During my initial seasonal work in interpretation, I was surprised by the volume of visitors who were standing around waiting for transportation as they entered and exited our site. Since one of the assigned posts was to greet visitors, I realized that there was potential for meaningful interpretive engagement, however brief; over my first season by trial and error I developed a new interpretive engagement framework for the greeter post. The goal was to playfully promote individual questions along with group joy to reinforce the positive aspects of a visit to the site. I wanted to collaboratively create a sense of community and shared purpose among diverse visitors. Additionally, this final &/ or first engagement framed the visit, encouraging visitors to use social media during and after their visit.

Eventually I used the greeter framework to extend short interpretive engagements of only 2-5 minutes in order that every visitor should have at minimum three points of contact or chances to engage with a professional at the site: beginning (welcome, overview, point to info desk), info desk, middle (engagement, interpretation, visitor services, customized), end (thank you, customized).  

As instructional designers and instructors we are responsible not only to teach content, but also to model global citizenship in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

When I taught at the undergrad level in my class there were some senior students graduating at the end of the semester who sat in the back in their exclusive clique. They talked during class and only looked at my course as a necessity, which for them it was. It was hard to get them motivated to participate actively in group-work because at least one of the clique really did not care. Whenever they were in a group together, it was a private social setting. I could have left them alone but I wanted to figure out what to do. To reiterate, in addition to content-knowledge, inclusion and inclusive behavior, adapting to new settings and new people are important not only in educational settings but also in life and in workplace settings. 

What would you have done? Have you ever been one of those students? Have you ever been the instructor, coach, mentor, friend, family member?

I started randomly mixing groups up, assigning different seating on different days using alphabetical order, counting off, using first names, using the color of shirts, so as to break up cliques and make sure that everyone had a chance to succeed, inclusively. I tried differently sized groups from pairs to whole-class. I tried multiple learning theories and different learning modalities to provide variety and new opportunities to connect with the content and concepts. It took almost the entire semester to figure out what to do so that all learners were engaged, interested, and inclusive. 

For me, what finally worked was when I asked students to sort themselves into groups by their future careers for a large, 3-week constructivist project. During and after that constructivist activity the formerly unmotivated learners were suddenly excited because they'd had the chance to network with people they never would have chosen but who shared their interests and they were working in their own fields, researching in their own fields, and creating their own content to present to the class in whatever form they chose. Different friendships formed as learners realized that sometimes common interests are more relevant and fun in class than hanging out with friends you are going to see every day anyway. Setting up project based learning in a real-life, professional environment was not the point; the point was that everyone was doing what they loved, collaboratively. Radical constructivism was close, but misses the point when it comes to imposed self-sorting. 

As a science person there are many examples of self-sorting behavior in non-living systems and much research in this area. In the educational literature there is a plethora of research on interest-based learning. 

I hope to write a paper on interest-based self-sorting, create a survey and experimental framework to test if my hypothesis is correct by linking self-sorting in science to a novel framing of education that synthesizes Connectivism, ecology, and human learning from the neurological to whole-person to global context. I'll post a mini-lit synthesis here. For those learners in my class, the switch was like day to night. The stars were beautiful and everybody had a chance to shine! 

Interest-based self-sorting.

Cognitivist Brain Breaks are short, under 10 minutes, and challenging for each learner, team member, or client. They are intended to give learners a fun, personally relevant brain break within a longer process-based assignment. When short term and/or working memory are full these can be a useful reset. They are intended to be used as introductions, check-ins, summaries, and conclusions that each learner can personalize and where every learner is pushed to think in their own ways and reflect deeply but quickly upon the other type of learning that is taking place using cognitivist techniques. 

Why? If you engage within teams, with clients or with learners it is useful to apply a variety of learning theories to meet unique needs, scaffold, and to customize the user experience (UX). Cognitivist learning theory which placed learning in the brain rather than solely the body developed in opposition to Behaviorist emphasis on conditioning the body with no consideration of how the mind assimilates information. Cognitive activities can provide needed relief from a dry online Powerpoint, from behaviorist experiments, from constructivist group project-based learning, or from Connectivist networked learning in all scales of online communities. The goal is to reframe the content or intent in multiple ways that connect the information and reiterate the information in personally relevant ways.

Examples. A cognitivist brain break can include an advanced preparatory activity prior to class, a short reading with learners generating increasingly complex gamified questions related to the topic, structured individual speed-feedback session among peers, an instructor-led facilitated dialogue, a short 5-minute concept map, a 2-team flash-debate to expose the best arguments, and a summary by both the instructor and learners. 

