EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING
Experiential learning is a process that involves learning
from hands-on experiences and reflecting on them. It
emphasizes the idea of "learning by doing" and recognizes
the importance of personal involvement and reflection in
gaining a deeper understanding. This approach has been
advocated by influential educators such as John Dewey, Jean
Piaget, David Kolb, and Ron Fry. In the context of education,
experiential learning involves providing students with
opportunities for practical activities and constant reflection,
allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills in realworld situations. The goal is to foster active engagement,
critical thinking, and continuous improvement in the
learning process.
Experiential learning encompasses various approaches such as learning by
doing, hands-on activities, apprenticeships, field trips, and cooperative
learning. It also includes problem-based, project-based, and inquiry-based
learning. These approaches involve active experimentation, concrete
experiences, reflection, and conceptualization of abstract ideas.
Experiential learning is particularly popular in the field of science. Key
elements of experiential learning include reflection, critical thinking,
synthesis, analysis, decision-making, initiative, accountability, creativity,
and learning from both mistakes and successes. It engages learners
intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
There is such a thing called Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle.
The continuous cycle demonstrates how reflection helps us
make sense of our experiences. The cycle does not simply repeat
its steps. It evolves as it goes through the same steps,
developing a more complex understanding of what is being
studied. It has four elements that are found in the six steps of
the experiential learning lesson plan.
The element of "Concrete Experience" or of
"Experiencing"
Step 1: CONCRETE EXPERIENCE - During this time, let your
students do an experiment or perform a task. This stage is
associated with the saying "Just do it!" or "Act." The students receive
factual information through perception using as many senses as
possible (touch/feel, sight, hearing, taste, and smell). This stage is
concerned with what is here and now.
Step 2: SHARE -Ask the students to share the results or to describe
their experiences and reactions. Ask them "What happened?,"
"What did you do?," and "What did you experience?" Then, ask
them to reflect on the experience.
The element of "Reflective Observation" or
of "Reflecting"
Step 3: PROCESS - Ask the students to reflect on their
experience and probe their feelings. Let them assess and
analyze what they did and the consequences of their actions,
so that they can learn from their experience. Ask them
"What went well?," "What did not go so well?," and "What
important things did you learn from your experience?"
The element of "Abstract Conceptualization" or
of "Concluding"
STEP 4: GENERALIZE - Ask the students what their conclusion
is based on what they have learned from the experience. Let the
students reflect and ask them, "Why did you think this
happened?," "So what?," or "What is the significance of knowing
this?" Students can relate present experience or current concepts
they learned from previous ones. This is where they can connect
the past to the present and the future and revise their previous
misconceptions that could help the conceptualization of new
ideas. This is also where you ask your students to connect their
current experience to other examples in the real-world context.
The element of "Active Experimentation" or of
"Application"
Ask the students to plan or try out what they have learned. This step is
concerned with the future. Ask your students, "Now what?" and "What
will you do now based on what you have learned?" They have just
learned from experience and are now ready to implement their revised
theory. This is where they test their new ideas and check the validity of
their new understanding into a real-world context, or adapting to
similar or another situation. And since this is a similar or a different
situation, the cycle can repeat itself, refining the learning and adapting
each time.