What is Experiential Learning and Why Is It Important?

As education evolves, the traditional learning method has seen a constant downfall and is gradually being complemented and substituted by other effective approaches.

One such approach that is currently receiving massive adoption is experiential learning.

There are several learning institutions that have adopted experiential learning in their way of teaching students, like 21K school, India’s top homeschooling platform offering US, UK, and India curricula. Experiential learning is a cornerstone of their educational philosophy.

But how much do you know about it? Let’s understand this term, its importance, how to implement it, and in a precise manner in the content below:

What Does Experiential Learning Mean?

Experiential learning is the concept of learning where a student learns by doing and reflecting on their experience.

It is different from just participating in lectures or reading books, instead, students engage in activities that make them act and develop something on their own.

These activities can include many things, ranging from a science fair project to a field trip, group work, and more. 

Also Read, Science Projects for Kids- Rocks and Minerals.

Subsequently, the students understand about what they and what they gained from the activities done by them.

This way is more effective for a few reasons as students grasp the lessons better and retain the information for much longer because they have lived through it rather than heard about it.

Essentially, experiential learning seeks to ensure that education is more real and that the students relate the content taught in the classroom to the outside world.

Why is Experiential Learning Effective

Experiential learning can be understood as the process of acquiring knowledge through hands-on practice.

Through practical experiences and hands on training, students are better equipped to relate classroom theories and knowledge to understand real-world situations. Below, you can check why experiential learning is effective.

1. Enhance Social Skills: 

Experiential learning provides a personalized learning and adaptable educational experience that helps in building social skills.

Through hands on experience, students were able to connect with the social world that allows them to develop teamwork, as social learning has various benefits.

2. Boost Knowledge: 

Experiential learning is one of the effective aspects for making knowledge more efficiently. Through practical exposure, children will understand concepts in a better way.

This allows them to become more engaged and enhance their knowledge retention skills.

3. Enhance Problem-Solving Abilities: 

Through practical learning, children we’re able to develop problem-solving abilities.

This allows them to enhance their knowledge as well as cognitive skills and enhance their creativity and critical thinking skills as well. This allows them to think out of the box.

4. Active Education: 

Experiential learning focuses on providing active education that allows kids to have an understanding of concepts. Thus methods rely on understanding the internal aspects rather than memorizing them.

This method encourages students to think outside the box and allows them to receive proper attention.

5. Build Connection: 

Experiential learning helps students to build connections, as experiential learning is a practical approach in which students learn from teamwork, group games, activities or even online group projects.

This allows them to have a connection with professionals and scholars. 

Experiential Learning Techniques

Experiential learning techniques are a type of modern education that uses methods of active participation that allow kids and individuals to enhance their ability to learn and boost their knowledge and skills. Below you can check the experiential learning techniques.

• Internship: An Internship is one of the effective techniques of experiential learning. Through internships, students can get some useful work experience while also getting an understanding of an organisation’s work. Internship allows kids to develop social networks and helps in understand the core of the work.

• Research Program: Various institutes and organizations provide research opportunities to students. Research helps students understand the detailed overview of a particular context. Research also allows them to understand the response of others.

• Apprenticeship: Unlike an internship apprenticeship provides students to gain practical work experience through an employment program or training. This allows them to choose a career path and helps in developing professionalism.

• Volunteering: Volunteering is an incredible method of experiential learning, as it allows individuals to closely monitor the impact. Through volunteering, students will be able to work in a community, which allows them to enhance the learning process and build social skills.

• Field Work: This method allows students to gain practical experience through doing real life work or projects that allow them to have a proper understanding of things. Unlike classroom education, in field work, students learn by doing.

Experiential Learning Cycle

The experiential learning cycle has four stages, and each stage defines the learning process. The four learning cycle was developed by David Kolb in 1984.

The main aim of this learning cycle is to enhance the learning experience and provide an idea about the logical sequence. 

