Salad Bowl, a Game in Teamwork

Abstract

A game is a learning experience where the learner is actively engaged in analysing the experienced event or solving a problem therein. The learning game acts as a metaphor because it is, then, symbolic of real-life action. Experiential learning is more effective than rote or instructional study because the latter does not emotionally affect the learner as powerfully as the experience.

Salad Bowl has the typical 3-stage game structure of pre-game briefing, play, and end-game debriefing. Participants work in teams of 6-8 members to solve a puzzle. The absence of guidance or instruction compels them to ask questions about the unspecified problem, to explore options, and to be creative. Their initial solution is not the right answer. The end-game debriefing can cover many aspects of teamwork, depending on the size of the teams and the audience, and the age and diverse profile of the participants.

The primary objective of the Salad Bowl is to help the learner understand how teams work when they search for solutions to undefined problems. The secondary objective is to guide participant teachers in such use, so that they may use the game for their students.