The Kolb learning cycle in American Board of Surgery In-

Training Exam remediation: the Accelerated Clinical

Education in Surgery course
Author links open overlay panelMary AnnKosirM.D.abcLisaFullerM.A.,
Ed.S.bJamesTyburskiM.D.bLisaBerantbMinghuanYuM.D., Ph.D.b

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.07.004Get rights and content

Abstract
Background
Surgical training integrates the 4 steps of the Kolb learning cycle. Residents
who scored at 30th percentile or less on the American Board of Surgery In-
Training Exam (ABSITE) were enrolled in the Accelerated Clinical
Education in Surgery (ACES) course that incorporated the Kolb cycle.

Methods
For concrete experience, Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program
(SESAP-13) was completed according to the syllabus. For reflective
consideration, further reading was done on SESAP 13 topics and
corresponding ABSITE Keywords. For the abstract hypotheses step; these
keywords and topics were reviewed with the mentor. Active testing involved
a required weekly on-line quiz based on the syllabus.

Results
Correct scores on the ABSITE increased for 78.6% of residents in the
ACES course, with 28.6% scoring 30th percentile or greater. Senior percent
correct scores increased by 7.3% and junior percentile scores by 12.5%.

Conclusions
Remediation using the Kolb cycle improved ABSITE performance for a
majority of participants.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002961008005436

.........................
Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle to improve
student learning in virtual computer laboratories
Author links open overlay panelAbdullahKonakTricia K.ClarkMahdiNasereddin

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.10.013Get rights and content

Highlights
•

Hands-on learning is studied in virtual computer laboratories.

Cookbook activities do not achieve comprehensive learning.

To enhance student learning, Kolb's model is proposed to design

hands-on activities.

The benefits of Kolb's model are investigated in the information

security domain.

The proposed approach enhances student learning in virtual

computer laboratories.

Abstract
In information security education, learning
experiences that involve hands-on
experimentation are extremely important.
However, information security topics are
challenging to teach in traditional computer
laboratories mainly due to restrictive
information technology policies. In the
literature, virtual computer laboratories have
been proposed to address the challenges of
providing students with hands-on learning
experiences in information security. While the
literature mainly focuses on technical aspects
of virtual computer laboratories and related
hands-on activities, pedagogical aspects of
hands-on activities are overlooked. Our
experiences with a virtual computer
laboratory have shown that hands-on
activities which are designed based on a
prescriptive, step-by-step approach do not
always achieve the expected learning
outcomes. In this paper, we propose Kolb's
Experiential Learning Cycle as a framework
to design hands-on activities in virtual
computer laboratories, and we argue that
hands-on activities designed based on this
framework enhance student learning
outcomes. We illustrate how the stages of
Kolb's model can be incorporated into hands-
on activities and present results from two
empirical studies to test the effectiveness of
the proposed framework. The empirical
findings in the first study suggest that hands-
on activities designed based on the proposed
framework are more likely to increase student
interest and competency compared to step-
by-step hands-on activities. In the second
study, the collected data is analyzed using
structural equation modeling to determine the
relationships among the factors affecting
student learning outcomes as a result of
hands-on activities. The results of the second
study show that student-to-student interaction
is an important factor determining student
learning experiences.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article
/pii/S0360131513002984
1. 1. Introduction
2. 2. Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle and its application to the CVCLAB activities
o 2.1. Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle for hands-on activities
o 2.2. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle to improve the CVCLAB activities
 2.2.1. Concrete experience
 2.2.2. Reflective observation
 2.2.3. Abstract conceptualization
 2.2.4. Active experimentation
3. 3. Experimental design and data collection
o 3.1. Participants and data collection
o 3.2. Factor analysis
 3.2.1. Interaction (ACT)
 3.2.2. Engagement (ENG)
 3.2.3. Challenge (CHA)
 3.2.4. Competency (CMP)
 3.2.5. Interest (INT)
4. 4. Analysis of results
o 4.1. Comparisons of the treatment and control groups
o 4.2. Confirmatory factor analysis
5. 5. Discussions and limitations of the research
6. 6. Conclusions
7. Acknowledgments
8. References

Kolb's experiential learning theory has been widely influential in adult

learning. The theory and associated instruments continue to be criticized,
but rarely is the graphical model itself examined. This is significant because
models can aid scientific understanding and progress, as well as theory
development and research. Applying accepted modelling and
categorization criteria to Kolb's basic model reveals fundamental graphic
syntax errors, a failure to meet modellers' graphic sufficiency and
simplification tests, categorization and definitional problems relating to
learning activities and typologies, misconstrued bi-polarities and flawed
logic. We propose guidelines for recasting the model with a view to
overcoming these weaknesses, guiding future research and theory
development, and starting to integrate the disparate field of experiential
learning.
 Teoria învățării experiențiale Kolb a fost foarte influent în procesul de
învățare pentru adulți. Instrumentele de teorie și asociate continuă să fie
criticat, dar rareori este modelul grafic în sine examinat. Acest lucru este
important, deoarece modele pot ajuta la înțelegerea științifică și progresul,
precum și dezvoltarea teoriei și de cercetare. Aplicarea criteriilor de
modelare și clasificarea acceptate la modelul de bază Kolb dezvăluie erori
de sintaxă grafice fundamentale, un eșec pentru a satisface testele
modelatori suficiență grafică și simplificare, clasificarea pe categorii și
probleme legate de definiționale activitățile de învățare și tipologii,
rastalmacite bi-polaritati și logica greșită. Propunem orientări pentru
reformarea modelului în vederea depășirii acestor deficiențe, directoare de
cercetare și dezvoltare viitoare teorie,

De Ciantis, S. and Kirton, M. 1996. A psychometric reexamination of Kolb's

experiential learning cycle construct: A separation of level, style and
process. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 56(5): 809–20.

.....................

Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle

Overview of Experiential Learning
Learning from experience is a natural process that engages all students' learning styles and aligns well with Wentworth's EPIC practices. You can help
students transform experience into knowledge by applying the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle. At Wentworth, experiential learning is pervasive
throughout our curricula in the classroom, labs, studios, and coop experiences.

1. The process starts with an experience and examining what happened.

2. The experience is reflected upon to examine what was experienced and the results that occurred.
3. The experience is conceptualized to understand why this happened and what the results imply.
4. The new thinking is applied through active experimentation or plans are made for what will be done differently next time.

Curious about learning more about the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle?

 Watch this Kolb Learning Cycle Video

 Sign up for a Workshop or join the learning community to share your experience! lit@wit.edu

Learning from experience can be depicted as a spiral continually moving upward through multiple iterations of continuous improvement.

Learning Styles and Engagement

Learning styles are a habit of learning based on individual preference, choice, life experience, education, culture, and the current situation or context.
Kolb offers a Learning Style Inventory that provides an interesting self-examination of an individual's approach to learning based on four learning
styles: Diverging, Assimilating, Converging, and Accommodating. Remember, you use more than one learning style and they can shift based on the
situation Curious about which learning styles you prefer?

 Watch this Kolb Learning Styles Video

 Take the Best Fit Self-Assessment
How can you engage students to increase learning retention? Include a variety of instructional activities aligned with Kolb (Svinicki & Dixon, 1987):

 Experience: lab, observation, primary text reading, simulations/games, fieldwork, trigger films, readings, problem sets, examples
 Reflection: log, discussion, journal, brainstorming, through self-reflection, dialogue, feedback, critiques
 Thinking/Conceptualization: lecture, model building, analogies, papers, projects, mapping, analytical diagrams
 Action/Active Experimentation: simulation, lab, project, case study, fieldwork, homework, iteration, presentation

Reflect on how your teaching style looks in each of Kolb's learnings styles:

 Diverging learners appreciate a facilitator who is affirming, draws out motivation and self-knowledge, creates personal relationships, and
fosters dialogue
 Assimilating learners appreciate a subject expert who has a reflective authoritative style, systematically analyzes and organizes subject
matter, and delivers knowledge by lectures and texts
 Converging learners appreciate a standard setter and evaluator who has an objective results-oriented style, sets performance objectives,
and structures performance activities to evaluate learning
 Accommodating learners appreciate a coach who has an applied collaborative style, works one-on-one with learners to apply and refine
their ongoing learning in context, and uses feedback mechanisms and development plans

Remember, as educators, we tend to educate from our own preferred style so it is helpful to cycle around each of these teaching styles to reach all
learners in your class.

Creating a Climate for Experiential Learning

Learning spaces are shaped by the physical aspects of the space (in-person or virtual), cultural norms, institutional practices, social interactions and
psychological expectations of the people in that space such that a person's position in the learning space defines their experience or 'reality' (Strange &
Banning, 2001). There are certain characteristics of learning spaces that maximize learning and principles for creating them (Kolb & Kolb, 2005a):

 Engage students in all four modes of learning: experience, reflection, thinking, and action
 Foster a space that is welcoming and respectful to all perspectives
 Balance support and challenge to help students push out of their comfort zone
 Create choice so learners are in charge of their own learning
 Allow time for low or no-stakes repetitive practice that develops expertise

How can you engage students in creating a learning climate? Try negotiating learning expectations at the beginning of the course and revisit them to
check in.

Applying Experiential Learning at Wentworth

Associate Professor Lora Kim in Architecture

 Experience: fieldwork, sketch, photographic documentation, writing

 Reflection: self-reflection, feedback, critiques, pin-ups
 Thinking/Conceptualization: abstract models, mappings, analytical diagrams
 Action/Active Experimentation: iterations, narrative, process, presentations

Professor Gary Simundza in Applied Math

 Experience: experiential demonstration of mathematical concept in class

 Reflection: how the concept demonstration applies to their discipline
 Thinking/Conceptualization: graphically, analytically, numerically, and verbally depicting the concept that was demonstrated
 Action/Active Experimentation: how an adjustment in the demonstration changes the application and depiction of the concept

Assistant Professor Erik Simon in Construction Management

 Experience: planning for and executing a building activity in class to build the tallest structure possible in 10 minutes with marshmallows
and spaghetti (without talking)
 Reflection: dialogue about what groups would have done differently in planning if they know all of the rules up front (build without
talking)
 Thinking/Conceptualization: Erik shares what he observed and ties it back to the construction process
  Action/Active Experimentation: could do another iteration

Do you have an experiential learning application to share? Tell us and we'll spotlight you!

Educator Perspective - Summative Assessment

The summative assessment process naturally flows around Kolb's experiential learning cycle:

1. The process starts with an examining what happened in the course.

2. The experience is reflected upon to examine what happened with student learning.
3. The experience is synthesized to understand how the actual learning compared with objectives and outcomes, assess learning across
multiple sections, the impact of peer feedback, the impact of instructor feedback.
4. The new thinking is applied through course critical assessment process articulating what you'll change next time, what worked well, how
to relate the course better to subsequent courses in the curriculum, how to better engage students.

Summative assessment can be depicted as a spiral continually moving upward through multiple iterations of continuous improvement.

References
 Kolb, A. Y. and Kolb, D. A. (2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of
Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 193-212.
 Kolb, A. Y. and Kolb, D. A. (2008). Experiential Learning Theory: A dynamic, holistic approach to management learning, education, and
development. In Armstrong, S. J. & Funkami, C. (Eds.) Handbook of Management Learning Education and Development. London: Sage
Publications.
 Kolb, D. A. (1984).Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
 Kolb, D. A., Boyatzis, R. E., Charalampos, M. (1999). Experiential Learning Theory: Previous research and new directions. In Sternberg,
R. J. and Zhang, L. F. (Eds.), Perspectives on cognitive, learning, and thinking styles. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000.
 Passarelli, A. and Kolb, D. (2012). Using Experiential Learning Theory to Promote Student Learning and Development in Programs of
Education Abroad.
 Svinicki, M. D. and Dixon, N. M. (1987). The Kolb model modified for classroom activities. College Teaching, 35(4), 141-146.

......................

Kolb's Experiential Model Best Fit Self Assessment

What is a Learning Style?

Your Kolb Learning Style describes the unique way you spiral through
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. There is no right or wrong way on how
a learner spirals through the experiential learning cycle and each person
has their own preferred path. How a learner enters the cycle of learning
depends on his/her individual preferences to learning. Research has shown
learning styles are influenced by a person’s culture, personality type,
educational specialization, career choice, and current job role/tasks (Kolb &
Kolb, 2005).

Through Kolb’s research, he discovered four patterns of learning as they

relate to the Experiential Learning Cycle:

 Accommodating Style, which falls between AE & CE (feeling & doing)

 Diverging Style, which falls between CE & RO (feeling & watching)

 Assimilating Style, which falls between AC & RO (thinking & watching)

 Converging Style, which falls between AC & AE (thinking & doing)

Remember that learning is a continuous process grounded in experience

and you move through the cycle integrating action, observation, concepts,
judgment (Dewey, 1938). Also, your learning style is not a fixed
psychological trait but a consistent pattern of transactions between the
individual and his/her environment.

