Experiential Learning
Overview
Experiential learning is learning by doing, which may include self-directed learning activities. Helping learners make sense of experiences is foundational to adult learning. There are four key elements of experiential learning: concrete experience, reflection and observation, development of new ideas, and experimenting with new ideas. Active participation in experiential learning benefits both learners and the community. Adult learners gain concrete experiences and reflect on them by comparing the new experiences with Background Knowledge. It fosters the upgrading of life skills, such as a respect for diversity, exposure to multiple perspectives, and offers opportunities for critical reflection and Cognitive Flexibility. Experiential learning can also foster personal autonomy, self-fulfillment, interpersonal effectiveness and Social Awareness and Relationship Skills.
Use It In Your Learning Environment
Experiential learning makes it possible for learners to face unknown situations and problems in a real world context. To make a decision, learners often need to consider what they know, what they don't know, and how they can learn it. This motivates learners to reflect on their knowledge, transfer Background Knowledge to a new context, acquire new ideas, improve Oral Communication Skills, and build a Learner Mindset. Important to note, the instructor moves into the role of a facilitator rather than directing the students' progress, often through the use of higher level questioning.
Designing experiential learning to provoke natural curiosity and emotional highs can lead to higher levels of engagement and Motivation. Six themes characterize more positive Emotions in experiential learning: first-time experiences, facing the unknown, unexpected discoveries, being on a journey, sense of change, and meaningful learning. These elements can lead to a sense of enrichment, expansion, and development in adult learners. Ethical design will ensure the following: informed student choice with authentic options, avoiding bias in debriefing questions and expectations, debriefing that maximizes reflection and concept development, transparency that avoids deception, and meaningful feedback with an asset lens.
Experiential learning opportunities that allow learners to apply their learning to long-term projects or jobs outside the classroom are key to workforce success. Examples of experiential learning include case studies, projects, internships, creative performance exhibits, project-based learning, field experience, hackathons, laboratories, place-based education, pitch competitions, clinical rounds, job shadowing, co-ops, practicums, service learning, simulations, studios, community engaged research, and international learning experiences.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Active Learning Strategies
Experts can answer questions and provide vocabulary, processes, feedback, and scaffolds to help learners deepen their understanding.
Case studies support authentic, active learning experiences centered around real world situations that present an account of a particular set of circumstances for learners to engage with.
When learners process and express information visually, they are activating more cognitive processes while Problem Solving.
When preparing for and executing a debate, learners analyze, form, and express verbal arguments, fostering their critical thinking skills, an essential component of Problem Solving.
Debriefing is the intentional discussion immediately following a learning experience which is especially important after simulation-based learning.
Analyzing errors is especially beneficial in helping learners develop a Learner Mindset and critical thinking skills, which are a component of Problem Solving.
Networking and supporting adult learners in expanding their social networks provide access to additional resources and Social Supports, which can impact their trajectory and Motivation.
Giving learners the opportunity to explain their thinking process aloud helps them to solidify their comprehension, and move knowledge into their Long-term Memory.
Game-based learning is an active learning experience with clear objectives and measurable outcomes designed to be intrinsically game-like.
Inquiry-based learning is centered around open-ended questions posed by instructors and/or the learners themselves and fosters a Learner Mindset.
For adults, the Composition process can become more robust when learners can express ideas through multiple media, which includes visual, audio, and digital production.
Effective note-taking during lectures or reading directs learners' Attention to the relevant information, helping them identify key concepts, understand links between ideas and retain information better in their Long-term Memory.
The opportunity to observe peers or experts in action or participate in shadowing can provide a unique and authentic learning experience that often involves questioning, metacognitive thinking, and Problem Solving while providing Social Supports.
When learners provide constructive feedback on each other's work, they reflect on their own understanding, learn to give relevant suggestions, receive specific ways to improve, and engage in Metacognition.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a learner-centered multidisciplinary approach focused on real world applications using active learning methods.
Simulations and immersive virtual environments provide authentic learning at a level that can spark curiosity and deeper understanding by engaging multiple senses in exploration.
Skills sprints are focused, real world learning experiences for teams in which participants learn new skills while directly designing, developing, or delivering something to their organization.
Analyzing short video clips, replays of important aspects, and videos of oneself applying what has been learned can improve Metacognition and Long-term Memory while fostering a Learner Mindset.
Analyzing and discussing solutions to problems helps students develop a deeper understanding of Problem Solving processes and Numeracy skills.
