Experiential Learning Techniques

🔴 If learning stays separate from experience, it won’t stick. People don’t learn in a vacuum. They make sense of new information 👉 by connecting it to what they already know. Instead of just delivering content, help learners tie it to their own experiences. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Start with what they already know. Ask questions that activate prior knowledge: ✅ “Have you ever faced a challenge like this?” ✅ “What’s your current approach to solving this problem?” ✅ “What’s worked—or not worked—for you in the past?” This primes the brain to connect new insights to real-life situations. 2️⃣ Use reflection to deepen learning. After introducing a concept, have learners: ✅ Share how it relates to their own experiences. ✅ Compare it to what they’ve done before. ✅ Identify how they might apply it moving forward. Example: Instead of saying, "Here’s how to handle a difficult conversation," ask: "Think about a tough conversation you’ve had—what worked, and what didn’t?" 3️⃣ Encourage storytelling. When learners share personal experiences, they: ✅ Make abstract ideas concrete. ✅ Learn from each other’s perspectives. ✅ Feel more engaged and invested. 4️⃣ Design activities that require personal application. ✅ Case studies where learners apply concepts to their own work. ✅ Discussions that link new ideas to past experiences. ✅ Journaling prompts like: “How does this apply to your role?” Learning isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about making knowledge personally meaningful. 🤔 How do you help learners connect new ideas to their own experiences? ----------------------- 👋 Hi! I'm Elizabeth! ♻️ Share this post if you found it helpful. 👆 Follow me for more tips! 🤝 Reach out if you need a high-quality learning solution designed to engage learners and drive real change. #InstructionalDesign #AdultLearning #MakeLearningStick #LearningAndDevelopment

🤔 How might you infuse more experiential elements into even the most standard Q&A session? This was my question to myself when wrapping up a facilitation course for a client that included a Q&A session. I wanted to be sure it complemented the other experiential sessions and was aligned with the positive adjectives of how participants had already described the course. First and foremost - here is my issue with Q&As: 👎 They are only focused on knowledge transfer, but not not memory retention (the brain does not absorb like a sponge, it catches what it experiences!) 👎 They tend to favor extroverts willing to ask their questions out loud 👎 Only a small handful of people get their questions answered and they may not be relevant for everyone who attends So, here is how I used elements from my typical #experiencedesign process to make even a one-directional Q&A more interactive and engaging: 1️⃣ ENGAGE FROM THE GET-GO How we start a meeting sets the tone, so I always want to engage everyone on arrival. I opted for music and a connecting question in the chat connected to why we were there - facilitation! 2️⃣ CONNECTION BEFORE CONTENT Yes, people were there to have their questions answered, but I wanted to bring in their own life experience having applied their new found facilitation skills into practice. We kicked off with breakout rooms in small groups to share their own experiences- what had worked well and what was still challenging. This helped drive the questions afterwards. 3️⃣ MAKE THE ENGAGEMENT EXPLICIT Even if it was a Q&A, I wanted to be clear about how THIS one would be run. I set up some guidelines and also gave everyone time to individually think and reflect what questions they wanted to ask. We took time with music playing for the chat to fill up. 4️⃣ COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IS MOST IMPACTFUL Yes, they were hoping to get my insights and answers, however I never want to discredit the wisdom and lived experience in the room. As we walked through the questions, I invited others to also share their top tips and answers. Peer to peer learning is so rich in this way! 5️⃣ CLOSING WITH ACTIONS AND NEVER QUESTIONS The worst way to end any meeting? "Are there any more questions?" Yes, even in a Q & A! Once all questions were answered, I wanted to land the journey by asking everyone to reflect on what new insights or ideas emerged for them from the session and especially what they will act upon and apply forward in their work. Ending with actions helps to close one learning cycle and drive forward future experiences when they put it to the test! The session received great reviews and it got me thinking - we could really apply these principles to most informational sessions that tend to put content before connection (and miss the mark). 🤔 What do you think? Would you take this approach to a Q&A? Let me know in the comments below👇 #ExperienceLearningwithRomy

𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 “𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞” 𝐭𝐨 “𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞, 𝐃𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐧𝐞” The traditional learning method of “𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞, 𝐃𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐧𝐞” is a valuable framework, yet it can be enhanced by incorporating an essential step: “𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞.” This addition emphasizes the importance of reflection and personal growth in our learning journey. The Learning Process • 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞: Gain exposure to a concept by observing it in action. This initial observation sparks curiosity and sets the stage for deeper understanding. • 𝐃𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞: Apply the concept yourself. Engaging directly with the material solidifies your practical understanding and helps you grasp its nuances. • 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐧𝐞: Share your knowledge with others. This step fosters dialogue and collaboration, allowing you to gain new perspectives and insights from how others interpret the concept. • 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞: After teaching, take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned through the experience. Consider what worked, what didn’t, and how others’ questions may have reshaped your understanding. This reflection is vital for deepening your knowledge and ensuring continuous growth. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Incorporating “Learn One” into the learning process creates a holistic approach that emphasizes the need for personal growth and understanding. By actively reflecting on your experiences and insights, you can deepen your knowledge and better appreciate the learning journey. This cycle encourages not just the acquisition of information but a genuine engagement with the learning process, making it richer and more impactful. Ultimately, it helps you become a more effective learner and teacher, equipping you to thrive in an ever-changing world. “𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞, 𝐝𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡. 𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.” — 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 #mindsetchange #Innovation InsightJam.com PEX Network Gartner Peer Experiences Theia Institute™ VOCAL Council Council 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts, or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation.

