Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

Samantha McFadden

Ball State University

Your Name	Commented On
Samantha McFadden	Deanna Zimmer

Introduction

               “All genuine education comes about through experience”, according to John Dewey (Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner, 2007). Going through life, leads to different experiences, however not all these experiences will lead to an educational outcome. For learning to happen through experience, Dewey believed that experience must exhibit the two major principles of continuity and interaction (Merriam, et al., 2007). In other words, a learner must connect what they have learned through experiences to what was learned in the past, or even implications for the future. Regarding interaction, Dewey believed that an experience is always what it is because of a transaction taking place between an individual and what, at the time, constitutes his/her environment (Merriam, et al, 2007). Developing a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, providing the right materials, and linking these materials to learners’ past and future experiences are critical in assisting adults to learn from their experiences (Merriam, et al, 2007).

General Themes

               Six general propositions of experiential learning theory came from Kolb and Kolb. While they agreed with Dewey’s premise, they took it a step further as to how experiential learning occurs. First, they state that learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes (Merriam, et al, 2007). For example, getting an A on a paper does not necessarily mean that learning occurred, just as receiving an F on an assignment does not mean the learning did not occur. Second, learning is relearning (Merriam, et al, 2007). For students to fully grasp a concept, the open communication that allows learning to take place from different perspectives is necessary. Third, learners must move between opposing modes of reflection and action and feeling and thinking (Merriam, et al, 2007). Fourth, learning is holistic. Fifth, learning involves interactions between the learner and the environment. Finally, learning is constructivist in nature (Merriam, et al, 2007). Experiential learning, therefore, can occur in many ways for different people, regardless if they experience the same events and/or instruction.

Proposition 1: Learning is a process, not an outcome.

               Cohen-Schotanus, et al. (2008) found that when students rated their knowledge competencies, the students that received experiential learning situations, rated their understanding higher than students that followed standard curriculum. Focusing on educating learners, rather than simply arriving at a grade for a course appears to be most beneficial. Summative assessments may even help to increase understanding, rather than students working for a grade.

Proposition 2: Learning is relearning.

               In order to fully understand and continue learning, many times it requires relearning things we learned early in our lives. This is especially true in social situations. In a study on sexism, Cundiff, Zawadzki, Danube & Shields (2014), found that in order to change behaviors, reactance needs addressed.  They define reactance as a tendency to reject information as untrue regardless of the information’s content or actual veracity. For example, if a child is taught prejudices, it will take relearning how to react and behave in certain situations.

Proposition 3: Opposing modes of reflection, action, feeling, and thinking.

               Boyd and Fales (1983) describe reflective learning as “the process of internally examining and exploring an issue of concern, triggered by an experience, which creates and clarifies meaning in terms of self, and which results in a changed conceptual perspective” (Furman & Sibthorp, 2013). For an adult learner to understand the depth of the knowledge presented, it is important to reflect on the information presented. By connecting this new information, with prior knowledge, the adult learner can reflect on how this information may or may not change previous conceptions.

Proposition 4: Learning is holistic.

               In a study done by Coffey and Davis (2019), it was found that participating in sports helped learners to connect all parts of education from within a classroom with the real world. This type of participation involves all parts of a student from their deepest internal thoughts, to their application of classroom information, and finally executing through their actions.

Proposition 5: Interaction between the learner and the environment

               There has long been discussion about whether nature or nurture affect learning, however we have found that both have a place in development. The way an adult learner interacts and reacts to their environment has profound effects on their take-aways in learning situations.

Proposition 6: Learning is constructivist.

               “Some learning is undertaken on our own but for us learning means making sense of and changing meaning in a social context” (Brockbank & McGill, 1998). Even when presented with the same information, adult learners bring different backgrounds to the table, therefore they will likely have different take-aways from a lesson. Much of what we believe about our world has been constructed over the course of our own experiences. Through experiential education, it is possible to construct different views within adult learners, but the burden of doing so lies within the learner, and not the facilitator.

Implications

Implication #1: Summative Grading

               We know that experiential learning is a process of learning and evolving ideas through the growth of information, so it would be inappropriate to grade on a normative scale in this type of environment. While there are certain milestones that we would like adult learners to reach, it would help adult learners to understand and retain information more thoroughly if their assessments were summative. Students would not be working for a grade, rather for understanding.

Implication #2: Go back to the basics.

               Before diving into topics, especially social in nature, going back to the basics and sharing openly, will help to dispel biases. For adult learners to truly retain information on a topic that is helpful to their growth, it will require relearning some of the principles and ideals from their past.

Implication #3: Allow time for reflection.

               This implication goes hand and hand with going back to the basics. While teaching concepts, be sure to allow time for reflection on thoughts. When we are faced with ideas that oppose our previous knowledge, it will take reflecting and discussing to ingrain the new information with our previous knowledge.

Implication #4: Allow education to happen in many forms.

               Since we know that learning is holistic, it is important to provide many avenues of learning. Utilizing a “tell, show, do” approach can help to encourage participation. While we are learning and doing, if we incorporate implication #3, reflection, the whole learner will be involved in the process.

Implication #5: Allow different environments for learning.

               Adult learners come from a diverse background of experiences. Allowing different environments for learners, whether that be the classroom, the city, or at home, these different environments will help the learner to connect to the information differently.

Implication #6: Allow time to work through problems individually.

               Constructing knowledge is an important aspect of experiential learning, and this can only be done through hands on learning. Rather than explaining how to do something, allow the learners the opportunity to construct it on their own. For example, growing a garden to understand the balance of care necessary for success.

Reflection

Highlights

               Experiential learning is unique, because there are a lot of moving parts that work together to ensure a learner is getting the best experience possible and retaining the knowledge. The highlight of this assignment is the idea that summative assessments may be best utilized in an experiential learning environment. This is different than much of what we see in current adult learning environments.

Process

               To complete this assignment, I first consulted the text for the themes to build my summary table. After having the themes, I developed my implications, then searched for sources. The process took many days, so I would recommend ensuring enough time for the research process prior to writing.

Table 2.

The Main Themes of Experiential Learning	Implication
Theme 1: Learning is a process, not an outcome.	Utilize summative assessments.
Theme 2: Learning is relearning.	Go back to the basics.
Theme 3: Opposing modes of reflection, action, feeling, and thinking.	Allow time for reflection.
Theme 4: Learning is Holistic.	Allow education to happen in many forms.
Theme 5: Interaction between the learner and the environment	Allow different environments for learning.
Theme 6: Learning is constructive.	Allow time to work through problems individually.

References

Brockbank, A. & McGill, I. (1998). Facilitating Reflective Learning in Higher Education. Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.

Coffey, L. & Davis, A. (2019). The Holistic Approach to Academia: Traditional Classroom Instruction and Experiential Learning of Student-Athletes. Education Science.

Cohen-Schotanus, J., Muijtjens, A., Scho ¨nrock-Adema, J., Geertsma, J. & Vleuten, C. (2008). Effects of conventional and problem-based learning on clinical and general competencies and career development. Medical Education. 42.

Cundiff, J., Zawadzki, M., Danube, C. & Shields, S. (2014). Using Experiential Learning to Increase the Recognition of Everyday Sexism as Harmful: The WAGES Intervention. Journal of Social Issues. 70(4).

Furman, N. & Sibthorp, J.(2013). Leveraging Experiential Learning Techniques for Transfer. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education. 137.

Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (3rd ed.).