Watch Kolb's Learning Styles Video or Kolb's Learning Cycle Video for brief
overviews.

Complete Your Best-Fit Self-Assessment

Best-Fit Self-Assessment

To determine your preferred Kolb Learning Style, review the descriptions

below and RANK the learning styles according to which fits you best (1)
and which fits you least (4) so all four Learning Styles have a ranking
between 1 and 4.

________Accommodating Style, which falls between AE & CE (feeling &

doing)

________Diverging Style, which falls between CE & RO (feeling &

watching)

________Assimilating Style, which falls between AC & RO (thinking &

watching)

________Converging Style, which falls between AC & AE (thinking &

doing)

Think about why you ranked the learning styles the way you did.

Download the Kolb Learning Styles Best-Fit Self-Assessment if you want to

use it your students.

Accommodating Style
Learners with this style like to work in teams and their approach to learning
is more trial and error. When learning, they ask themselves "What if" type
questions.

 They like Concrete Experience (feeling) and Active Experimentation

(doing) as dominant learning abilities

 People with this learning style have the ability to learn primarily from
hands-on experience

 They enjoy carrying out plans and involving themselves in new and
challenging experiences

 They have a tendency to act on gut feelings rather than logical analysis
– rely more heavily on people for information than on their own technical
analysis

 Learners with this style gravitate to action-oriented careers such as

marketing or sales, business, social work, educational psychology, law,
educational administration, architecture, psychology, education,
medicine

 As a formal learning style, these learners prefer to work with others to

get assignments done, set goals, do field work, and test out different
approaches to completing a project

Diverging Style

Learners with this style like to work in teams as well, but their approach to
learning is about observing others and everything around them. When
learning, they ask themselves "Why" type questions.

 They like Concrete Experience (feeling) and Reflective Observation

(watching) as dominant learning abilities

 People with this learning style are best at viewing concrete situation
from many different points of view

 Labeled “diverging” because a person with it performs better in

situations that call for generation of ideas, such as a brainstorming
session
 People with this style have broad cultural interests and like to gather
information

 Are interested in people and tent to be imaginative and emotional

 Learners with style gravitate to - dramatic arts, language, music, art,

journalism, library science, philosophy, sociology, home economics,
political science, anthropology, physical education careers

 As a formal learning style, these learners prefer to work in groups, listen

with an open mind, and receive personalized feedback

Assimilating Style

Learners with this style like to work independently (solo). They like to work
on abstract concepts and prefer a logical approach.

They like to plan and do research and like inductive reasoning. When
learning, they ask themselves "What is there to know" type questions

 They like Abstract Conceptualization (thinking) and Reflective

Observation (watching) as dominant learning abilities

 People with this learning style are best at understanding a wide range of
information and putting it into concise, logical form

 People with this style are less focused on people and more interested in
ideas and abstract concepts

 They find it more important that a theory has logical soundness than
practical value

 Learners with this style gravitate to - science, geography, physiology,

botany, agriculture/forestry, biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics,
physics, economics careers

 As a formal learning style, these learners prefer readings, lectures,

exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through

Converging Style

Learners with this style like to work independently (solo). They like to work
on problems, for example, technical tasks and theories and they like
 deductive reasoning. When learning, they ask themselves “How” type
questions.

They like Abstract Conceptualization (thinking) and Active Experimentation

(doing) as dominant learning abilities

 People with this learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas
and theories

 People with this style have the ability to solve problems and make
decisions based on finding solutions to questions or problems

 They prefer to deal with technical tasks and problems rather than with
social and interpersonal issues

 Learners with this style gravitate to technology, business, ecology,

engineering careers

 As a formal learning style, these learners prefer to experiment with new

ideas, simulations, laboratory assignments, and practical applications

Remember, Learning style is not a fixed psychological trait but a consistent

pattern of transactions between the individual and his/her environment. You
likely leverage all learning styles to different degrees based on the
situation.

https://wit.edu/lit/engage/kolb-learning-styles

..........................

Experiential Learning
Use Your Head—and Your Hands
As a Wentworth student, you see what it means to be part of a “maker community” every day. Here, classroom learning is never an end in itself, but
rather a means to an end. Wentworth’s commitment to experiential learning gives you diverse opportunities to put your knowledge into action,
transforming theory into practice as you engage in any number of hands-on activities designed to enrich your education.

Where you place your energies and ingenuity is up to you. There is much happening on campus (and off) to inspire you. Follow these links to get
inspired by the programs and projects that your fellow classmates are involved in, and then begin to explore your own passions and interests as you
learn by doing, combining your head and your hands.

EPIC Experiential Learning

EPIC Learning is the very essence of Wentworth’s commitment to learning by doing. By combining pure academics with practical experiences—
blending theory and practice, thinking and acting—it empowers both faculty and students to take risks, experiment, and find the deeper purpose of
their work.
LEARN ABOUT WENTWORTH'S EPIC DIFFERENCE

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Accelerate is the catalyst in pushing a student’s passion. Whether students decide to start their own ventures, work in startups, or become
"intrapreneurs" for established companies, the experiences gained through Accelerate will position them for successes in the future.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ACCELERATE

The Center for Community and Learning Partnerships

The Center for Community and Learning Partnerships has enabled Wentworth students and faculty to participate in a wide range of community service
activities – both for credit and for the greater good. These projects provide transformative experiences for students while benefitting local
organizations and addressing local needs.

EXPLORE THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY AND LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS'S PROGRAMS

EPIC Experiential Learning

EPIC Learning is the very essence of Wentworth’s commitment to learning by doing. By combining pure academics with practical experiences—
blending theory and practice, thinking and acting—it empowers both faculty and students to take risks, experiment, and find the deeper purpose of
their work. EPIC Learning represents a significant departure from traditional models of teaching, emphasizing immersion and innovation.

The role of EPIC Learning at Wentworth is to facilitate opportunities for our students to work on projects from external sources requiring the input,
skills, and knowledge of multiple disciplines. These projects are grounded in solving real-world problems and issues brought forth by our partners in
industry, government, and community organizations.

What EPIC means

EPIC Learning is an acronym for an approach to learning that closely mirrors what goes on in real workplaces across the country.

 Externally collaborative learning helps students develop and practice the skills they need to work well with colleagues and other
partners. At Wentworth, we are open to external collaborators of all kinds, from start-up businesses to major corporations to non-profits of
all sizes to government bodies and agencies at all levels.
 Project-based activities represent sustained efforts with specific objectives that offer exceptional learning opportunities for our students.
Some projects span a few class sessions; others stretch over several semesters, with different teams of students carrying out different
phases.
 Interdisciplinary teams give students the experience of working side-by-side with people from different academic backgrounds and work
experiences. Whether it’s future architects and construction managers, industrial designers and biomedical engineers, or mechanical
engineers and computer scientists, students learn more about their own discipline as well as other fields when they work together.
 Culture is the supportive atmosphere at Wentworth that encourages the application of collaboration, experimentation, and innovation
among our administration, faculty, and students to develop meaningful solutions to real problems facing society.

For more information on EPIC Learning at Wentworth, contact Stephen Chomyszak, director of EPIC Learning, at 617-989-4935
or chomyszaks@wit.edu

.....................................

xample 1 - Kolb's Learning Cycle

Kolb's Learning Cycle is a well-known theory which argues we learn from our experiences of life,
even on an everyday basis. It also treats reflection as an integral part of such learning. According
to Kolb (1984), the process of learning follows a pattern or cycle consisting of four stages, one of
which involves what Kolb refers to as 'reflective observation'. The stages are illustrated and
summarised below:
 Stage 1:
Life is full of experiences we can learn from. Whether at home or at
Experience
work or out and about, there are countless opportunities for us to 'kick-
(Kolb's "Concrete
start' the learning cycle.
experiences")

Reflection involves thinking about what we have done and

Stage 2: Reflect
experienced. Some people are naturally good at this. Others train
(Kolb's "Reflective
themselves to be more deliberate about reviewing their experiences
observation")
and recording them.

Stage 3: When we pass from thinking about our experiences to interpreting them
Conceptualise we enter into the realm of what Kolb termed 'conceptualization'. To
(Kolb's "Abstract conceptualize is to generate a hypothesis about the meaning of our
conceptualization") experiences.

In the active experimentation stage of the learning cycle we effectively

'test' the hypotheses we have adopted. Our new experiences will either
support or challenge these hypotheses.

Stage 4: Plan
(Kolb's "Active
experimentation")
To learn from our experiences it is not sufficient just to have them. This
will only take us into stage 1 of the cycle. Rather, any experience has
the potential to yield learning, but only if we pass through all Kolb's
stages by reflecting on our experiences, interpreting them and testing
our interpretations.

Summing up, learning from our experiences involves the key element
of reflection. Obviously, most people don't theorize about their learning
in this way, but in their learning follow Kolb's cycle without knowing it.

...............................
Abstract
Purpose
 To examine the impacts experiential learning can have on student learning in and
out of the classroom. Models of experiential learning are presented including the
experiential learning theory.

Design/methodology/approach
The historical roots of experiential learning are reviewed before a new
experiential learning theory is presented, VAKT-enhanced, to demonstrate the
many unique paths that learners take toward content learning, retention, and
synthesis.

Findings
Apprenticeship experience is universally recognized as an effective method of
learning; we learn from doing. Yet, the field of literacy has maintained for
decades that reading skills must be taught, often carried out in a drill fashion,
also known as the proverbial skill-and-drill technique

Practical implications
A multisensory approach that involves experiencing literature through hands-on
and e-learning environments can promote reading acquisition efficiently, bridging
the gap between diverse student bodies. Students must be rejuvenated to
become interested or maintain interest in literacy, and using technology and
experiential learning should be of central focus.

........................

Experiential Learning
Background
Experiential learning is an engaged learning process whereby students “learn by doing” and by reflecting on the

experience. Experiential learning activities can include, but are not limited to, hands-on laboratory experiments,

internships, practicums, field exercises, study abroad, undergraduate research and studio performances.
Well-planned, supervised and assessed experiential learning
programs can stimulate academic inquiry by promoting
interdisciplinary learning, civic engagement, career development,
cultural awareness, leadership, and other professional and intellectual
skills.

Learning that is considered “experiential” contain all the following

elements:

1. Reflection, critical analysis and synthesis.

2. Opportunities for students to take initiative, make decisions, and be accountable for the results.
3. Opportunities for students to engage intellectually, creatively, emotionally, socially, or physically.
4. A designed learning experience that includes the possibility to learn from natural consequences,

mistakes, and successes.

How does it work?

Kolb’s (1984) cycle of learning depicts the experiential learning
process (see figure below). This process includes the integration of:

 knowledge—the concepts, facts, and information acquired through formal learning and past experience;

 activity—the application of knowledge to a “real world” setting; and

 reflection—the analysis and synthesis of knowledge and activity to create new knowledge” (Indiana

University, 2006, n.p.).

What does experiential learning look like?

Experiential learning has the following elements (Association for Experiential Education,
2007-2014):
 Experiences are carefully chosen for their learning potential (i.e. whether they provide opportunities for

students to practice and deepen emergent skills, encounter novel and unpredictable situations that

support new learning, or learn from natural consequences, mistakes, and successes).

 Throughout the experiential learning process, the learner is actively engaged in posing questions,

investigating, experimenting, being curious, solving problems, assuming responsibility, being creative,

and constructing meaning, and is challenged to take initiative, make decisions and be accountable for

results.

 Reflection on learning during and after one’s experiences is an integral component of the learning

process. This reflection leads to analysis, critical thinking, and synthesis (Schon, 1983; Boud, Cohen, &

Walker, 1993).

 Learners are engaged intellectually, emotionally, socially, and/or physically, which produces a perception

that the learning task is authentic.

 Relationships are developed and nurtured: learner to self, learner to others, and learner to the world at

large.
During experiential learning, the faciltiators role is to:
 Select suitable experiences that meet the criteria above.

 Pose problems, set boundaries, support learners, provide suitable resource, ensure physical and

emotional safety, and facilitate the learning process.

 Recognize and encourage spontaneous opportunities for learning, engagement with challenging

situations, experimentation (that does not jeopardize the wellbeing of others) and discovery of solutions.

 Help the learner notice the connections between one context and another, between theory and the

experience and encouraging this examination repeatedly.

of experiential learning include (Indiana University, 2006;
Some forms

Moore, 2010):
 Internships – A more broad term used to describe experience-based learning activities that often

subsume other terms such as cooperative education, service-learning or field experiences. It is often a

credit-bearing, free-standing activity in a student’s field of interest not connected to a theoretical course.