The current COVID-19 crisis has prevented many children from attending school in the traditional sense. Jen believes that there is a great opportunity in this crisis. Rethinking the manner in which education is delivered should be accompanied by rethinking the underlying goals of education, who education is intended to benefit, and how we can better serve and empower our diverse children from local to global, using technology. Read more of Jen Seron's Educational Paradigm Shift article here.

For over 10 years, within New York City's large, diverse, secular homeschool community, Jen Seron homeschooled her son who was exceptionally talented in certain respects and exceptionally challenged in others (twice exceptional, 2e). Jen kept assiduous records and utilized an eclectic homeschool style plus the New York State free online curriculum and learning standards.

Students in Dr. Papia Bawa's course collaboratively created a Learning Theories Encyclopedia Project using a shared Google Doc. All students followed a consistent format and filled in the information about their own chosen Learning Theory or Model. This project was useful in that we created a practical application for what we each individually had learned and also learned about others' interests while creating a useful resource. Below is my portion of the Learning Theories Encyclopedia. 

Experiential

Jennifer Seron

“Learn avidly. Question it repeatedly. Analyze it carefully. Then put what you have learned into practice intelligently” ―  Confucius circa 450 BCE

“Any human knowing, of whatever degree or kind, must go on within human experience . . . the noun ‘experience’ as here used is to be taken as the inner object of the verb ‘to live‘ (as a human) . . . here, the noun ‘experience‘ simply states, possibly more explicitly, the content of the process of human ‘living.’” ―  Kirkpatrick, 1942 CE, p. 40

Section 1: Background information 

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) was derived from the ideas of earlier educational thinkers whose ideas Kolb appreciated, appropriated, and summarized in their own synthesis (see Kolb’s 2020 video here). Kolb synthesized the ideas of other thinkers in order to create a learning theory focused on how humans learn by actually doing things. According to Baker & Johnson (2016, 132), "ELT is a synthesis of work from key theorists (Dewey, 1934, 1938, 1958; Freire, 1974; James, 1890; Jung, 1960, 1977; Lewin, 1951; Rogers, 1961) built upon the foundational definition of learning as the 'process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience' (Kolb, 1984, p. 38). Kolb wrote that their "Experience Based Learning Systems was created in 1980 to facilitate experiential learning theory research and communication among researchers and practitioners of experiential learning through its website www.learningfromexperience.com" (Kolb, 2014, xxiii). Kolb also wrote "My intention was to describe a theoretical perspective on the individual learning process that applied in all situations and arenas of life" (Kolb, 2014, xvii). 

Kolb's framework was simple, general, and in certain ways encapsulates everything that could relate to experiential learning in four words “experiencing, reflecting, thinking, acting.” 

There is associated Foundational Research pertaining to ID that has not been mentioned by Kolb or elsewhere. Kolb cites Dewey and other "prominent 20th Century Thinkers" (see Kolb’s 2020 video here) as his source of inspiration (Kolb, 2020, 2021; Baker & Johnson, 2016). However, having first read William T. Kilpatrick (1942), I was struck by the similarity between Kolb's Experiential and Kilpatrick's Experimental ideas. Kilpatrick (1942) wrote, "Any human knowing, of whatever kind or degree, must go on within human experience" (pg 40)  and "One's experience comes . . . in and through the contributions of the common culture (pg 41)." Additionally, another adult educational training guru, Donald L. Kirkpatrick (1967) is quoted in Sork (1984), "Kirkpatrick (1967) makes useful distinction between four levels of evaluation. Reaction represents the feelings of participants, and others involved in the program have about the experience [Kolb's reflection]. Learning represents the new capabilities acquired by program participants [Kolb's Thinking]. Behavior represents the external manifestation of the new capacities, usually applied in the learner's natural environment [Kolb's Action]. Results represent the impact that the new behaviors have on the learner and the environment surrounding the learner [Kolb's Experience]" (224). Kilpatrick (1942, 42) wrote, "Life everywhere is a continual interactive process between organism and environment." Whether derivative or accidental, the connections between W. T. Kilpatrick's Experimentalism and the others warrants deeper examination.

"Since its first statement in 1971 (Kolb, 1971; Kolb, et al., 1971), there have been many studies using experiential learning theory to advance the theory and practice of experiential learning. Since experiential learning theory is a holistic theory of learning that identifies learning style differences among different academic specialties, it is not surprising to see that experiential learning theory research is highly interdisciplinary, addressing learning and educational issues in many fields" (Kolb, 2014, xxiv).

