Evaluation of Experiential Learning Implementation in Vocational Education Based on Student Learning Style

Using qualitative and quantitative analysis this paper presents a teaching model based on experiential learning in a large ‘International Business’ unit. Preliminary analysis of 92 student evaluations determined the effectiveness of experiential learning to allow students to explore the association between theory and practice. The analysis of the student responses identify that the students were able to complete all four stages of Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory (KLSI), the components of experience, critical reflection, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation, through the participation in experiential activities in this unit.The cognitive and affective experiences of students learning were measured using a battery of 15 Likert scale items. The scores for all the 15 items were found to be significantly above the scale midpoint of 3 validating a positive learning experience. The respondents were strongly of the opinion that the experiential learning activities helped them learn (Cognitive) and they liked participating in the activity (Affective). The attitudinal scores of Asian students were compared to the other students and a significant difference was found in only one of the 15 attitudinal items of the likert scale administered to the students. The Asian students found experiential activities material too complex as opposed to the other students.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse and evaluate the implementation of an empathy model of experiential learning in real-life sites, with the help of NGOs, for developing students’ active citizenship in two Hong Kong Chinese secondary schools.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a case study in which teachers and the researcher engage in planning, implementing and evaluating an experiential learning unit which combines together both classed-based learning activities and experiential learning activities provided by NGOs in real-life settings. Qualitative interview findings are collected from teachers and students.FindingsIncorporating experiential learning activities in thematic learning units provided by NGOs for the active citizenship of students can facilitate teachers to develop student learning outcomes of empathy and perspective taking derived from authentic experience. In particular, teachers’ reflect on how to facilitate Chinese students’ reflect on disadvantaged people and ethnic minorities. This action research study recommends that students’ conceptual understanding of concepts such as poverty and ethnic minorities should be developed before they participate in NGO’s experiential learning activities, so that the experiential experiences can add something on what they have already learnt.Originality/valueThis study found some useful implications for exploring ways for teacher development by applying an experiential learning model in combination with classroom-based learning for active citizenship. This research study recommends implementing pre-experiential conceptual building activities and post-experiential classroom-based enquiry and reflection activities to help students consolidate their learning experiences through verbal and written reflection, as well as on what actions that they can take.

Many accredited schools and programs of public health integrate experiential learning into the capstone experience for undergraduate public health majors; thus, the experiential learning capstone must be both cumulative and integrative. A goal of experiential learning is to foster the application of concepts and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public health situations. Students may benefit from earlier opportunities to engage in high-impact experiential learning activities. Therefore, the University of Iowa College of Public Health developed an experiential learning requirement that is separate from the capstone course. Our students' experiential learning activities do not need to be cumulative across the entire curriculum, but they should be integrative. Public health undergraduate students at the University of Iowa must successfully complete at least one of the following experiences in public health: research, internship, service learning, or global learning. This article will provide a model for the creation of an experiential learning program for undergraduate public health students that is separate from the culminating, capstone experience.

While it’s thought that experiential learning pedagogies encourage greater student engagement that results in deep meaningful learning, it may be that they sometimes yield short-term surface learning. This notion that experiential learning activities in and of themselves do not always produce. Meaningful learning is explored by examining the learning processes evoked by the activity. Evidence is presented that suggests those students who completed the four stages of the experiential learning cycle utilized a deeper approach to learning and perceived they learned more, in contrast to abbreviated learning cycles that produced a surface approach to learning. Examining the mediating effect of students’ approaches to learning may explain the varied nature of experiential learning activities even though the short-term learning outcomes seem to have been achieved. Implications for the classroom as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning are provided.

Counselor education pedagogy entails multiple unique instructional modalities, including supervision, group counseling, and skills instruction. Counseling programs often include courses such as practicum and internship, which embed experiential learning throughout the curriculum. However, little is known about the motivations and perceptions counselors-in-training hold for experiential learning. Thus, there is a need to explore learners' perceptions of an experiential learning experience on their knowledge and skills and to identify the learners' motivation to participate in experiential learning activities. Twelve counselors-in-training were surveyed after volunteering at a month-long STEM summer camp for middle school students. The Experiential Learning Survey was used to assess counselors-in-training's perception of experiential learning. A modified version of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire was also used to determine motivations for volunteering for experiential learning activities. Based on the findings, counselors-in-training had a favorable perception of experiential learning and reported intrinsic motivation as the main factor influencing volunteerism.