The four stages are called Reflective Cycle, Concrete Cycle, Active Cycle and Conceptual Cycle. Below you can check the cycle of experiential learning.

1. Concrete Learning: 

Concrete learning is all about gaining new experiences or situations. This method also includes reworking old ideas with the fresh implications.

Through concrete learning, students are actively involved and frequently rely on their emotional flexibility and open-mindedness. 

2. Reflective Learning: 

In reflective learning, students learn from new experiences with the help of existing ones.

This method makes sense of the experience and spots discrepancies between experience and comprehension among students.

3. Abstract Learning: 

This learning allows individuals to develop new ideas or modify existing knowledge. In this method, students share their knowledge and develop it to modify according to the need.

4. Active Learning: 

Active learning is a method of making theories into real concepts. Under this method, new concepts were created and developed, as well as helping in testing the new modified ones.

History of Experiential Learning 

Experiential learning has a very vast and traditional history. The theory of experiential learning has its roots in 350 BC; the first description of experiential learning was done by Aristotle. 

Experiential learning has gone through significant changes from the 90th century to 20th century. Below you can check a detailed history of experiential learning.

1. Aristotle’s Theory in 350 BC

Aristotle’s theory of Nicomachean Ethics states about the concept of experential learning, it states about people will learn by doing.

According to the theory of Aristotle, learning is not only limited to knowledge shared by one another but also emphasizes developing and modifying existing one.

2. John Dewey’s Theory of Active Engagement in the Early 20s 

In the early 20s, John Dewey developed a theory of experiential learning, according to Dewey’s learning is not limited to memorization, but it can be learned through real-world experiences.

This theory allows individuals to learn and develop information.

3. David Kolb’s Theory in 1984

David Kolb’s theory states that a learning process is not about learning from contexts but is a process of creating knowledge through transformation and experience.

Kolb has created a four-stage model of experiential learning, later known as Kolb’s theory of experiential learning in the year 1984. 

Concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation are the four phases of Kolb’s theory.

4.  Kurt Hahn, Late in the 20th Century

Kurt Hahn is the German educator who adopted the experiential learning theory in the classroom.

According to him, practical experience is very much essential to enhance the learning experience. Kurt Hahn has also taught his students about experiential learning and enhanced dynamic education.

Experiential Learning Activities

Experiential learning activities include various assessments and field work that allow students and individuals to gain practical exposure and modify the learnings according to adaptability. 

Experiential learning is divided according to the stage of students and individuals. Below you can check stage-wise experiential learning activities.

1. Experiential Learning in Early Childhood Education

Experiential learning in early childhood is very much essential in promoting better outcomes for young kids.

Through experiential learning, students can enhance their motivation, critical thinking skills, boost cognitive development, enhance social skills and so on. 

Experiential learning in early childhood can be achieved by various activities such as feedback, extracurricular activities, field trips, role play, art and craft and so on. This helps in developing STEM skills among students as well.

2. Experiential Learning in Kindergarten 

Kindergarten students are curious and want to learn new things, and providing them experiential learning helps them to understand the concepts more easily and enhances creativity and critical thinking skills. 

Experiential learning among kindergarten students can be achieved through promoting various activities such as arts and crafts, gardening, teamwork, physical games and so on.

This allows kids to enhance their ability to learn and boost their knowledge retention.

3. Experiential Learning Activities in Primary School

Primary school is the first stage of the learning process for any students. Through experiential learning in primary education, students become more engaged and enhance their interest towards a particular subject. 

Experiential education in early childhood helps clear the base and enhance the growth potential. Experiential education can be achieved in primary education through various activities such as art and craft, role play, experiments, simulations and community services.

4. Experiential Learning Activities for Middle School

Middle schoolers are very important for developing creative thinking skills as well as helping in gaining practical insights. This helps them in making future career decisions and preparing for better social skills. 

Experiential learning can be promoted among students through various activities such as internships, role play, CAT classes, field trips, volunteering, extracurricular activities, community activities, group projects, and so on. 

