The reluctant participant in experiential learning

Experiential learning methods are increasingly being used in nurse education, particularly in the field of interpersonal skills training. One basic tenet of experiential learning is that participation in such learning should always be voluntary. This tenet raises issues for nurse teachers committed to this approach who come upon a student who persistently opts out of taking part in experiential exercises, leading sometimes to indirect attempts to coerce students into participating. This paper examines these issues in the light of evidence as to the effectiveness of experiential learning methods. It concludes that attempts to coerce students into participation can never be justified, but non-participation should be minimised if the teacher employs good practice in conducting experiential learning.