The easiest way to describe experiential learning is with the simple phrase, “learn by doing.” Experiential learning follows the principle that people learn best by actual practical experiences, so there is an emphasis on things such as hands-on activities, practicums, and field experiences. This theory was first proposed in the 1980’s by psychologist David Kolb, and it uses the basis that experience’s that people connect to through emotion, cognition, and the environment they were in at the time influences the learning process. Kolb (1984) created a cycle (pictured below) to better explain the thought process behind experiential learning; where concrete experience feeds into reflective observation which feeds into abstract conceptualization which feeds into active experimentation which then feeds back into finding more concrete experience to test one’s new ideas from active experimentation. The important thing to remember is that this theory is a cycle and not simply a static concept – it is a process as each component pushes forward into the next. 

Experiential Learning. Boston University, n.d.

How is Experiential Learning Connected to Visual Arts?

I believe a very strong case can be made that there are many connections between visual arts and experiential learning. When the theory in question is focused on hands-on activity, and so much of art is the process of creation; the two concepts seem to go hand in hand. In early grade school, students are often given time to draw and create their own works of art, and then explain it to the class. This process is actually perfectly aligned with experiential learning, as children doing and then explaining follows Kolb’s cycle of concrete experience followed by reflective observation, and then through the comments or questions of their classmates that will lead them to more abstract conceptualization and then having new ideas to continue honing experience and so on and so forth. Creation is so closely connected to actions and doing, and art is something that does not lend itself to be taught strictly in a classroom with no opportunity to try it hands-on.  Although the theory does have an emphasis on experience and the process of “doing” – reflection has equal importance in the theory, with this quote from the Association of Experiential Learning explaining, “Reflection on learning during and after one’s experiences is an integral component of the learning process. This reflection leads to analysis, critical thinking, and synthesis.” Visuals arts also places importance on reflection; as an artist must look at their work to see what they were trying to convey, how they did with making that message come across, and how they used whatever color/technique/medium to send whatever message they were trying to send. Because of this, there is a definitive link between visual arts and the way that experiential learning can and has been used to teach it.

How is Experiential Learning Connected to our Learning Resource?

My group’s learning resource is about children partaking in a collaborative mural assignment where they would use paint to create and then display their work. This concept is very much in line with what we have already established about experiential learning. The hypothetical children in this scenario are engaging in a hands-on activity of using paints to express themselves, and they must reflect and have conversations with each other as well as instructors to communicate their thoughts. They are indeed following the principle of “learn by doing” as they are in control of physically putting the paint onto the walls and explaining their process. The students would need to have an idea, plan it, and then apply it in a real-world setting and reflect on it; while instructors provide suitable support, bring up and facilitate questions, and provide resources. In the context of our learning resource, the experiential theory can be used to shape and help facilitate proper discussion in it’s connection to creation, so in that way I think it’s of immense value to incorporate elements of this learning approach into our blueprint.

Resources: 

Experiential Learning By Boston University

The Experiential Learning Theory of David Kolb By Kendra Cherry, Verywellmind

Reading Latenight11’s blog post about learning the ukulele reminded me of my own story of maintaining motivation and not giving up. Just like I had a support system that helped me when I doubted myself; they too had a support system in the form of their roommate. What made Latenight’s experience even better is that their roommate ended up joining them and they learned ukulele together, so this shared experience became even more fruitful when they had each other to keep the other accountable. You really get the sense reading all these posts that having someone who encourages you and gives you positive reinforcement makes all the difference when it comes to learning, and this is an approach that sees practical results.

Both of these posts helped me think more about the prompt and my own experiences, so thank you for writing Soals and Latenight11!

For me, my best learning experience was ironically, in a case where I was learning how to teach. For three years I was a teacher’s assistant in a second-grade classroom, where I was learning every day how to interact, teach, and engage with young children. This was a steep learning curve for me, because even though I loved kids; I had never been around them for an extended period of time, and especially in a context where I was supposed to be more of an authority figure. This combination could have easily been disastrous if I had had a subpar mentor. Luckily though, this was not the case for me. What made this experience such a positive one was that I had the pleasure of working with a teacher who was able to learn and adjust her approach after she got to know me and my own learning style more. 

Like it is mentioned in Motivation and Learning, knowing your target learners will increase the likelihood of increased motivation. There were many times during those years that I felt frustrated or discouraged at how things were going, but because my mentor understood who I was and how I worked best; she was able to help me work through these difficult times and mental walls. I already had an interest in teaching, as I mentioned earlier in this post I had always loved kids, but if that interest wasn’t fed into positively then it very well could’ve died out. When considering the question, “Why were you so invested in seeing it through?” It’s because I had that very firm and consistent support system that was able to help me navigate through uncertainty and lapses in motivation. I enjoyed this experience so much because it was about more than learning, but also about building bonds not only with my mentor but with the kids I was working with. Because I was so well supported, I was then in a better state to support the children too and so on and so forth. Those positives mindsets could then see into other intrapersonal relationships, and every person in that environment was then better off for it. This example of my own best learning experience is one that I hold very highly because it was able to show me the tangible positive effects of fitting a teaching approach to specific learners.

In my free time, I just like to play the Nintendo Switch, read, watch movies, and other pretty normal things that I’m sure we’ve all spent a lot of time doing over the past couple of months. I’m a huge fan of attending concerts and live music as well, but those have understandably not been very common as of late. At the end of this first post, I’ve also attached a photo of my dog Muffin who keeps me company. She is absolutely the light of my life and if anyone would like more pictures of her I am happy to provide. Hopefully, that’s a good amount of info to get to know me a little better! Please anticipate more of my blog posts sometime in the near future!

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