Term Paper Example

TERM PAPER
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Based on the Research Journal “Assessing the Impacts of Experiential Learning on Teacher
Classroom Practice” By Michael P. Marlow
University of Colorado Denver
By
Ma. Chrizel B. Miguel BEED 4
HGB COLLEGE
INTRODUCTION
Experiential learning (ExL) is the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly
defined as “learning through reflection on doing”. Experiential learning is distinct from rote or didactic
learning, in which the learner plays a comparatively passive role. It is related to, but not synonymous
with, other forms of active learning such as action learning, adventure learning, free-choice learning,
cooperative learning, service-learning, and situated learning. Experiential learning has the potential to
help students make deep and lasting connections with course material. The University of Colorado
Denver has offered experiential learning programs such as the Experiential Science Education Research
Collaborative (XSci) which gives teachers the opportunity to have a first-hand experience in informal
science education. Their experiences will be identified as “extraordinary” by themselves since
experiential learning does not focus on the outcome but on the experience itself. Learners are engaged
intellectually, emotionally, socially, politically, spiritually and physically in an uncertain environment
where the learner may experience success, failure, adventure and risk taking (Itin, 1997). By this
manner, the learner can manifest whether their experiences are meaningful and has impact to them or
not. Based on the research, the goal is to focus on lived experiences and individual meanings
constructed by participants engaged kn extraordinary professional development experiences from their
respective point of view in the form of narratives, while also considering what the experiences may have
in common as phenomena to themselves.
The XSci experiential learning lets a learner have a direct or first-person experience on a certain
environment that needs more of the cognitive skills compared to formal science learning.
Understandings that are constructed are accentuated by their personal experiences.

The field experience is designed to meet all of following program objectives.
a. Increased understanding of science content and concepts through first-person experience.
b. Extraordinary experience are determined by participants as extraordinary.
c. Learning – personal and self-constructed.
d. Challenging high stakes with possibility of failure
e. Participation within a cohort as part of a community of learners.
As for the impacts to the participants of this research, the focus has been directed to the
following:
 Narrative Identity. Narrative provides input to identity as the form and method of
identity construction. The best teachers have the best stories. Experiences formed them
into someone that holds an identity through the process of giving narratives and sharing
their personal and extraordinary experiences.
 Content Understanding. You can fully understand a complicated situation if you try to fit
yourself on that shoe. This is the same with understanding a content through first-hand
experience. The processing of experiences to learning and into application is easier and
clearer.
 Professional Self. Experience molds oneself. The best way to learn is by experience,
because there will always be something that leaves a mark to us. Direct participation
and observation helps us to develop deeper understandings of knowledge and
application of what has been known.
 Content Communication. A teacher should have an experience of the content he/she
has been teaching for better sharing or transfer of knowledge. There might be some
blockades if the teacher is not that familiar or does not have enough experience on that
certain topic.
 Personal Relevance. Manifesting what has been done and what was experienced by a
person will make them grow and have a self development. That is why people say that
we always learn from our experiences whether it has failed or succeeded.
CONCLUSION
A teacher’s personal stories are commonly brought up to a class not to brag about it but to
inspire the learners. This can be a motivation to them to make an effective use of their lives and look at
it as a tool for experience. The research has taken an action to those who ponder how exactly
experience affects educators on their professional development. The impacts are positively taken
despite of it’s possibility to have defaults, given that this is a part of the experience. The lack of in-depth
qualitative research regarding this topic is unfortunate but there could still be some progress if one has
to continue what was started.

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TERM PAPER

science education. Their experiences will be identified as “extraordinary” by themselves since

intellectually, emotionally, socially, politically, spiritually and physically in an uncertain environment

constructed by participants engaged kn extraordinary professional development experiences from their

in common as phenomena to themselves.

Understandings that are constructed are accentuated by their personal experiences.

a. Increased understanding of science content and concepts through first-person experience.

b. Extraordinary experience are determined by participants as extraordinary.

c. Learning – personal and self-constructed.

d. Challenging high stakes with possibility of failure

e. Participation within a cohort as part of a community of learners.

their personal and extraordinary experiences.

and observation helps us to develop deeper understandings of knowledge and

application of what has been known.

 Content Communication. A teacher should have an experience of the content he/she

we always learn from our experiences whether it has failed or succeeded.

to continue what was started.

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