Experimental learning is the learning process through experience, and more specifically defined as "learning through reflection while doing". Direct learning is a form of experiential learning but does not necessarily involve students reflecting on their products. Experiential learning differs from rote or didactic learning, in which learners play a relatively passive role. It is related to, but not identical to, other forms of active learning such as action learning, adventure learning, free choice learning, cooperative learning, service learning, and learning are located.
Experiential learning is often used synonymously with the term "experience education", but while experiential education is a broader educational philosophy, the learning experience considers the individual learning process. Thus, compared to experience education, experiential learning relates to more concrete issues related to learners and the context of learning.
The general concept of learning through experience is ancient. Around 350 BC, Aristotle writes in the Nichomachean Ethics for the things we must learn before we can do it, we learn by doing it. " But as an articulated approach to education, experience-based learning is much more modern. Beginning in the 1970s, David A. Kolb helped develop modern experiential learning theory, which relies heavily on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget.
Experimental learning has significant teaching benefits. Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline (1990), states that teaching is the most important thing to motivate people. Learning only has a good effect when the learner has a desire to absorb knowledge. Therefore, experience-based learning requires direction for learners.
Video Experiential learning
Model pembelajaran pengalaman Kolb
Experimental learning focuses on the learning process for the individual. One example of experiential learning is to go to the zoo and learn through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as opposed to reading about animals from a book. Thus, one makes discoveries and experiments with knowledge directly, rather than hearing or reading about the experiences of others. Likewise, in business schools, internships, and job-shadowing, opportunities in the areas of student interest can provide a valuable learning experience that contributes significantly to the overall understanding of students about the real-world environment.
A third example of experiential learning involves learning how to ride a bicycle, a process that can illustrate the four-step learning experience model (ELM) as defined by Kolb and described in Figure 1 below. Following this example, in the "concrete experience" stage, the learner physically experiences a bike at "here-and-now". This experience forms the "basis for observation and reflection" and the learner has the opportunity to consider what works or fails (reflective observation), and to think about ways to improve on subsequent attempts at riding (abstract conceptualization). Every new attempt to ascend is informed by previous experience cycle patterns, thinking and reflection (active experimentation).
Figure 1 - David Kolb's Experience Learning Model (ELM)
Element
Experiential learning can exist without teachers and is concerned only with the process of making meaning from the immediate experience of the individual. However, while acquiring knowledge is an inherently naturally occurring process, a sincere learning experience requires certain elements. According to Kolb, knowledge continues to be gained through personal experience and the environment. Kolb states that in order to gain true knowledge from experience, the learner must have four abilities:
- The learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience;
- The learner must be able to reflect on the experience;
- The learner must possess and use the analytical skills to conceptualize the experience; and
- The learner must have decision-making skills and solve problems to use new ideas gained from experience.
Maps Experiential learning
Implementation
Experimental learning requires self-initiative, an "intention to learn" and an "active phase of learning". The Kolb experience learning cycle can be used as a framework to consider the various stages involved. Jennifer A. Moon has outlined this cycle to argue that experiential learning is most effective when it involves: 1) "reflective learning stage" 2) the learning phase resulting from actions inherent in experiential learning, and 3) "further phase learn from feedback ". This learning process can result in "changes in judgment, feelings or skills" for individuals and can provide direction for "making judgments as a guide to choices and actions".
Most educators understand experience plays an important role in the learning process. The role of emotions and feelings in learning from experience has been recognized as an important part of experiential learning. While these factors can increase the likelihood of learning experience, it can happen without them. Instead, what is important in experiential learning is that individuals are encouraged to directly engage themselves in experience, and then reflect on their experiences using analytic skills, in order to gain a better understanding of new knowledge and retain information for longer periods of time.
Reflection is an important part of the learning process of experience, and like the learning experience itself, can be facilitated or independent. Dewey writes that "consecutive parts of reflective thinking grow from each other and support each other", creating scaffolds for further learning, and allowing for further experience and reflection. This reinforces the fact that learning experiences and reflective learning are a recurring process, and learning builds and evolves with further reflection and experience. Facilitation of learning and experience reflection is a challenge, but "a skilled facilitator, asking the right questions and guiding reflective conversations before, during, and after experience, can help open the gateway to strong new thinking and learning." Jacobson and Ruddy, built the four-stage Experimental Learning Model of Kolb and Pfeiffer and the five-stage Experiential Learning cycle of Jones, took this theoretical framework and created a simple practical question model for facilitators to use in promoting critical reflection in experiential learning. Their "5 Question" model is as follows:
- Did you notice?
- Why is that happening?
- Does it happen in life?
- Why is that happening?
- How can you use it?
