ional con ex s, holding di e en educa ional
backg ounds and p o essional expe iences. De ailed in o ma ion
abou he con ex , he lea ning objec i es, he cha ac e is ics
o he pa icipan s and he o ganiza ion o he cou ses and
he simula ion in hese h ee occasions can be ound in
Addendum 2. In Addendum 3 we p esen a b ie desc ip ion
o he main in e en ions o he di e en ac o s and o he
c i ical in e ac ions in he simula ion execu ed in Cuenca, by
way o illus a ion.
In each o he h ee simula ions, ou sou ces o in o ma ion
we e used o he analysis: he esul s o he deb ie ing exe cise,
he g oup and plena y e lec ions based on he ques ions ela ed
o he ela ional asks (in Addendum 2), he pe sonal no es o
he aine s (co-au ho s o his a icle) du ing he simula ion
and e lec ion exe cises, and he w i en lea ning epo s o he
pa icipan s (an in-dep h quali a i e con en analysis o hese
epo s, deli e ed by 45 pa icipan s o KU Leu en and by 20 o
Twen e Uni e si y, was done wi h suppo o NVi o by Jaenen
(2019).
How Do he Pa icipan s Lea n: F om Cogni i e o
Expe ien ial Lea ning
“When I see his kind o hing in he news on TV, I used o hink
ha i ’s easy.... Howe e , being in ol ed in his simula ion, I now
know ha i is no ha easy o decide. I now can eel he dilemma,
he hopelessness o he local communi ies, eeling weak compa ed
o he huge mining company. The e a e o he ac o s o conside
oo, such as employmen , go e nmen ea nings.” (S uden playing
ep esen a i e o Chambe o Comme ce).
The pa icipan s ealize he di e ence be ween he cogni i e
lea ning hey a e used o in hei o he classes and he expe ien ial
lea ning in he simula ion. Al hough in all h ee cases, he
pa icipan s ecei ed classes be o e he simula ion abou concep s
ha a e impo an o dealing wi h sus ainabili y like complexi y,
unce ain y, ambigui y, pa icipa ion, collabo a i e p ocesses,
e c. i was only a he momen ha hey we e pu in he posi ion
o one o he ac o s con on ed wi h a complex sus ainabili y
ela ed challenge ha hey ealized he deep implica ions o i s
wicked and ambiguous cha ac e is ics o hei way o dealing
wi h i . As one s uden a he Uni e si y o Twen e playing NGO-
ep esen a i e, exp essed: “The hough ha was mos ly p esen
F on ie s in Sus ainabili y | www. on ie sin.o g 9July 2021 | Volume 2 | A icle 694313
