1.5 Roles in Experiential Learning

Instructor Roles in Experiential Learning

In experiential learning, the instructor guides rather than directs the learning process where students are naturally interested in learning. The instructor assumes the role of facilitator and is guided by a number of steps crucial to experiential learning, as noted by (Wurdinger & Carlson, 2010, p. 13).

1. Be willing to accept a less teacher-centric role in the classroom.
2. Approach the learning experience in a positive, non-dominating way.
3. Identify an experience in which students will find interest and be personally committed.
4. Explain the purpose of the experiential learning situation to the students.
5. Share your feelings and thoughts with your students and let them know that you are learning from the experience, too.
6. Tie the course learning objectives to course activities and direct experiences so students know what they are supposed to do.
7. Provide relevant and meaningful resources to help students succeed.
8. Allow students to experiment and discover solutions on their own.
9. Find a sense of balance between the academic and nurturing aspects of teaching.
10. Clarify students’ and instructor roles.

Student Roles in Experiential Learning

Qualities of experiential learning are those in which students decide themselves to be personally involved in the learning experience (students are actively participating in their own learning and have a personal role in the direction of learning). Students are not completely left to teach themselves; however, the instructor assumes the role of guide and facilitates the learning process. The following list of student roles has been adapted from (UC-Davis, 2011; Wurdinger & Carlson, 2010).

1. Students will be involved in problems which are practical, social, and personal.
2. Students will be allowed freedom in the classroom as long as they make headway in the learning process.
3. Students often will need to be involved with difficult and challenging situations while discovering.
4. Students will self-evaluate their progression or success in the learning process, which becomes the primary means of assessment.
5. Students will learn from the learning process and become open to change. This change includes less reliance on the instructor and more on fellow peers, the development of skills to investigate (research) and learn from an authentic experience, and the ability to self-evaluate one’s performance objectively.

Integrating Experiential Learning (EL) in Teaching

As previously noted, a primary role for instructors is to identify a situation which challenges students through problem-solving, cooperation, collaboration, self-discovery, and self-reflection. At the same time, decide what the students should learn or gain from the learning experience. Below are some primary points to consider when integrating experiential learning into your teaching.

Plan

Once the EL experience has been decided upon, plan the experience by tying it to the course learning objectives and determine what students will need to successfully complete the exercise (resources such as readings and worksheets, research, rubrics, supplies and directions to off-campus locations, etc.). Also, determine the logistics: how much time will be allotted for the students to complete the experience (a complete class session, one week or more)? Will students need to work outside of class? How will the experience end? What forms of assessment will you employ? Will you use ongoing assessments such as observations and journals (called formative assessment), end-of-experience assessments such as written reports and projects, self and/or peer assessments, or a combination of all three?

Prepare

After the planning has been completed, prepare materials, rubrics, and assessment tools and ensure that everything is ready before the experience begins.

Facilitate

As with most instructional strategies, the instructor should commence the experience. Once begun, you should refrain from providing students with all the content and information and complete answers to their questions. Instead, guide students through the process of finding and determining solutions for themselves.

Evaluate

The success of an experiential learning activity can be determined during discussions, reflections, and a debriefing session. Debriefing, as a culminating experience, can help to reinforce and extend the learning process. In addition, make use of the assessment strategies previously planned.

“Experiential Learning” in Instructional Guide for University Faculty and Teaching Assistants by Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning  is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.