Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is an educational approach that focuses on learning through first hand experience. This approach to learning allows learners to gain knowledge, skills, and gain insights by engaging in real-life experiences. People who are best described as experiential learners are those who learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process and can directly apply what they have learned to real situations. As opposed to relying on traditional classrooms and textbooks, experiential learning encourages learners to engage in hands-on activates, experiments, simulations, etc.

Our learning topic is “Building Construction Materials: Project Material Selection.” As Civil Engineers and future building designers, it is important for us to choose appropriate materials for the given application. Personally, I would argue that experiential learning is almost always the best way to learn. For example, if I was to do an internship with a design company and continually practice choosing the right materials for the job, then I would have a great understanding of what materials are good for specific applications. However, it regards to a course teaching students what materials are best for certain applications, it would not be feasible to always work on real world applications. For example, the students would first have to learn what each material is made from and why they are appropriate for certain climates or building applications. These fundamental concepts of the materials themselves and their properties would be best taught in a different learning style at first, and then experiential learning would come into play later, once the fundamentals are understood.

In conclusion, experiential learning is based on hands on experience and physical engagement in what’s being taught. In my opinion, experiential learning works best when it is combined with another type of learning, like direct instruction first, and then once that teaching material is delivered through direct instruction, the students can practice experiential learning by applying what they have learned in real life situations or experiments. Our learning topic will focus more on direct instruction as opposed to experiential learning.