To learn or not to learn—that's the question! As Aristotle would say, learn by doing—that is what experiential learning is all about.
The world is changing rapidly, and we need to keep up by adapting our education and careers. Experiential learning has become an essential tool that allows us to develop necessary skills right in the workplace through practice and hands-on activities.
In this article, we'll explore the tenets of experiential learning theory and find out why and how organizations are increasingly adopting this approach.
What is Experiential Learning?
Experiential learning is an active educational process during which learners acquire and develop skills through practical exercises, i.e., cook by cooking, cure by medicating, sell by selling, etc. Unlike traditional training methods that rely on lectures or written sources, experiential learning engages individuals in various tasks with further reflection on their experiences. By handling real-world tasks, learners apply theoretical knowledge to tangible situations, which allows them to reinforce what they have learned. According to a recent statistics report, this hands-on approach strengthens personal productivity and increases employability chances. Schools and organizations globally implement experiential learning to fill the educational gaps and prepare the workforce with critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
How Does Experiential Learning Theory Work?
The modern idea of experiential learning theory belongs to David Kolb, who focused on the individual during the learning process rather than placing a teacher in the center of the classroom. Kolb compares ELT to riding a bike and illustrates his theory in four stages. Concrete experience: when the learner interacts with a bike physically at the present moment, this stage is followed by reflective observation, when the potential rider considers how that thing works; then comes the stage of abstract conceptualization: the learner forms a general idea about riding a bike, and, finally, the stage of active experimentation—finding ways to improve riding attempts. To put it scientifically, experiential learning is a continuous cycle of knowledge application and refining that promotes employee upskilling and reskilling initiatives.
ELT is a loop in which every previous pattern leads to excellence.
However, each person has specific learning tendencies that make them dominant in certain stages of ELT depending on the chosen learning style. Some learners prefer diverging, i.e. they take the learning process from a unique perspective and have a strong imagination capacity. Such individuals engage in peer learning and explore history and people by observing before diving in. Another type of learner prefers assimilating, i.e., getting clear information and relying on analytic models. The third group consists of converging learners; they solve problems by applying their knowledge to practical issues; these people are good at technical tasks and innovative experiments. And the last group is keen on accommodating—such learners enjoy new challenges and follow their intuition while solving problems.
Benefits of Experiential Learning
The benefits of experiential learning for educators and learners go far beyond the ones offered by traditional methods. Let’s take a look:
Hands-on Learning
Lectures and textbooks provide us with theoretical knowledge, which will most likely stay in short-term memory if not supported by practical exercises. So one of the primary advantages of experiential learning is that it equips learners with hands-on experience building confidence in their skills by actively participating in relevant tasks.
Developing Essential Soft Skills
Through experiential learning, learners develop their soft skills and learn to think critically and creatively. Placing learners in real-world situations encourages them to improvise and find innovative solutions.
Ownership and Adaptability
Experiential learning gives a sense of ownership and adaptability, placing employees in unpredictable scenarios. This makes them adjust to changes and uncertainties. In addition, the opportunity to apply one’s skills and overcome various challenges fosters accountability.
Learning Through Mistakes
Mistakes are part of the learning process, which helps learners identify the best approach to the issue. Experiential learning creates a safe space to try, make mistakes, and learn from them, calculating the risks.
Strengthening Communication and Negotiation Skills
Engaging in experiential learning suggests teamwork activities that help employees develop and refine their communication skills. This method is essential for effective collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the teammates.
Why is Experiential Learning Important in the Workplace?
Leveraging experiential learning is important not only for educational institutions but also for organizations that strive to equip the workforce with relevant skills apart from their academic background. Below are several factors that prove the effectiveness of experiential learning in the workplace.
Enhances Skill Application
Through experiential learning, employees get numerous opportunities to connect theory with practice by demonstrating their skills in job-related real-world scenarios. This positively affects their performance and deepens their experience in the relevant field.
Boosts Employee Engagement
Designers of experiential learning programs aim to motivate employees by letting them participate directly in the learning process. Such activities boost employee engagement and help companies achieve higher satisfaction levels.
