Experiential Learning

What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning is not learning by doing - simply participating in a learning activity doesn't necessarily make it experiential.

Experiential Learning is an inquiry-based, pedagogical approach that provides opportunities for students to co-construct their learning by:

  • participating in rich experiences connected to a community outside of school;

  • reflecting on those experiences to derive meaning; and

  • applying their learning to influence their decisions and actions in various aspects of their lives.

The experience can involve local, national, or global communities and:

  • being physically present (an on-site experience);

  • being present through the use of digital tools and technologies (a virtual experience); or,

  • a combination of the two (a blended experience).

The goals of Experiential Learning as defined in the Community-Connected Experiential Learning document are to provide and/or recognize learning opportunities with a community that assist students in:

  • deepening their understanding of the knowledge and skills within the curriculum and of their life experiences beyond the curriculum;

  • acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to make informed education and career/life choices;

  • developing their capacities for deeper learning, including learning for transfer, and helping them to better acquire the global competencies so that they have the talent and skills they need to succeed and lead in the global economy;

  • contributing to a local, national, or global community and developing competencies related to their identitiy as individuals and as members of their community, society, and the world.

The Experiential Learning Cycle

The experiential learning cycle is depicted in the image to the left. Although the “participate-reflect-apply” cycle appears as a three-stage process, it is not a rigid or strictly sequential process but rather a dynamic and highly personal one. Three questions – What?, So what?, and Now what? – are associated with each stage of the process, respectively, and help to focus students’ thinking and drive the process, as follows:

  1. Participate: What? Students are actively immersed in an experience, acknowledging what they are doing, what they are thinking, and what they are feeling during the experience.

  2. Reflect: So what? Students think about their experience, guided by reflective questions and prompts, and identify what they learned as a result of the experience - about themselves, other people, the world, their opportunities, or the subject of study.

  3. Apply: Now what? Students describe how their learning stimulates further inquiry; how it has influenced - or may influence - their decisions, opinions, goals, and plans; and what they might do differently if they have similar experiences in the future.

The simplicity of the experiential learning cycle makes it appropriate for students of all ages. By altering the reflective questions and prompts at each stage of the cycle, educators can adjust the complexity, focus, and depth of the process to suit the developmental needs of the students.

Characteristics of Effective Experiential Learning

Students Are Co-Designers and Co-Planners

Students have a significant role in the design of their experiential learning activities, including:

  • co-constructing learning goals and success criteria;

  • collaboratively determining the assessment and evaluation tools and strategies;

  • establishing a community connection(s) and identifying the community member(s) involved;

  • identifying potential barriers to participation, engagement and achievement;

  • co-designing the community-connected experiential learning opportunity in collaboration with their teacher and the community member;

  • determining individual roles and responsibilities.

Community Member(s) is "Invested" Throughout the Process

The community partner(s) is involved throughout the experiential learning project, and are usually involved in all of the following:

  • planning

  • implementation

  • evaluation

  • planning for next steps

The Experiential Learning Cycle Frames the Entire Experience

The experience intentionally provides authentic and engaging opportunities for students to:

  • actively participate;

  • reflect to derive meaning; and,

  • apply their learning to influence next steps.

Students Develop Their Education and Career/Life Planning Competencies

Students are provided with many opportunities to develop personally meaningful answers to the four questions that frame the school's education and career/life planning program, namely:

  • Knowing Yourself - Who Am I?

  • Exploring Opportunities - What Are My Opportunities?

  • Making Decisions and Setting Goals - Who Do I Want To Become?

  • Achieving Goals and Making Transitions - What Is My Plan for Achieving My Goals?

Furthermore, students are encouraged to capture evidence of their learning in their portfolio or pathways planner.