Troubles? Blind? Busy? Get ready for the game!Workshop about experiential learning for the EFPSA Germany congress

Ivo HrdinaMartin Kučera

Comfort zone• Individual with specific character and shape• Feeling of safety, comfort and nothing can disturb us• Theoretically we can stay inside the comfort zone for the whole life and

never even reach the borders• But some people do try to go behind the borders

▫ First border – border of comfort and learning▫ Second border – border of the personal possibilities

• Consequences: ▫ Positive – personal growth▫ Negative – fear, stress

• TRANSFER – positive move in one area can significantly influence other areas

Experiential learning• Experiential learning is learning through reflection

on doing, which is often contrasted with rote or didactic learning

• Experiential learning focuses on the learning process of the individual▫ An example of experiential learning is going to a zoo and

learning through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as opposed to reading about animals from a book

• Experiential learning do not require any teacher and relates solely to the meaning making process of the individual's direct experience

Feedback and its importance in experiential learning – JOHARI WINDOW• Joseph Luft, Harry Ingham (Book: Human Interaction)

I know about myself

I do not know about myself

Public areaInformations available

for everyone

Blind areaThe others know about me, but I have no idea

Things the others know

SecretMy personal secrets, the

others do not know

PossibleSomething that we have

not found yet

Things the others do not know

Learning circle• David A. Kolb (*1939)

▫ David A. Kolb is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Weatheread School of Management. Besides his work on experiential learning, David A. Kolb is also known for his contribution to the topic of organizational behaviour. He is interested in the nature of individual and social change, experiential learning, career development and executive and professional education. 

• Learning circle• Kolb and Fry (1975) argue that the learning cycle can begin at any of the four

points - and that it should be approached as a continuous spiral.• However, it is suggested that the learning process often begins when a person

carries out a particular action and sequently observes the effect of the action in this situation. In this case, the second step is to understand the effects in the particular instance and if the same action was taken in the same circumstances again, one should be able to anticipate the consequences of the action. The third step would be understanding the general principle under which the particular instance falls.

Processburger• Bill Krouwell• personal and interpersonal processes

processes of self-knowledge and closer mutual knowledge within a group or a team; possible interpersonal barriers come to light, relations based on trust are built, individuals realise the roots of interpersonal variety

• group processesneed coordination of the group, its leading through the process of task solving; in the model situation the rooted mechanisms clearly manifest themselves, on the other hand unexpected natural leaders emerge.

• In training situations the group more easily and openly reflects both its qualities and weaknesses and with abandon they search more effective methods. A quality reflection and feedback guarantee transfer of these findings into the real life.

• Model games and situations may be easily transfered into the real life – no matter if the situation is model or real, we always react with the same intensity and polarity.

Where to use experiential learning• Experiental learning offers millions places where we can use it

▫ Schools – basic schools, high schools, Universities etc..▫ Company environment▫ Work with people with special needs▫ Soft skills training▫ Stress management, etc.

• What do we always have to keep in mind:▫ Everyone is different and uses different coping strategies▫ If an activity seems easy for most of the people, for someone else it may be the most difficult one▫ We can never push anyone to any experiental learning activity ▫ The whole process of learning must be voluntary ▫ After every „longer“ activity there must be some space for a feedback session▫ The leader of the group should always use only those activities which he or she already tried and

has experience with

Specifics in work area• The methods of experiential learning are usually used for work teams

▫ Types of programmes Intake – an assesment centre, different team games – assesment of applicants and detecting their potential for

the particular work position Diagnostics – whenever, according to the time possibilities of the company, assesment of the employees and their

diagnostics on the basis of group techniques Teambuilding – most common, uses group work and experience for uniting the team and betterment cooperation Fun programme – as a reward for employees, uses the methods mentioned with lower stress on the feedback and

assesment. Usually contains outdoor activities: climbing, paragliding, karts, paintball etc.

• Specifics of company programmes ▫ Commercial sphere of experiential learning with all consequences (money, stress, severity, … ) ▫ The attendance of employees is often compulsory, they are aware they will be assesed, watched▫ Stress on the introduction of each technique, acceptance – creating positive atmosphere▫ The client decides

Adapting the programme according to the needs of the client – he has the final word

Using the aspects from the life of people with special needs • Running Paralympic school days• Using wheelchairs, blind tapes• Getting the „mainstream“ people involved into the world where

different vaules are important• Giving them the possibility to try out how to move on the wheelchair,

walk without the visual control• Changing their attitudes towards people with several handicaps• Mainly in elementary and high schools – pupils are interested in it

and they like it

Joke at the end - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnuWJ0UjRxs

•Videjko

Web pages• http://reviewing.co.uk/reviews/outdoor-training.h

tm• http://www.12manage.com/methods_luft_ingham

_johari_window.html• http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm• http://wilderdom.com/experiential/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Experiential_learning

The end• Thank you for your attention• Ivo Hrdina - i.hrdina@centrum.cz• Martin Kučera – 45martin@seznam.cz

„You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.“

Galileo