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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Experiential learning is an engaged learning process whereby students
“learn by doing” and by reflecting on the experience. Experiential learning
activities can include, but are not limited to, hands-on laboratory experiments,
internships, practicums, field exercises, study abroad, undergraduate research
and studio performances. Well-planned, supervised and assessed experiential
learning programs can stimulate academic inquiry by promoting
interdisciplinary learning, civic engagement, career development, cultural
awareness, leadership, and other professional and intellectual skills.
1.1. IMPORTANT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

 Makes learning relatable to participants: Participants build on what

they already know and are provided with opportunities to make
connections between new concepts and existing ones.
 Increases the effectiveness of learning: Participants engage in critical
thinking, acquire problem solving skills and engage in decision making.
 Links theory to practice: Participants have the chance to engage in the
experience and practice what they have learned, see the application of the
theoretical concepts in practice, process that application and make
generalizations.
 Increases Participants’ engagement, by encouraging collaboration and
scaffolding between learners.
 Assists in memory retention, by building strong relationships between
feelings and thinking processes. Participants have the capacity to learn
successfully when the information is associated with values and feelings.
 Leads to development of skills for lifelong learning, by assisting in the
acquisition of essential skills and encouraging Participants to reflect,
conceptualize, and plan for next steps.

1.2. PRINICIPLE OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

1. The learner has a real authentic experience which includes real consequences
where the learner makes a choice to participate and is intentionally involved
in examining ,exploring and playing with a real world experience that can
lead to any outcome.

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2.
2. The experience is an hands-on "feeling and doing" interaction. The
experience can be planned or be completely spontaneous. There is very less
or no teaching involved and the experience may include experiences which
involve solo and group

3. The experience is direct experience with focused reflection and builds on

past knowledge and experiences. It requires active involvement in
construction of meaning and encourages collaboration and exchange of ideas
and perspectives between the participants.

4. The learner actively reflects on that experience through individual

thought, group discussion, questioning, processing or writing in a journal.
They may participate in group processing and discussion including
debriefing and  reflective questions posed by a facilitator who challenges the
group to create personal meaning and transference of learning to new
situations.

5. The Learning is able to draw  conclusions and makes sense of what the
learner has experienced, including having opportunities to relate this/ her
own experiences with those of others. The learner may develop theories,
models or concepts about the experience. The learner may develop new
questions, which can lead to the next experience or explorations. The learner
is able to  apply their new learned knowledge in the next experiences.

2 .Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory

As the name reveals, Experiential Learning Theory involves learning from

experience. According to Kolb, experiential learning can be defined as a
learning process where knowledge results from the combination of grasping and
transforming an experience. 
Kolb suggested that learning requires the acquisition of abstract concepts that
can then be applied flexibly in a wide range of situations. Therefore, knowledge
is created through the transformation of experience.
This is the core of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. It includes two parts.
The first part details a four-stage cycle that the learning experience follows.
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According to Kolb, by going through the different stages, learners can convert
their experiences into knowledge.
The second part focuses on learning styles and the cognitive processes that
occurred for learners to acquire knowledge. The theory highlights how
individuals can demonstrate their understanding or learnings when they are able
to apply abstract concepts to new situations.
2.1 . Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle
As we have gathered, experiences are at the core of Kolb’s theory. According to
him, learners must change or transform something in order to learn. As such,
memorisation or recollection does not equal learning, as this process does not
improve or reshape our understanding. And as a result, the learner has not
gained any additional value.
Kolb created the Experiential Learning Cycle in 1974. The four-stage model
views learning as an integrated process. All four stages are mutually supportive
because Kolb believes that effective learning is a cyclic process that
involves experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting.
The model describes two ways of grasping knowledge. These are concrete
experiences and abstract conceptualisation. The other two modes, reflective
observation and active experimentation, help learners transform their experience
into knowledge. Each of these stages acts as a foundation for the next stage.

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1. CONCRETE EXPERIENCE
The Experiential Learning Cycle is typically presented with concrete
experience at the top, to signify that that’s where the process begins. At this
stage, learners encounter an experience. This could be either a completely new
experience or a reimagined experience that has already happened.
Kolb believed that the key to learning lies in involvement. According to him,
it’s not enough for learners to just read or watch demonstrations to acquire new
knowledge. As such, each learner should actively engage in an experience. This
could involve being exposed to a new task or a new way of carrying out a
project they are already familiar with. 
While the experience is usually a personal one, it might also be a shared
experience. In this situation, learners acquire knowledge by observing, hearing
about or reading about someone else’s experiences. And this kind of social
learning comes loaded with benefits. 
[Link] OBSERVATION
Concrete experiences are followed by reflective observation. As such, after
engaging in an experience, learners should step back to reflect on the task or
activity. This stage in the learning cycle allows the learner to ask questions and
discuss the experience with others.
For most individuals, this is where seeing and doing transforms into the real-
time absorption of new information. In practice, this could mean a situation
where a person is shown how to accomplish a goal. They then look at how it
could be applied in different circumstances.
Communication is vital as it allows learners to identify any discrepancies
between their understanding and the experience itself. Discussing the
experience with others helps to ease the reflection process by introducing other
points of view.
At this stage, learners will also try to place the experience alongside other
previous experiences to look for patterns or notable differences. This helps them
to reflect on the discrepancy and gap between their understanding and the
experience itself.
[Link] CONCEPTUALISATION
Reflective observation leads to abstract conceptualisation. In this stage, learners
form new ideas or alter their current understanding based on the reflections that
arose from the previous stage.
Learners move from reflective observation to abstract conceptualisation when
they begin to classify concepts and form conclusions on the events that

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occurred. As such, abstract conceptualisation gives learners the chance to assess
how their new ideas can be applied in the real world.
They can do so by interpreting the experience and making comparisons to their
current understanding of the concept. When learners return to a task, they can
then return with the goal of applying their conclusions to new experiences.
In other words, they generate abstract principles that they can apply to future
situations. After all, the focus lies in drawing conclusions and learning lessons
based on the experience.
This shows us that information is a lot easier to retain, if it is relevant to our
lives and we are given an opportunity to apply it.
[Link] EXPERIMENTATION
The last stage of the cycle involves active experimentation. At this stage,
learners apply their new ideas to the world around them. This allows them to
see if there are any changes in the next occurrence of the experience. 
As such, this stage offers an opportunity for learners to test out their new ideas
and lessons gathered from the experience. By actively experimenting with
different concepts, individuals can learn how to associate what they have
experienced with new ideas and innovations.
 
