Experiential Learning

Experiential learning (EL) is not a new concept in teaching terms, most facilitators, and educators use the term, and practice it in their teaching methods. EL is used to describe the sort of learning undertaken by students who are given a chance to acquire and apply knowledge. Smith (2003) describes EL as the result of education that occurs as direct participation in the events of life.

I think Experiential learning for young children is key for development in a child's life. Without the experience first-hand the learner might not know why or why not the experience they have is good or bad. Think of it as being told by your mum not to play with the plug socket. As a child you investigate why you have been told not to, and you only ever play with it once! The pain from the electric shock you experience teaches you that playing with that is not a good idea.

Many authors have devised models and theories on how experiential learning takes place, (Jarvis 1987; Brookfield 1990; peters 1991; Kolb’s 1984).

Kolb (1984

Though is EL misleading, it is described as a way of learning from my experience, however Wharton & Parry (2003) looked at all parts of EL, and they put forward clams that if the experience is frustrated then there is no learning point to that experience, could present a negative effect for the next attempt. Wharton & Perry also pointed out that the experiential learning in a classroom/lead session is not totally experiential, as there is still an aspect of leading to be sent in the right direction to discover/complete a task.

 There are many different ways you one can interpret the best practice of EL, however, the client (not the facilitator) is the one individual who needs the theory to work, and if the client finds that guidance is the technique that that find best to use, rather than no guidance and a total self lead experience, then stick with it. From experience with teaching young people, there is nothing worse than a facilitator who will only do things their way and not adapt them to the client's needs.

In all the forms that EL comes in, there is in my mind one aspect of it that is the most important part, reflection/evaluation of the experience. Reflection on the experience will happen all the time when performing an activity, or partaking in a task. There is normally an outcome to reach, and that outcome will give you feedback on how will you have performed. However, I feel that the best form of reflection is lead by an onlooker to the task/activity, as they might have ideas you haven't thought of, or suggestions on how to improve next time that you didn't know about.

Jarvis (1987)

There should be no real reason why this approach to learning would not work if it is used and understood correctly, there needs to be a reviewing section to the learning process, as there always it, the outcome to anything we do in life acts as a review of out decision and actions that we take, and build on what we have learned from the outcomes.

Though is EL worth doing? My personal thought on experiential learning, is it is an important part of development and understanding for young children in every day life. It is a skill that will stay with you for life, as the experience learned will bring a life long change in perception of experiences that you may face in the future.

Further reading:

http://wilderdom.com/experiential/ (James Neil 2006).