19 for observation and judgment to intervene, and action is essential for achievement of
purpose. Lewin’s work 1951 on group dynamics and the methodology of action
research has been very influential. Lewin as summarized by Kohonen 2001: 24, made the important discovery that learning is best facilitated in an environment
where there is a tension between immediate, concrete experience and analytic detachment and reflection. In the basic model of experiential learning advanced by
Lewin, immediate personal experience is the focal point for learning. In his model, 1 immediate concrete experience is the basis for observation and reflection. It is
accompanied by 2 reflective observation that leads to the 3 formation of abstract concepts and further to 4 testing the implications in new situations.
In his classical work on developmental psychology, Piaget identified four major stages growth that emerge from birth to about the age of 14-16. Piaget as
summarized by Kohonen 2001: 24 discovered age-related regularities in children’s reasoning processes, and how intelligence is gradually shaped by experience.
Intelligence is a product of the interaction between the child and his environment. Thus the powers of abstract reasoning and symbol manipulation can be traced back
to the infant’s action in exploring and coping with his immediate environment, whereby experience is translated into a model of the world.
b. The Role of Experiential Learning
The role of experience learning is that experience plays a significant role in learning Kohonen, 2001: 22. Kohonen also stated:
20 Experiential learning tecniques include various interactive practises where the
participants have opportunities to learn from each others’ experiences, being actively and personally engaged in the process:
1 personal journal and reflections
2 portfolios, throught questions and reflective essays
3 role plays, drama activities, games and simulations
4 personal stories and case studies
5 visualisations and imaginative activities
6 models, analogies and theory construction
7 emphaty-taking activities, story telling, sharing with others
8 discussions and reflection in cooperative groups
All of these contain a common element of learning from immediate experience and engaging the learners in the process as whole person, both
intelectually and emotionally. Kohonen, 2001: 23
Experiential learning involves both observing the phenomenon and doing something meaningful throungh an active observation. The learner is directly in touch with the
phenomenon being studied, rather than just hearing, reading, or thinking about it Keeton and Tate, 1978, summarized in Kohonen, 2001: 23.
c. Basic Model of Experiential Learning
Learning is essentially a process of resolution of conflicts between two dialetically opposed dimensions, the prehension dimension and the transformation
dimension.
1 The prehension dimension refers to the way in which the individual grasps
experience. This dimension includes two models of knowing, ranging from what Kolb calls grasping through apprehension and grasping through comprehension.
a Apprehension means knowing instantaneously without need for rational
inquiry or analytical confirmation. For example, what we see, hear, and feel around us.
21 b
Comprehension emphasises the role of conscious learning. Through comprehension we introduce order and predictability to the flow of
unconscious sensations. 2
The transformation dimension refers to the transformation of experience through reflective observation and active experimentation. According to Piaget as stated
by Kolb 1984: 51-59, extension is behavioral actions that transform objects or states, while intention is intellectual operations that are internalized actions or
systems of transformation. The polar ends of the two dimensions thus yield four orientations to learning
Kohonen, 2001: 28. 1
Concrete experience is learning by intuition, with an involvement in personal experiences and emphasis on feeling over thinking. The
instructional activities, for example, discussions in small groups, simulation technique, the use of films, videos, the use of examples,
stories, and autobiography.
2 Reflective observation is learning by perception, focusing on
understanding the meaning of ideas and situations by careful observation. The instructional techniques include personal journal, reflective essays,
observation, and throught questions and discussions.
3 Abstract conceptualisation is learning by thinking, using logic and a
systematic approch to problem-solving. The instructional techniques include theory construction, lecturing and building models and analogies.
4 Active experimentation is learning by action, with an emphasis on
practical applications and getting things done. The instructional techniques include various project, laboratory and homework, games,
simulation and dramatisation, the use of case studies.
Experience plays a significant role in learning. However, not all experiences are sufficient for learning. Experience must also be observed and analyzed
consciously, and reflection must in turn be followed by testing new hypotheses in order to obtain further experience Kohonen, 2001: 29. Therefore, only experience
22 that is reflected seriously provides full measure of learning. Afterward, reflection
must be followed by action for further experience. This is what experiential learning is about; learning from actual experience through reflection Kohonen, 2001: 24.
Figure 2.3 Basic Model of Experiential Learning Kolb, 1984: 42 d.
Learning Style Inventory
Learning Style Inventory LSI is created in order to assess individual orientations toward learning Kolb, 1984: 67. As result of particular last experience
and the demands of present environment, most people develop learning styles that emphasize some learning abilities. The following is a description of the four basic
learning styles. 1
Convergent Learning Style This style relies primarily on the dominant learning abilities of abstract
conceptualization and active experimentation. The greatest strength of this orientation lies in problem solving, decision making, and the practical application of
23 ideas. This learning style is usually called converger because a person with this style
seems to do the best in situations like conventional intelligence tests, where there is a single correct answersolution to a questionproblem Kolb, 1984: 77.
2 Divergent Learning Style
This style has the opposite learning strengths from convergence, emphasizing concrete experience and reflective observation. The greatest strength of this
orientation lies in imaginative ability and awareness of meaning and values. The emphasis in this orientation is on adaptation by observation than action. This style is
called diverger because a person of this type performs better in situations that call for generation of alternative ideas and implications, such as brainstorming idea Kolb,
1984: 77-78. 3
Assimilation Learning Style In this style, the dominant learning abilities are abstract conceptualization and
reflective observation. The greatest strength of this orientation lies in inductive reasoning and the ability to create theoretical models. This orientation is more
concerned with ideas and abstract concepts. 4
Accommodative Learning Style This learning style has the opposite strengths from assimilation, emphasizing
concrete experience and active experimentation. The greatest strength of this orientation lies in doing things, in carrying out plans and tasks and getting involved
in new experiences. This orientation is also emphasis on opportunity seeking, risk taking, and action. This style is called accommodation because it is best suited for
those situations where one must adapt oneself to changing immediate circumstances.
24
e. Characteristics of Experiential Learning