Aging is a distinct part of the life cycle. College students enrolled in courses in gerontology often have difficulty relating to aging, that part of life not yet experienced. They may not fully appreciate that adults become more unique, not more similar, as they age. We describe courses in an undergraduate gerontology certificate program that incorporate experiential learning activities with older adults across a hierarchical sequence of courses. These courses feature service learning opportunities focused on increased understanding of course content, broader appreciation of the discipline and improved sense of civic responsibility. Much like the course content of the curriculum, the incorporated experiential learning opportunities for each course level fit a hierarchy leading to student competence and skills development needed for success in the final independent practicum. For the described courses, students provided community service, experienced direct contact with older adults and used reflective practices to integrate course content into service learning activities. We report on qualitative data obtained from students enrolled in the foundational course, Biophysical Aspects of Aging and the third level course, Aging and Mental Health. Content analyses of reflective essays identified five themes: (a) insights about the realities of aging in America (b) perceptions concerning personal negative stereotypes about older adults; (c) feelings of accomplishment/awareness of new skills in providing community services; (d) understandings related to the importance/value of community service; and (e) successes in integrating the course work on aging into service-learning experiences. Other experiential learning activities incorporated into this gerontology certificate program are highlighted.

Abstract. This study looked at the effects of an experiential learning activity using the accelerometer in the Wii Remote to teach basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics, e.g., acceleration, to middle school students in a rural school district. A major prerequisite for students at the mid-level in biosystems engineering programs is that they have a good knowledge of basic science, including physics. Education in these concepts must begin before college, such as at the middle school level. Improvements in science education are vitally necessary to achieve essential learning outcomes for middle school students in the U.S. and to prepare these students for college and STEM careers. The experiential learning activity evaluated in this study used hands-on experiments involving Wii Remotes in conjunction with a classroom lesson to teach basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics: acceleration, gravity, force, velocity, friction, speed, and motion. This activity used readily available equipment and was integrated into the classroom curriculum so that it has been possible to continue the activity every year without further support from the program that sponsored this study. The specific objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this experiential learning activity with regard to learning outcomes and interest generated in science and engineering. Ninety-two percent (92%) of the students improved their knowledge from pre-test to post-test during the activity. When the students were surveyed about the activity, the kinesthetic/hands-on aspects of the project were the parts they liked most. Fifty-four percent (54%) of the students also indicated that the activity made them more interested in science and engineering. The positive outcomes from the activity combined with the readily available equipment make similar activities an excellent option for biosystems and agricultural engineering departments looking for outreach opportunities at the middle school level. This study showed that experiential learning, in middle school science classes, is significant in increasing students‘ knowledge of acceleration and interest in science and engineering.

Experiential learning, a latest popular method to guide students' individual practice, lays more emphasis on cognitive teaching than metacognitive teaching. In response to the above problem, this study creatively proposes a six-stage model of experiential learning for the theme of time management. A 28-day experiential activity was conducted in three classes of the same department. According to the interview record, most participants gave high praise to the overall experiential learning activity. Moreover, the results of the pre-test and post-test showed that the time management competencies of the participants improved. This paper provides a new design scheme to improve students' time management competencies, and to extend the understanding of experiential learning into the realm of metacognitive learning.

The increasing interest in Learning Experience Design (LXD) has consolidated this field as a new way to transform educational practices. Thanks to its interdisciplinary nature which is mainly rooted in the close relation between human–computer interaction, user experience design and the learning sciences, LXD is a field that demands frameworks to design and develop products that can grow into services, to create interactive learning environments able to provide improvement-driven analytics and to guarantee a significant and satisfactory experience, designed to achieve learning outcomes. Innovative Village serious video game (IVVG) is a service-oriented product within an entrepreneurship and innovation system of platforms developed as an abilities-focused learning environment, and that builds a case study for LXD. This research aims to contribute to the consolidation of the emergent field of Learning Experience Design by providing a case around the Entrepreneurship and Innovation area from EAFIT University in Medellin, a learning system that comprises several service-oriented products; by being one of the products that constitute this system, and as a serious video game, Innovative Village has proven to be a key player in facilitating the learning outcomes and the knowledge integration that stem from the learning environment of the Interactive Design program, where the students’ learning experiences take place. First, related theoretical concepts and historical data will be analyzed to provide background information, then the case study will be addressed focusing on the materials, methods, and results. The study shows that the video game encourages collaborative behavior between players, as perceived by a significant proportion of participants. The research establishes a link between this perception and the role of creaticides in the game. Learning Experience Design (LXD) is about creating products that link the learning process with key competences. The game “Innovative Village” exemplifies this approach and provides insights into design, use, and required competencies. It also presents a framework for designing user-centered learning experiences that incorporate assessments to enhance the learning process. This framework is applicable from the early stages and can be tested in real learning environments.

In higher education, business students with different learning styles may not all respond successfully to a straight lecture format. The authors analyze the impact that an experiential learning activity (an optional stock market trading simulation) has demonstrated on student success in a college investments course. Findings suggest that students who engage in the experiential learning component earn higher overall grades and demonstrate substantially higher grade improvements over the course of the semester than do those who do not participate in the simulation. This study reinforces the existing literature and supports the hypothesis that experiential learning components do aid in student learning.

