Experiential Learning for the Workplace

In a rapidly evolving global marketplace, the significance of experiential learning in shaping future leaders cannot be overstated. By immersing individuals in real-world situations, this dynamic educational approach equips them with the practical skills and insight necessary to thrive in leadership roles.

Emphasizing hands-on experiences and reflective observation, experiential learning fosters adaptable, resilient, and innovative leaders ready to tackle complex challenges head-on.

At Outlife, we understand the pivotal role experiential learning plays in cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. Our commitment to providing immersive, real-world opportunities empowers individuals to bridge the gap between theory and practice, nurturing a deep understanding of leadership principles and their practical application.

​Through our tailored experiential learning programs, we pave the way for aspiring leaders to develop a holistic skill set, critical thinking prowess, and emotional intelligence essential for success in diverse professional environments. 

Join us as we delve into the transformative impact of experiential learning and its pivotal role in shaping future leaders and team players through authentic, real-world experiences.

What is experiential learning?

Experiential learning (EL) can be referred to as learning by doing, learning through experience or learning through taking part in an action. The maxims of experiential learning have been derived from some theorists’ quotes. Confucius, in 450BC, said, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.” Benjamin Franklin, in 1750 also said, “Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I will learn.” John Dewey, (1938) also said, "There is an intimate and necessary relation between the process of experience and education."
 
Many research studies have been carried out to address how active-based practices influence learners’ performance level. Thus, it has become evident that adopting experiential learning strategies helps the learner’s comprehension of theoretical concepts making them attain greater performance. 

​Experiential learning can be defined as an educational orientation which the aim of integrating academic and practical components of learning for a wholesome person approach, giving emphasis to the significance of experience for learning. It is a well-known approach as it is currently being used in the informal learning setting. Business internships, corporate attachments, volunteer and exchange programs, etc. 
 
It is built on an interdisciplinary and constructivist learning foundation. Meaning each subject isn’t treated on its own but it can be connected to other subjects. When learning is compartmentalized, it doesn’t reflect real-life situations. On the other hand, experiential learning mimics real-life experiences by creating interdisciplinary learning experience (Wurdinger, 2005, p. 24). Each person takes away a different lesson from experience.
 

9 Characteristics of Experiential Learning

For a learning method to be experiential, it has to have the following 9 characteristics as listed by Chapman, McPhee, and Proudman, 1995.
 
A mixture of content and process: The theory content has to balance with the experiential activities.

No excessive judgement: Presence of a safe space for learners who are going through their self-discovery process.

Purposeful engagements: The learning has to have meaning to the student engaging in it. The student has to find it relevant to keep learning.

Encouraging the big-picture perspective: Leaners have to be able to make a connection between what they are learning and the real world. The activities they engage in should enable then to see the relationships in complex structures and get a solution to work within them.

Reflection: Learners should be able to reflect and gain insight into themselves on how they are applying the theory to life.

Have an emotional attachment: Learners should not just do what is required or expected of them. They should invest their emotions in their experiences in such a way that they are fully immersed in the learning experience.

Re-examination of values: Experiences bring a shift in our values or they re-enforce a value. Learners need to re-examine their value during the experience.

Creation of meaningful relationships: learners should be able to create a relationship with their self, then with fellow learners, teachers, and the learning environment. 

Getting out of one’s perceived comfort zone- Learning can only be enhanced when one gets out of their comfort zone. Break the barriers of both the physical and social comfort zones. The learner should be able to make decisions and deal with the consequences of their choices. (Chapman, McPhee, & Proudman, 1995, p. 243). 

Why experiential learning for the workplace?

Salas, Wildman, and Piccolo (2009) says, "Under this experience-based learning framework, individuals become notably more responsible for their learning, and there exists a more robust link between the learning experience and reality (e.g., role-playing, business games, computer-based simulations, virtual reality, etc.)."
 
When transferring tacit knowledge, experiential learning is more efficient than classroom learning. This is because it fosters active participation and immersion of learners.
 
After years being trapped in the past, institutions of higher education have finally agreed on the positive impact wielded by experiential learning and have started to design and take into account some kind of experience-based learning approaches within their courses, to complement the traditional learning approach, where lecturer is the cornerstone of learning (Bisoux, 2007).
 
