| Experiential education is just like other learning | | | | relative freedom to go ahead in the activity and |
| processes in the way that it is best taught and | | | | experience for ones self and the educator also |
| understood by the breaking down into stages. | | | | commits to structuring other stages, usually involving |
| Experiential learning cycles treat the learners | | | | some form of planning and reflection, so that the |
| subjective experience as of critical importance in the | | | | experience is not kept in its raw form it is packaged |
| learning process. Experiential learning cycles (ELC) | | | | with facilitated cognitive thinking about the |
| draw on experiential education principles, which are | | | | experience. Length of time spent on the stages is all |
| largely based on the educational philosophy of John | | | | up to the facilitator and the group. One can spend |
| Dewey (James 2004). | | | | seconds to days reflecting and returning to the |
| Several models of ELC are currently available ranging | | | | experience, however it is found to be most effective |
| from a one step model to a nine-step model, just as | | | | when reflection is done immediately following and |
| with any new teaching model educators must | | | | experience. The model that is the most commonly |
| research and find which one works best for which | | | | used in education and training programs is the |
| situation. In addition to the set models the great thing | | | | three-stage model. The three-stage model cuts right |
| about experiential learning instruction is that you can | | | | to the heart of experiential learning, which is that the |
| pick and choose and adapt your styles to the already | | | | experience is what we learn from and a good |
| formatted models. It is the teachers responsibility to | | | | facilitator or teacher guides the students to learn |
| structure and organize (model) a series of | | | | about themselves as well as the ability to internalize |
| experiences that positively influence each individuals | | | | the lesson being taught. The three-stage model |
| potential future experiences. | | | | comprises of do - review - plan. |
| Positive experiences motivate, encourage, and enable | | | | DO |
| students to go on to have more valuable learning | | | | Go forth and have the experience |
| experiences, whereas, negative experiences tend to | | | | REVIEW |
| lead towards a student closing off from potential | | | | Review what happened and what can be learned |
| positive experiences in the future. ELC does not | | | | PLAN |
| leave students descending into a completely | | | | Plan a way to tackle the next round of experience |
| unstructured learning environment. Much research has | | | | (James 2004) |
| shown that student driven education has been | | | | The most direct application of this model is to ensure |
| attempted and was unsuccessful. A learner needs | | | | that the teaching activities give a full value to each |
| some amount of freedom to develop experience | | | | stage of the process. This usually means that within |
| based understanding, in the same as student needs | | | | a major task the facilitator will have to "chase" the |
| some degree of guidance to receive the most of the | | | | learner round the cycle in a Socratic fashion asking |
| educational setting. | | | | questions to encourage reflection, conceptualism, and |
| In ELC there is a semi-structured approach. There is | | | | ways of testing ideas. |