Experiential earning captures the imagination and anchors the learning
Learning is all about giving ourselves more choices in any given situation. Although understanding theories and models can show knowledge, experiential learning is about taking lessons from one experience and being able to apply them to a variety of future situations.
Well-designed experiential learning goes beyond role play (where people can feel self-conscious) and round-table case studies (which can fail to engage people). Typically one or more people will be offered a task to do or a problem to solve. Its description has a storyline and the task can vary from solving a puzzle on paper to going on an expedition. Often there is no set ‘right or wrong’ answer, but a choice of approaches. Its success depends on the steps below being done well:
- decide what learnings would be relevant
- consider what emotions and reactions would make the activity truly memorable
- set a task that stands alone, yet is a metaphor for other situations
- brief the activity so that it is engaging and challenging
- review it afterwards so that everyone finds both common and individual messages
- recognise that the learning lies in the process rather than the results
Experiential learning is not a solution to everything – it does not replace memorising specific information or set procedures. However, it excels in providing people with memorable lessons about human behaviour that people take ownership of and take with them to many future occasions.
Contact me to discuss how your cycling or other event could return even more business or personal development.