Experiential learning
John Dewey's philosophy proposed that each experience builds upon previous experiences and influences the way future experiences will affect the learner. The role of the educator is to provide experiences that will provide learners with meaningful experiences that will enable the individual to contribute to society.
Using the learning cycle proposed by Kurt Lewin and the philosophy of John Dewey, David Kolb developed the experiential learning model to describe the learning process of adult learners. The four stages are:
- Concrete Experience
- Reflective Observation
- Abstract Conceptualisation
- Active Experimentation
Completing this cycle leads to new experience, setting of a new cycle. The time frame for a cycle varies with the learner and scope of the learning experience. It should be noted that a learning cycle can begin at any point within the cycle. The cycle also spirals with each cycle building upon the previous one.
The model lead to the extension, by Kolb and Fry, of the four stages to designate "abilities" the 'ideal' learner should have in order to learn effectively. Most people tend to be stronger in one of these abilities to varying degrees. By placing people on a line along a concrete experience - abstract conceptualization axis and an active experimentation and reflective observation axis they came up with four learning styles to categorize types of learners.