Active Learning Resources

“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” – Aristotle

Experiential Learning is a process by which the learner develops meaning and insight from engagement in direct experiences, i.e., “learning from experience” or “learn-by-doing”.

Experiential Learning includes a variety of activities with one common goal—to immerse you in hands-on learning outside the classroom where the learner’s experience is at the heart of the learning process.

According to Kolb, knowledge is gained through both personal and environmental experiences. He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required. The learner must:

      •   be willing to be actively involved in the experience;

      •   be able to reflect on the experience;

      •   use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience

      •   possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience.

Experiential Learning Resources

• Center for Experiential Learning - Loyola University Chicago

  The Center for Experiential Learning is proud to introduce you to Loyola students who have found their direction through service-learning classes, academic internships, student employment, undergraduate research, and ePortfolio. These students are transforming through their Loyola experiences and we are excited to share their stories and ePortfolios with you.
• Connecting the Classroom to the World - New Century College, George Mason University

  New Century College is committed to providing educational experiences that prepare its graduates for the workplace and the demands of active and responsible citizenship. Experiential learning comprises one of the core components of New Century College’s curriculum and is the process through which students “connect the classroom to the world.” All students enrolled in New Century College’s BA or BS in integrative studies are required to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours dedicated to experiential learning.
• David A. Kolb on Experiential Learning

  David A. Kolb's model of experiential learning can be found in many discussions of the theory and practice of adult education, informal education and lifelong learning. We set out the model, and examine its possibilities and problems.
• Experiential and Community-Engaged Learning (ExCEL) - Brandeis University

  Brandeis University offers students and faculty a wide range of hands-on learning and teaching opportunities including: independent research, ExCEL courses, internships, community-based projects, art work and study abroad programs. The Experiential Learning program was developed to expand on the the Brandeis mission, particularly preparing students to fully participate in a changing society. Many projects take students beyond campus by partnering with community groups, conducting research at a museum in Boston, serving as an intern for a semester, through study abroad, and more.
• Experiential Learning (C. Rodgers) - Instructional Design

  Rogers distinguished two types of learning: cognitive (meaningless) and experiential (significant). The former corresponds to academic knowledge such as learning vocabulary or multiplication tables and the latter refers to applied knowledge such as learning about engines in order to repair a car. The key to the distinction is that experiential learning addresses the needs and wants of the learner. Rogers lists these qualities of experiential learning: personal involvement, self-initiated, evaluated by learner, and pervasive effects on learner.
• Experiential Learning - Kent State University

  Experiential learning is a process by which the learner develops meaning and insight from engagement in direct experiences. There are many ways in which students can learn-by-doing. At Kent State University, students are encouraged to explore the numerous ways in which they may learn through direct experience. Whether through experiential education, service learning, internships, research application or study abroad, opportunities for enrichment abound.
• Experiential Learning - Northeastern University
• Experiential Learning - Pepperdine University

  "At Pepperdine we don't just talk about communication; we provide you an opportunity to practice what you’re learning. [...] We call these co-curricular programs by a new name—experiential learning—because you learn as you experience how it’s done in the “real world.” It’s experience that not only looks great on a resume, but puts you ahead of other students when competing for similar jobs."
• Experiential Learning - UC Berkeley

  This webpage is intended to help you in applying best practices when offering experiential learning courses and programs to ensure student learning, positive community impact and safety for everyone involved. Experiential learning can add to the richness of the student experience, enhance faculty teaching and research, and contribute to the community but it does take time to plan these experiences so that they serve the educational purpose you desire.
• Experiential Learning - UC Davis

  Welcome to the Experiential Learning home page! This site is produced by the University of California Science, Technology and Environmental Literacy (STEL) Workgroup's Experiential Learning Project Group (ELPG) for anyone—from individuals who are exploring experiential learning (EL) for first time to those who have years of experience in the area. We hope you will find the web site valuable in your professional work.
• Experiential Learning and Testing - Old Dominion University

  The Experiential Learning Program assists degree-seeking students in assessing previous work experience, military training and service, volunteer activities, community service, and other kinds of training and education that has taken place outside the college classroom.
• Experiential Learning Center (ELC) - University of Colorado Denver

  The Experiential Learning Center (ELC) is committed to working closely with students, faculty, employers and community partners to provide quality experiential learning opportunities that enhance academic learning, integrate theory and practice, and promote professional development and active citizenship.
• Experiential Learning Center - University of Colorado Denver

  Experiential learning is a process through which students develop knowledge, skills, and values from direct experiences outside a traditional academic setting. Experiential learning encompasses a variety of activities including internships, service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad, and other creative and professional work experiences. Well-planned, supervised and assessed experiential learning programs can stimulate academic inquiry by promoting interdisciplinary learning, civic engagement, career development, cultural awareness, leadership, and other professional and intellectual skills.
• Experiential Learning Center - University of Southern California, Marshall

  Welcome to the USC Marshall School's Experiential Learning Center where students practice their management skills as "business people" even before they graduate! Our mission at Marshall is to teach theory and the application of this theory to business situations. This focus on application makes our training at the Experiential Learning Center unique and applicable to "real-life" business. At the Center Marshall students are presented with a multitude of opportunities to learn a variety of management concepts and communication skills in a "learning by doing" manner. Students engage in challenging business scenarios that teach them how to effectively organize, lead, motivate, plan and communicate in various business situations.
• Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions
• Experiential Learning: Internships and Service Learning - New York University

  NYU has a strong commitment to community involvement. Students have an extraordinary array of formal and informal hands-on learning opportunities that help to connect theory to practice. The broad spectrum of experiential learning opportunities available to students at NYU ranges from internships to service learning, and includes both public service and community-based activities.
• Experiential Learning: Learn. Experience. Excel. (EXL) - Purdue University Calumet

  Purdue University Calumet is a recognized leader in experiential education. It is one of the few universities in the nation that gives all students the opportunity to build Experiential Learning into their curriculum by requiring two courses for graduation.
• Office of Experiential Learning, University of Central Florida

  The Office of Experiential Learning, in Undergraduate Studies, promotes and instructs applied learning courses for students, supports quality experiential learning course development among faculty, and assists employers to meet their workforce development needs. Each year, over 20,000 UCF students participate in experiential learning courses including Cooperative Education (Co-op), internships, and Service-Learning.
• Toolwire - The Experiential Learning Company

  Since 1998, Toolwire has had a singular focus: to be the world's leading innovator of Experiential Learning technologies. These learning technologies are helping Higher Education institutions and Corporate Universities bridge the widening gap between what students learn … and what they DO.
• Experiential Learning - UC San Diego

  Discover, experiment, and broaden your knowledge through first-hand experiences offered by UCSD and the community instead of hearing about the adventures of others: Communication and Leadership, Community Service and Civic Engagement, Internships, Service Learning, etc.