In the traditional lecturing system, higher engagement levels are unlikely to happen. This is because the continuous flow of information leaves learners with very little time to think and interiorize concepts (Gasiewski, Eagan, Garcia, Hurtado, & Chang, 2012).
 
According to Chapman, Schetzsle, and Wahlers (2016), Learners taught using innovative teaching techniques often attain higher performance and show a positive impact in class, at the same time, they enjoy the learning experience.
 
Experience-based activities empower the groups’ learning tactic, as participants exchange information, manage different perspectives, and are in a position to question and facing real problems (Rodríguez-Félix, Albort-Morant, & Leal-Rodríguez, 2016).
 
During EL, Learners grasp the academic concepts at the same time that they put them into practice, resulting in the expansion of their perspectives and growth in personal development (Takahashi & Saito, 2013).

Aims of Experiential Learning

The aims of experiential learning include:

• It creates a more relatable and relevant learning scenario for participants. The participants make can connect theoretical work with real-life scenarios.
• Learning effectiveness is increased as a result of engaging learners in critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision making.
• It increases collaboration between participants as they have to engage with each other during the learning process.
• Experiential learnings increase knowledge retention as the participant's feelings and values are engaged in the thinking process. This creates an emotional attachment between the learners and the scenario. 
• Reflecting, conceptualizing, and planning what steps to engage in ensures learners develop skills that they will use in their entire career. 

Contributors to the field of experiential learning

Experiential learning is an ancient concept. Aristotle spoke of it around 350BC when he wrote in the Nicomachean Ethics "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."  Confucius also spoke about it at around the same period as mentioned earlier. However, as an articulated educational approach, experiential learning is very recent.
 
David A. Kolb (1939) started developing the modern theory of experiential learning that was based on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget.  He defines EL as “The process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 41).

The theory emphasized that the learner is in direct contact with the phenomenon being studied rather than just reading it, watching it, hearing about it, and thinking about it (Kolb 1984; Kohonen 2001). He pointed out that, "Personal experience gives life texture, and subjective personal meaning to abstract concepts.

​At the same time, it also provides concrete, publicly shared reference point for testing the implications and validity of ideas created during the learning process.” The learner has to pass through this whole cycle for learning to take place. 

​David Kolb (1984, 42) model of experiential learning is as above.
 
To learn something, you need to notice it first. Leo Van Lier (1996, 11) further pointed out that learning is a cyclic process that integrates reflection, ongoing experience, action, and abstract conceptualization.  "This noticing is an awareness of its existence, obtained and enhanced by paying attention to it. Paying attention is focusing one's consciousness or pointing one's perceptual powers in the right direction, and making mental ‘energy' available for processing."
 
More recently, many more educators have come up with principles and theories of experiential learning. According to (UC Davis, 2011), “The focus of EL is placed on the process of learning and not the product of learning.” Additionally, “The stages of reflection and application are what make experiential learning different and more powerful than the models commonly referred to as learn-by-doing or hands-on-learning” (UC Davis, 2011, para 12 citing Proudman).
 
Haynes, 2007, and UC Davis, 2011 came up with steps that experiential learning comprises of.

1. Doing/Experiencing: Learners take part in a hands-on experience with very little or no interference from the instructor. The focus should be on the quality of experience not the quantity of it.

2. Reflection/What happened?:
This is where the learner is asked to share about what happened and the results of their experiences with their peers. The peers are also expected to exchange their experience lessons and results. This way, the learners get to reflect on what they were doing and how they faced challenges and found solutions to forge on

3. Analyzing what’s important or processing:
The learners discuss their experience with others after reflecting on them. Discussions allow them to further analyze their experiences, problems that came up, solutions they provided and pinpoint the recurring themes.

4. Generalizing:
The learners connect their studies with real-world scenarios that came up in their experiences

5. Application:
Learners apply what they have learned in a different or similar situation. They can also discuss how their newly acquired skills can be applied to other situations. They should be made to feel a sense of ownership of what they have learned and continue to develop the behaviour they have learned. 

Benefits of Experiential Learning

Most organizations are seeking highly skilled personnel to respond to the current rise in the knowledge and technical economy. Post-secondary education is not enough as on its own it doesn’t impart the required skills. To develop a wider range of occupational skills, new graduates are turning to programs that have experiential learning concepts. Most of them are going for internships, volunteer programs, co-operative education, and many other work placement programs. 
 
The benefits of experiential learning include:
​
Benefits to learners

• It helps the learner gain valuable work-related skills that help them make informed career choices in future.

 

• It gives learners specific content-area knowledge as well as soft skills that cannot be learned in a classroom.

 

• In a recent survey carried out on 3,300 post-secondary graduates in New Brunswick proved that most learners took part in co-operative education to gain real-life work experience to fulfil their career goals. Co-operative education is a program that alternates academic classwork with work experience. The period spent on workspaces is at least 30% of the time spend in classwork. The study revealed that 91% of the participants rated experiential learning as a valuable experience. Additionally, 75% of them said that experiential learning gave them a basis to identify their future career paths.

 

• Researchers have also found out that learners with experiential learning experience are more likely to secure jobs once they graduate as opposed to those with no experience at all.

 

• Learners with experiential learning experience have been reported to have a high level of job satisfaction and a higher salary and benefits compared to those with none.

 

• Learners with experiential learning experience tend to develop a more intrinsic interest in their work and identify new learning opportunities in their workplaces.

 

• Learners who have trouble learning in a formal classroom can highly benefit from alternating classwork with experiential learning.

 

• Experiential learning allows Learners to place themselves in screening positions for permanent employment.

Benefits to employers

• A survey conducted during the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education that had more than 800 employers participating rated experiential learning highly in impacting skills. The survey revealed that experiential learning met the employer's needs. This was so as employers said it ensured employability skills were imparted on the learners making them ready for the work-related environment.

 

• In another study, employers revealed that it was more cost-effective for hiring new graduates who had taken part in experiential learning. This is because the learners come equipped with some professional and soft skills needed in work environments.

 

• In the Journal of Co-operative Education, 36(1), pp. 7-22 a study conducted on 100 employers revealed that they valued experiential learning for the following reasons: 1) one gets to hire enthusiastic and motivated employees. 2) It provides an opportunity to screen learners for future permanent positions. 3) It provides a chance to positively engage higher education institutions. This indicated that EL makes learners more competent in work-required skills. 

 
Experiential learning opportunities for graduates joining the workplace.

• Apprenticeship experience: learnes get to learn from observing and doing. Most apprentice programs have certificates once one is done. Very common among skilled labourers.

 

• Cooperative education experiences: This is a paid work opportunity for students that are tied to their academic work. The cooperative meets the students' academic and career goals in the way they are structured. The learner gets the credit hours spent in the workplace indicated on their transcripts.

 

• Fellowship experiences: they usually offer tuition or aid to support learners training for a specific period. Students can look for post-graduate or post-doctorate fellowships to join based on their courses.

 

• Fieldwork experiences

 

• Internship experiences

 

• Volunteer experiences

​

• Service-learning experiences: this is when students perform a specific job within the community and they solve specific society problems e.g. homelessness, pollution, poverty, etc.

Bringing Experiential Learning to the workplace

Experiential learning in the workplace involves hands-on activities, simulations, and role-playing exercises that replicate real-life situations. This approach allows employees to practice new skills and behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. They can experiment, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences, all while receiving feedback and guidance from facilitators.

The corporate world has now discovered that knowledge is easily absorbed and retained during experiential learning. This has created a need for experiential learning in the workplace. The following skills can be imparted using EL.
 
The best thing about experiential learning is that it lets learners learn by doing, teaching, and mentoring others in the group. It ensures all aspects of the 70-20-10 learning model are represented in their programs. The key thing is to always ensure that the activities are carried out in a safe environment.

Katula and Threnhauser (1999, p. 240)  defined EL as the “Process that takes place beyond the traditional classroom and that enhances the personal and intellectual growth of the student. Such education can occur in a wide variety of settings, but it usually takes on a learn-by-doing aspect that engages the student directly in the subject, work or service involved.”