Encourages Innovation
When facing new challenges and learning opportunities offered by experiential learning, employees train their innovation capabilities. A continuous learning environment motivates the workforce to come up with creative solutions to complex problems based on their practical knowledge.
Experiential Learning Examples
To get a better understanding of what experiential learning includes, check the points below. I have tried to illustrate them with real examples that could seamlessly integrate with the corporate learning programs.
Buddy Programs and Peer Group Learning Experiences
Buddy programs and peer learning groups work on the same principle as a study buddy method, i.e., they allow employees to learn from one another, enhancing collaboration and teamwork. A typical example of such approaches is Google’s Noogler onboarding program where the company assigns a buddy to every new hire who walks the ‘Noogler’ through the internal culture and new role peculiarities. This buddy becomes the new employee’s contact point for the first six months, answering questions and establishing connections with colleagues. Buddy systems are equally beneficial both for new hires and for the organization that adheres to fostering an environment of innovation and healthy collaboration.
Creative Problem-Solving Sessions
In creative problem-solving sessions, employees get together to work on complex issues, often outside their usual job roles. Here again, let's refer to Google with its notable example of such a session called "Design Sprint." This amazing methodology was developed to tackle business challenges head-on. It is an amazing five-day process that enables teams to quickly define, prototype, and test ideas with real users. These sessions combine brainstorming and user testing and help employees practice thinking outside the box and develop innovative solutions in the workplace.
"I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand."
Job Shadowing
In some major companies, job shadowing is a part of the professional development journey for new hires and interns. For instance, Microsoft offers a job shadowing program, providing the new staff with the opportunity to observe experienced colleagues and thus get insights into different positions and departments within the company. This approach encourages a learning culture and promotes understanding of the overall business process.
Activities to Improve Experiential Learning at the Workplace
Role-Play Exercises
Role-play exercises are a powerful tool in experiential learning, allowing employees to engage in situations they may encounter on the job. This method, identical to scenario-based learning, is very popular across multiple industries where developing strong interpersonal and customer-facing skills is crucial, e.g. healthcare, hospitality and retail, education, sales and customer services, etc.
Gamification
Outdoor or indoor games and quests are a fun way to include in experiential learning and enable employees to bond and collaborate. These engaging activities facilitate interpersonal communication, a healthy atmosphere, and job satisfaction.
Case Studies
Case studies allow employees to deviate from boring theory learning and study real-world examples. This is a nice opportunity for the staff to explore the strategies for fostering a positive workplace culture, delivering outstanding service, or motivating the workforce. Case studies can be presented in various formats and encourage learners to analyze facts and brainstorm solutions.
Simulations
Simulations mimic real-life situations and let employees practice their skills in a controlled, risk-free environment. For instance, pilots learn how to navigate a plane and handle emergency landing in a specifically equipped venue; surgeons perform a surgical intervention using VR technologies, etc. Although the simulation approach is highly productive, it requires solid investment in terms of modern equipment and spacious sites.
On-the-Job Training
On-the-job training provides experiential learning directly within the workplace setting. It allows employees to use job-related tools and procedures effectively through active engagement in daily tasks.
Corporate philanthropy
Many companies practice corporate philanthropy as a part of experiential training. For example, a cloud-based software company, Salesforce, encourages employees to participate in the Volunteer Time Off program by paying for volunteering in the community. This initiative enables employees to develop leadership skills, manage projects, and make a positive social impact. Companies perform charitable activities not only to make their contributions but also to improve learning experiences for their employees.
Conclusion
Well, with all the positive feedback regarding experiential learning, it is worth mentioning that this method is a game-changer that transforms the workplace into an environment of active learning, growth, collaboration, and innovation. By selecting among the variety of experiential learning opportunities, organizations can prepare their staff for handling diverse tasks and adapt to the changes and challenges of the rapidly growing businesses. As employees engage in meaningful, hands-on experiences, they confidently pave their careers and apply competencies to achieve individual and organizational goals.