Introduction Experiential learning is a type of education in which the learner stops being a passive recipient of information and becomes an active participant by doing. It is not a new theory of education but rather one that has been in existence for at least a century. One of the best points of this theory of learning is that it promotes active learning, which is facilitates a deep-down acquisition of knowledge that can help students retain information more completely and build on skills to develop a more robust tool set for the future. This paper will discuss experiential learning and compare and contrast it with three other learning theories—self-directed learning, transformation learning, and cognitive and non-cognitive learning. Finally, it will provide my own general thoughts and personal theories on how humans learn and how facilitators of adult learning use knowledge of experiential learning to inform and influence their practices.

Essential Elements of Experiential Learning

Experiential learning theory is rooted in the ideas of learning by doing, put forward by Vygotsky (Gray & Feldman, 2004) via the theory of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and Dewey (1938), who is often considered the Father of Experiential learning (Neill, 2005). The essential elements of experiential learning are, according to Kolb, for the student to be engaged in trying out what has been learned (experimenting), having an experience, reflecting on the experience and learning from the experience (Experiential Learning Powerpoint, n.d.). Boud viewed the essential elements of Experience-based learning as being more individualistic, as each student will have a unique experience—so association new knowledge with old knowledge, integration of data, validation of the feelings and thoughts that follow, and appropriation—i.e., taking ownership of the knowledge—are all essential elements of experiential learning. Beard and Wilson added that for experiential learning to be meaningful, students must have “confidence in their abilities, good self-esteem, support from others, and trust in others” (Experiential Learning Powerpoint, n.d.).

Personal Experiential Learning Experience

A learning experience that I have had that relates to experiential learning was learning how to change the oil in my car. First, I watched a couple videos on YouTube to see a demonstration of how to change the oil in my type of car. I chose multiple videos to watch so as to validate the data and make sure the information was reliable by having more than one source of information to go on. Second, I made a list of the materials I needed by taking notes from the videos. Third, I purchased these materials from the store. Fourth I got the necessary tools and changed the oil according to the directions I received from the videos. Once I was finished I understood how the whole operation worked more clearly. It was a learning experience for me because I was able to take ownership of the knowledge and connect it to what I had done in the past regarding watching others change the oil. I felt proud of myself for changing the oil for the first time in my own car and I reflected that...

My own experiences support the effectiveness of experiential learning theory, as I felt motivated to succeed and be committed to caring for the care after actually doing the work and taking ownership of the knowledge, whereas before I had always relied upon someone else to do it for me.
Connections between Theory and Practice

The connections between theory and practice for me are that experiential learning is something that can be incorporated into the classroom via situated cognition. Through situated cognition, students have the opportunity to actively participate in a learning experience with others. This facilitates collaboration, interaction, communication and engagement. The students learn from context and from doing, and are able to take ownership of their knowledge, which gives them confidence in the classroom and can translate over into other areas of...…all of them, acknowledging that each theory helps to explain how people learn and therefore should not be rejected.

Facilitators of adult learning should use knowledge of the models/theories discussed in this paper to inform and/or influence their practices by being mindful of the different ways students learn and allowing students opportunities to pursue each of these learning styles throughout the course. The teacher should also be mindful of how well students do with each method because it can show which students are attracted to or benefit most from which style. The teacher could then allow students to pursue the learning style that works best for them by integrating options into the curriculum that appeal to all the different types of learners.

My facilitation practices could be influence as a result of this assignment by focusing more on including multiple approaches to learning, including experiential learning, and by focusing on multiple types of intelligence. For example, I could recognize and reward students for their various intelligences—whether they are art smarts, people smarts, book smarts or so on—they are all special and important and each should be praised by the teacher when they are observed so as to build esteem in the student and help the student to take ownership of his own educative process.

Conclusion

Students should have multiple and different opportunities to decide on the method in which they want to learn. They should be give the chance to engage in experiential learning, emotional intelligence learning, multiple intelligence learning and other cognitive and non-cognitive learning processes; self-directed learning and in transformation learning. These various learning theories are all helpful in showing how people learn and why it is important that teachers include aspects of each so that students have the utmost opportunity to succeed academically and take ownership of their own knowledge acquisition process. Ultimately the goal of education is to make the student love education so that he can go on to be a lifelong learner and these theories help to do just that.

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