It is usually assessed by a faculty member and supervised by an employer who is not a faculty member.
The student may work with practicing professionals, complete a project, attend public events, interview

and observe constituents and employees. The student may or may not be paid for this experience.

When attached to a classroom course, a student may spend several hours a week volunteering in an

agency, supporting co-curricular activities, shadowing a professional in the field, or observing people in

their natural environments. Key to this form of experiential learning is some type of guided reflection. The

mission of this experience may be to support the integration of theory and practice, explore career

options, or foster personal and professional development.

 Service learning – This term is used to denote optional or required out-of-classroom community service

experiences/projects attached to courses or a separate credit bearing experience. The location may be
the broader community outside the university or one embedded in co-curricular activities. In these
 experiences, students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs

and reflect on the service activity to better understand course content and gain a broader appreciation of

the discipline and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

 Cooperative education – Mostly a part of professional programs, students gain practical relevant work

experience over a period of multiple terms that intersperse their coursework. Students alternate work

and study, usually spending a number of weeks in study (typically full-time) and a number of weeks in

employment away from campus (typically full-time). Alternatively, cooperative education may occur when

students simultaneously attend classes part-time and work part-time during consecutive school terms in

an intentionally planned and coordinated way. Students receive academic credit for cooperative

education when the experiences meet the criteria for credit (i.e., faculty supervision, reflective

components, evidence of learning). The purpose of these programs is to build student’s career skills and

knowledge.
 Clinical education – This is a more specifically defined internship experience in which students practice

learned didactic and experiential skills, most frequently in health care and legal settings, under the

supervision of a credentialed practitioner. It is often is a separate credit-bearing course tied to a related

theoretical course or a culminating experience after a sequence of theoretical courses.

 Student teaching – This experience is specific to students in pre-professional and pre-service teacher

education who are gaining required and evaluated experience in supervised teaching.
 Practicum – A relative of the internship, this form of experiential learning usually is a course or student

exercise involving practical experience in a work setting (whether paid or unpaid) as well as theoretical

study, including supervised experience as part of professional pre-service education.

 Undergraduate research experience – Students function as research assistants and collaborators on

faculty projects.
 Community-based research – Faculty and students cooperate with local organizations to conduct

studies to meet the needs of a particular community. Students gain direct experience in the research

process.
 Field work – Supervised student research or practice carried out away from the institution and in direct

contact with the people, natural phenomena, or other entities being studied. Field work is especially
frequent in fields including anthropology, archaeology, sociology, social work, earth sciences, and

environmental studies.
 Study abroad – Students usually engage in courses at higher education institutions in another country.

The experiential learning component is the cultural immersion which provides novel challenges for

navigating living in a new place. The coursework connected to a study abroad can also include

internships and service-learning experiences.

Research on Experiential Learning

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman,
M. K. (2010). How learning works: 7 research-based principles for
smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.
Association for Experiential Education. (2007-2014). Retrieved
from http://www.aee.org/.
Bass, R. (2012, March/April). Disrupting ourselves: The problem of
learning in higher education. EDUCAUSE Review, 47(2).

Boud, D., Cohen, R., & Walker, D. (Eds.). (1993). Using experience for
learning. Bristol, PA: Open University Press.

Indiana University. (2006). Experiential learning notations on Indiana

University official transcripts. Retrieved from http://registrar.iupui.edu/experiential-
learning.html.

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of

learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate

peripheral participation. New York: Cambridge University.

Linn, P. L., Howard, A., and Miller, E. (Eds). (2004). The handbook for
research in cooperative education and internships. Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Moore, D. T. (2010). Forms and issues in experiential learning. In D.

M. Qualters (Ed.) New Directions for Teaching and Learning (pp. 3-
13). New York City, NY: Wiley.

Schon, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think

in action. New York City, NY: Basic books.

The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences. (2013).

Freshman Research Initiative Retrieved from http://cns.utexas.edu/fri.
Wurdinger, D. D., & Carlson, J. A. (2010). Teaching for experiential
learning: Five approaches that work. Lanham, MD: Rowman &
Littlefield Education.

http://www.bu.edu/ctl/guides/experiential-learning/

.........................
Making a Case for Experiential Learning
in Higher Education
Maxwell Tran, McMaster University Student, Pearson Student Advisory Board
Member | January 13, 2016 in Higher Education

“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.” – Albert Einstein

Experiential learning is more than a popular buzzword in pedagogy – it’s a way for students
to make the most of their education. But what exactly is experiential learning?

My personal definition for experiential learning is learning by doing. In the literature,

experiential learning is based on a number of fundamental ideas (Kolb & Kolb, 2005), which
I’ll summarize here.

1. Learning is a lifelong journey.

2. New learning is integrated with your previous knowledge and experiences.
3. Learning is a holistic endeavour that involves thinking, feeling, reflecting, acting, and more.
4. Learning is the process of creating knowledge, not absorbing it.

Think back to when you were young. How did you learn to tie your shoelaces? To ride a bike?
If I had to take a guess, I would imagine that you didn’t learn how to do these tasks solely by
listening to instructions. (I didn’t.) You had to do them for yourself.

In the process, you took ownership for your learning; you took risks and failed; you reflected
and learned from your mistakes; and maybe you even incorporated some creativity. To me,
early childhood experiences such as tying your shoelaces and riding a bike encapsulate
experiential learning at its finest. I strongly believe that this iterative, holistic process is how
we were born to learn.

It may be unfortunate, then, that higher education institutions have historically placed
emphasis on didactic, lecture-based learning. In this model, students assume the role of
passive recipients of information that is “transmitted” to them (Kolb & Kolb, 2005). No
doing. No risks. No feeling. No reflecting.

While co-operative education (co-op) is only one form of experiential learning, the number of
co-op programs in the United States decreased by half between the mid-1980s and early
21st century (Greenhaus & Callanan, 2006) – an indication of overall decline in experiential
learning. Fortunately, experiential learning is a rapidly growing trend in many parts of the
world, and it is making a comeback in higher education institutions across North America.
For example, at Northeastern University in Boston, there are approximately 8,000 students
every year who participate in the school’s co-op program, which entails a six-month period of
full-time employment (Ambrose & Poklop, 2015).

Experiential learning is not only prevalent – it’s effective. Faculty members from
Northeastern conducted a qualitative study that asked 104 seniors from six universities and
colleges about their experiences with co-op (Ambrose & Poklop, 2015). The responses were
largely positive. The consensus from students was that co-op helped them build upon and
integrate the in-classroom knowledge that they had gained. Many students noted increased
motivation, which promotes lifelong learning. Co-op also provided students with rewarding
opportunities to practice and receive feedback –– important aspects of learning that are
sometimes neglected in school. Specifically, 93% of students applied previous knowledge and
skills to their co-op placement; 98% of students obtained new knowledge and skills during co-
op; and 96% of students reflected upon their learning afterwards (Ambrose & Poklop, 2015).

Support for experiential learning doesn’t stop there. A separate systematic review pooled
exam score and failure rate data from 225 studies of undergraduate science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students, who were either taught using traditional
lecturing or active (experiential) learning (Freeman, Eddy, McDonough, et al, 2014). The
results were surprising: average exam scores were 6% higher in the experiential learning
group. More importantly, students in the lecture-based learning group were 1.5 times more
likely to fail (Freeman, Eddy, McDonough, et al, 2014).

In my own educational pursuits, I have benefited greatly from experiential education. Being a
long-time sufferer of allergies and asthma, I wanted to explore my interest in these diseases. I
was grateful to receive a summer research studentship from Dr. Malcolm Sears and the
Allergy, Genes, and Environment Network (AllerGen) to work on the Canadian Healthy
Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study, based in Hamilton, Canada.

Conducting research within the CHILD Study has been an incredible learning experience.
There have been a lot of “a-ha” moments where I was able to successfully integrate
knowledge from my epidemiology, biostatistics, and cell biology courses. Putting it all
together – that’s the best feeling that you can have as a learner. Of course, I’ve also made
countless blunders along the way. Each time, I gained valuable insight from the experience
that I have carried forward with me. It helps to have the support of others, including Dr. Sears,
Dr. Diana Lefebvre, David Dai, and the AllerGen team, who all provide me with great
feedback and encouragement.
Experiential learning has changed my life, and evidence suggests that I’m not the only one.
Experiential learning has many advantages that should make it attractive for students to
pursue – and for higher education institutions to offer.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below about your experiences with
experiential learning (pun intended)!

References

Kolb A.Y., & Kolb D.A. (2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: enhancing experiential
learning in higher education. Academy of Learning Management & Education 4(2), 193-212.

Greenhaus, J. H., & Callanan, G. A. (Eds.). (2006). Encyclopedia of career development.

Sage Publications.

Ambrose S. A., & Poklop, L. (2015). Do students really learn from experience? Change: the
magazine of higher learning 47(1),54-61.

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt H., et al.
(2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and
mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America 111(23), 8410-8415.

https://www.pearsoned.com/making-a-case-for-experiential-learning-in-
higher-education/

......................................

In a future of complexity, uncertainty and fragmented governance we envision planning graduates

who will be better prepared for this real world of planning as a result of an experiential learning
(EL) approach in tertiary education. In this paper, we present the findings of an Australian
research project in which planning educators developed and tested a range of experiential
planning principles based on sound pedagogical theory. Embedding EL principles and activities
within the planning curriculum provides a structured program of engagement between theory and
practice over the four years of an Australian planning program, including opportunities for work
integrated learning. Students gain experience in negotiated decision making involving a wide
range of interactions with planning practitioners. Students become more adaptable - cognisant of
mechanisms influencing change, and recognise the value of lifelong learning founded on critical
reflection. We propose that a more systematic approach to integrating experiential learning in
tertiary planning education culminating in "work integrated learning" would provide a vehicle for
further partnerships with responsive local practitioners and communities. Finally, this paper also
 argues that applying experiential learning does not compromise the quality of planning education
based on greater academic rigour.

...................

Kolb’s learning cycle

Posted on October 8, 2014 by mglessmer

A very brief history of learning theories.

Discussing a paper on learning theories with a friend last week, I realized how far I have
come from when I first started reading those papers. Then I felt like most of those papers were
a lot of hot air, a lot of waffling around, completely disconnected from the real world.
Especially when looking at the diagrams for some of the theories, I just never got what all the
fuss was about. So now I am hoping to explain one theory in a way that is understandable –
and maybe even interesting. Give me a shout if things are unclear and I’ll try to do better!

One of the classic papers in education is Kolb’s (1984) “Experiential learning: experience as
the source of learning and development”, where a theory of the process of learning is
presented. Kolb bases his theory of learning on earlier theories of Lewin, Dewey and Piaget,
and rereading his paper recently put things into a new perspective for me.

Lewin imagines learning as a cyclic process, where he emphasizes the here-and-now concrete
experience to test abstract concepts. Learning, as a feedback process, starts from a concrete
experience, which leads to observation and reflection. From that, abstract concepts are formed to
explain the new situation. Those concepts and their implications are then tested in even more new
situations, leading to new concrete experiences, and the cycle is hence repeated over and over again.
So far so good.

My adaptation of Lewin’s learning cycle

A similar feedback process is described in Dewey’s work, where a purpose is formed through
a cycling through similar stages: An initial impulse (I1) is carried out, and its effect on the
surrounding conditions is observed (O1). Together with knowledge (K1) of what has
 happened in similar situations in the past, as well as through information, advice and warnings
from others, a judgement (J1) is created, which leads to a modified impulse (I2). This would
be where Lewin starts the second round around his circle, but to visualize that the two
impulses are different, Dewey does not close the circle, but rather forms a spiral. Still the
process is repeated until several cycles later a purpose is formed. The purpose differs from the
initial impulse: “mature purpose develops from blind impulse” through modification by
observation, knowledge and judgment.

My adaptation of Dewey’s learning spiral

Piaget then describes the learning process as a cycle of interactions between an individual and
its environment. He links different steps in the cycle to steps in child development. For me,
his main message on the topic is the interaction between the accommodation of concepts or
schemas to experiences, and the assimilation of events or experiences into existing theories.
He describes two extremes: One, where accommodation is a lot stronger than assimilation,
where actions of the individual are determined completely by the environmental constraints.
Or the other, where assimilation is a lot stronger than accommodation, where the individual
lives in a dream world and sticks to their concept without being influenced by the
environmental realities.