Notes. See screen shot by J. Seron taken on December 7, 2021 for educational purposes only of A. Y. Kolb’s 2020, May 15 video by EBLS, This Is Experiential Learning, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TeaFPSQsMY

Notes. See screen shots by J. Seron taken on December 7, 2021 for educational purposes only of A. Y. Kolb’s 2020, May 15 video by EBLS, This Is Experiential Learning ["Apply and Connect theoretical knowledge with real- life experience"], YouTube., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TeaFPSQsMY

Section 2: Key Principles

The key principles of Experiential Learning Theory are that “Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences” (Kolb, 2020). Kolb wrote that "The aim of ELT is to create, through a synthesis of the works of the foundational scholars, a theory that helps explain how experience is transformed into learning and reliable knowledge. Truth is not manifest in experience; it must be inferred by a process of learning that questions preconceptions of direct experience, tempers the vividness and emotion of experience with critical reflection, and extracts the correct lessons from the consequences of action" (Kolb, 2014, xxi). 

Kolb’s learning theory is so broad as to embrace almost every type of experiential learning that one might imagine. Some scholars note that Kolb’s theory might be so general as to be unable to be proven or disproven by scholarly research (in Morris, 2019). Following  are some graphics from MacLeod (2017) that depict Kolb’s principle ideas:

Notes. Screen shots by J. Seron on December 2, 2021 of S. A. MacLeod’s 2017 article, Kolb - learning styles and experiential learning cycle [2 cycles with blue arrows and the 2x2 table]. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html for educational purposes only.

Macleod (2017) created a 2x2 table to summarize the way the four aspects Kolb chose to focus on relate to one another. Kolb seems to have accounted for every aspect of learning with this chart. Active versus reflective tangential to concrete versus abstract; with doing versus watching tangential to feeling versus thinking. The Kolb family created videos to explain:

The Kolbs highlight the fact that there are “over 90,000 Experiential Learning Citations” as proof that their Experiential Learning Theory is legitimate (Kolb, 2020). Additionally, in the video “This Is Experiential Learning” Kolb (2020) incorporates 4 new qualities (discussion, feedback, practice, real life) and leaves out reflection, action, and thinking. 

Notes. Screen shot by J. Seron taken on December 7, 2021 for educational purposes only of A. Y. Kolb’s May 15, 2020, This Is Experiential Learning video by EBLS. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TeaFPSQsMY

The Kolbs' latest videos suggest that when using Experiential Learning Theory learners and teachers should “apply and connect theoretical knowledge with real- life.” 

Notes. Screen shot by J. Seron taken on December 2, 2021 for educational purposes only of A. Y. Kolb’s May 15, 2020, This Is experiential learning video by EBLS [the person walking into tunnel, the "Over 990,000 . . . citations"], YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TeaFPSQsMY

Notes. Screen shots by J. Seron from A. Y. Kolb, April 8, 2021, The cycle of learning from experience, a video by EBLS. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46UkXjbAqG8

Section 3: Current Research in Experiential Learning (not exhaustive)

Morris (2020, 3) in their abstract stated, “Kolb’s experiential learning cycle is perhaps the most scholarly influential and cited model regarding experiential learning theory.” The Kolb’s themselves noted in their video “This is ELT” that there are “over 90,000 Experiential Learning Citations” as proof that their Experiential Learning Theory is legitimate (Kolb, 2021). I will begin discussing the plethora of research regarding Experiential Learning Theory by starting with 2 quotes from class reading: 

"Experiential learning is a cyclical process that capitalizes on the participants' experiences for acquisition of knowledge. This process involves setting goals, thinking, planning, experimentation, reflection, observation, and review. By engaging in these activities, learners construct meaning in a way unique to themselves, incorporating the cognitive, emotional, and physical aspects of learning" (Oxendine, et al., 2004).

“The learning model outlined by the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) contains two distinct modes of gaining experience that are related to each other on a continuum: concrete experience (apprehension) and abstract conceptualization (comprehension). In addition, there are also two distinct modes of transforming the experience so that learning is achieved: reflective observation (intension) and active experimentation (extension)” (Baker, Jensen, Kolb, 2002 in Oxendine, et al., 2017).

Instructional designers can make use of Experiential Learning Theory by breaking up their modules using 4 sections in a 2 x 2 matrix, or using one of the flow charts if that makes sense, or mixing things up for learners by using contrasting modalities. Whether or not you agree with the research basis or evidence, ELT can be a useful tool for instructional designers to add variety and engage in nuanced ways with learners.

