Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development

Experiential learning is a powerful and proven approach to teaching and learning that is based on one incontrovertible reality: people learn best through experience. Now, in this extensively updated book, David A. Kolb offers a systematic and up-to-date statement of the theory of experiential learning and its modern applications to education, work, and adult development.   Experiential Learning, Second Edition builds on the intellectual origins of experiential learning as defined by figures such as John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Jean Piaget, and L.S. Vygotsky, while also reflecting three full decades of research and practice since the classic first edition.   Kolb models the underlying structures of the learning process based on the latest insights in psychology, philosophy, and physiology. Building on his comprehensive structural model, he offers an exceptionally useful typology of individual learning styles and corresponding structures of knowledge in different academic disciplines and careers. Kolb also applies experiential learning to higher education and lifelong learning, especially with regard to adult education.   This edition reviews recent applications and uses of experiential learning, updates Kolb's framework to address the current organizational and educational landscape, and features current examples of experiential learning both in the field and in the classroom. It will be an indispensable resource for everyone who wants to promote more effective learning: in higher education, training, organizational development, lifelong learning environments, and online.

Table of Contents:
Foreword    x About the Author    xii Preface    xiii Introduction    xvi Part I  Experience and Learning Chapter 1  The Foundations of Contemporary Approaches to Experiential Learning    1 Experiential Learning in Higher Education: The Legacy of John Dewey    4 Experiential Learning in Training and Organization Development: The Contributions of Kurt Lewin    8 Jean Piaget and the Cognitive-Development Tradition of Experiential Learning    12 Other Contributions to Experiential Learning Theory    15 Update and Reflections    19 Foundational Scholars of Experiential Learning Theory    19 Liminal Scholars    20 Contributions to Experiential Learning    23 Chapter 2  The Process of Experiential Learning    31 Three Models of the Experiential Learning Process    32 Characteristics of Experiential Learning 37 Summary: A Definition of Learning    49 Update and Reflections    50 The Learning Cycle and the Learning Spiral    50 Understanding the Learning Cycle    50 The Learning Spiral    61 Part II  The Structure of Learning and Knowledge Chapter 3  Structural Foundations of the Learning Process    65 Process and Structure in Experiential Learning    66 The Prehension Dimension-Apprehension Versus Comprehension    69 The Transformation Dimension-Intention and Extension    77 Summary    85 Update and Reflections    87 Experiential Learning and the Brain    87 James Zull and the Link between the Learning Cycle and Brain Functioning    88 My Brain Made Me Do It?    94 Chapter 4  Individuality in Learning and the Concept of Learning Styles    97 The Scientific Study of Individuality    98 Learning Styles as Possibility-Processing Structures    100 Assessing Individual Learning Styles: The Learning Style Inventory    104 Evidence for the Structure of Learning    111 Characteristics of the Basic Learning Styles    114 Summary and Conclusion    135 Update and Reflections    137 Individuality, the Self, and Learning Style    137 Western and Eastern Views of the Self    138 Experiential Learning and the Self    139 Learning Style    141 Chapter 5  The Structure of Knowledge    153 Apprehension vs    Comprehension—A Dual-Knowledge Theory    154 The Dialectics of Apprehension and Comprehension    159 The Structure of Social Knowledge: World Hypotheses    164 Summary    173 Social Knowledge as Living Systems of Inquiry—The Relation between the Structure of Knowledge and Fields of Inquiry and Endeavor    175 Update and Reflections    186 The Spiral of Knowledge Creation    186 Personal Characteristics and Ways of Knowing    188 Knowledge Structures and Disciplinary Learning Spaces 190 The knowledge Structures of Experiential Learning    192 Part III  Learning and Development Chapter 6  The Experiential Learning Theory of Development    197 Learning and Development as Transactions between Person and Environment    198 Differentiation and Integration in Development    199 Unilinear vs    Multilinear Development    201 The Experiential Learning Theory of Development    205 Consciousness, Learning, and Development    210 Adaptation, Consciousness, and Development    216 Update and Reflections    225 Culture and Context    226 Individual Differences and Multilinear Development    227 Integration and Advanced Stages of Adult Development    228 Implications for Experiential Learning Theory Development Theory    234 Chapter 7  Learning and Development in Higher Education    239 Specialized Development and the Process of Accentuation    242 Undergraduate Student Development in a Technological University    244 Professional Education and Career Adaptation    261 A Comparative Study of Professional Education in Social Work and Engineering    263 Managing the Learning Process    276 Implications for Higher Education    283 Update and Reflections    287 Becoming an Experiential Educator    287 Chapter 8  Lifelong Learning and Integrative Development    311 Adaptive Flexibility and Integrative Development    315 On Integrity and Integrative Knowledge    327 Update and Reflections    333 Lifelong Learning and the Learning Way    333 Bibliography    355 Index    377  

About the Author :
David A. Kolb is the Chairman of Experience Based Learning Systems (EBLS), an organization that he founded in 1980 to advance research and practice on experiential learning. EBLS conducts basic research on Experiential Learning Theory and has developed many experiential exercises and self-assessment instruments including the latest Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0. The EBLS program of research on experiential learning is ongoing in collaboration with an international network of researchers, practitioners and learning partners.   He received his BA in psychology, philosophy, and religion at Knox College and his Ph.D. in social psychology from Harvard University. He was a professor of organizational behavior and management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, where he is currently Emeritus Professor of Organizational Behavior.   He is best known for his research on experiential learning and learning styles described in this book, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Other books include Conversational Learning: An Experiential Approach to Knowledge Creation, Innovation in Professional Education: Steps on a Journey from Teaching to Learning, and Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach. In addition, he has authored many journal articles and book chapters on experiential learning.   David A. Kolb has received several research recognition awards and four honorary degrees recognizing his contributions to experiential learning in higher education.   For more information about his work, go to www.learningfromexperience.com.