Experiential Learning

Last Updated:
October 16, 2023

First Published:
March 23, 2022

When using Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, students “performed better on gathering a history, documenting a history, and developing a treatment plan” (Meyer et al., 2020), which are essential skills for healthcare professionals.
- M eyer, E.G., Battista, A., Somerfeldt, J.M., West, J.C., Hamaoka, D., & Cozza, K.L. (2020). Experiential learning cycles as an effective means for teaching psychiatric clinical skills via repeated simulation in the psychiatry clerkship. Academic Psychiatry, 10, 1-9.
“Benefits of experiential learning have been described in higher education to be as diverse as improvements in clinical reasoning, problem solving, clinical judgment, self-esteem, emotions, self-determination, initiation, and professional development skills” (Benson, Provident, & Szucs, 2013; Coker, 2010; Falk-Kessler, Benson, & Witcher Hansen, 2007; Knightbridge, 2014; Experiential Learning, 2013).
- Murphy, L., Wilson, J., & Greenberg, S. (2017). Equine-assisted experiential learning in occupational therapy education. Journal of Experiential Education, 40(4), 366-376. doi:10.1177/1053825917712732

When designing the concrete experience, it must be meaningful, thought provoking, and highly relevant. This activity is done prior to concepts being introduced. All students actively participate in this experience to promote learning, e.g., simulation, video, experiments, case scenarios, debates, clinical assignments, etc.
During reflective observation, all students reflect upon the concrete experience by answering specific, open-ended questions which help them make sense of what they just experienced.
During abstract conceptualization, faculty present new concepts and ideas that stem from the concrete experience. This can come from the faculty, guest speakers, students, videos, articles, open-access materials, etc.
Active experimentation provides students the opportunity to use and apply what they have learned.

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