Notes. “The graphic above is a representation of the Experiential Learning Cycle, which includes the components of experience, critical reflection, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation, and more critical reflection. Real experiences help the individual learn advanced abstract concepts. The experiences might result in paths, which allow the individual to actively collect information to learn and become a member of the community of practice. Perhaps critical thinking and reflection may refine ideas or lead the individual to consider alternate possibilities. Each phase potentially leads to another and builds upon the former. By Frank LaBanca (2008).” Quotation in Oxendine, et al., 2017, with screen shot from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/ taken by J. Seron December 2, 2021 for educational purposes only. 

Morris (2020) did research in an attempt to bolster the validity of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and found a large number of “dimensions.” See the chart below. To this writer, it appears that experiential learning encompasses almost every aspect of learning that can be imagined. There does not seem to this writer to be any aspect of learning that could not be included in the concept “experiential.” To this writer, the chart appears to illustrate the problem with Experiential Learning Theory in that everything fits under the umbrella, literally. 

Notes. This screen shot (that looks like a carousel) taken by J. Seron of a chart documenting all the different “dimensions of Kolb’s (1984) model/ research question (RQ)” chart from T. H. Morris, 2020, page 11, https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1570279 represents different aspects or "dimensions" that emerged from a meta-analysis of literature in the field of experiential learning. This screen shot is intended for educational purposes only.

Morris (2020, page 18) noted that “. .The present paper did however provide support for four dimensions of experiential learning, as per Kolb’s model (1984),” and “As noted in the methodology section of the present report, the data organisation was complicated by the overlapping of the data into the themes identified. In this regard, themes, which are represented in the proposed model (Figure 2), were clearly very organically adjoined, which addresses Miettinen’s (2000) concern of Kolb’s model that its dimensions do not couple in a very organic or necessary way.” Morris (2020) suggested revisions to improve Kolb’s model and to address the serious concerns raised by scholars nearly since Experiential Learning Theory’s inception. Here below is Morris’ “Experiential Learning Cycle (a revision to Kolb’s 1984 model).”

Notes. This is a screen shot taken by J. Seron of Morris' black and white flattened-oval cycle on December 2, 2021 from T. H. Morris, 2020, page 19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1570279

Section 4: Applications of Experiential Learning Theory

Applications of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory are everywhere. There is not a single scholarly research article related to experiential learning that Kolb could not claim as related to his ideas about learning because Kolb’s ideas are so broad as to include almost every type of human experience that we humans have in our lives, work, careers and personalities. As Kolb wrote in 2014: 

"The implication of the philosophy of radical empiricism for experiential learning theory and the experiential learning cycle is that it is not only the Concrete Experience mode of learning that is experiential, all modes of the learning cycle (see Figure 2.5, p. 51) are included in experience. Both modes of grasping experience—Concrete Experience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC)—and both modes of transforming experience— Reflective Observation (RO) and Active Experimentation (AE)—are part of the experiential learning process. Many use the term experiential learning to refer to exercises and games used to involve students in the learning process" (Kolb, 2014, xxii-xxiii).

In regard to the applications of Experiential Learning as regards instructional design and online learning in the pandemic, there are many applications from gamified math to PhET science simulations, to online dissections and more. Almost any type of learning activity that involves the student taking an active role is included, even online learning experiences that are lecture- based. As a recent article stated: 

"Engaging students in learning is proving even more difficult in the transition to online learning. Yet, a number of recent studies are showing that social, cognitive and teacher presence, experiential learning and active participation can increase online engagement in learning. (Martin et al., 2018; Dunlap et al., 2016; Krassmann et al., 2019) The 4 item short experiencing scale can be a useful guide and monitoring device to gauge the ongoing level of experiencing in an online session reminding learners to be fully present with focused attention in the here-and now and to participate in the class'" (Stock & Kolb, 2020, 21-22).

There are many online sites that create what Kolb would define as experiential learning. See the list by Restifo & Kapular (2021) which includes Kahoot, icivics, MinecraftEdu, NASA Space Place, National Geographic Kids, PBS Kids Games, and so many more you might not have heard of but that your K- 12 learners might enjoy. 

In addition to the new categories and ideas introduced into Experiential Learning Theory discussed in the Principles section, the Kolbs are now overtly linking their original learning theory, directly with real-world applications such as “culture, educational specialization, current job, personality type, life experiences, career choice, and culture” (Kolb, 2021).