On the basis of this, Kolb developed his learning cycle. According to Kolb, there are four
different skills an effective learner needs to master, all pretty much similar to the earlier
theories described above:

1. Concrete experience: learners must be able to enter into new situations openly and without bias in
order to experience them fully.
2. Reflective observations: the learners must be able to reflect on their new experiences from different
perspectives.
3. Abstract conceptualization: from the observations, the learner must be able to form logically sound
concepts and theories.
4. Active experimentation: the learner must be able to use those theories to make decisions and to solve
problems.
Learning thus requires abilities that are polar opposites of each other: A learner must act and
reflect on a given topic, as well as bring together concrete experience and theoretical
reflections.

This is shown in the orthogonal axes in the classical picture of Kolb’s learning cycle:
 My interpretation of Kolb’s learning cycle
(1984)

Contrary to my first interpretation of that image, the axes don’t span up the polar opposites of
different learner types, but each endpoint is a necessary part of the learning process. For
successful learning, we need to create situations in which all four of those processes can
occur.

This is especially relevant for me (and readers of this blog) who like to include hands-on
activities in their teaching. While I think hands-on activities are great, I implicitly understand
them to include more than just the hands-on parts – namely reflection, conceptualization and
transfer (which happen to be the other steps in Kolb’s learning cycle!). But in my opinion, this
needs to be made explicit more, for two reasons: Firstly, so that both instructors and students
are aware that those are necessary steps in the learning process. And secondly, so that the old
“oh, so you are just playing – in my classes students learn the hard way!” can stop.
Using hands-on activities is activating an additional channel (and we’ve talked about the
importance of peer discussion before and after running experiments), but by no means is that
the only channel we should be using, or are using right now.

................................

Exploring Experiential Learning

Through Blogging
Posted on January 31, 2015 by admin

Exploring experiential learning through blogging

Mercy Ette and Ruth Stoker, University of Huddersfield
Abstract
Technological development has spawned new opportunities for the construction and
dissemination of news and information by lowering or eliminating the obstacles to the
production and distribution of media content. Changes brought about by this development
pose challenges to journalism educators who now have to produce graduates who can
perform efficiently in hybridised and multi-faceted newsrooms. One example of the impact
of technological development is the evolution of blogging, which began as individualistic
recording of opinion, into a reputable journalistic activity. Journalism graduates are finding
work where blogging is central to their role, for example in traditional newsrooms where
they are expected to facilitate interaction with audiences through web-based
communication, in PR through the use of social media platforms, and as viable freelance
enterprise bloggers. This paper discusses how blog spaces offer a virtual learning
environment where students can acquire and hone journalistic and relevant technical skills.
It argues that blogging can provide opportunities for experiential learning through the
development and maintenance of an online journalistic presence, facilitate the expansion of
transferable skills and graduate attributes, and enhance awareness of lifelong learning and
professional development.
Introduction
Scholarly research about the impact of converging technologies on the education of journalists has
been on the increase since the turn of the 21st Century and one area of interest has been the
potential of blogging practice as a teaching tool.

While ‘much of current research on blogs discusses them in relation to social media and social
network sites’ (Rettberg, 2014:65), interest in blogging in the context of education is growing
because of its impact on teaching and learning. Technological development has resulted in the
ubiquitous presence of mobile devices and software that offer educators opportunities to create
new environments for engaging with their students. Similarly, students have been empowered by
digital technologies to actively construct knowledge through virtual interactivity and web-based
communication. Given the popularity of blogging as a common form of communication,
educators have found ways of harnessing its potential as a teaching tool, thus confirming an
assertion Jeremy B. Williams and Joanne Jacobs made in 2004 when they noted that ‘blogging has
the potential to be a transformational technology for teaching and learning’ (2004:232). Their
prediction has been tested by educators to different degrees of success. The trends among
educators in various disciplines have been to use blogs to facilitate collaboration among students
doing group work or as a platform for reflection and the sharing of ideas, or as shared space to
unravel creativity, chronicle progress, and engage in active learning (Smith 2010). As Marie E.
Flatley observed, blogs can ‘be an extension of a classroom, where discussions are continued and
where students get an equal voice. Or it can be a place where new ideas are formulated through
collaboration’ (Flatley, 2005:77). Writing about her own experience, Flatley described the use of
blogs as a teaching tool as a cost effective investment and noted that they are an ‘excellent tool to
support group work’ (Flatley, 2005: 78).

From the above, it is apparent that much emphasis has been placed on the use of blogging as a
teaching tool. Our research takes a different route. We are interested in understanding how
blogging can be used as a learning tool, particularly for independent, lifelong learning. We are
specifically interested in how journalism students who blog can use their blog space as a virtual
learning environment and a tool for professional development. We share Gilly Smith’s view that
writing a blog can entail the shaping and re-shaping of ideas, a skill that involves ‘taking risks if
those ideas are to push at the boundaries and spawn original thought’ (2010:283). The purpose
here is to explore students’ use of unsupervised and unrestricted blogs as a platform for honing
their journalistic skills and the possibilities of blogging practice as an academic activity. It is also
aimed at examining the potential of blogging as a virtual space for experiential learning.

Experiential learning is conceptualised as learning through first-hand experience. It focuses on the

acquisition of knowledge, skills and experience outside mainstream academic setting. Kolb, a
leading theorist on experiential learning, describes it as a ‘framework for examining and
strengthening the critical linkages among education, work and personal development’ (1984:4).
Consequently, experiential learning projects the ‘workplace as a learning environment that can
enhance and supplement formal education and can foster personal development through
meaningful work and career-development opportunities’ (Kolb, 1984:4). Our research idea is
premised on the notion that students could, through blogging practice, sharpen their journalistic
skills outside a news room and enhance their capacity to respond to some demands of journalism
without the pressure of deadlines. It is also driven by the idea that a blog could be a safe and
conducive web-environment for honing relevant technical skills that would make journalism
students more equipped for the workplace.

Maximising the potential of blogging practice as a setting for experiential learning can be an
effective way of motivating students to become independent learners. This is particularly
expedient given the rapid changes and challenges in the work place. As noted already,
technological advances have reshaped the publishing industry and transformed the news
production process. Media organisations, for example, have hybridised into multimedia products
production centres where text, audio, video elements and much more are curated. Economic
pressures on publishers mean there is little time or space to train new journalists. Against this
backdrop, it is clear how a blog can offer students a setting for experiential learning and the space
to practice journalism outside the work place. With the growing popularity of digital technology
for conducting work activities, the workplace, as Billet and Choy (2013:264) have noted, has
become more electronically mediated and this calls for ‘understandings and ways of knowing and
working that are quite distinct from mechanical processes.’ In the context of journalism, this
means journalists are expected to be adept at manipulating technology in addition to writing good,
clean copy. Therefore, blogging space, if properly harnessed, can also provide a platform to build
an extensive portfolio of work, and master relevant technical skills and applications. It is worth
noting that the pace of technological advances has also generated new pressures on journalism
educators to produce ‘newsroom ready’ journalism graduates who do not require specialised
training. As Deuze has noted:

The combination of mastering newsgathering and storytelling techniques in all media formats (so-
called ‘multi-skilling’), as well as the integration of digital network technologies coupled with a
rethinking of the news producer-consumer relationship tends to be seen as one of the biggest
challenges facing journalism studies and education in the 21st century (Deuze, 2005:451).
Experiential learning in the workplace is achieved through imitation, observation, socialisation
and practice and while blogging does not create a physical environment for that level of
interaction, it still offers a virtual setting for learning. Bloggers can exercise agency in ways not
feasible in the newsroom because there are no definitive normative practices or clear boundaries
of tasks in the writing of personal blogs. Unlike in the workplace, personal blog spaces are not
formally regulated by managers but audiences can ‘regulate’ indirectly through their approval
ratings, conversations, comments and expectations. Put differently, blogging can provide
opportunities for students to be critically aware of the context of their practice and to learn to
apply the knowledge formalised in the classroom.

Context of study and methodology

Blogs have not always been viewed as mainstream forms of communication but as Lou Rutigliano
(2007:225) has observed, they have ‘evolved significantly since their birth in 1999 and now
encompass a variety of formats’. Blogs have become ‘part of the history of communication and
literacy, and emblematic of a shift from uni-directional mass media to participatory media, where
viewers and readers become creators of media’ (Rettberg, 2014p. 1). In its basic form, a blog is
simply an online journal, which allows a writer to share his or her opinion and ideas with anyone
who has access to the blog. It also provides a forum for readers to post comments, thus serving as
a platform for interactivity at a level that was not possible before the emergence of digital
platforms that have redefined the communication process. Blogs enable writers to engage with
their readers irrespective of their location, time, identity and social status. From a journalistic
perspective, this interactivity challenges a key feature of journalism, namely: the journalist as the
gatekeeper of information. Digital platforms of communication have empowered consumers to be
producers in the same space. However, the level of interactivity between writers and their readers
is dependent on the nature of a blog as some are ‘tightly controlled formats with little audience
participation’ while some versions are ‘mostly built from the bottom up through the participation
of their audience’ (Rutigliano, 2007:225). Marie E. Flatley, a professor of business
communication, has observed how a blog enables ‘the writer to post ideas and thoughts quickly
using conversational language for many to read. It allows the writer to link easily to other sites for
support as well as for example. And it provides a repository for such items’ (Flatley, 2005:77). Jill
Walker Rettberg makes a similar claim about the potentials of blogging. She suggests that writers
of topic-centred blogs can have significant influence on their readers by sharing ‘newly
discovered ideas and information with their readers, usually providing links to more information
(Rettberg, 2014: 24). In addition to these elements, ‘Blogs are also known for their interactivity
and interconnectedness, as seen in conversations and co-production that take place among
bloggers and their readers and across blogs and other websites’ (Manning, 2012:8). Blogs have
even been conceptualised as an ‘invisible college, a community of people who have, or seek,
knowledge’ (Manning, 2012:3).

Given that in principle, as Manning has pointed out, access to free-blog hosting websites and user-
friendly templates make it easy for anyone with basic internet literacy and connectivity to start a
blog (Manning 2012), we routinely encourage our journalism students to start and run a personal
blog as a strategy for regular writing practice. This approach is underpinned by an understanding
of blogs as a cheap and simple means to publish and distribute information (Rettberg, 2014) and
since all students have access to the internet on campus or even on a mobile phone, we
conceptualise blogging as a viable means of building an online journalistic presence. This is
particularly relevant to journalism students because of the way ‘blogging has become recognised
as an important part of the media ecology’ Rettberg, 2014:94).

Students are introduced to blogging in a workshop on blogging during which they have to write
blog posts. However, the maintenance and development of the blog is optional and many students
stop updating their blogs after a short period of time. Some, however, continue and gradually
build up a following, which provides an incentive and motivation for writing regularly. For the
purpose of this study, we interviewed ten of our students who have blogged for at least a year
about their experiences as bloggers. Our aim was to see to what extent the blogs served as a
learning tool. In this context we understand learning to be experiential when the ‘learner is
directly in touch with the realities being studied. It is contrasted with learning in which the learner
only reads about, hears about, talks about, or writes about these realities but never comes in
contact with them as part of the learning process’ (Beard and Wilson, 2013:4). Although we do
not fully adopt this ‘immersion’ approach we encourage students to use their blog for self-directed
learning. We stress the need for independent learning given that there is never enough time in
workshops for in-depth learning. Two aspects of experiential learning are emphasised in our
teaching programme: learning as a process and learning as a continuous process grounded in
experience (Kolb 1984).

The data for this analysis was generated through semi-structured interviews and mapped into
Kolb’s learning cycle and analysed within a framework underpinned by the notion of experiential
learning. A structured-interview approach was considered the most appropriate way of answering
our research questions because we were interested in teasing out insights from the students on
their experience of blogging and not on the content of their blogs. As David Gray has noted, a
‘well-conducted interview is a powerful tool for eliciting rich data on people’s views, attitudes
and the meaning that underpin their lives and behaviours’ (Gray, 2014:382). As our study was
largely exploratory, the interview method allowed us to ‘probe’ for detailed responses, clarify
claims that the students made; understand the lived experiences of our blogging students ‘and the
meaning they made of the experience’ (Gray, 2014:383). The semi-structured interview approach
also enabled us to explore subjective meanings that the students ascribed to their experiences. Of
particular importance was the level of flexibility that this approach afforded us. We were able to
respond to what the students told us and to encourage them to reflect more. Through the process it
became clear that some of the students were not even aware of how much they had learnt from the
experience of creating and maintaining a blog.

The study was driven by three research questions:

1. Do blog spaces offer a virtual learning environment for honing journalistic and
technical skills?
2. Can the development and maintenance of an online journalistic presence facilitate the
development of transferable skills?
3. Does blogging enhance awareness of lifelong learning and professional development?
Analytical framework
The analytical tool used for this study reflects the experiential learning method which
conceptualises the workplace as a learning environment where learning is a continuous dynamic
process and learners can develop their potentials through practice (Kolb 1984). Kolb’s idea of
learning encompasses doing, reflecting, processing, thinking and application of knowledge.

