Experiential learning Totally Explained

Everything about Experiential Learning totally explained

Experiential Learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience.

About

Aristotle once said, "The things we've to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them." Experiential learning is learning-by-doing, as opposed to rote learning. Experiential learning is often used mistakenly as a synonymous term for experiential education, action learning, adventure learning, free choice learning, cooperative learning, service learning and many others. While there are relationships and connections, importantly they're also separate terms with separate meanings.
Experiential learning focuses on the learning for the individual - where as experiential education focuses on the transactive process between teacher and learner. Education focuses on the relationship between teaching and learning. Learning on the direct process for the individual (possibly student). It is like going to the zoo and learning through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, in contrast with reading about animals from a book. Thus, one makes discoveries and experiment with knowledge firsthand, instead of hearing or reading about others' experiences.
Experiential learning requires no teacher and relates solely to the meaning making process of the individual from direct experience. It is an inherent process that occurs naturally. However, as John Dewey pointed out experiential learning can often lead to 'mis-educative experiences". The classic example of this is the lecture experience many students have in traditional education contexts. While the content of the course might be "physics" the experiential learning might be that "I hate physics". This is mis-educative as the student should have actually learned "I hate lectures". Experiential learning therefore can be problematic as the generalizations or "meaning" may be misapplied. There are countless examples of this in prejudice, stereotypes, and related areas.

Implementation

Experiential learning is highly effective especially in corporate training. It engages one at a more personal level by addressing the needs and wants of the learning as it involves qualities such as self-initiative and self-evaluation. For experiential learning to be truly effective, it should employ the whole learning wheel, from goal setting to experimenting and observing, to reviewing and finally action planning. This complete process allows one to learn new skills, new attitudes or even new ways of thinking.
   Remember the games we use to play when we were kids? Simple games like hopscotch can teach valuable skills, such as team management, communication and leadership. The reason why games are used so widely in corporate training is because of the fun factor - learning through fun makes the lessons more retentive. However, games are just one method of experiential learning.
   Another misconception is that experiential learning is all about outdoor pursuits. Equating outdoor activities like river rafting, rock climbing or high ropes to teambuilding sessions is so widespread that many think this is the definitive method of experiential learning for corporate training. Again, this is just one of the methods of experiential learning.
   According to D'Jungle People Experiential Learning Consultants Malaysia, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. How do you create a well-crafted learning experience? The key lies in the facilitator and how he facilitates the learning process. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed, "You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are."
   An experiential facilitator is one who is passionate about his work, and is able to immerse participants totally in the experience, allowing them to learn from their peers and the learning atmosphere created. These facilitators stimulate the imagination, keeping participants hooked on the experience.

Comparisons

Experiential Learning can be compared to Academic Learning which refers to the process of acquiring information through study of a subject without the necessity for any direct experience of it (this needs to be supported through citation)

Further Information

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