When I coached teachers through Teach For America, we relied on Kolb's experiential learning framework. The process was simple but powerful: learn a new concept, apply it in practice, reflect on the experience, and use those reflections to learn and grow further. This continuous cycle of learning, application, and reflection remains, in my view, the most effective way for adults to learn—and when I speak with Learning & Development (L&D) leaders, they wholeheartedly agree. For a long time, however, replicating this process in an online setting was incredibly challenging, and scaling was impossible. But that has changed as AI has come into the picture. Online learning can be multi-directional, enabling real-world practice, reflection, and feedback. You’re not just reading about how to deliver tough feedback to an employee but actually practicing it with an AI-driven coach that provides personalized feedback. Or honing your presentation skills. Or tackling a hands-on coding project. This is how adults learn best—through doing, reflecting, and iterating. And we’re excited to build the tools that make that possible. When people ask what we do at Uplimit, I often say that we are in the weeds of teaching and learning. And it’s within those weeds that there are tons of opportunities to use automation and AI to make meaningful learning possible and easy. What are some of the best experiential learning programs that you've seen with adults?

When academia meets industry, magic can happen. As someone who lives in both worlds—grading final projects one minute, fielding client feedback the next - it is a balancing act but one that can be achieved with a little creativity and focus. I’ve learned that true learning doesn’t just come from lectures or discussion posts. It comes from doing the work and owning the outcomes that spark real impact. Applying concepts from class to work is the best of both worlds for research, teaching and practice. That’s why The Bird's Nest Student Agency ℠ came to be - I wanted to give students a space where creativity meets accountability, and where “group work” actually feels like a real-world campaign launch (because it is). Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from bridging the academic-to-industry gap—and a few reminders for anyone trying to do the same: ➖Hands on strategy beats slogans. It’s not enough for students to know the definitions of “brand voice” or “engagement.” They need to build it, pitch it, and defend it in a client meeting where some will love an idea, but others want changes and edits. Teach them the why, but make sure they can articulate the how, when, and “what went wrong” in a debrief to speak a conversation and teachable moment. ➖Deadlines hit different when there’s a real client involved. Suddenly, “I had three exams this week” doesn’t feel like a good enough excuse when the brand’s Instagram campaign is launching Friday. Experiential learning teaches time management in ways even Google Calendar can’t. ➖Not everything needs to be perfect, but it has to be purposeful. Some of the best pitches start as messy brainstorms on a whiteboard (or emails/DMs at 11:57 pm). Students learn to ship it, pivot, refine—and not overthink their ideas 💡 . ➖Real feedback isn’t always gentle. The world won’t hand you a rubric with bullet points. Sometimes feedback is “I don’t get it” or “Can we make this go viral?” Teaching resilience means letting students face ambiguity and respond with insight - and guidance on how to make a course correction. ➖Professoes should be brand builders, too. Whether it’s speaking, writing, consulting, or leading student agencies, we have to model the kind of agility we want students to have. If we want students to be fearless, we need to be visible. We need to inspect what we expect! ➖PR and COMM majors aren’t “just posting on social.”They’re managing brand reputation, navigating crisis messaging, pitching influencers, and tracking KPIs like pros. The skillsets are real, measurable, and marketable. One of the key elements I’ve tried to cover across the board, event in my DPR textbook. We’re not just teaching students to get jobs. What we ARE doing is helping them create value in roles that don’t even exist yet. That means treating classrooms like creative studios, campaign HQs, and strategy labs. Because the world isn’t waiting for a final exam. Neither should our students. #experientiallearning #smm #pr

Scenario-based learning is like a secret weapon for instructional designers: it turns training into an immersive experience. Rather than just clicking through slides or reading content, learners step into real-world scenarios where their choices shape the outcome. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠? 🔹 Engagement: When learners feel part of the story, they stay interested. Scenarios give them a reason to care about the content and keep them actively involved. 🔹 Retention: Research shows people remember what they’ve experienced more than what they’ve read. Scenario-based learning sticks because it makes learners think, act, and reflect on their decisions. 🔹 Application: Scenarios simulate challenges learners will actually face, helping them practice decision-making in a safe environment. When the real situation arises, they’re ready. By placing learners in realistic situations, scenario-based learning builds confidence and improves performance. It’s not just training—it’s a hands-on, memorable journey.

