8 Things To Know About the Experiential Learning Cycle (FULL)

Summary

This video explores the experiential learning cycle, a widely recognized concept in experiential learning theory, which includes four stages: experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. The cycle emphasizes active engagement and contrasts with traditional education, which often focuses on passive information transfer. It also highlights the relationship between learning styles, brain functions, and educational approaches. The dynamic process of learning is both personal and context-dependent, requiring educators to adopt various roles and create assessments that are holistic, practical, and connected to real-life contexts.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The experiential learning cycle involves four stages: experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. It's a framework for active learner engagement.
• 🌀 Learning is a continuous exchange between a learner's internal world and the external environment, evolving through repeated cycles of experience and reflection.
• 💡 Traditional education often follows the 'banking concept,' where information is passively deposited into learners. The experiential learning cycle emphasizes active participation and transformation of knowledge.
• 🧠 Learning from experience changes the brain's neural networks, linking experiential learning with brain function and development, as highlighted by James Zull's research.
• 🔄 The learning cycle involves receiving information through concrete experience and abstract conceptualization, then transforming it through reflective observation and active experimentation.
• ✂️ William James compared concrete experience and abstract thinking to the two blades of scissors—both are essential for making sense of the world.
• ⚖️ Learning requires a balance between reflection and action. Overemphasizing either can inhibit the learning process, as stressed by Paulo Freire’s concept of praxis.
• 🧑‍🎓 Learning styles are formed when individuals prefer certain modes of learning over others, but full-cycle learning is the ability to engage all modes fluidly in any situation.
• 📚 The dynamic matching model of experiential learning suggests that educators should align their teaching approaches with both the learner's style and the subject matter.
• ✅ Authentic assessment in experiential learning should evaluate a learner’s ability to apply skills and knowledge in real-life contexts, connecting learning to practical outcomes.

Q & A

What is the experiential learning cycle and its four stages?

The experiential learning cycle is a widely used concept in experiential learning theory, consisting of four stages: experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. These stages help engage learners actively in their learning process.

How does the experiential learning cycle differ from traditional education models?

Traditional education focuses on information transmission, where teachers deposit knowledge into passive learners. In contrast, the experiential learning cycle emphasizes active engagement, where learners receive, reflect, and transform information through experience.

What role does experience play in the experiential learning cycle?

Experience is central to the cycle and is involved in every mode of the learning process. It includes both concrete experiences and abstract conceptualization, allowing learners to engage with knowledge in meaningful ways.

How does reflection fit into the experiential learning cycle?

Reflection occurs when a learner encounters an experience that challenges prior beliefs or expectations. This process allows the learner to critically analyze the experience and transform it into meaningful learning.

What did Paulo Freire mean by the 'banking concept of education'?

Freire's 'banking concept' refers to traditional education, where learners are viewed as passive recipients of knowledge. Teachers deposit information into their minds without active participation or critical thinking.

How does the brain physically change during experiential learning?

James Zull's research showed that learning from experience creates actual physical changes in the brain. Knowledge is stored in neural networks in the neocortex, and the brain continuously adapts through experience.

What are the four brain regions involved in the learning cycle according to Zull's research?

The sensory cortex processes concrete experiences, the back integrative cortex aids in reflective observation, the front integrative cortex handles abstract conceptualization, and the motor cortex drives action and experimentation.

How does motivation influence the learning cycle?

Motivation arises from the dialectic tension between opposing modes of the learning cycle, such as concrete experience and abstract thinking. Balancing these modes enables deeper understanding and continuous engagement.

What is 'praxis' and why is it important in the learning process?

'Praxis' is the transformative relationship between reflection and action, emphasized by Paulo Freire. It is crucial for learning, as overemphasizing either reflection or action inhibits learning and prevents personal growth.

What is the significance of holistic assessment in experiential learning?

Holistic assessment evaluates not just the acquisition of knowledge but also how learners integrate skills in real-life contexts. It emphasizes authentic assessment where students demonstrate their learning in practical, real-world situations.