Debriefing: Toward a Systematic Assessment of Theory and Practice

Abstract

Experiential learning in the educational context incorporates real-life-based processes into the educational setting in order for them to be used and scrutinized The heart of these sorts of learning experiences is the postexperience analytic process, generally referred to as the debriefing session. This essay focuses on the debriefing process as it accompanies one form of experiential learning, simulations and games. It provides a review of the existent literature on debriefing, an analysis of the debriefing process, and effective strategies for its use. It provides an analysis of the process, identifies its components and essential phases, and presents a systematic approach to the assessment of the conduct of debriefing sessions.