Experiential Learning in Online Environments

Experiential Learning in Online Environments

Technological innovations have introduced a number of online learning opportunities in recent years, and educators continue to search for better ways of delivering high quality educational services in online environments. Although online environments provide a number of advantages for both students and teachers, there are also some constraints involved in their use, particularly with regards to experiential learning activities. Most young learners today are computer-literate and many prefer to learn by doing rather than watching or listening, making the need for authentic experiential online learning activities more important than ever. To determine how experiential learning opportunities can be incorporated into an online environment, this paper provides a review of the relevant literature followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

Online learning environments can provide numerous opportunities for experiential learning. For instance, McCarty notes that, "Building online experiential learning communities expands existing programs and their participants beyond the physical boundaries of university while simplifying some aspects of their administration. In addition, the Internet assists in integrating experiential learning with other academic and student programs" (McCarty 75). Experiential learning, though, is based on "learning by doing," an approach that is preferred by many of today's students. According to Lim, Pellett and Pellett, "Today's students are media literate and experientially grounded. Today's learners tend to prefer experiential-based activities and prefer to learn by doing, as opposed to learning by listening" (2009:41). Whether it is used in a traditional classroom setting or an online environment, the tenets of experiential learning are essentially the same. In this regard, McPherson and Nunes report that, "Experiential learning occurs when a person engages in some activity, looks back at the activity critically, abstracts some useful insight from the analysis, and puts the result to work" (13). Likewise, Kennedy and Abell note that, "Experiential learning is an approach that actively encourages individuals to learn from experience and to look for activities that will contribute to their professional and personal development" (2008:26). The "learning by doing" aspects of experiential learning mean that "Knowledge development is undertaken by the learner rather than presented by the teacher" (Seed 2008:210). Although new approaches to delivering educational services in online environments have been introduced in recent years, much more remains to be done to integrate experiential learning activities in these environments. For example, according to Aragon, "As in the traditional classroom, online learners' experiences are largely shaped by their interactions with various sources, but the types of interactions fostered in an online environment are still new and call for greater exploration and coordination" (2003:29).

The four-step cycle of experiential learning (Doing, Reflecting, Understanding and Applying) developed by Kolb et al. (1971) is a commonly used model to describe the process (McPherson and Nunes 2004). Following the completion of an activity, experiential learners reflect on their experience by associating it with previous experiences and knowledge, develop an understanding of the knowledge that was involved in the activities with the assistance of conceptual and theoretical resources, and then apply this learning to future experiences (McPherson and Nunes 2004). According to McPherson and Nunes, two of the four-steps in Kolb's cycle of experiential learning are particularly well suited for online environments. In this regard, these authors note that, "Reflecting and Understanding are often seen as collaborative activities where social negotiation of meaning has an important part. By carrying out the activities and then reflecting upon and discussing what was experienced, new knowledge is actively constructed" (McPherson and Nunes 14).

Using Kolb's experiential learning model, educators at a large, public university developed four online workshops to assist students with time management, textbook reading, memory and concentration, and general academic performance (Lynch and Kogan 2004). According to these educators, "Kolb's model was selected because it has been applied to educational settings and has been successfully adapted for use in experiential workshops" (Lynch and Kogan 171). One of the more interesting aspects of the experiential learning online workshops was the ability of students to tailor the content to their individual preferences depending on what type of learning style they favored. In this regard, Lynch and Kogan note that:

1. Imaginative learners prefer activities that allow reflection on known information relevant to the topic;

2. Analytic learners learn best from activities that integrate theory and factual information;

3. Common-sense learners succeed when they are able to test theories and problem solve; and,

4. Dynamic learners prefer to learn by implementing new knowledge in their daily lives (2004:171).

In order to achieve the desired outcomes, each of the four online workshops provided students with the opportunity to use Kolb's model according to their preferred learning style (Lynch and Kogan 171). The workshop developers incorporated interactive content in each workshop that specifically targeted the four learning styles described by Kolb (1984). In this regard, Lynch and Kogan report that, "The interactive pages within each workshop were created to allow each user to personalize the information being discussed. The four online workshops, developed using Kolb's (1984) model of experiential learning, have successfully provided information to a significant number of college students" (171). The authors also report high levels of satisfaction from the online learners who completed these workshops and reported developing new study strategies as a result (Lynch and Kogan 2004).

Another approach used by educators to link experiential learning with online environments is Whyville, similar to Second Life and other so-called virtual communities. According to Imperatore, "With about 4.2 million citizens, Whyville is a thriving world for 8- to 15-year-olds that is focused on education through games. After successfully completing games, citizens earn currency, or clams, which they use to purchase cars and other items" (2009:28). The virtual citizens of Whyville are also able to chat with each other and visit different resources that provide further educational experiences. For example, "Students visit sites in Whyville such as the Bioplex, where they meet a virtual virologist and play games to match antibodies with viruses. If the students are interested in learning about further education and a career in biotechnology, Whyville shows them opportunities in their geographical area" (Imperatore 28). According to a representative of one of Whyville's sponsoring organizations, "Experiential learning activities don't reach students at nearly the capacity level we need to fulfill projected employment demand in our core industries. Whyville is a sustainable and growing presence that responds to [that]" (Imperatore 29).

Finally, Lim, Pellett and Pellett report a high level of success using video-editing software to promote online experiential learning opportunities. According to these authors, "In recent years, technology in the classroom has become easier to use and less expensive. A number of companies offer easy-to-use video-editing software for less than $100 and some even for free" (Lim et al. 2009:40). The use of video-editing software provides educators and students with the ability to integrate a wide range of resources, including text, video, audio, graphics, and animation to develop educational videos (Lim et al. 2009). Using an online collaborative setting, students produce digital videos on a wide range of topics, including mock trials, sports management, and physical education (Lim et al. 2009). The advantages of this approach are summed up by the authors thusly: "Student-produced digital video is appealing because it encourages active and problem-based learning. It also encourages student collaboration and authentic application" (Lim et al. 2009:41).