Kolb (1984) developed his Learning Cycle (Figure 1) as a way of describing learning processes
through the practice of an activity, an experience. As Jordan et al (2008:202) point out, the Kolb
Cycle is well described and understood, and can take concrete experience as a starting point in a
student’s learning journey through a continuous process of knowledge and skill acquisition. The
learner, having had a concrete experience, reflects on it and draws conclusions about the
experience. The conclusions are used to plan new activity which becomes the new concrete
experience. Learners can enter the cycle at any point, for example via a reflective observation, or
perhaps active experimentation. However, for the purposes of this study, the creation of a blog
provides the first concrete experience. The consideration of interactions with readers lead to
reflective observation from which new story ideas or blog management techniques emerge via the
process of abstract conceptualisation. These ideas and techniques are developed (active
experimentation) leading to new blogging experiences which form the new concrete experience,
taking the learning into a new circuit of the learning cycle.

Student responses to the research questions did indicate that they had engaged with the Kolb
Learning Cycle, although they were unaware of any formal engagement with learning structures.
Results
It should be pointed out that this research is retrospective and was not part of the teaching plan.
Thus, the research was not set up at the beginning of teaching and consequently, the outcome of
our analysis is also a learning experience for us.

Research question 1: Do blog spaces offer a virtual learning environment for honing of
journalistic and technical skills?

While most of the students were aware of the popularity of blogging and some had already started
blogging before coming on the journalism degree course, none of them saw the practice as a
journalistic experience or as an academic activity. The prompting to start a blog or to turn an
existing blog into a journalistic space was therefore a concrete experience for all members of the
cohort. The students were steered away from ‘personal blogs’ to ‘filter’ or ‘topic-driven’ blogs
(Rettberg, 2014). The former focuses on personal narratives, and serves as an online diary while
the latter serves as repositories of information and observations’ (Herring et all, 2007) and not a
log of the writer’s offline life The students were encouraged to find a niche, a subject that they
were passionate about and that would engage their attention. The idea was for them to identify
and define their areas of expertise. That, however, was challenging even for some of those who
had been blogging before starting on the journalism course because they initially struggled with
the idea of using their blog as an extension of the classroom. But once they did, many were
interested in developing their voice. One student said that initially she did not know what to write
about but after being prompted to identify her interests and hobbies, she decided to start a blog on
figure skating because she was passionate about it and was confident that she could write
intelligently about it. She said: ‘I was made aware of the freedom to express myself and I
transferred what I learnt in class to the blog in terms of style. I have become a better writer and I
am more confident in expressing my views.’ Another student recalled that starting a blog appealed
to her because: ‘I liked the idea of having the space to express myself. At university I was
encouraged to ask for press passes to attend events. Being on the course gave me confidence to go
out and cover events. The lessons in class made me more critical of my writing. I now pay
attention to word count and I have learnt to use different applications to design my site.’

Writing a blog provided opportunities for our students to hone their journalistic skills by
experimenting and putting into practice what they were taught in workshops. While writing a blog
was not similar to being in a newsroom, and did not follow the process of learning in the
workplace through imitation, observation, socialisation and practice (Billett and Choy, 2013), the
students had to actively engage and utilise their experiences in the classroom to enhance their
performance, providing very clear evidence of concrete experience. One student said: ‘I blog
[match report] at the whistle as I need to get it out there straight-away. I asked if I could use the
press box and I was allowed to sit there and blog the game.’

Moon (2004:122) a leading scholar in experiential learning, makes the point that while it is not
usually mediated, reflection on experience is a key component in facilitating a deeper
understanding of what is learned. She advocates that for learning to be properly embedded, the
reflection should be formal and mediated, and in the context of the classroom, this usually
translates into assessment of reflection to ensure students take a purposive approach to self-
evaluation. Park et al (2011:159) in a study of the value of blogging in adult informal learning,
where the learning was either self-directed or incidental, noted that unmediated reflective
observation does have some value and can enable and enrich learning. In our study of journalistic
blogging, student work was largely unmediated and none of the students formally reflected on
their activity, for example by using a reflective log. This was a deliberate strategy on our part to
encourage creativity in writing and blog development free from the constraints of assessment
criteria, but at the time when we were encouraging students to set up blogs, we were not exploring
their potential as learning tools, we were simply encouraging students to write and engage with
audiences, therefore reflection was self-directed and informal. Students did indicate that they
engaged with reflective activity, using readers’ comment and reaction as the focus of their
evaluation, and were very sensitive to feedback, and this played a large part in dictating changes
in both blog quality and direction.

‘When I did match reports, I learnt to get to the point. That was from readers saying “we don’t
need a minute by minute account of the match, you need to get to the point”.’
Although their blogs were not regulated or monitored by members of staff, their readers had
indirect influence on them through their approval ratings, conversations, comments and
expectations. Student responses pointed to evidence that they were drawing conclusions from
their informal reflection on reader interaction, suggesting an engagement with Kolb’s abstract
conceptualisation. One student said: ‘I didn’t used to like having feedback… but now I am better
at this. This helped me with Uni work, and working with negative comments. Rather than getting
upset I can take it.’

‘There is a better flow in my writing now, and I am learning how to correct my own mistakes to
make sure the work sounds right. I am better at writing to length now too, as if there is too much,
people won’t read it.’

‘I started to write for myself but now I think I am also writing for my readers. I think about my
readers when I write. I am more conscious of what I write so I critique my work closely.’
Students were sensitive to the use of validation tools such as the “like” button – which readers
press when they have enjoyed a particular post. Participants said that if the peer group ‘liked’ a
particular piece it suggested that it was the sub-genre they were interested in reading more about.

Moving one stage further around Kolb’s cycle to consider active experimentation, it was evident
that reader feedback informed learning, and also the development of future content. This point
underscores the observations made by Rettberg (2014) who describes blogs as “immersive”
environments, and complex “ecosystems”. Blogging is not an exercise in one-directional
publication, but more a conversation with an interested community of readers which encourages
continuing reflection and development.
A fashion blogger said: ‘I can tell what subjects engage audiences from the comments I get, and
can work out what has gone well and what hasn’t, particularly if there are no hits.’

A music blogger said: ‘I write about things that excite me but I also monitor popular content.
When I wrote about One Direction (a popular band), the response was mad.’

In the context of Kolb’s learning cycle, it was clear that students were engaging with each stage of
the cycle, from concrete experience through a period of reflection and development where
transformative learning was evident. While their learning was both informal and incidental, as
defined by Watkins and Marsick’s work on learning modes (1992), it was evident that the blog
space itself intrinsically provided an appropriate virtual learning environment for the development
of journalism skills.

Research question 2:
Can the development and maintenance of an online journalistic presence facilitate the
development of transferable skills?

There was strong evidence of activities that reflected the use of transferable skills but many of the
students were not aware of how much they had learned until they were prompted to reflect on
their experience as bloggers during our interviews. Moon (2004) makes the point that formal
reflection is important in helping the learner understand what has been learned. During our
interviews, it was evident that students had learned more than simply how to write journalistic
blogs.

They had developed the ability to think creatively about problems. One student said: ‘You have to
keep getting content out there, even when there is not much going on, and you have to be creative
to do that, to make news.’

Time management was also important to the bloggers. ‘If you blog every week, on a particular
day each week, then you develop an expectation in the reader. If you promise a particular
frequency of publication, then you have to meet that expectation or you will lose a lot of readers.’
One gaming blogger said: ‘Time management is important, you have to find time on a regular
basis to write your blog.’

Each of the participants demonstrated an understanding of sophisticated online methodologies to

promote their work and gain a blog “following”. Each used social media networks, including
Facebook and Twitter, to drive traffic towards their blogs, and conversely used their blogs to drive
traffic towards social media networks, techniques which are commonly used to generate interest
in online content (Jordan, 2008). For example, one student discussed his blog in terms of
identifying the posts which attracted the most hits and developing work in that niche, in his case
coverage of darts players and events.

I followed reader trends. In the beginning I had to beg retweets, I put my email address on my
blog and linked the blog into my email signature, then started to pick up on which blogs had most
hits and feedback. In the beginning you do a lot of work to promote your blog, hopelessly
tweeting hundreds of people in the hope that some retweet you. All I do now is send a tweet
saying the blog is up and people now follow me and go straight to the blog.
One music student was appointed as a volunteer blogger for a larger organisation which
aggregates music blogs of events in Northern England through their website. After working on
this site for a few months, he realised that it could attract more readers if it was configured
differently. He suggested changes to the site’s director and obtained permission to improve the
site.

“The old website was hard to get round so I offered to build a new one which is tonnes better. I
redid the website and set it up for better search engine optimisation [a way of attracting more
readers], and got Facebook and Twitter going as it was old-school before…now we have a
Facebook group going and this is where people post comments now….my coding skills got a lot
better through doing all of that.”
From our interviews it was clear that the students’ management of their blogs demonstrated their
awareness of the reader as being essential to the success of the enterprise. The conscious
development of a reader base using blog data illustrated their numeracy and sophisticated levels of
IT skills. All the bloggers had independently developed transferable skills through their blogging
experience.

Research question 3:
Does blogging enhance awareness of lifelong learning and professional development?

All the students interviewed said writing a blog made them more perceptive about their online
profile and the need to be seen as professionals. It was clear from their responses to questions that
they were emerging as independent learners who were becoming critically aware of the potential
of their blogs:

‘I can tell what subjects engage audiences from the comments I get, and can work out what has
gone well and what hasn’t, particularly if there are no hits.’
‘I know people on Twitter through running the blog and I am already known in the industry. The
‘like’ button is good for validation; it is like having a sense of community and community
contacts.’
‘Readers suggest story ideas and I get into conversation with some of them’
‘As a PDP tool a blog is invaluable. When I apply for jobs I send a link to my blog, it is a
professional tool.’
One student reported that within two weeks of completing his degree, he had been offered work as
a communications officer for a large organisation. His interviewers told him that they had been
impressed with his ability to network – a skill he had developed through running a music blog
which had required him to build contacts with music agents and venues around the country.

It was striking how the students on being encouraged to reflect on their experiences became more
aware of the importance of their blogging experience in terms of their professional development.
Moon (2004:74) makes the point that because experiential learning is largely independent of
mediation, it fits outside educational structures and extends into “real world” experience. ‘In this
way, this learning extends beyond formal education and becomes very important in self-managed
continuing professional development.’

One student who started a sports blog talked about meeting sports reporters and getting to know
many of them but did not think of them as contacts until it was pointed out to him. Another
blogger, who writes about fashion, said being invited to review fashion products convinced her
that she had a voice. This corroborates Rettberg’s view that ‘blogs rely on personal authenticity,
whereas traditional journalism relies on institutional credibility…. Bloggers build trust
individually’ (2014:98).

In 2007 Herring et al wrote:

Although some of the most read A-list bloggers are professional journalists, most bloggers would
not call themselves journalist and do not even dream of becoming journalist. Their writing would
not qualify as journalism because most blogs “focus on narrow subject matter of interest to a
select but circumscribed niche. And the blogs that do contain bona fide news are largely
derivative, posting links to other blogs and, in many cases, print journalism” (Herring et al,
2007:6).
Contrary to this position, many of our student bloggers self-identified as journalists and although
they focused on narrow subject matter of interest, they approached their writing from a
journalistic perspective. Those who concentrated on topic-centred blogs built up significant
readership, thus confirming Rettberg’s point that writers of topic-centred blogs can have
significant influence on their audience by sharing (2014). While there was ‘a strong sense of me-
ness, given the deeply personal nature of the online diary-keeping or journal-writing function
afforded by them’ (Sundar et al, 2007:85), some of the students were successful in reporting first-
hand on events to which they were invited to cover as bloggers.

Concluding reflections
We set out to explore the potential of blogging space as an experiential learning environment by
interrogating our students who blog. As Beard and Wilson (2006) have noted, for learning to take
place the environment needs to be appropriate to the learning context. While they were for the
most part discussing physical learning spaces, arguably their point is equally relevant when
considering online spaces. If the student’s aim is to work in journalism where online activity is
becoming increasingly important, it could be argued that blog environments do offer appropriate
learning spaces.