Anxiety in learning mathematics and science remains one of the most common emotional barriers that hinder student performance, confidence, and participation. While many studies have explored traditional interventions for improving academic outcomes, fewer have examined how experiential learning specifically addresses anxiety and motivates learners to engage meaningfully in these subjects. This study investigated how experiential learning strategies reduce learner anxiety and enhance motivation in mathematics and science-oriented courses, as observed by instructors from basic and higher education institutions in Calbayog City, Samar and Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Using a qualitative research design, data were gathered through online semi-structured interviews with twenty-five (25) instructors who had at least two years of teaching experience and practice in implementing experiential learning approaches. Thematic analysis identified recurring strategies that foster a positive and participatory classroom environment. The findings revealed that experiential learning activities such as collaborative problem-solving, hands-on experimentation, reflective debriefing, and real-world applications help normalize mistakes, reduce fear of failure, and cultivate confidence. As anxiety decreases, students exhibit higher motivation, improved persistence, and greater interest in problem-solving tasks. The study concludes that experiential learning provides an effective framework for enhancing both the emotional and cognitive dimensions of mathematics and science education. KEYWORDS: Experimental, Anxiety, Inducing, Mathematics, Science

The main objective of this article was to explore how experiential learning theory can be adopted into teachers' professional development, as an effective approach to engaging teachers in classroom-enhanced activities. The inclusion or design of various experiential learning activities will promote pedagogical content knowledge and teaching skills that can enhance classroom practices. The theoretical framework of experiential learning enables effective classroom instructional delivery for all learning experiences in different contexts. The study purposefully selected 10 teachers, teaching Economics, from 10 high schools in Lagos, Nigeria. These teachers were observed in different classroom settings/teaching of selected topics from Economics, before and after a 3-day experiential learning-based professional development workshop. The teachers were further engaged in a focus group interview after the final observation. Findings revealed that experiential learning theory is critical to teacher professional development, as it enables teachers to learn better when engaged in experientially designed professional development, which can impact their classroom teaching thereafter. The study, therefore, encourages teacher educators or government bodies responsible for content design for teachers' professional development to integrate or structure the contents of teachers' professional development with experiential learning initiatives, to improve teachers' classroom pedagogies and teaching competencies for quality education.

This study explores the impact of learning styles on the acquisition of English as a second language among first-year high school students at a public educational institution in Lumbaqui, Sucumbíos, Ecuador. The research aims to identify the most effective learning styles to enhance language learning and provide insights for teachers to adapt their instructional strategies. Through a survey conducted with 60 students, the study analyzes preferences across visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learning styles. The results highlight a strong inclination toward auditory and kinesthetic approaches, suggesting that students benefit more from interactive and experiential learning activities. Visual aids and body language also play a crucial role in comprehension. The findings emphasize the importance of differentiated instruction tailored to individual learning preferences to boost engagement and academic performance. The study concludes with recommendations for integrating multimodal teaching techniques and leveraging digital tools to support diverse learners in ESL environments.

In a student-centered teaching and learning environment, students' needs, potentials, and learning styles are considered crucial. Therefore, teachers need to understand what learning styles students prefer to teach effectively. In the current study, a quantitative research approach has been adopted in this study within it descriptive research designed was used. To determine the preferred learning styles of B.Ed. students, VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) learning style model has been used. Since the data was collected using the VARK questionnaire, simple random sampling techniques were used. The reliability of the instrument was calculated through Cronbach α= 0.75. The sample of the study consists of 140 Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students of a Public Sector University located in Northern Sindh, Pakistan. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics (percentages mean and standard deviation) to determine the most preferred style of learning of students. The results of the study revealed that 27.93% of the B.Ed. students have preferred aural learning style, 25.13% kinaesthetic learning style, 22.65% visual style of learning and 21.09% preferred read/write learning style respectively. To conclude that the majority of the B.Ed. students preferred aural learning style and the least preferred style of learning was read/write. Hence, B.Ed. students were driven towards an aural learning style. This study suggests that students learning styles are influenced by the teacher’s teaching style. Therefore, the teacher can determine his/her teaching style by using the score of the VARK questionnaire. The study recommends that another study can be conducted by the teachers to learn about the larger number of students’ preferred learning styles. The teacher can also address a mixture of learning styles. In the classroom, there are always diverse learners. In that case, the teacher can use integrated teaching style which can address all learners preferred teaching style.

ABSTRACTExperiential learning in Master of Social Work (MSW) programs can be an instrumental pedagogical method of juxtaposing theoretical knowledge with tangible hands-on approaches, enhancing student experience through incorporating curriculum beyond classroom settings. This paper seeks to employ the use of educational theorist David Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning as the pedagogical framework to explore the impact of a community partnership with an upstate New York organ donation organization on master level social work students. Furthermore, this paper pursues an increased understanding of experiential learning and factors connecting social work theoretical concepts with the learning process in MSW programming. Student discussions voiced and illuminated a deeper understanding of macrocommunity concepts and demonstrated skills reflecting EPAS. Students’ responses to participation in the experiential learning activity were emotional, compelling, and profound. Common areas of understanding gained by students were a clear awareness of the need for social work advocacy, measures to address social justice, and increased education for organ donations.