Experiential Learning Cycle

How do we learn from experience?

Source:
Roles of volunteer in development
Peace Corps
Page 31 – 33

The process of learning is a process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitudes so that we can solve problems and make changes in our lives as we move toward fulfilling our needs and our goals. This learning process can be conceived as a four-step cycle.

1. We experience something.
2. We review the experience critically.
3. We draw a conclusion and / or infer useful insights ( lessons learned ).
4. We apply or try out our new insights or hypotheses in a new situation ( which leads to another experience and so on ).

This natural process is called “experiential learning” and we use it all the time although we may not be completely conscious of the four steps. In many structured adult learning situations, we try to design most of the activities to follow the experiential learning cycle. Here’s what the cycle looks like in a training context:


 
Experience
The “experience” that activates the experiential learning cycle may be an event from your past, an activity you conducting or a case study you read and analyze. In this step, you do something or remember something you did in the past. It usually involves uncovering new information that requires a response from you.

Reflection
Reflection is a way of exploring and sorting out what happened during the experience stage. What new information do you now have and what does it mean? What feelings has it provoked in you? How might you relate the experience to things you already know? If you are participating in a group activity, how is your learning experience similar to or different from that of others?

Drawing conclusions and lessons learned
After reflecting on the experience, we arrive at the critical stage of determining what lessons can be learned or what principles can be drawn from the experience. This is the “so what” stage. How does all of this fit together? What are the major themes or insights you can infer from your experience?

Planning and application
Planning and application is the stage where you relate the learning to your world and actually start using the information. It’s called the “now what” stage. What will you do differently now that you have learned these lessons? How will this new insight help you improve your technical ability, your interactions with the community, or your collaboration with your Counterparts? As you apply what you have learned, you generate new experiences and the “experiential learning cycle” starts all over again!

All four of these stages are important for a rich and complete learning experience. Sometimes, we jump too quickly from experience to experience and shortchange the other three steps in the learning cycle. It is important to be as conscious as possible of your own experiential learning processes and take the time to really reflect, draw conclusions, and apply lessons learned before moving to the next experience.