From our interviews it became quite clear that the students saw their blogs as a space where they
could practice what was taught in class. They found the experience empowering when they
received positive feedback. They became more analytical and critical of their work in response to
comments from their readers. As DeLong, a professor of economics, noted, the blogosphere can
be conceived as an ‘invisible college, ‘a community of people who have, or seek, knowledge. It
reflects and embodies a particular type of culture… for creating knowledge, and for observing,
verifying, or validating the knowledge that others create’ (2006:8). Our students learnt through
blogging to tap into a network of people who share their interests and acquired various types of
expertise through collaboration and exchange of ideas. Perhaps the most pertinent outcomes of
this study is how the blogs facilitated student-centred learning and enhanced motivation. It was
evident from their responses that our students had a better understanding and appreciation of their
learning through blogging when they were prompted to formally reflect on that learning. We were
also motivated to consider how to improve our teaching through the use of journalistic blogging
as a tool for experiential learning within the curriculum.

Australian academic Stephen Billett, a leading international researcher on experiential learning in

the curriculum, offers a useful framework of good practice for the management of experiential
learning, which we intend to adapt for teaching blogging as a learning tool. He encourages a
three-staged pedagogical approach: preparation for learning, monitoring and guidance during
practice-based experience, and reflection on what has been learned. He stresses the importance of
‘aligning the kinds of experiences provided for students with the intended learning outcomes’.
Underlining Moon’s point about the importance of reflection (2004) Billett recommends after-
practice reflection, including making ‘links to and reconciliations between what is taught (learnt)
in the academy and what is experienced in practice settings’. Although our students engaged in
on-going reflection around the content and nature of their blogs (the practice setting), some of
them did not consciously associate this with what they had been taught to any great extent. This
suggests that there could be an advantage in bringing blogging into the experiential learning
curriculum in journalism to enhance reflection on practice and secure what is learned through
practice.

In particular, one area of development will entail the provision of scaffolding for reflection on
ideas, performance and commitment. Attempts will be made to expand participation through
dialogue on the benefits of blogging as we believe that it is important to encourage students to
focus on personal development and lifelong learning and not just on performance in assessment.

We acknowledge that sample size for this discussion is small and this could be seen as a limitation
but we are not convinced that a larger sample size would have significantly added to an
understanding of blogging as an experiential learning tool given the similarity of responses to our
questions. This study has given us an insight into how students can be guided to use the blog
space as a learning environment.

Bibliography:
Beard Colin and Wilson, John P. (2006) Experiential Learning: A Best Practice Handbook for
Educators and Trainers 2nd Edition, Kogan Page, London
Beard, Colin and Wilson, John P (2013) Experiential Learning: A Handbook for Education,
Training and Coaching, London: Kogan Page Publishers
Billett, S. (2011) Guidelines for practice: Integrating practice-based experiences, Griffith
University, Brisbane, Australia
Billet, S. and Choy, S. (2013) ‘Learning through work: emerging perspectives and new
challenges’, Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 25: 4, 264
DeLong, J.B. (2006), ‘The Invisible College,’ Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 52, 8.
Deuze, Mark, (2005) ‘What is Journalism? Professional identity and ideology of journalists
reconsidered, Journalism, Vol. 6 (4): 442-464
Flatley, Marie E., (2005) ‘Blogging for enhanced Teaching and Learning,’ Business
Communication Quarterly, March, 77-80
Gray, David (2014) Doing Research in the Real World, Los Angeles, London: Sage
Herring, Susan, Scheidt, Lois Ann, Kouper, Inna and Wright, Elijah (2007) ‘Longitudinal Content
Analysis of Blogs: 2003-2004’ in Mark Tremayne, ed., Blogging, Citizenship, and the future of
media New York and London: Routledge
Jordan, Anne, Carlile, Orison & Stack, Annetta (2008) Approaches to learning: a guide for
teachers, Open University Press: Maidenhead
Jordan, L. (2008) Blogger: Beyond the Basics, Packt Publishing, Birmingham
Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and
development, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J; London
Manning, Ryann (2012) ‘FollowMe.IntDev.Com: International Development in the
Blogosphere.’ Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 12-084.
Moon, J (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice,
London: Falmer Press Limited
Park, Y, Gyeong, M. H. and Lee, R (2011) ‘Blogging for Informal Learning: Analyzing Bloggers’
Perceptions Using Learning Perspective’, Educational Technology and Society, 14(2), 149-160
Rettberg, Jill Walker (2014) Blogging, 2nd edition Polity Press: Cambridge
Rutigliano, Lou (2007) ‘Emergent Communication Networks as Civic Journalism’ , in Mark
Tremayne, ed., Blogging, Citizenship, and the future of media, New York and London: Routledge
Smith, Gilly, (2010) ‘Blogging and the creative process’ Journal of Media Practice, 11 (3), 281-
287
Sundar, S. Shyam, Edwards, Heidi Hatfield, Hu, Yifeng and Stavrositu, Carmen (2007) ‘Blogging
for Better Health: Putting the “Public” Back in Public Health’, in Mark Tremayne, ed., Blogging,
Citizenship, and the future of media, New York and London: Routledge
Tremayne, Mark, ed., (2007) Blogging, Citizenship, and the future of media, New York and
London: Routledge
Watkins, K. E. & Marsick, V. J. (1992) Towards a theory of informal and incidental learning in
organisations, International Journal of Lifelong Education, Vol. 11 (4), 287-300
Williams, J.B. and Jacobs, J. (2004), ‘Exploring the Use of Blogs as Learning Spaces in the
Higher Education Sector’, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 20: 2, 232–47

http://journalism-education.org/2015/01/exploring-experiential-learning-
through-blogging-by-mercy-ette-and-ruth-stoker-huddersfield-university/

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The Flipped Classroom

The term “flipped classroom” is a term that has been trending over the past few
years. The flipped classroom is a reversal of the traditional teaching method.
Students first gain exposure to new material outside of the classroom (either by video
or reading) and then once in class, students work on the harder tasks of assimilating
knowledge and problem solving. Essentially work that would have traditionally been
given as homework now becomes the focus of class time and the ’lecture’ is
undertaken at home.
To me, the flipped classroom is one of those simple things, that when done well,
produces tremendous benefit. It’s easy to think that flipping is something of a fad, or
purely driven by technology. However I would argue that the concept has many
variations but at its core is maximising the value of the teacher’s face-to-face time
with students.
When a student is exposed to content for the first time, either through the medium of
a lesson or reading a text, the cognitive skills required are low. On Bloom’s
Taxonomy of thinking skills, the task of absorbing content only occupies the lower
two levels of cognitive function: gaining knowledge and comprehension.

Salman Khan, the individual attributed to naming the flipped classroom method,
makes the observation that “Lectures actually are not a high-value activity for
teachers to perform” (Johnston, 2011). When teachers are engaged in the traditional
“chalk and talk” methods, and leave the other parts of the learning experience to
homework, the opportunity for the greatest value they can provide is lost.
When we look at learning in our day-to-day lives, it would be hard to oppose the
notion that much of what we truly learn is experiential in nature. That is we learn best
by doing. Kolb (1984) argues that all learning is experiential and the traditional
classroom only offers a small part of the learning experience. The model below
illustrates the Kolb experiential learning cycle.

Kolb shows that learning is recurring in nature, and that a student needs to go
through a series of stages in order for content to be truly learned, or in Blooms scale,
move towards being able to evaluate the content. We have perhaps all experienced
this ourselves; for example cramming for an exam and being able to regurgitate the
information shortly afterwards but later as time passes that content fades. Whereas a
math lesson in high school where we went out into the field and measured the height
of a tree after having read about trigonometry still stays with us.
In the flipped classroom, students are engaged in content at home, out of the
classroom and away from the teacher. This becomes the first experience in the Kolb
cycle – the exposure to new knowledge. As noted earlier, this is an elementary
cognitive function low on the Blooms scale and should be easily accommodated by
most students. The student then needs to move through a reflective process. Often in
the traditional classroom this is in the form of homework, however in the flipped
classroom the teacher could lead a reflective process with the students by means of
a peer assisted, collaborative approach (Bishop & Verleger, 2013). The teacher then
moves students through the abstract and experimentation stages of the Kolb cycle
with a mix of cooperative learning, problem-based learning or active learning.
Whatever the methodology used in the classroom the important thing to note is that
the teacher, now as the mentor and not a knowledge provider, is able to steer
students through the process of assimilating information into true knowledge through
the experiential learning cycle and through the use of targeted feedback models. This
allows the teacher to be present when the higher cognitive skills of application,
analysis, synthesis and evaluation are being developed rather than the opposite
where teachers were present during knowledge and comprehension and students
worked through the higher order skills in other ways.
This is not to say that the above teaching methodologies are never used in the
traditional classroom. My trigonometry example above shows teachers have been
doing this for many years.
However, there is a common belief in K-12 education - teachers are time poor. When
valuable teaching time is taken up by delivering content in a finite number of teaching
hours, this limits the time spent on higher order skill development and restricts
teachers from being able to move students through the experiential learning cycle;
which is to monitor and mentor their journey. It also provides the opportunity for
students to work together, making the memories and neural bonds conducive to long
term retention and understanding (Tudge & Winterhoff, 1993).
Whatever the term, anything that brings students and teachers together in high value
activities has got to be a winner.
References
Bishop, J. L., & Verleger, M. A. (2013). The Flipped Classroom: A Survey of the
Research. Paper presented at the 120th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition,
Atlanta.
Johnston, M. (2011, November 14, 2011). Flipping tradition on its head, The Sydney
Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/flipping-
tradition-on-its-head-20111113-1ndwh.html
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning : experience as the source of learning and
development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Tudge, J. R., & Winterhoff, P. A. (1993). Vygotsky, Piaget, and Bandura:
Perspectives on the relations between the social world and cognitive development.
Human Development, 36(2), 61-81.

https://www.hobsons.com/emea/resources/entry/the-flipped-classroom

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Stepping Out of the Workshop: The Case for Experiential Learning in Advisor Training
and Development
Authored by: Mark P. Duslak and Craig M. McGill
2014
Background
Baseball players do not only read about hitting a ball to improve their performance—they
take batting practice. Teachers learn by teaching, counselors learn by counseling, and
doctors learn through practice. This all occurs initially in a safe, respectful, and
supervised setting and often continues throughout these careers. In a presentation given
at a NACADA-sponsored state Drive-In conference (Duslak & Smith, 2014), the first
author asked participants to write their most meaningful training experience on a post-it
note. Of 32 responses, 18 specifically mentioned shadowing (56%) and an additional six
respondents cited experiential activities such as “hands-on-training” and “being
observed” (19%). In combination, 75% of the participants indicated that their best
training experiences involved some level of experiential training.
In the early 2000s, typical academic advisor trainings were single day workshops that
presented information in a passive, lecture-based manner focusing on the informational
components of advising (Habley, 2004; Higginson, 2000; Koring, 2005). There have
been mild improvements since then. The NACADA New Advising Professionals
Survey (Cuccia, 2009) indicated that over 60% of new advisors were either “very
satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with the professional development they had received.
The most popular method of initial training was “Shadowing experienced advisors” (over
70%). The value of learning by experience has been theorized for quite some time. John
Dewey (1938) wrote, “…all genuine education comes about through experience” but not
“all experiences are genuinely or equally educative” (p. 13). In the field of academic
advising, support has been established for experiential learning for relational topics and
its inclusion in advisor training and development has been recommended (McClellan,
2007; Folsom, Joslin, & Yoder, 2005). A review of the training and development literature
in academic advising suggests that the potential for experiential learning activities has
not yet been fully realized. Tokarczyk (2012), in an unpublished dissertation, found
support for advisors learning through workplace observation and “hands on training”, but
due to the nature of the study, its generalizability is limited.
In considering different types of experiential learning activities, an important distinction
must be made between training and development. This article builds on a distinction
delineated by Voller, Miller, and Neste (2010):

…the term training refers to working with new academic advisors to prepare them to
advise students. The editors continue to use the term training for activities undertaken
during the advisor’s first year. Development refers to professional development for
experienced advisors and thus is defined as the ongoing education and learning that
academic advisors receive after the first year and throughout their careers. (p. 8)
Although further empirical research should validate the best forms of advisor workplace
training and development, this article reviews some of the seminal work in experiential
learning and proposes the ways in which advisors—of all levels of experience—might
best learn through experience and observation. Recommendations will be made in
instances when one model of learning appears to be better suited for one of the
aforementioned terms (See Figure 1).
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is a “continuous process grounded in experience” (Kolb, 1984,
p.27), a synthesis of, “experience, perception, cognition, and behavior” (p. 21). In
learning through experience, adults can draw upon lessons and utilize tools for the
future: “Learning from experience involves adults’ connecting what they have learned
from current experiences to those in the past as well to possible future situations”
(Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 185). In Bloom’s Taxonomy of
Learning (1956), knowledge—defined as the simple recall of facts—represents the lowest
level of learning activities. Application and analysis represent higher levels of learning and
are considered to represent greater depths of understanding. In line with this theory,
experiential learning, by reason of its structure, appears to generate higher levels of
learning than other more passive forms of learning experiences commonly employed in
advisor professional development.
The format of how learning occurs can vary significantly. Experiential learning can be
guided and/or self-directed. It can be presented in a group or individual setting. The
learner can vary his or her degree of participation in the experience as it occurs. The
experience can occur in environments that are simulated, drawn from in-field examples,
or take place in the actual work environment. If someone is leading the experiential
learning, his or her authority may range from peer to superior. Regardless of structure,
effective experiential learning includes a comfortable atmosphere for exploration and
providing an experience that is authentic (Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner, 2007).

