Background and Description of Experiential Learning
Definition and History
What is experiential learning?
How does it work?
Where did it develop?
Contemporary Topics & Developments in the Field
Experiential Education Resources
National Society for Experiential Education
Theorists
John Dewey
David A. Kolb
Kurt Lewin
Jean Piaget
What is Experiential Learning?
Experiential learning is a process through which a student develops knowledge, skills, and values from direct experiences. Academic experiential education at Brandeis includes community-engaged learning, internships and other activities including performances, lab work, and creative and studio work.
Curricular activities that are "experiential" contain all the following elements:
- Opportunities for the student to take initiative, make decisions, and be accountable for the results
- Opportunities for the students to engage intellectually, creatively, emotionally, socially, or physically
- The design of the learning experience assumes some outcomes will be unknown and creates the possibility to learn from natural consequences, mistakes, and successes.
- Reflection, critical analysis and synthesis
*Definition by the Davis Education Committee, now the Experiential Learning Committee at Brandeis, and adapted from the National Society for Experiential Education