Experiential Learning Resources
Learning Communities (LCs) consist of relatively small cohorts of students who are enrolled together in two or more courses that are linked through themes, concepts, and/or assignments. They promote deep conceptual links across disciplines and strengthen connections to faculty, peers, and the college.
“In its simplest form, experiential learning means learning from experience or learning by doing. Experiential education first immerses learners in an experience and then encourages reflection about the experience to develop new skills, new attitudes, or new ways of thinking.” — Lewis and Williams (1994).
For an introduction to the principles of experiential learning, a great place to start is with these important links: A resource on David A. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory!; or The power of experiential learning as told by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU); or For a deep dive, read the book that started it all, John Dewey’s Experience & Education (1938).
Foundational Literature on Experiential Learning
Chickering, Arthur W. “Experience and Learning. An Introduction to Experiential Learning.” (1977).
This book provides us with an understanding of experiential learning from different aspects. Dr. Chickering discusses different standpoints in which experiential learning can be viewed: such as its purposes, applications, institutional support, potential for students and their educational effectiveness, and potential for faculty and institutions.
Keeton, Morris T. “Experiential Learning: Rationale, Characteristics, and Assessment.” (1976).
An interesting read to learn about the history of post-secondary education in the U.S., and the role of experiential learning in its improvement.
Kolb, David A. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT Press, 2014. [1984].
Kolb models the underlying structures of the learning process based on the latest insights in psychology, philosophy, and physiology. Further, he offers a systematic and up-to-date statement of the theory of experiential learning and its modern applications to education, work, and adult development.
Implementing Experiential Learning in Higher Education Pedagogy
Cantor, Jeffrey A. Experiential Learning in Higher Education: Linking Classroom and Community. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 7.
Kolb, Alice Y., and David A. Kolb. “Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education.” Academy of management learning & education 4.2 (2005): 193-212.
The concept of learning space is introduced as a framework for understanding the interface between student learning styles and the institutional learning environment.
Kolb, Alice Y., and David A. Kolb. “Experiential learning theory as a guide for experiential educators in higher education.” Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education 1, no. 1 (2017): 7-44.
The latest thinking about core concepts of Experiential Learning Theory—the learning cycle, learning style, and learning space— is examined and some exemplary applications from the many disciplinary applications of experiential learning in higher education are highlighted.
Experiential Learning Resources
CUNY’s plan is to increase experiential learning opportunities throughout the university. This initiative was driven by legislative provisions in Governor Cuomo’s 2015 Executive Budget.
The existing experiential learning initiative at Hostos Community College provides definitions for experiential learning at CUNY.
This resource provides an example of an experiential learning initiative in the arts at CUNY. Designed collaboratively by an interdisciplinary group of CUNY Graduate Center Ph.D. and MA candidates (see sidebar) as part of a 2017-2018 Focused Inquiry Group at the Teaching and Learning Center, this website offers individual activities and model lesson plans that professors can use to integrate key museum pedagogies in the higher ed classroom.
Humanities Alliance The Humanities Alliance initiative at Hostos is a program designed to support and enhance the study of...
Experiential Learning Resources Learning Communities (LCs) consist of relatively small cohorts of students who are enrolled together in two or...
Humanities Alliance Resources Learning Communities (LCs) consist of relatively small cohorts of students who are enrolled together in two or...