Models of Experiential Learning

Transcription Analysis
Although potentially time-consuming, writing the entirety of an advising session provides
unique opportunities for self-observation, reflection, and cooperative discussion. In his
counseling internship, the first author was asked to transcribe his counseling sessions.
The transcription was then reviewed by his internship coordinator and a discussion
ensued which spanned theoretical and practical suggestions. By transcribing a session,
attention is drawn to details of the conversation that may have gone overlooked if left to
memory. Transcription forces the learner to slow down and process the flow of the
conversation. Potential points of reflection include word choice, exploring themes/topics
and generating alternative approaches. Assuming a different approach or theoretical
orientation provides the opportunity for an advisor to expand his or her repertoire of
techniques. Through ongoing relationship with a supervisor, transcription analysis can
facilitate long-term growth and development. The supervisor and supervisee can set
coordinated goals for the next sessions—which are subsequently revised—allowing a
progression of growth and honing of skills. This form of learning would seem best suited
for new advisor training since it typically represents a basic exploration of advisor
knowledge, skills and dispositions.

Shadowing
Shadowing refers to observing another advisor perform his or her job tasks. One of the
advantages of shadowing is that is a more passive form of learning. This allows the
learner to direct their efforts toward focusing on points of the interaction of which he or
she wishes to focus (Hoover, Giambatista, & Belkin, 2012). Guided discussion after the
observation may assist the learner in processing the observation. Shadowing a variety of
advisors with varying styles allows advisors to observe multiple approaches. Doing so
helps the advisor to integrate styles and tactics into his or her personal advising style.
Shadowing (especially interdepartmentally) can be beneficial as a development activity,
although it appears to occur more frequently in advisor training. We recommend that
shadowing be predominantly used for new advisor training.

Case Studies/Role Plays

Case studies afford the opportunity to create scenarios that exemplify a specific problem
situation or present the use of a specific approach. Steele (2003) suggests a triad model
of examining cases in which three individuals recreate a scenario by assuming the roles
of advisor, advisee, and observer. Based on the goals of the case study, the post-
session processing can take different forms. To broaden the depth of learning, advisors
can videotape the session to assess the effectiveness of the advising session for another
perspective. The group can taper the role-play session to a specific goal by varying the
challenges of the situation. Because live students are not involved, it may be more
comfortable for an advisor to attempt a new approach. One of the limitations of role
playing is that even with the best actors/actresses, the role play is a constructed
environment and differs from being in-the-moment. Recommendations of this model for
new or seasoned advisors depends on the role the advisor plays in the role play
(Advisor, advisee, or observer) the former two roles would appear to be better suited for
seasoned advisors’ development. New advisors could benefit from playing the ‘observer’
in case studies in a manner similar to shadowing.
Clinical Observation/Cognitive Apprenticeships
It is common in other related fields for professionals to undergo clinical observation.
Activities “in-the-field” are observed by a peer or superior for subsequent analysis. With
signed consent of the student, advising sessions can be audio or video recorded and
then viewed, analyzed and discussed. While the thought of seeing or hearing a recorded
version of oneself can elicit the typical cringe reaction, experience has taught the authors
that the trepidation of this process quickly evaporates as one discovers the vast amount
of information one can acquire through this exercise. Body language, voice inflection
and intonation, and microexpressions are some areas suitable for exploration. One can
change the focus of the review based on the goals of the learner. While self-observation
has merit, inviting others to contribute their opinions invites more robust analysis. Given
the intensity and depth this model of learning typically incorporates, it would appear to be
appropriate for seasoned advisor development.
Barriers to Training and Development which Utilize Experiential Learning
In order to be successful, a significant amount of time, planning, and training needs to
occur prior to implementation of an experiential training program. The activity choice
should take into consideration whether the goal is advisor training or advisor
development. Time should be allocated to create the experience and provide ample
opportunity for pre- and post- experience processing. Ample activity planning must occur
to ensure authenticity. If the experiential learning is being actively facilitated, it is
important that the facilitator possess adequate skills of providing constructive feedback
that is sensitive to the learner’s ego. One should remember that allowing oneself to be
observed and critiqued involves a degree of risk. An inappropriate or mishandled
comment can cause the experience to do more harm than good. Learning
characteristics such as, “…confidence in abilities, good self-esteem, support from others,
and trust in others” (Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 165) are important to
having a successful experience. Advisors who are still building their self-efficacy and
self-esteem may not be the best candidates for experiential learning (especially for the
more active forms such as clinical observation). Many of these potential downsides can
be managed or avoided with the proper planning and resource allocation—and the
potential to build capacity within one’s advising team merits the consideration of creating
opportunities for experiential learning.

Conclusion
At face value, experiential learning activities may not seem to be worth the effort and
risk. However, solely attending information sessions on new university policies and
procedures will not create master advisors. For many other professions that value
relationship-building—such as counseling, teaching, and medicine—experiential learning
is a significant component to building the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to
be effective. In order for practitioners in academic advising to reach the full potential of
facilitating the growth and development of our students, alternative forms of learning
should be considered. Experiential learning appears to be an ideal vehicle for acquiring
skills to engage in practices that extend beyond acting as a source of information. From
our personal experiences and numerous conversations with other advisors, it appears
that currently very few advisors are afforded opportunities to learn these critical skills
through experiences. In the quest for the professionalization of the field, scholars should
continue to investigate the effectiveness of specific experiential learning activities, the
student outcomes attained from advisors trained via these methods, and more rigorous
survey designs of advisor professional development practices. The models listed in this
article only constitute a smattering of the possibilities available. With the right
consideration, creativity, and effort, experiential learning appears to be an impactful way
to forward the depth and rigor of advisor training and development.
Authors:
Mark P. Duslak
Academic Advisor, INTO USF
University of South Florida
Craig M. McGill
Academic Advisor, Department of English
Florida International University

References:
Bloom, B. S. (1956 ). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Vol. 1: Cognitive Domain. New
York, NY: McKay.
Cuccia, C. (2009). New Advising Professionals Survey. Retrieved from the NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources.

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

Duslak, M. & Smith, A. (2014, May). Charting a better course for new advisors: Strategies,
case studies, and best practices for new advisor training and development. Presentation
at the Drive-In conference for the National Association of Academic Advisors,
Tampa, FL.
Ehrich, L., Hansford, B., & Tennent, L. (2004). Formal mentoring programs in education
and other professions: A review of the literature. Educational Administration
Quarterly, 40(4), 518-540.
Fenwick, T., (2003). Learning through experience: troubling orthodoxies and intersecting
questions, professional practices in adult education and lifelong learning. (3rd Ed.).
Malabar, FL: Krieger.
Folsom, P., Joslin, J., & Yoder, F. (2005). From advisor training to advisor development:
Creating a blueprint for first-year advisors. Retrieved from the NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web
site:http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Training-
Blueprint-for-New-Advisors.aspx.
Habley, W. (2004). Current practices in academic advising: Final report of ACT ’s Sixth
National Survey on Academic Advising. (NACADA Monograph Series, no 10.)
Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association.
Higginson, L. C. (2000) A Framework for training program content. In V. N. Gordon, W.R.
Habley, & Associates (Eds.) Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook (pp.
298-307). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved
from https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Portals/0/Clearinghouse/documents/2000-Higginson-
Informational-Components.pdf
Hoover, J., Giambatista, R., & Belkin, L., (2012). Eyes on, hands on: Vicarious
observational learning as an enhancement of direct experience. Academy of
Management Learning & Education, 11(4), 591-608.
Koring, H. (2005). Advisor training and development. Retrieved from the NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web
site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advisor-
Training--Development.aspx.
Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
McClellan, J. L. (2007). Content components for advisor training: Revisited. Retrieved
from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web
site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advisor-
Training-Components.aspx.
Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A
comprehensive guide (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Steele, G. (2003). A research-based approach to working with undecided students: A

case study illustration. NACADA Journal, 23(1&2), 10-20.
Tokarczyk, K. (2012). Workplace learning of professional academic advisors at urban
universities: A basic interpretive qualitative investigation (Unpublished doctoral
dissertation). Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Voller, J. G., Miller, M. A., & Neste, S. L. (Eds.). (2010). Comprehensive Advisor Training
and Development: Practices That Deliver. Manhattan, KS: NACADA & Kansas
State University.

Cite this resource using APA style as:

Duslak, M.P. & McGill, C.M.(2014). Stepping out of the workshop: The case for
experiential learning in advisor training and development.Retrieved from NACADA
Clearinghouse Resources web
site. http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Stepping-out-
of-the-workshop-The-case-for-experiential-learning-in-advisor-training-and-
development.aspx

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-
Articles/Stepping-out-of-the-workshop-The-case-for-experiential-learning-
in-advisor-training-and-development.aspx

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iberal Education

The Power of Experiential Education

By: Janet Eyler

In his comedic persona of Father Guido Sarducci, Don Novello captured the central challenge
to educators in the liberal arts: providing an education that sticks and is usable. Father
Guido’s solution was to bypass an expensive four years of liberal education; in his “five-
minute university,” students would pay twenty dollars and spend five minutes learning what
the typical college graduate remembers five years after graduation. In economics, that
would be supply and demand; in Spanish, como esta usted and muy bien. For any of us who
have traveled to Madrid and tried to call on our college Spanish, this strikes a chord.
The challenge for liberal educators is to design learning environments and instruction so that
students will be able to use what they learn in appropriate new contexts—that is, to enable
the transfer of learning. This is, of course, a bigger challenge than the one recognized by
Father Guido. Graduates need not only to remember what they learn, to develop and retain
a “broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and society) as well as in-
depth study in specific area of interest,” but also to have “a sense of social responsibility, as
well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication,
analytical, and problem-solving skills” (AAC&U). Effective citizenship requires students to be
knowledgeable, to be able to use what they know, to have the capacity for critical analysis,
and to be equipped for lifelong learning; personal, social and intellectual goals are
intertwined. Yet programs designed to develop students’ personal, social, and economic
capacities are often separated from the core academic experience.

Experiential education, which takes students into the community, helps students both to
bridge classroom study and life in the world and to transform inert knowledge into
knowledge-in-use. It rests on theories of experiential learning, a process whereby the learner
interacts with the world and integrates new learning into old constructs.

Experiential education
Within professional programs, there is a long tradition of including field experiences as a way
to build practitioner skills and facilitate the move from theory to practice. Two of the most
common forms of workplace learning are cooperative education and the internship. In
cooperative education, students alternate periods of paid work with campus study or split
their time between the workplace and the campus. While cooperative-education programs
have waned, internships are increasing. Most college students now complete an internship.
Career centers at liberal arts colleges, disciplinary journals devoted to college curricula, and
the popular press are keeping up a steady drumbeat encouraging faculty members to
support, and students to obtain, internships in order to ease the transition to the workplace.
And this is paying off for students: internships and cooperative education are increasingly
important for job placement (National Association of Colleges and Employers 2008).

Service learning—a form of experiential education that combines academic study with
service in the community—emerged in the 1970s and has since grown exponentially. The
pioneers of service learning believed that the combination of service and learning would
improve the quality of both and that it could lead to educational reform and democratic
revitalization. Service learning is distinguished from other approaches to experiential
education by its commitment to certain values as well as its inclusion of continuous,
structured reflection. From the outset, service learning has been oriented to the
achievement of academic goals in all fields, including the liberal arts. It fits easily into most
disciplines, and with some creativity it can be fit into virtually all disciplines. Models range
from add-on, extra-credit, or assignment options to the thorough integration of service as a
class “text.”

Experiential education has been a commonplace in vocationally or professionally oriented

programs for many years, but field-based pedagogies have struggled to gain legitimacy in the
liberal arts. As advances in cognitive science have begun to blur the line between academic
and practical learning, awareness of the relevance of experiential education to achieving
goals of the liberal arts has increased. And a similar awareness has also increased among
employers who are increasingly less concerned about particular vocational skills and who are
demanding the same skills, abilities, and habits of mind long valued by the liberal arts
(Business-Higher Education Forum 2003; Peter D. Hart Research Associates 2006).
Additionally, since the 1980s, there has been renewed interest in the civic role of colleges
and universities and a call for increased civic literacy for students; this has fueled much of
the interest in service learning as a way of achieving the goals of liberal education so central
to citizenship.