These questions are posed by the facilitator after experience, and gradually lead the group toward a critical reflection of their experience, and an understanding of how they can apply learning to their own lives. Although the question is simple, they allow relatively inexperienced facilitators to apply Kolb, Pfeiffer, and Jones's theories, and deepen group learning.
While it is the most important learner experience for the learning process, it is also important not to forget the rich experiences of a good facilitator also bring to the situation. However, while a facilitator, or "teacher," can increase the likelihood of experience-based learning, a facilitator is not essential for experiential learning. In contrast, the mechanism of experiential learning is the reflection of learners on the experience of using analytic skills. This can happen without the presence of a facilitator, which means that the learning experience is not determined by the presence of a facilitator. However, taking into account the learning experience in developing course content or programs, it provides an opportunity to develop a framework for adapting various teaching/learning techniques into the classroom.
In schools
Experimental learning is supported in a variety of school organizational models and learning environments.
- Think Global School is a four-year junior high school that organizes classes in a new country every semester. Students engage in learning through activities such as workshops, cultural exchange, museum tours, and nature expeditions.
- The Dawson School in Boulder, Colorado, devotes two weeks of school year to experience-based learning, with students visiting surrounding countries to engage in community service, visit museums and scientific institutions, and engage in activities such as mountain biking, backpacking, and canoeing.
- In the ELENA Project-www.elena-project.eu, the "live animal" project, experience-based learning with live animals will be developed. Together with project partners from Romania, Hungary and Georgia, the Bavarian Conservation and Nature Landscapes Academy in Germany brings live animals in the European school lessons. The goal is to describe children for the context of biodiversity and support them to develop ecological values.
- Love High School in Loving, New Mexico, publishes career and technical education opportunities for students. This includes apprenticeships for students interested in science, STEM majors, or architecture. The school makes good connections with local businesses, which help students get used to working in such environments.
- Lake View High School in Chicago, Illinois is an institution that offers early college credits for students. It trains students with majors such as STEM, humanities, music/art, and language.
- The Robert H. Smith School of Business offers undergraduate advanced program students throughout the year where students conduct financial analysis and security trading at Bloomberg Terminals to manage real dollar investments in the Lemma Senbet Fund.
In business education
Because higher education continues to adapt to new expectations from students, learning experience in business and accounting programs becomes more important. For example, Clark & ​​â € <â € < White (2010) points out that "quality university business education programs must include learning experience components". With reference to this study, employers note that graduating students need to build skills in "professionalism" - which can be taught through experiential learning. Students also assess this learning as much as industry.
Learning styles also affect business education in the classroom. Kolb transforms four learning styles, the Diverger, Assimilator, Accommodator and Converger , above the Experiential Learning Model, using four experiential learning stages to engrave the "four quadrants", one for each style learn. The individual dominant learning style can be identified by taking Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI). Robert Loo (2002) conducted a meta-analysis of 8 studies which revealed that Kolb's learning style was not distributed evenly among the business majors in the sample. More specifically, the results show that the proportion of assimilator and the proportion of the accomodator is lower than expected for business majors. Not surprisingly, in the accounting sub-sample there is a higher convergence proportion and a lower proportion to accommodate. Similarly, in the financial sub-samples, the proportion of higher assimilators and lower proportion of divergers is evident. In the marketing sub-sample there is the same style distribution. This will provide some evidence to show that while it is useful for educators to be aware of the general learning styles in business and accounting programs, they should encourage students to use all four learning styles appropriately and students must use various learning methods.
Professional education applications, also known as management training or organizational development, apply experiential learning techniques in training employees at all levels in a business and professional environment. Interactive role-based customer service training is often used in large retail chains. Board training games that simulate business and professional situations such as Beer Distribution Game used to teach supply chain management, and Friday Night in ER games used to teach system thinking, are used in business training efforts.
Comparison
Experimental learning is easiest compared to academic learning, the process of obtaining information through subject studies without direct experience. While the dimensions of the learning experience are analysis, initiative, and immersion, the dimensions of academic learning are constructive learning and reproductive learning. Although both methods aim to instill new knowledge in learners, academic learning does so through more abstract, class-based techniques, while the active learning experience involves the learner in concrete experience.
Benefits
- Real-world experiences: For example, a student majoring in Chemistry may have an opportunity to interact with a chemical environment. Learners who have the desire to become a businessperson will have the opportunity to experience the manager's position
- Opportunities for creativity: There is always more than one solution to real-world problems. Students will have a better chance to learn the lesson as they interact with real life experiences
See also
People
- John Dewey
- Paulo Freire
- Kurt Hahn
- David A. Kolb
- Maria Montessori
- Jean Piaget
- Carl Rogers
- Rudolf Steiner
Subject
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments