EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Experiential learning is a method of learning that involves applying theories and knowledge to real-world situations. It is an educational approach that emphasizes on learning through experience, learning by doing, learning through discovery and active engagement with new skills and concept. Experiential learning, which focused on “learning by doing”, encompasses a wide range of hands-on approaches, including but not limited to, laboratory experiments, service learning, internships, field exercises, studying abroad, research and studio performances. The specifics of the activity rely on the educational goal of the individual.

Experiential learning is a progressive and practical approach to education and skill development. Students gain knowledge and enhance their skills by actively participating in real world activities and experiences. The concept of Experimental Learning was developed and popularized by David A. Kolb in his 1984 theory, drawing on the work of John Dewey, Jean Piaget and Kurt Lewin. The theory works in four stages, which are concrete learning, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation.

• Concrete learning is when a learner gains a new experience and deciphers a past experience in a new way.
• Reflective observation is where the learner reflects on the gained experience personally and tries to connect with the experience and understand what it means.
• Abstract conceptualization occurs when the learner adapts their thinking to the new experience and constructs new concepts and ideas based on their reflection of the experience.
• Active experimentation happens when the learner applies their new concepts and ideas to real world situations and also tests out if there any changes that can be made to their ideas.

Kolb’s Theory and Learning Styles in Experiential Learning

Kolb’s theory highlights the importance of focusing on the learner’s personal development and the shaping of their perspective through new experiences. The four stages of his theory offer an in depth understanding and approach to learning and better retention of knowledge. Experiential learning offers an active engagement in learning rather than passive absorption of information, which makes the learning process more effective. The learning process is continuous and with every new experience that the learner goes through, they gain more knowledge.

LEARNING STYLES

Individuals have different ways of understanding new concepts. Some students are visual learners, some are auditory learners and some are kinesthetic learners. Understanding learning styles and incorporating them is crucial for experiential learning as well because it allows teachers to customize experiences to individual preferences and leads to students having more engagement with the concepts being taught, enhanced retention of knowledge and an effective learning outcome. Kolb’s theory also offers four distinct learning styles on which educators can base their teaching for an impactful learning process:

• Diverging, which combines a preference for concrete experience, and reflective observation where learners watch and reflect on what they have experienced and observed before diving in.
• Assimilating is a learning style where learners favor abstract conceptualization and reflective observation. These learners prefer getting clear information of the concepts, exploring and using analytic models.
• Converging is a learning style where learners solve problems. Converging is based on abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Learners apply their learning to solve practical issues. Learners also experiment with new ideas.
• Accommodating involves favoring concrete experience and active experimentation where learners enjoy new challenges and using their intuition to solve problems.

Experiential learning, which focuses on real world application of knowledge, benefits from understanding individual learning styles and also understanding how different learners are absorbing information. When learning activities aligns with a learner’s style, engagement and motivation of the learner increases and fosters a deeper comprehension of the material and the learner can easily apply the knowledge gained to real life situations and make their learning more impactful.

Experiential learning can be used in various settings like school curriculums, higher education, corporate teaching and even community initiatives to enhance personal development and build new skills. Experiential learning encourages learners to analyze new experiences, identify problems and develop skills to find solutions and think more critically. It also provides opportunities for experimentation and reflection and fosters the ability to be adaptable and apply their knowledge to various contexts. Since Experiential Learning helps in developing several industry relevant skills and enhances the retention of knowledge, employability of the learner is also enhanced. Experiential learning also boosts leadership skills and self-confidence.