The corporate world has now discovered that knowledge is easily absorbed and retained during experiential learning. This has created a need for experiential learning in the workplace. The following skills can be imparted using EL.
 
The best thing about experiential learning is that it lets participants learn by doing, teaching, and mentoring others in the group. It ensures all aspects of the 70-20-10 learning model are represented in their programs. The key thing is to always ensure that the activities are carried out in a safe environment.
 
Employee engagement: For your employees to feel engaged, they have to have the knowledge that they are meaningfully contributing to the organization. Allowing them to learn using real-world tools to accelerate their engagement levels. This is where experiential learning is the toolkit required for employee engagement. It is responsible for developing a skill which in turn creates achievements and ultimately increases employee engagement.
The benefits of using experiential for engagement include:

• It can be personalized to some extent
• It provides a safe learning environment for employees
• It will allow the participants to see the impact of their actions.
• It produces measurable results
• The return on investment is great.

 
Behavioural Skills Training: Many behavioural skills can be taught using experiential learning including;

• Communication skills
• Customer service
• Time management
• Delegation
• Project management

It not only teaches new skill but also encourages people to modify their behaviour. Change in behaviour contributes to improvement in the performance of employees. The activities include roleplaying, group training, and cross-training. Debrief is also a very important part of the training as it becomes a way to link what they have learnt to real-life experiences. Since the participants saw their newly acquired skills work in a training environment, they are more confident to try out what they learnt in their workplaces.
 
Leadership Development: Developing leaders in organizations and encouraging continuous improvement in the present leaders is very important to an organization. Experiential learning can be used to teach:

• Mentoring and coaching
• Change management
• World-class communication
• Strategy development and execution
• Team empowerment

 
Role-play: Develop realistic the participant might come upon as leaders. Identify roles of different participants, and rotate the roles within the group to have different viewpoints.

Problem-based projects: Participants can bring their functional problems and the group can vote on which ones to solve. Allow the group to pick the best solutions.

Engage in simulations: Have task-based simulations, functional-based simulations, or business simulations. This will help you test business acumen, financial and project management, or operations.
 
Team BuildingBy its very nature experiential learning promotes teamwork and collaboration. It puts team members in situations that make them work together. The programs can be tailor-made to fit a specific purpose. One should identify the specific team goals and pick a program that best fits the team.
If an experiential program is delivered effectively, it acts as a team development activity. They can engage in activities like:

Team outings: are the most informal form of experiential learning. It can be as simple as going out for dinner, a ball game, or company picnic. The major advantage of these activities is that they are affordable and people get to open up and share their various experiences.

Professionally organised team-building: these programs can be targeted to achieve a specific result. Professional team building facilitators have experience in delivering quality results as well as keeping the group highly enthusiastic.

Charity team building: these programs add a philanthropic twist to team building. Groups not only open up and have a fun time but also, they find an emotional connection. 

Experiential Learning Activities for Workplace

​In organizations, experiential learning generally involves bringing real-world situations in training programs. We can use role-playing, games, case studies, simulations, problem-solving, and on-the-job training.
 
Role-playing: It is a safe environment provided to employees for them to make mistakes and act out different functional scenarios. The participants get to experience different situations from numerous perspectives. The scenarios are to be drawn from perspectives that will show them how different actions affect their performance and the company at large.

Team Building Games: It is one of the most popular ways used to teach as employees learn more by doing and participating in fun-based activities. Games can be put together to be competitive or have groups collaborating to solve a certain problem. An award can be set aside for the winners and they can include badges, certificates, or points.

Some team games can include:

Scavenger hunt
It is a classic game that has been played for ages and why not bring a classic in the business world.
Inspires team collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and team development

Buckets and balls
In this game, the group members compete moving balls from one bucket to another with no use of hands. Time limitations put on the game makes it more fun and competitive.
It helps develop teamwork and team bonding, task and time management, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

Shark tank
This is very similar to the TV series Shark Tank that has entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to investors. The investors pick the pitch that shows the return of their investment.

