Home Page > ICEL > Conference Themes

The Identity of Experience

Challenges for experiential learning

December 8th – 12th 2008 at the University of Technology Sydney

The challenge of integration
Increasingly experiential learning has been coopted and integrated into other disciplines and contexts of learning, for example:

• Workplace learning
• Life and business coaching
• Uses of ICT for learning

The challenge of difference
Experiential learning has always attracted a broad community of practitioners and embraced a range of theoretical ideas. Some examples of this can be seen in areas as diverse as:

• The recognition of prior learning
• Outbound learning
• Simulations and games

Does this difference disperse the focus and energy of the experiential learning or strengthen its appeal as a learning approach?

The challenge of research investigation
The theoretical foundations of experiential learning are well established but the effects of its application in different settings are more problematic because:

• Practices are less well documented
• They do not always use conventional research methods
• They are dealing with learning that is difficult to quantify

How can experiential learning use research to demonstrate that its practice is sound and to reinforce its validity as a learning approach?

The challenge of application
It can be argued that there is a lack of understanding of what constitutes good practice in experiential learning. Some of the areas that challenge practitioners are:

• Establishing’ benchmarks’ of good practice
• Developing inclusive practices
• Ensuring appropriate ethical practices are employed

How can those involved in experiential learning ensure that they are engaged in high quality practice?