They say experience is a great teacher. How do you leverage it? I rely heavily on experiential learning as a customer service trainer. Customer service reps have valuable experience from... * Serving customers * Being customers * Interacting with other humans The trick is optimizing what you learn from experiences. David Kolb created a four-step experiential process that anyone can use. 1. Experiencing: doing something. 2. Reflecting: evaluate how it went. 3. Thinking: decide how to adjust. 4. Acting: trying something new. My Customer Service Tip of the Week emails are built around this model. 1. Experience Each tip starts with a relatable story or example. For instance, I went to REI to buy hiking poles for my wife and a knowledgeable sales person used her expertise to help me make the right decision. 2. Reflecting The tip asks you to think about how the tip applies to you. The expertise tip suggested making a list of the top ten product questions customers ask. 3. Thinking Think about how you can use the tip when serving your customers. The expertise tip suggested coming up with extra helpful answers to each of the top ten questions. 4. Acting Apply the tip right away with the customers you serve. This process is self-reinforcing. Trying a new approach leads to a new experience. You can then repeat the steps and continue learning. I bet you already do this! What is one customer service skill you learned from experience?

A blend is usually best. My approach to designing class sessions centers on designing for the learning, not the learner. Though this may be an unpopular instructional philosophy, I find it yields strong, lasting gains. Of course, learners must have adequate prior knowledge, which you can ensure through thoughtful placement and pre-training. This approach combines direct instruction with emotional, cognitive, and reinforcement strategies to maximize learning and retention. Each phase—from preparation to reinforcement—uses proven methods that reduce anxiety, build confidence, and sustain motivation while grounding knowledge in ways that lead to deeper understanding and real-world application. Direct instruction methods (such as Rosenshine and Gagné) offer a structured framework to capture attention, clarify objectives, and reduce initial anxiety. Emotional engagement—connecting material on a personal level—makes learning memorable and supports long-term retention. Reinforcement strategies like spaced repetition, interleaving, and retrieval practice transform new information into long-term memory. These methods help learners revisit and reinforce what they know, making retention easier and confidence stronger, with automaticity as the ultimate goal. Grounding learning in multiple contexts enhances recall and transfer. Teaching concepts across varied situations allows learners to apply knowledge beyond the classroom. Using multimedia principles also reduces cognitive load, supporting efficient encoding and schema-building for faster recall. Active engagement remains critical to meaningful learning. Learners need to “do” something significant with the information provided. Starting with concrete tasks and moving to abstract concepts strengthens understanding. Progressing from simple questions to complex, experience-rooted problems allows learners to apply their knowledge creatively. Reflection provides crucial insights. Requiring reflection in multiple forms—whether writing, discussion, or visual work—deepens understanding and broadens perspectives. Feedback, feedforward, and feedback cycles offer constructive guidance, equipping learners for future challenges and connecting immediate understanding with long-term growth. As learners build skills, gradually reduce guidance to foster independence. When ready, they practice in more unpredictable or “chaotic” scenarios, which strengthens their ability to apply knowledge under pressure. Controlled chaos builds resilience and adaptability—then we can apply more discovery-based methods. Apply: ✅Direct instruction ✅Emotional engagement ✅Reinforcement strategies ✅Multiple contexts ✅Multimedia learning principles ✅Active, meaningful tasks ✅Reflection in varied forms ✅Concrete-to-abstract ✅Questions-to-Problems ✅Feedback cycles ✅Decreasing guidance ✅Practice in chaos ✅Discovery-based methods (advanced learners) Hope this is helpful :) #instructionaldesign #teachingandlearning

Your team just finished training. In 7 days, they'll probably forget 80% of it. Why? Because most training ignores how people learn. Hours of lecturing. Click-through videos. Death by PowerPoint. None of these actually work. Instead, turn forgettable training into lasting knowledge with these 5 proven principles from learning science: 🧠 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 ↳ Don't just present information ↳ Get people to analyze and evaluate ↳ Make them apply it to real problems Make them think, not just listen. 🤝 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ↳ Organize into 3-4 pieces (brain's sweet spot) ↳ Group similar ideas together ↳ Create clear mental buckets Memory loves small groups. 🔗 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 ↳ Connect new concepts to existing knowledge ↳ Use familiar examples ↳ Create mental bridges New knowledge sticks when it connects to old. 🖼️ 𝗗𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 ↳ Combine words with visuals ↳ Use memorable illustrations ↳ Create 2x2 matrices and diagrams Two paths to memory are better than one. 🏋️ 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 ↳ Focus on challenging areas ↳ Give specific feedback ↳ Guide repeated improvement Smart practice beats mindless repetition. But here's the truth about making learning stick: You can perfect your content all you want, but if people don't want to learn, they won't. That's why you must tap into these 4 human motivators: → 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 (give them agency) → 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 (show their progress) → 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 (make it social) → 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 (connect to bigger goals) Stop wasting time and $$$ on ineffective training. Start engineering learning experiences that stick. Your team deserves better. What principle will you apply first? ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost to help others. Follow me for posts on leadership, learning, and systems thinking. 📌 Want free PDFs of this and my top cheat sheets? You can find them here: https://lnkd.in/g2t-cU8P Hi 👋 I'm Vince, CEO of Sparkwise. We upskill teams at a fraction of the cost by automating live group learning using learning science. Check out our topic library: https://lnkd.in/gKbXp_Av