2.2 . KOLB’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING STYLES

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Kolb extended his learning cycle in 1984 and introduced a model about
different learning styles. Combined, these models create Kolb’s Experiential
Learning Theory, which explores learners’ inner cognitive processes.
1. Diverging (CE/RO)
Kolb called this learning style ‘diverging’ because these learners perform better
in situations that require idea-generation and explain multiple ideas and
concepts in mind. In fact, according to Kolb, learners with a diverging learning
style are able to look at things from different perspectives.
Individuals with diverging learning styles tend to have broad cultural interests
and like to gather information. They love to gather information and use their
imagination to solve problems. These learners tend to excel in humanities,
social sciences and liberal arts.
2. Assimilating (AC/RO)
An assimilating learning style could also be seen as the ‘think and watch’ style.
After all, the individual’s learning characteristics are abstract conceptualisation
(AC) and reflective observation (RO).
The assimilating learning style is all about taking a concise and logical approach
to learning. Learners with this learning preference often consider ideas and
concepts more important than people. They need clear explanations and
demonstrations instead of practical learning opportunities.
Individuals with an assimilating learning style excel at understanding a wide
range of information and organising it in a logical format. As a result, learners

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with this style tend to be more attracted to logically sound theories. And perhaps
unsurprisingly, they often focus on careers in mathematics and science. 
3. Converging (AC/AE)
Kolb named this learning style ‘converging’, as these learners tend to converge
on the answers they want. They have a preference for abstract conceptualisation
(AC) and active experimentation (AE). It’s also referred to as the ‘think and do’
style. 
Individuals with a converging learning style are good problem solvers and will
use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They can then apply their
ideas to new experiences.
4. Accommodating (CE/AE)
Individuals with the accommodating learning style prefer ‘hands-on’
experiences where they can rely on intuition rather than logic. This ‘feel and do’
style indicates a preference towards concrete experience (CE) and reflective
observation (RO).
These learners prefer to take a practical and experiential approach where they
can discover the answers for themselves. This sometimes includes trial and
error, rather than engaging in logical analysis. 
2.3 . APPLICATIONS OF KOLB’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
THEORY
1. Classroom
Both Kolb’s learning styles and cycle are used by educators to critically
evaluate the learning provision made available to their audience. Using Kolb’s
methods helps them to design and create more appropriate and personalised
training interventions. Identifying these individual styles also helps learners
to learn more effectively.
As such, L&D professionals and teachers alike should ensure that they design  a
wide range of experiential activities. They then need to carry these activities out
in a manner that offers each learner the chance to engage, regardless of their
learning styles and preferences. 
Experiential activities inside the classroom include, for instance:
 Field trips
 Art projects
 Science experiments
 Role-playing exercises
 Reflection and journaling
 Opportunities for internship

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  Interactive classroom games

2. Coaching and Mentoring

Kolb’s theory is also useful in creating effective coaching
and mentoring sessions and integrating new ideas into learning experiences.
After all, determining your audience’s preferred learning style will help you to
tailor your learning experience more effectively. 
Whilst you’ll want to ensure each stage of the cycle is checked off, you may
also want to spend more time at stages that align with their designated style of
learning. The inherent preferences linked to each learning style should help to
inform your design choices. 
3. Business
While Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory was aimed at helping educators and
L&D professionals to create more effective training interventions, it has proven
to be effective in other fields too. In fact, creating effective content, such as
marketing collateral or sales pitches, becomes much easier after identifying the
learning styles of prospective customers.

SUGGESTION
The Learning Partnership, value everything that you are doing to keep
children safe and in providing opportunities for learning to continue at a
distance. We do, however, recognise that using digital classrooms to provide
meaningful experiences for the youngest children can be more challenging.

We have therefore decided to produce a bank of ideas showing parents how to

utilise children’s play as a vehicle for learning. Avoiding the ‘dreaded
worksheets’ will also help to save the planet! We will release these periodically
using social media

CONCLUSION :
A more viable solution may be to incorporate experiential learning into the
current curriculum. This effort can be facilitated through the incorporation of
Integrated Thematic Instruction. The combination of brain research, effective
teaching strategies and curriculum improvement in manageable blocks
throughout the school day should create a safe and productive learning

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environment. Students will be more likely to take an active role in their own
learning creating an enhanced learning environment. Wurdinger lists a
substantial number of quality on-line resources available for research and
assistance in developing quality educational plans and programs.
REFERENCES :
Albright, C. Psy.D. (2010). Neurofeedback: Transforming your life
with brain
biofeedback. Trenton, MO: Beckwith Publications.
Arntz, W. (Producer), & Vincente, Chase, Arntz (Directors)
(2004). What the bleep do we
know; Down the rabbit hole [ Motion picture]. United States:
Captured Light
Industries.
Baily, R. Hypothalmus. (2013). Retrieved from:
[Link] May
23, 2013