Through these activities, students gain more confidence and attention towards a particular subject.

5. Experiential Learning Activities for Adults

Experiential learning is not only limited to students, but it also helps adults to enhance their learning and professional development. 

Through experiential learning activities, adults can achieve future success through hands-on experience, which leads to the development of social and collaborative networks. 

Experiential education among adults can be achieved through explorations, field tours, services, simulations, on-the-job training and so on.

6. Experiential Learning Methods for Employees 

Employees and job candidates learn experiential learning through various aspects. Experiential learning helps them to understand the work scenario more efficiently and helps in developing a work culture among them. 

Experiential learning in employees can be achieved through explorations, on-the-job training, collaboration, teamwork, training and so on.

How to Incorporate Experiential Learning in the Classroom?

By adding experiential learning into the classroom, it can surely transform the educational experience. Educators can add this approach through: 

• Interactive Lessons: Teaching through the use of multimedia, discussion in groups, as well as carrying out practical activities in lessons.
  
• Collaborative Projects: Assigning group projects where students are expected to collaborate to solve problems and analyse the information they have been given.
  
• Reflective Practices: Introducing journals, discussions, and presentations allows the students to reflect on what they have learned.
  
• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Arranging assignments in such a manner that they integrate different subjects, showing the interrelation between the subjects.

At 21K School, we utilize virtual labs, interactive simulations, and project-based assignments to bring experiential learning to our students, ensuring they gain practical skills and real-world knowledge.

Benefits of Experiential Learning 

Experiential learning is very beneficial in promoting holistic education and practical approaches to theoretical learning.

Experiential learning helps students enhance the outcomes for innovation and development. Here are the benefits of experiential learning mentioned below.

• Develop Students’ Engagement: One of the major benefits of experiential learning is that it enhances students’ engagement. As students are more interested towards practical learning, this helps students to retain the material and gain a deeper comprehension of the lesson by giving them a sense of ownership over their education. 

• Boost Confidence: Experiential learning helps boost the confidence of students and individuals, which allows for boosting innovative and creative thinking skills, which are beneficial in everyday life. Through practical exposure, students become more active, and it helps them in developing proper knowledge.

• Develop Social Interaction: One of the effective benefits of experiential learning is that it allows to develop social skills and networking among students and individuals. Everyone benefits from interactive learning, which strengthens bonds and encourages personal connections. 

• Promote Skill Development: One of the effective aspects of experiential learning is that it develops skills among students and individuals. Through practical aspects, students learn more easily, which allows them to gain a detailed overview of any context, which helps them to enhance their skills.

Challenges in Implementing Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is very much beneficial in promoting quality education with the help of practical approaches.

However, there are some challenges that hinder the experiential learning. Below you can check the challenges of experiential learning.

• Lack of Resources: Experiential learning faces a lack of resources, such as budget issues, transportation costs, practical objects, materials, equipment, etc, which cause changes that hinder the full potential of experiential learning among kids and individuals.

• Improper Curriculum: Mostly, the curriculum are based on theoretical applications, and due to this, it becomes tough to implement practical insights into academics. This hindered the implementation of experiential learning.

• Resistant to Change: Mostly, teachers are adapted to theoretical learning, and due to this some educators find it tough to adapt to experiential learning. They rely on traditional teaching methods, becoming hesitant to change.

• Lack of Independence: Some people find it difficult to work with others. Due to low productivity, conflicts and social cohesion, sometimes individuals find it tough to deal with others.

Examples of Experiential Learning

Experiential learning helps in gaining practical insights clearly this allows to understand the concepts more easily.

Experiential learning can be gained through various activties and field work, which allows one individual to deal with others.

Here are some examples of experiential learning that can be achieved through the implementation mentioned below.

1. Internships: 

Internships are an incredible way of getting experiential learning through hands-on practice.

Through internships, individuals learn by doing, which allows them to have a proper understanding and knowledge of work ethics and work-life balance.