It enhances financial acumen, business acumen, promotes teamwork and collaboration, enhances critical thinking, and entrepreneurship.
There are many more games that professional team building facilitators can engage in.

Case study: Case studies are real-world scenarios that have already happened. Work-related examples make employees learn the basic principle better than just giving them the facts. The participants can be asked to analyze a situation with already available data and provide a solution to the challenge.

Most case studies encourage learners to be open-minded and give solutions to open-ended questions.  They can provide valuable insight into what behaviour and skills are needed to deal with a similar situation at work. They can also refer to the case in future.
They encourage team collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, financial or business acumen skills, etc.
 
Simulations With the current advancement in technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and VR (virtual reality), simulations of any industry can be created. A simulation of a real work-related situation is created and a participant has to react. It provides an appropriate environment for learners to practice real-life skills and make mistakes without fear or judgement.
 
Participants can be given the task of running a virtual company. They are to engage with other participants and collaborate with team members to respond to numerous stimuli. They are expected to work together and make informed decisions.
 
Simulations provide a chance for debriefs that highlight the teams’ decisions, their mistakes, and guide them through their inadequacies. As the simulations are tied to specific job functions, their feedback nurtures career development and growth.
 
Industry simulations are good for developing critical thinking, team development, strategic thinking, business acumen, and leadership development.

Problem-solving: The learners come up with problems they encounter on the job and the team members brainstorm to provide solutions. This is often referred to as problem-based learning which is defined as “instructional method of hands-on, active learning centred on the investigation and resolution of real-world problems.” This situations always prompts participants to think outside the box.

On-the-job-training: Work placements and internships provide day to day engagements with supervisors, colleagues, and work environment. “OJT exposes staff to ‘business as usual’ situations – real customers, peers, supervisors, real products, and services” This training is to enlighten participants to work well with others, promote productivity, and improve team dynamics.

Incorporating Experiential Learning in the workplace

Experiential learning in the workplace also promotes a culture of continuous learning and growth. Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their development and seek out new opportunities for learning. This mindset not only benefits the individual but also contributes to the overall success of the organization.

​The benefits of experiential learning are clear, but how can you incorporate this approach in your organization? Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Identify your objectives: Before incorporating experiential learning, clearly define your objectives and the skills you want to develop. This will help you design activities and programs that are aligned with your organization's goals.
2. Customize the experience: Tailor the experiential learning experience to the needs and preferences of your team or organization. Consider their interests, learning styles, and desired outcomes. Customization ensures that the experience is relevant, engaging, and impactful.
3. Partner with experts: Collaborate with experienced facilitators or providers like Outlife who specialize in experiential learning. Their expertise and knowledge will ensure that the activities are well-designed, safe, and effective.
4. Create a safe and supportive environment: Foster an environment where participants feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences. Encourage open communication, constructive feedback, and a growth mindset.
5. Promote reflection and debriefing: Reflection is a crucial component of experiential learning. Allocate time for participants to reflect on their experiences, discuss key learnings, and identify areas for improvement. This reflection process enhances understanding and application of learnings.
6. Integrate experiential learning into existing programs: Look for opportunities to incorporate experiential learning into your existing training and development programs. For example, you can include team-building activities, simulations, or role-playing exercises.
7. Encourage continuous learning: Experiential learning is an ongoing process. Encourage individuals to seek out new challenges, take ownership of their development, and continuously learn and grow. Provide resources and support for further learning and skill development.
By incorporating experiential learning into your organization, you can create a more engaging and effective learning experience. Participants will develop essential skills, enhance collaboration, and foster personal and professional growth.

Expertise and Offerings in Experiential learning for corporate ​

​Outlife offers experiential learning to both corporates and students between 6-17 years of age. All participants are engaged intellectually, physically, socially, and soulfully.
 
The experiential learning programs include employee engagement programs, outbound training, outdoor management development, team building activities, and corporate adventure training. We also offer outdoor education and camping programs for schools.
 
The facilitation methodology is problem-based, collaborative, and participant-centred. This not only provides knowledge and skills comprehension but also, gives insight into the application of simulated learning.
 

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