What is Experiential Education?

“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results “ — John Dewey

The experiential approach to education and group work is based on the idea that change and growth take place when people are actively (physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally) involved in their learning rather than just being receivers of information. The philosophy of experiential education was promoted by John Dewey, an educator and philosopher in the early 20th century who was one of many innovators during the progressive movement in education. The progressive movement aimed to move educational practices out of what many thinkers believed to be the narrow, limited realm of traditional education instead focusing on the “whole person” including one’s physical, emotional and intellectual growth. Learners were encouraged to experiment and think independently. Many vocational programs came out of this movement as did Montessori programs.

John Dewey and his peers felt a time-honored and common sense belief was being left behind in modern education: that people learn most when they are actively involved in their learning and find the material relevant and attractive in some way. He emphasized that learners need to feel a sense of control over learning situations and should be provided with opportunities to reflect on the learning experiences so they relate, connect and transfer to real life.

Recently these ideas are being supported by studies of the brain and how people learn. In the past few decades, new technologies such as brain imaging have become available, allowing neuroscientists to identify optimal conditions for learning. Many educators and theorists such as Erik Jensen (Teaching with the Brain in Mind, 1998) and others call approaches that take advantage of these optimal conditions for learning “brain based” learning. Brain Based theory emphasizes many of the same tenets John Dewey put forward nearly a century ago such as the value of combining physical action and reflection in learning, giving learners choice and control over their learning, creating novel and relevant learning situations.

Experiential Facilitation and Teaching

The word “facilitate” is used in a variety of fields to describe the process of guiding, helping, assisting, and creating. Experiential facilitation is an intentional approach to facilitation based on the idea that people learn and change more from the process of working through problems and finding solutions than from being given answers and solutions by a teacher/counselor/leader. The term facilitator could describe the role of a person in the field of education, counseling, corporate training or other related area who works to help individuals and groups create positive change, learn new skills and gain new perspectives.

Classroom teachers might find that thinking of themselves as a “facilitator” or guide in the process of students learning and discover is key to helping students create ownership over their learning and increasing their effectiveness and satisfaction as a teacher.

A benefit of experiential facilitation is that by using a variety of methods and combining action and reflection educators can reach the varying learning styles of group members or students they work with. What experiential approaches does best is instill the desire to keep on learning.

–From Tips & Tools The Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, Jen Stanchfield 2007

“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself.”

–Galileo