Pedagogy of Experiential Learning

As learning serves as the fundamental mechanism for navigating life, individuals can apply this process to all types of learning, growth, and transformation. Learning takes place in various environments and persists throughout one's lifetime. The experiential learning process facilitates enhancements in performance, as well as ongoing learning and development.

Principles of Experiential Learning

In contrast to conventional classroom environments where students may engage in competition or exhibit disinterest and lack of motivation, and where the teaching is rigidly structured, experiential learning environments encourage collaboration among students, allowing them to learn from each other in a more flexible framework. The instructional design aims to immerse students in direct experiences that relate to real-world challenges, with the instructor acting as a facilitator rather than a director of student progress. Advocates of experiential learning argue that students are more inclined to learn when they have a personal investment in the subject matter, as opposed to merely being tasked with reviewing a topic or reading a textbook chapter. It is crucial in experiential learning that the components of experiencing (doing), reflecting, and applying are incorporated. Furthermore, the elements of reflection and application distinguish experiential learning as more impactful compared to traditional models often labelled as 'learn-by-doing' or 'hands-on learning'.

There are four-step Experiential Learning process:

Experiencing – Reflecting – Thinking – Acting.

1. Experiencing: Learning begins when a learner uses senses and perceptions to engage in what is happening now.
2. Reflecting: After the experience, a learner reflects on what happened and connects feelings with ideas about the experience.
3. Thinking: The learner engages in thinking to reach conclusions and form theories, concepts, or general principles that can be tested
4. Acting: The learner tests the theory and applies what was learned to get feedback and create the next experience.

Experiential learning opportunities enhance students' readiness for their selected professions by reinforcing theoretical knowledge and course material. Students engage in hands-on, discovery-based activities that prioritize their involvement over that of the instructor, allowing them to learn through action, reflection, and application. These experiences foster the development of communication abilities and self-assurance, while also improving decision-making skills as students tackle and resolve real-world challenges and processes.

Contributed By -Dr. Mrutyunjaya Mangaraj Department of EEE-, SRM University -AP.