Experiential Education

John Dewey (1938) stated that education needed to become less structured with classroom based delivery of information and have a greater focus on hands on involvement and experience. The learner’s previous personal experience will affect their experience of different situations, this means it is important that experiences are tailored to each learners needs.

Experiential learning (1) and experiential education (2) are terms that are often misunderstood and used interchangeably:

1)    Experiential Learning (EL) takes place by learning through experiences of life’s events and reflecting upon them (generally achieved by the learner themselves).  EL dates back before recorded history and remains prevalent now occurring in day to day life. Therefore is should not be seen as an ‘alternative approach’ to learning but the ‘most traditional and fundamental method’ of human learning (Neil, 2007).

2)    Whereas Experiential Education (EE) is learning through experiences that are structured and facilitated by others, such as a teacher or outdoor facilitator (Neil, 2007). The current perception of EE is that it is ‘different’ this is due to mainstream education in schools, primarily using didactic teaching and frontloading learners with facts and knowledge.

The outdoors can provide novel experiences that allow an individual to learn and grow. Dewey and Kolb believed that an individual cannot optimise their learning from an experience without external guidance (Smith, 2001).

Kolb and Fry (1975) developed a model for how we learn through experience aided by external guidance, which has since been regularly referred to in literature and used by outdoor facilitators, some of whom have little understanding of it components. The model suggests four stages must occur for an individual to learn from their experience (Figure 1). The model should be thought of as a continuing spiral which can be started from any point (Kolb and Fry, 1975). Healey and Jenkins (2000) state the benefit of Kolb and Fry’s model is that each stage is associated with separate learning styles to suit each individuals learning preference. This allows a greater application of the model.

The model is regularly used but has received little supporting research (Smith, 2001). Friedlander, Kolb and Nielsen’s (2003) criticisms of the model have arisen due to Beth, Piaget and Dewey’s queries about the definition of learning and the four stages and following processes involved in each stage of the model. It has also been suggested that the process at each stage cannot be thought of as being separate from one another, meaning that facilitation techniques cannot directly target a stage as they are too closely interlinked. Thomas (1980) believes that there is no need for the intervention of others and that the experiences should be left to speak for themselves. Suggesting that for learning to occur all of the stages may not need to be completed and that reflection can be done implicitly.

The effectiveness and the applicability of the experimental education learning model can be difficult to conclude.  There are benefits to intervening with some learners by encouraging them to discuss and reflect on their experiences to aid their learning and personal development; however learning benefits can still occur  from taking a step back and allowing the learner to self-assess their experience. Facilitators should take care when applying the model to a particular programme, giving appropriate consideration to the participant’s previous experiences and the structure of the current experience, along with thought to timings of any reflection and observations. Providing facilitators are aware of the model’s flaws and apply it where appropriate, we may hopefully assist meaningful and long term learning and personal development for individuals. 

References

Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and Education. New York. Collier Books.

Friedlander, F., Kolb, D. and Nielsen, E. (2003) A definitive critique of Experiential Learning Theory. [Online]. [Cited 26/04/10]. Available from URL: http://www.cc.ysu.edu/~mnwebb/critique/TheCritique_final2_wtp.pdf

Kolb, D. and Fry, R. (1975) Toward an Applied Theory of Experiential Learning. In Cooper, C. (1975) Theory of Group Processes. New York. John Wiley and sons.

Healey, M. & Jenkins, A. (2000) Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and Its Application in Geography in Higher Education, Journal of Geography, 99,185-195

Neil, J. (2007) What is Experiential Learning? [Online]. [Cited 02/04/12]. Available from URL: http://wilderdom.com/experiential/ExperientialLearningWhatIs.html

Smith, M. (2001) David A. Kolb On Experiential Learning. [Online]. [Cited 02/04/12]. Available from URL: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm

Thomas, J. (1980) Can the Mountains Speak for Themselves? Colorado Outward Bound School