Creating and Maintaining a Safe Space in Experiential Learning

The increasing popularity of experiential learning in management education raises a number of new opportunities and challenges for instructors, particularly with regard to shifting instructor roles and attention to learning through one’s emotions. In this article, we draw on psychodynamics—in partic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of management education 2015-12, Vol.39 (6), p.713-740
Main Authors: Kisfalvi, Veronika, Oliver, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrator Education
Attitudes
Business education
Education
Educational Environment
Emotional Response
Emotions
Empathy
Experiential Learning
Judgment
Learning
Listening Skills
Pedagogy
Psychological Patterns
Reflective Teaching
Reflexivity
Role Models
Self Expression
Space
Studies
Teacher Attitudes
Teacher Role
Teacher Student Relationship
Teachers
Teaching Styles
Trust (Psychology)
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Summary:The increasing popularity of experiential learning in management education raises a number of new opportunities and challenges for instructors, particularly with regard to shifting instructor roles and attention to learning through one’s emotions. In this article, we draw on psychodynamics—in particular D. W. Winnicott’s notions of “transitional space” and “holding”—to delineate what a safe space might look like in a management education context. We propose that experiential learning can result in deeper learning when conducted in such a space, which consists of appropriate physical aspects, trust, respect, suspension of judgment and censorship, a willingness to share, and high-quality listening. We further propose that a safe space can be developed and maintained by creating a strong container early on, establishing ground rules, providing lessons in listening and witnessing, teaching by example, and developing a reflexive attitude.
ISSN:1052-5629
1552-6658
DOI:10.1177/1052562915574724