Experiential education has value far beyond building the kind of social skills, work ethic, and
practical expertise that are important in professionally oriented programs. In fact,
experiential education can also lead to more powerful academic learning and help students
achieve intellectual goals commonly associated with liberal education, including

 a deeper understanding of subject matter than is possible through classroom study alone;
 the capacity for critical thinking and application of knowledge in complex or ambiguous
situations;
 the ability to engage in lifelong learning, including learning in the workplace.
Experiential education also identifies the practices necessary for achieving these outcomes,
particularly the use of structured reflection to help students link experience with theory and,
thereby, deepen their understanding and ability to use what they know.

Mastery and use of subject matter

A fundamental goal of liberal learning is mastery of both broad and specialized bodies of
knowledge. The inability to call on this knowledge base is what Alfred North Whitehead
(1929) described nearly a century ago as the problem of “inert knowledge.” Often, students
cannot apply even recently learned information to new situations. Modern cognitive
scientists ascribe this inability to apply what is learned to a failure to conditionalize
knowledge; the learners don’t see the relevance and cannot access what they know when
confronted with an opportunity for transfer (Bransford, Brown, and Cocking 2000). Life is not
organized by chapter, with tests to signal what information to apply. Unless students learn
explicitly to recognize when their knowledge might be useful, can recall that knowledge, and
know how to apply it, they will fail to transfer what they know; their understanding is
incomplete.

Transfer of knowledge requires deep understanding. Recall and reproduction of material

taught in the classroom do not constitute understanding. For knowledge to be usable, it has
to be acquired in a situation. Otherwise, it is segregated from experience and unlikely to be
remembered or transferred to new experiences. Well-understood material can be retrieved
from memory and used in new situations because it is linked with multiple experiences and
examples and not isolated from other experience and knowledge.

A small study comparing student learning in classes on legislative politics with student
learning in internships at a state legislature found that both groups did equally well on a
traditional test of facts (Eyler and Halteman 1981). But when challenged to develop a
strategy for enacting policy, the interns incorporated the need to engage powerful and well-
placed legislators and to organize support, while the classroom-based students drew on the
formal steps about how a bill becomes a law. Experiential education, as this and similar
studies have shown, leads to deeper, more nuanced understanding of subject matter.
Organizing student learning in ways that give students agency is also associated with deeper
understanding. Communities of learning that encourage cooperation and reciprocity among
students improve learning and are particularly well suited to field-based projects. Students’
commitment and curiosity are fueled when they take responsibility for action with
consequences for other people, and this, in turn, leads to increased effort and attention.
Such engagement is instrumental in achieving mastery of the subject matter and also in
confronting the intellectual challenges that promote cognitive development.

The capacity to deal with complex new situations

To achieve such liberal learning goals as effective citizenship and engagement in lifelong
learning, students need the capacity to perceive and address ill-structured problems,
tolerate ambiguity, make warranted judgments, and act while continuously seeking and
refining further information. Neither tolerance for ambiguity nor critical thinking is simply a
function of information, skill, and social ability or even of repeated practice, but rather both
require intellectual capabilities that are not now generally attained before college
graduation.

Students often arrive at college with simplistic ways of viewing knotty problems, and they
may not be able to recognize an ill-structured problem. They are likely to see their task as
learning right answers rather than understanding the difficulty of framing issues and
problems and understanding that the very nature of difficult problems makes one clear
solution unlikely. Or they may reject discussion as pointless because they regard
disagreement as simply a matter of opinions, any of which is equally valid. King (1992)
argues that most students graduate without attaining a level of reasoning ability that would
allow them to frame, explore alternative perspectives, reframe, and resolve problems, while
understanding that future information may call for a reevaluation of one’s current position.
Yet these analytic capabilities are fundamental to the process of judgment, to solving
problems in the workplace, and to making decisions in a democracy. The tendency to cling to
simplistic black-and-white answers to problems, to fail to reevaluate assumptions in the light
of new circumstances, and to assume that disagreement is sinister represent failures of
liberal education.

The process by which students develop the capacity to use advanced formal reasoning
processes involves confronting dissonant information and making sense of it. It requires
students to monitor their own understanding and to recognize and grapple with alternative
perspectives. This process of intellectual growth can be promoted through experiential
education, which fully engages students and commits them to resolving the challenges they
address. Service learning is particularly appropriate, since it commonly focuses on issues that
give rise to ill-structured problems or what Schön termed the “swampy lowlands” where
problems are “messy and confusing and incapable of technical solution” (1995, 28).

The cognitive dissonance that leads to intellectual growth is more likely to occur when
students care. A college student who is bored about the economics of health care, for
example, may find it more engaging when the person he or she is working with has to “game
the system” to obtain needed care. The personal connections and the need to be effective in
the field create a level of engagement and caring that increase the likelihood that students
will recognize the contradictions within their own assumptions or will be open to
perspectives different from their own and feel the need to resolve these differences. This is
the process that creates increasingly adequate cognitive abilities for dealing with complexity
and uncertainty.

A national study of college students tested the power of service learning to facilitate
cognitive development (Eyler and Giles 1999). Students who were involved in intensive,
highly reflective service-learning courses showed significant increases in reflective judgment
over the course of their study as compared to those in less-intensive service-learning courses
and those with no service-learning experience at all. These gains were measured through
problem-solving interviews during which students demonstrated their reasoning capacity.
Subsequent work by others has been consistent with this finding (Steinke and Buresh 2002;
Steinke and Fitch 2003; Ash and Clayton 2003).

Developing skills for lifelong learning

Classic transfer of learning stresses the match between the learning context and the
situation in which learning is applied. In the twenty-first century, even if students were able
to apply classroom learning effectively, they would soon find it outdated. Students don’t just
need to learn “job skills” on the job; the capacity for continuous learning is critical.

Building this capacity for continuous learning is another way to frame the role of experiential
learning in transfer. What Schwartz, Bransford, and Sears (2005) call “transferring out”—that
is, the direct transfer of new learning to a situation—is often limited by the lack of well-
developed expertise of novice learners. They note that particular forms of instruction
prepare learners to “transfer in,” to use previous learning to interpret the situation and
develop a strategy for future learning. If students are engaged in problem solving before
being presented with new information, rather than simply learning information through
reading and lecture, they are more likely to be able to solve a novel problem. This distinction
has importance for how liberal learning built around authentic workplace or community
challenges might enhance the capacity for further learning in that subject area. Integrating
problem- or project-based challenges into the study deepens understanding of concepts and
theories and also prepares students to meet new challenges.

Studies of internship and service-learning programs have demonstrated that students who
repeatedly engage in structured reflection during field experience are more likely to bring a
strategic learning orientation to new challenges (Eyler 1993; Eyler and Giles 1999).
Experiential education blurs the line between theory and practice; theory lacks meaning
outside of practice. In order to develop strong skills for continuous learning, students need
opportunities to practice those skills in environments consistent with lifelong use and as
they acquire disciplinary mastery.

The difference between experiential learning in the classroom and in workplace or

community settings is not only a matter of subject-matter content or instructional principles,
but it is also existential. Students in experiential education learn as workers or community
participants with a need to know in order to get a job done, not just as students who need to
take a test. Students even in problem-based classroom instruction frame their learning in
terms of grades and pleasing the professor, while those same students talk about respect,
achievement, and the quality of their contribution in an internship placement (Eyler 1993).
Others have observed this same phenomenon in which adults in the workplace frame their
learning in terms of their particular roles, while students learning the same material in the
classroom approach it from the perspective of the teacher’s demands (Cobb and Bowers
1999).

There is a profound mismatch between how students learn in the classroom and how they
will later learn in the community (Resnick 1987). In the workplace or in addressing
community issues, learning often occurs collaboratively, is organized around concrete
situations, makes use of tools and resources, and is iterative, whereas classroom-based
learning often involves decontextualized knowledge, manipulation of abstract symbols, and
highly individual efforts. Knowledge in the classroom tends to be compartmentalized into
disciplines, whereas in use in the community or workplace it tends to be organized around
problems or domains of practice.

Quality matters
While experiential education can contribute to liberal learning, achieving this outcome
requires careful structuring and supervision of out-of-classroom student experiences.
Studies of service learning have shown that poorly structured programs that do not integrate
service with the academic curriculum make little contribution to student learning, even
though they may help students develop in other ways (Vogelgesang and Astin 2000; Eyler
and Giles 1999). Literature on internships, cooperative education, and school-to-work
programs also mentions the integration of field experience with curricular goals—learning
through doing—but often there is a mismatch between the stated goals of programs and the
actual experiences of students (Moore 1981; Parilla and Hesser 1998). Internships are often
run like independent studies with little faculty oversight or opportunity for structured
reflection.

In order to justify the inclusion of work or community service as part of the liberal arts
curriculum, attention needs to be paid to ensuring the quality of the intellectual as well as
the work experience. Guidelines for creating high-quality experiential education programs
and helping students make the most of their experiences are similar and consistent with
much of the literature on effective liberal education. They include

 work or service clearly related to the academic goals of the course or program;
 well-developed assessments that provide evidence of the achievement of academic objectives;
 important responsibility for the student;
 site supervisors who understand the learning goals for the student and partner with the academic
supervisor to provide continuous monitoring and feedback;
 an academic supervisor or instructor who pays close attention to the students’ work in the field
and partners with the site supervisor to provide continuous monitoring and feedback;
 attention paid to preparing students for both the practical challenges of their placements and for
learning from experience;
 continuous, well-structured reflection opportunities to help students link experience and
learning throughout the course of their placements.

Reflection and feedback

The most critical factor for achieving powerful learning outcomes from experiential-learning
programs is the inclusion of opportunities for feedback and reflection. Challenging,
continuous, context-appropriate reflection turns work experience into learning experience.
It is easy to underestimate how intensive reflection must be in order for it to have an impact;
it is not unusual to find faculty members who believe their program provides adequate
reflection even though the effects on students fall short.

There are a number of models and tools that provide a foundation for organizing reflection.
The reflection cycle developed by David Kolb (1984) has been widely embraced by advocates
of experiential education, and others have built on that work (Ash and Clayton 2004). It is a
useful choice because it is simple and intuitive, making it easy for students to use as a
facilitation tool with their peers and for faculty members to use in written assignments and
discussion. The cycle moves from experience to reflection and then back to experience.
Students are encouraged to connect the concrete and the abstract and to connect reflection
with action, and they are pushed to make sense of their experience in terms of what they
are learning in the classroom as well as to draw implications for further application or study.

If experiential education is to be reflective throughout then care must be given to planning,

and this process should be embedded in the experience from start to finish. One tool for
organizing the reflection process is the reflection map (Eyler 2002). Like the Kolb model, the
reflection map is a simple and intuitive tool that helps the instructor accomplish several
goals. It focuses on reflection alone—in class and in the field—before, during, and after the
field experience. Students are prepared for learning and gain ownership through planning
their academic goals. Classroom time is conserved by building reflection into other settings,
and the process encourages continuous iterative reflection rather than a single paper or
event at the end of the field experience. This is particularly important for cooperative
education and internships where regular classroom meetings are difficult to arrange.

Even when professors understand the importance of reflection for linking field-based
experience to the subject matter being studied, they may find it difficult to design courses to
accomplish this. Instructors need training and support to use experience as a “text” for their
courses, and departments need to take ownership by placing faculty in charge of formulating
goals for experiential education and facilitating internship seminars and service-learning
classes. Logistical support is important but should not be isolated from the academic
program.

Conclusion
Of course, experiential education can help students transition more gracefully from college
to work, and community-service experiences prepare them to be more engaged citizens. But
experiential education can also improve the quality of liberal learning itself and increase the
likelihood that students will be able to use throughout their lives the knowledge, critical
abilities, and habits of mind acquired in their studies. This does not happen automatically or
easily, however. Faculty members who are dubious of awarding credit for volunteering or for
work do have a valid point. But such credit is for learning; the challenge for faculty members
in the liberal arts is to incorporate experiential education into their instruction and to assess
the learning outcomes of these experiences. This requires a clear sense of what learning in
the community or the workplace can add to the understanding of subject matter, training in
skills to recast appropriate courses to integrate these experiences, and logistical support for
placement and monitoring of student work that is more closely connected to the curriculum.
Liberal arts programs need to support faculty involvement in the planning and
implementation of experiential education. Without this attention to both structure and
faculty leadership, experiential education will remain at the periphery and its promise will
not be realized.

References
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https://www.aacu.org/publications-research/periodicals/power-experiential-
education

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