Notes. Screen shots by J. Seron of A. Y. Kolb, 2021, The cycle of learning from experience [Video by EBLS]. YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46UkXjbAqG8

If you begin to look, you will find that there are nearly unlimited applications for Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory in the educational, commercial, and instructional design sectors. Even if Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory is equivalent to "direct instruction," at least experiential learning can provide an engaging alternative (Baker & Johnson, 2016). 

In conclusion, the perspective of this writer is that Kolb came up with a synthesis idea that is so broad as to be applicable to almost every type of active learning, but which is so ubiquitous that it is nearly impossible to tease out any specific impacts exclusively attributable to Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Although this writer is skeptical of the entire framework, the impact of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory has been to bring broader attention to the importance and value of learner engagement across all modalities and in every subject and learning environment from PreK - adult. 

Finally, on a meta level, it must be noted that in the social sciences there is a different framework or burden for assessing validity than when I studied climate change on rice for the EPA. By scientific standards, these ideas of Kolb about experiential learning do not qualify as theory, only as a hypothesis. The word theory should only be used when there are repeated, replicable results by unbiased, reputable researchers whose data has not been cherry picked (selecting only that which supports your hypothesis but ignoring evidence that refutes). The bottom line is that whether or not there is enough evidence to justify the label "theory," or even consistent evidence that these ideas are valid in a scientific sense, these ideas are fun to explore and have been used and applied throughout the world in almost every setting imaginable.

Resources and Further Reading

Baker, M. A. & Robinson, J. S. (2016). The effects of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model on successful intelligence in secondary agriculture students. Journal of Agricultural Education, 57(3), 129-144. doi: 10.5032/jae.2016.03129  or https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1123045.pdf

Beckam, J. M. & Watkins, M. (2012). Bringing Life to Learning: Immersive Experiential Learning Simulations for Online and Blended Courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16(5), 61-71. LearnTechLib.  https://files.eric.ed.gov › fulltext › EJ1000091.pdf 

Dewey, J. (1934). Art as experience. Capricorn Books. New York, NY. 

Dewey, J. (1938). Education and experience. Simon and Schuster. New York, NY. 

Dewey, J. (1958). Experience and nature. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, NY. 

Freire, P. (1974). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum. New York, NY.

James, W. (1890). The principles of psychology: Volumes I and II. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. New York, NY. 

Jung, C. (1960). The structure and dynamics of the psyche. Bollingen Foundation. New York, NY.

Jung, C. (1977). Psychological types. R.F.C. Hull, trans., Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Vol. 6. Bollingen Series XX, Princeton University Press, pp. 12–13, 28, 68.

Kilpatrick, W. H. (1942). Experimentalism. In National Society for the Study of Education, Philosophies of education: Part 1. 1942, N.B. Henry, (Ed.). University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6830735

Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1967). Evaluation of training. In R. L. Craig & L. R. Bittel (Eds). Training and Development Handbook (pp. 87-112). McGraw Hill, New York. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED016153

Kolb, A. K. (2020, May 15). This is Experiential Learning.  [Video by EBLS]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TeaFPSQsMY

Kolb, A. Y. (2021, April 8). The cycle of learning from experience. [Video by EBLS]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46UkXjbAqG8

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. http://academic.regis.edu/ed205/Kolb.pdf

Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development, 2nd Ed. Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. https://ptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/images/9780133892406/samplepages/9780133892406.pdf

Kumar, S. (2014, March 10). Top 10 competencies of a gamified learning designer. Learnovators.      https://learnnovators.com/blog/top-10-competencies-of-a-gamified-learning-designer/ 

Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social sciences. Harper & Row.New York, NY.

McLeod, S. A. (2017, October 24). Kolb - learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

Morris, T. H. (2019). Experiential learning – a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model. Interactive Learning Environments, https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1570279

Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G. (2004). Experiential learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Experiential_Learning In Zhou, M., & Brown, D. (Eds.). (2017). Educational learning theories.

Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G. (2004). Experiential learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/

Restifo, D. & Kapuler, D. (2021, October 19) . 50 Sites & Apps for K-12 Education Games. Tech Learning. https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/4684 

Rogers, C. (1961). On becoming a person. Houghton Mifflin. Boston, MA.

Sork, T. J. (1984). Evaluation in adult education: A critical analysis of the literature through 1983. Proceedings of the Annual Adult Education Research Conference, 25th, Raleigh, North Carolina, April 5- 7, 1984, 223 - 228. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED269554

Stock, K. L. & Kolb, D. A. (2020 November). The experiencing scale: An experiential learning gauge of engagement in learning. EBLS Working Paper, 2(20), 1-33. https://learningfromexperience.com/downloads/research-library/experiencing-scale-ebls-working-paper.pdf