Post-simulation debriefing of the Fishbanks A Renewable Resource Management Simulation is a critical component of effective learning in simulation-based education. The After-Action Report (AAR) is to fulfill that debriefing task. Post-simulation debriefing facilitates learning through active reflection on performance during the simulation, aids in the identification of mental models that lead to behaviors, and provides an opportunity to revise flawed mental models for application in future experiences.

Remember the AAR to focus more on the why than on the what. (So reflect and describe why your team made particular decisions, or why things happened as they did, rather than just describing the decisions you made or the outcomes you experienced).

AAR will include the following components:

• Describe what you viewed as the purpose of the simulation.
• What do you feel was supposed to happen in the simulation (that is, what was the optimal outcome)?
• Describe what actually happened. (Be sure to discuss your teams strategies throughout the simulation, in addition to the outcomes that resulted).
• Why do you feel things happened the way they did?
• Describe at least one strategy to avoid the tragedy of the commons that was experienced here.
• Conclusion: what went well, what didnt go well, and what would the team do differently next time if faced with this same situation in real life? What are the key takeaways from the simulation?