2. Experiments: 

One of the effective examples of getting experiential learning is that it allows to learn from doing. Experiments allow to understand the reasons behind the principles.

This allows kids and individuals to gain a deeper understanding and working principles behind anything.

3. Events: 

Attending events and organizations allows kids and individuals to enhance their learning efforts. This allows them to have a proper understanding of how to deal with real-life scenarios.

This helps them in getting the working processes and contexts of detailed understanding. 

4. Employment: 

Employees is one of the incredible examples of getting experiential learning. In employment, people learn by doing and also get paid for their work.

This allows them to understand the working principles and concepts of the company. 

Experiential Learning vs Traditional Learning 

Experiential learning and traditional learning are both different concepts; experiential education focuses on practical exposure, whereas traditional learning focuses on theoretical aspects. 

Through traditional learning one can make their theoretical aspects more strong, whereas practical learning allows them to gain insights.

Below you can check the detailed comparison of experiential learning and traditional learning.

Aspects	Traditional Learning	Experiential Learning
Definition	Traditional learning focuses on theoretical aspects, reading and writing, this comprises of memorisation of concepts.	Experiential learning focuses on providing practical exposure; in this method, students learn by doing and gain hands-on experience.
Mode	Traditional education mainly takes place in physical classes, where students have to attend the classes regularly.	Experiential learning can be attended through physical as well as online modes. Students can attend the classes according to their schedule.
Procedure	Traditional education in conveyed through lectures, notes and points, whereas students are the sole listeners and assessment takers.	Experiential learning is all about learning by doing, in which they learn through practical insights.
Benefits	It provides a structured and positive learning environment that allows kids to develop discipline and time management skills.	This helps in providing a remote learning opportunity that allows children to grab equal learning opportunities.
Examples	Traditional education includes lectures, notes, memorisation, exams, activities, and assignments.	Experiential learning includes internships, apprenticeships, field trips, and experiments.

Experiential Learning Schools in India

In India, there are various traditional schools and online schools who focus on providing experiential education.

Experiential education helps students to gain practical mental exposure and allows kids to develop social networks and collaborative learning. 

These schools provide experiential learning through various fieldwork, environmental studies, extracurricular activities, and so on. Below, you can check the schools that provide experiential education.

• 21K School: This is an online school that provides remote learning opportunities to every student irrespective of their limitations. 21K school provides experiential learning through various activities, such as group projects, field trips, games and other activities, such as dance, music, instruments, etc.

• Montessori School: Montessori schools have multiple branches all over the country. Montessori School focuses on activities to provide quality education. Montessori School provides experiential learning through field trips, extracurricular activities, community activities, and teamwork.

• Heritage Experiential Learning: Heritage experiential learning school uses methods that only focus on practical application. This school is affiliated to CBSE and provides education through an advanced çurriculm. The main of this school is to enhance the learning process of students through practical exposure such as field work, excursion trips, environmental studies, extracurricular activities, community learning and so on. 

• Vega Schools: Vega Schools is an advanced thinking school committed to helping students develop their creativity, curiosity and global perspective through experiential learning. This school is a progressive curriculum that equips learners for the demands of the 21st century. 

• Yellow Train School: This is an incredible school that focuses on early childhood education through interactive and playful programs. The school focuses on experiential learning through early childhood, by using interactive methods such as play-based learning, environmental studies, extracurricular activities, community activities, etc.

Conclusion

By emphasizing practical applications and hands-on experiences, experiential learning is a potent teaching strategy that helps students make the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. 

In addition to improving knowledge retention, experiential learning develops critical thinking and creativity by encouraging social interaction, improving problem-solving skills and encouraging active engagement. 

The advantages of experiential learning, such as improved student engagement, confidence and skill development, make it an essential part of contemporary education even in the face of obstacles like resource constraints and resistance to change. 

Including experiential learning in curriculum can greatly improve the educational experience for students of all ages as shown by numerous strategies and prosperous schools. 

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