experiential learning

“Experiential learning takes
place when a person is
involved in an activity, looks
back and evaluates it,
determines what was useful
or important to remember and
uses this information to
perform another activity.”
—John Dewey
Integrity in Experiential Learning
David Kolb (1984) writes:

"In the theory of experiential learning, integrity is a sophisticated, integrated process o flearning, of knowing. It is not primarily a set of character traits such as honesty, consistency, or morality. These traits are only proabbly behavioral derivations of the integrated judgements that flow from integrated learning. Honesty, consistency, and morality are usually, but not always, the result of integrated learning....The prime function of integrity and integrative knowledge [by this Kolb means "codified social knowledge"] is to stand at the interface between social knowledge and the ever-novel predicaments and dilemmas we find ourselves in; its goal is to guide us through these straits in such a way that we not only survive, but perhaps we can make some new contribution to the data bank of social knowledge for generations to come" (Experiential Learning, p. 225).


Some resources on experiential learning:
Seelye, H. Ned. Experiential Activities for Intercultural Learning

Beard, Colin & Wilson, John. The Power of Experiential Learning: A Handbook for Trainers and Educators

Brown-Harris, Jeff & Stock-Ward, Susan. Workshops: Designing and Facilitiating Experiential Learning

Kolb, David. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development

Baker, Ann. Conversational Learning: An Experiential Appraoch to Knowledge Creation

Boyatzis, Richard. Innovation in Professional Education: Steps on a Journey from Teaching to Learning