David KolbDavid KolbExperiential LearningExperiential Learning

Presentation byPresentation byDeb SowersDeb Sowers

LTMS 525: Human LearningLTMS 525: Human LearningFall 2010Fall 2010

BackgroundBackground Classical conditioningClassical conditioning could not explain what could not explain what

Piaget observed (children go through stages of Piaget observed (children go through stages of development unrelated to external stimuli)development unrelated to external stimuli)

Cognitive theoristsCognitive theorists (Bloom) dealt with (Bloom) dealt with hierarchical nature of knowledgehierarchical nature of knowledge

HumanistsHumanists (Maslow) concentrated on the affect (Maslow) concentrated on the affect domain (learners take control of their own domain (learners take control of their own processes)processes)

Mezirow and Freire (early 1980’s) found that the Mezirow and Freire (early 1980’s) found that the “heart of learning lies in the way we process “heart of learning lies in the way we process experience and our experience and our critical reflection of critical reflection of experienceexperience; learning is a cycle; learning is a cycle

Kolb…Kolb…

Further defined the concept of Further defined the concept of reflectionreflection

2 separate learning activities—2 separate learning activities—perceiving and processingperceiving and processing

““Learning is the process whereby Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the knowledge is created through the

transformation of experience.”transformation of experience.”

Concrete experience (“DO”)Concrete experience (“DO”) Reflective observation (“OBSERVE”)Reflective observation (“OBSERVE”) Abstract conceptualization (“THINK”)Abstract conceptualization (“THINK”) Active experimentation (“PLAN”)Active experimentation (“PLAN”)

Learning stylesLearning styles

Assimilators—sound logical theoriesAssimilators—sound logical theories Convergers—practical applications of Convergers—practical applications of

concepts and theoriesconcepts and theories Accommodators—”hands on” Accommodators—”hands on”

experiencesexperiences Divergers—allowed to observe and Divergers—allowed to observe and

collect a wide range of informationcollect a wide range of information

Experiential LearningExperiential Learningandand

The World of The World of

DivergerDiverger Emphasizes the Emphasizes the

innovative and innovative and imaginative approach imaginative approach to doing thingsto doing things

Views concrete Views concrete situations from many situations from many perspectives and perspectives and adapts by observation adapts by observation rather than by actionrather than by action

Interested in people Interested in people and tends to be and tends to be feeling-orientedfeeling-oriented

AssimilatorAssimilator Pulls a number of different Pulls a number of different

observations and thoughts observations and thoughts into an integrated wholeinto an integrated whole

likes to reason inductively likes to reason inductively and create models and and create models and theoriestheories

Likes to design projects Likes to design projects and experimentsand experiments

Characteristic of basic Characteristic of basic sciences and math rather sciences and math rather than applied sciencesthan applied sciences

Enjoys research and Enjoys research and planningplanning

ConvergerConverger

Emphasizes the Emphasizes the practical application of practical application of ideas and solving ideas and solving problemsproblems

Likes decision-making, Likes decision-making, problem-solving, and problem-solving, and the practical the practical application of ideasapplication of ideas

Prefers technical Prefers technical problems over problems over interpersonal issuesinterpersonal issues

AccommodatorAccommodator Uses trial and error Uses trial and error

rather than thought rather than thought and reflectionand reflection

Good at adapting to Good at adapting to changing changing circumstancescircumstances

Solves problems in an Solves problems in an intuitive, trial-and-intuitive, trial-and-error manner, such as error manner, such as discovery learningdiscovery learning

Tends to be at ease Tends to be at ease with peoplewith people