Learning through experience

“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38).

Experiential learning or learning by doing is incredibly effective, it helps to establish lasting behaviour changes. When you learn through experience you don’t just learn new information, you develop new habits and behaviours. It can be extremely useful in teaching employers and employees new skills and behaviour as well as developing self-awareness and leadership skills.

Experiential learning for businesses

Engaging

How many times have you been in a presentation or attended a training event and have found yourself daydreaming or tuning out? Experiential learning takes you out of your comfort zone which naturally results in more engagement. As a result of the unfamiliar situation, you become more focused and pay more attention to your surroundings as well as to the feelings you are experiencing. This leads to more information being absorbed and more understanding.

Real life scenarios

Experiential learning gives employees the skills they need to apply new skills learnt to real-life scenarios. You can learn new information by reading a textbook, however, this does not mean that you are now competent enough to carry out a task.  A great example of this is learning to drive. You cannot learn to drive simply by reading the highway code. You learn to drive by experiencing the practical driving lesson.

Experiential learning can be tailored to your business depending on what you wish to achieve from it. By taking part in experience based learning that is both fun and relatable not only can you apply that knowledge to business situations but you may also develop skills to improve your personal life.

Reflection

When learning through experience you will also have time to reflect. Having time to reflect on your performance, reactions and feelings helps you identify your different strengths and weaknesses. This time taken after an experience can be hugely beneficial in understanding your ability to cope with certain tasks and situations.

This type of reflection is not always possible in real life situations especially in the fast-paced business world that many encounter on a daily basis.

Boosting morale and teamwork

Experiential learning is great for boosting morale. Experiential learning is a fun and collaborative learning experience. Working as a coercive unit encourages people to work together which results in stronger bonds, improved team skills and a morale boost. 

Due to the unfamiliar nature of the experience leaders and employees are all equal. This helps in creating a sense of equality and encourages team bonding.

Personal development

By taking part in experiential learning you have the opportunity for self-development. By focusing on your learning process as well as having the opportunity to review your skills, the learning experience can increase your emotional and social intelligence. Which in turn will help you to improve leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.

Whole body learning

Experiential learning incorporates kinaesthetic learning methodology. Rather than simply viewing and listening experiential learning requires physical movement, which allows you to improve not only your mental and behavioural strengths but also your physical strengths.

Learning through experience has a whole host of benefits not only for personal development and awareness but also for businesses and colleagues to better understand and develop skills.

Experiential learning can take many forms. Equine assisted learning (EAL) is one unique way to learn through experience. EAL uses horses as active participants. We offer bespoke corporate training that allows you to explore, develop and improve leadership, communication, personal growth, corporate culture and teamwork within any organisation.