What is experiential education?

Experiential learning is an educational framework that gives students the opportunity to construct knowledge, skills and value from real experience. It's many forms of “learning by doing” and so much more.

Students and partners engage in authentic experiences and focused reflection to develop new understandings and contribute to their communities. The strong partnerships developed through experiential education opportunities at UNB help to solve problems in innovative ways.

As part of UNB’s Vision Toward 2030, our office works to create and sustain experiential learning opportunities for all UNB students who desire them. We offer or support experiential education through internships and course-based learning in all faculties on both campuses of UNB.

Experiential learning in education

Experiential learning is both a process and a journey. Experiential education is the theory, while experiential learning refers to the practice. Experiential learning opportunities allow us to engage in experiential education.

Experiential learning is a three-pronged approach

1. Academic learning – engaging students in relevant learning connected to their academic program.

2. Authentic experience – providing opportunities for students to practice their learning in meaningful ways.

3. Reflective practice – building knowledge by connecting theory and practice.

The cycle of experiential education

Kolb’s (1984) cycle of experiential education model is a widely used framework in education. While concrete experiences are important to learning, they only make up one part of Kolb’s cycle. The other three stages must be included in order for meaningful learning to take place. 

Kolb's cycle includes: adventure & challenge, observation & reflection, drawing conclusions, and application to real life

The stages

Adventure and challenge (doing/having an experience)

Looks like: Engaging in a concrete experience which could consist of a placement, a class project, etc.
Example: A student from the Faculty of Arts completes an internship placement with a community partner, helping them to create a new program for their clients.

Observation and reflection (reviewing/reflecting on the experience)

Looks like: Reflecting on the experience, drawing observations.
Example: The student writes weekly reflections on their experience during their internship describing how their hands-on learning and experiences are connecting to their previous knowledge, expectations and goals.

Drawing conclusions (concluding/learning from the experience)

Looks like: Synthesizing observations into conclusions and new conceptual understanding of a new idea or a pre-existing idea.
Example: The student uses their internship experiences and their reflections to help inform their on-going university experience, provide examples to draw upon in class discussions and coursework, help plan their future goals and career path, and reflect on how their experiences have affected their personal perspective and opinions about the world.

Application to life (planning/trying out what you have learned)

Looks like: New understandings and knowledge are applied to different, new, and purposeful future experiences.
Example: The student applies their internship experience towards obtaining future experiential learning opportunities, leadership positions, or work, and uses their past experiences and goals to contribute to their personal and professional success.

Benefits of experiential education

For students

Apply academic learning in hands-on situations
Develop professional networks and experience
Enhance leadership, technical, civic and professional competencies
Prepare graduates to help solve the pressing challenges facing the world today
Increase confidence and problem-solving skills

For employers and community partners

Provide fresh perspectives on the organization's unique problems and challenges
Build capacity within organizations and demonstrate leadership
Attract and employ motivated new workers or volunteers
Retain students and prepare them for rich and fulfilling lives post-graduation

For the university

Increase student engagement with their academic learning
Improve student retention
Create rich connections with partners for ongoing engagement
Contribute to the development of our communities, province and region

For our communities

Create partnerships and work together to tackle pressing issues and challenges
Enhance engagement with civic and economic sectors
Generate a diverse, vibrant and engaged community prepared to lead change, sustainable growth and local economic development