Irene Bews Ally Sangster adventurascotland.co.uk Adventurascotland Izmir October 2010 Innovative Didactics Experiential Learning

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland Theory of experiential learning Experiential learning utilises participants own experience and their own reflection rather than lecture and theory to generate understanding and transfer of skills and knowledge Experiential learning is a learner centred approach which starts with the premise that people learn best from experience Experiential learning is learning-by-doing

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland Benefits Experiential learning – actually ‘doing’ something, discovering what it is like, how it makes you feel, what it means, i.e. experiential learning is your experience and no one else's Effective due to its holistic approach of addressing cognitive, emotional and the physical aspect of the learner Process that cultivates learning self-sufficiency

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland KOLB’S LEARNING CYCLE

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland Learning Cycle Experiential learning incorporates continuous improvement by repeating the learning wheel over and over The more learners use the experiential learning cycle the more they will realise continuous improvement Continuous improvement is said to be a journey without an end

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland Experiential learning versus the comfort zone concept Experiential learning often takes place outside of this zone HOWEVER Learners remain in control of the learning process If placed in great discomfort – learners become pre-occupied with comfort reinstatement rather than experiential learning Whilst stretched/challenged during experiential learning, learners are not placed in a position of great discomfort. Experiential learning generates enjoyment as learners know that their experimentations resulted in success.

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland Principles of experiential learning People learn best from their own experiences and their own reviews What people do is more important than what they know Renders behaviours and attitudes visible and thereby can become acknowledged and then addressed Not enough to explain to people what to do, they must be shown how to actually do it and then how to improve it Moves beyond knowledge and into skill by generating a learning experience - the more experience the greater the skill Achieves change in behaviour and attitude To be remembered over a long period of time the learning process should be enjoyable, motivating and rewarding

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Adventurascotland The experiential learning environment Respects the individuals ideas and choices Gives the individual the right to 'confront' difficult situations with the view to their resolution Provides opportunity to take on challenge in an atmosphere of support and caring (the challenge may be intellectual, emotional, physical, mental, or all four) Generates space and time to stand back and reflect when pressures or doubts become too strong Cultivates a realisation that the attempt at doing something new or different is more significant than the result Produces an awareness that effective learning requires small controlled steps outside comfort zones

Experiential Learning Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland

Experiential Learning Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland

Irene Bews Ally Sangster adventurascotland.co.uk Adventurascotland Izmir October 2010 Innovative Didactics Reviewing

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Why review? Adds value to the experience Getting unstuck Achieving objectives Opening new perspectives Developing observation and awareness Caring Encouraging self expression Using success Providing support Empowering Adventurascotland

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland What is reviewing? reflecting on experience analysing experience making sense of experience communicating experience reframing experience learning from experience Adventurascotland

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Benefits of reviewing In touch with learners' perspectives. Develops their communication skills. Develops learning skills (yours and theirs). Adds value to what is already happening. Benefits become more tangible. Generates evidence for evaluation. Clarify and achieve objectives. Transfer of learning more likely. LEARNERS ENJOY IT! Adventurascotland

Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland Benefits of ACTIVE reviewing Engages all learning style preferences. Better integration between talk and action. Provides more ways to communicate, learn and develop. Produces more dynamic, enriched and focused reviewing. Better access to intuitive and tacit knowledge. Pays more attention to the experience of reviewing. Generates more effective learning from experience. is even more enjoyable! Adventurascotland

Reviewing Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland

Reviewing Irene Bews Ally Sangster Adventurascotland

Irene Bews Ally Sangster adventurascotland.co.uk A mind that is stretched by experience will never go back to its old dimensions (proverb) Adventurascotland