Dr. Barbara L.

Pittman
Further Reading:
The Experiential Learning Cycle: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm
PDF: Experiential Learning in !igher Education: Lin"ing Cla##room and Community.$ ER%C Dige#t. Download PDF
here: http://eric.ed.go&/'id(ED)*)+),
PDF: Learning -tyle# and Learning -pace#: Enhancing Experiential Learning in !igher Education.
http://cite#eerx.i#t.p#u.edu/&iewdoc/download'doi(.*....../0.1),+2rep(rep.2type(pdf
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
3hat doe# it loo" li"e in practice'
Thin" the cla##ic 4eld trip where #tudent# are ta"en to a mu#eum to o5#er&e a local art exhi5it on
wor"ing6cla## art to #upplement a #ociological di#cu##ion of cla##. %n a #u57ect that re8uire# 4eld
re#earch9 #uch a# the natural and #ocial #cience#9 #tudent# might 5e #ent out of the cla##room
en&ironment to collect data through inter&iew#9 o5#er&ation9 or collection of o57ect# in nature. -o9
cultural anthropology #tudent# might go into a local ethnic community to o5#er&e and record
mu#ical tradition# or tran#cri5e oral hi#torie# or learn a5out cultural food#.
%n today:# technological land#cape9 immer#i&e o5#er&ational re#earch can occur on the 3e5 or in
&irtual world#. Language #tudent# might &i#it a -pani#h6#pea"ing region in -econd Life9 interact
with nati&e #pea"er# and return to re;ect on the experience. <u#ine## #tudent# might create a
&irtual product9 mar"et9 and #ell it in a &irtual #tore that they 5uild. !i#tory #tudent# might &i#it the
&irtual =ing Tut:# Tom5 exhi5it in !eritage =ey to experience the di#co&ery and interpretation of
ancient artifact#.
Experiential Learning/Education
3hat i# it'
Experiential learning and experiential education are two #ide# of the concept of ac8uiring
"nowledge through direct experience. Experiential learning occur# naturally> we o5#er&e or
experience #omething and learn from it9 although we might come to fal#e conclu#ion#. Experiential
education expect# learner# to ha&e the a5ility to analy?e and re;ect on experience and apply the
learned "nowledge to new #ituation#.
!ow doe# #uch a method 4t into my cour#e'

Experiential learning might ta"e the form of one component of a larger re#earch pro7ect9
or it might 5e the primary form of learning in a cour#e from which #tudent# will #oon
graduate into their 4eld.

3riting a##ignment# might ta"e the form of analy#i# of data or e##ay#.

Re;ecti&e writing and cla## di#cu##ion# #upport the de&elopment of analytical

procedure#.

Po#t6experience pro5lem #ol&ing a##ignment# #upport the application of learned

"nowledge in new #ituation#.
Spring 2011