Experiential Learning: A Best Practice Handbook for Educators and Trainers [Paperback]

Full of creative ideas that can be used by trainers and facilitators to develop their range of skills...The book illustrates the sort of issues that managers and HR specialists should consider when deciding whether to use such events to develop and motivate staff. In particular, it will help them to formulate the sort of questions that need to be asked of experiential learning providers before handing over some of their cash from hard-earned training budgets. (People Management )

This book is valuable for all the boundary crossing it does. Other books on the subject do not go far beyond the walls of higher education, but this book draws on a huge range of sources... A stimulating collection of ideas and examples that encourages experimentation. (Dr Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training )

The range of coverage is impressive. (Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning )

Beard and Wilson manage to smoothly lead the reader on a superlative tour of must see concepts and principles. (Horizons Magazine )

I think you have written a beauty here and I suspect it is going places. (International Association of Experiential Education )

"Wow! Mind-blowing stuff. It's going to be some time before I stop enthusing about this book...Five out of five stars."

"A crucible of useful ideas for management education, corporate training,...and universities...A handbook that flows and bids you read on."

"Beard and Wilson describe the techniques of experimental learning that can be used in settings from management education and corporative training to schools and higher education."

Updated handbook combining both the theory and practice of all types of learning that employ activity-based experience. Techniques included are used in management education and corporate training.

"There is a vast array of information in here that could prove useful to trainers and educators...Lots of interesting nuggets...an invaluable book to read."

This handbook pulls together for the first time both the theory and the practice of experiential learning and all types of learning that employ activity-based experience. Based on sound theoretical underpinning, and making full use of examples and guidance for successful implementation, Experiential Learning enables readers to unlease some of the more potent indgredients of learning through experience.

'Everything that can possibly provide, or affect, a learning experience, is discussed: most theories of learning, and every conceivable way to interest learners in an activity...Even very accomplished developers who prepare learning experiences for all types of learners, from grade level classes through executive seminars can undoubtedly find many ideas to expand the design options upon which they can draw.' Leadership and Organisational Development Journal.

Previously known as The Power of Experiential Learning.

Colin Beard is a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, director of The Experiential Company and has recently received the accolade of being awarded a National Fellowship Award.

Dr John P Wilson is the editor of Human Resource Development (published by Kogan Page), a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and also a director of The Experiential Company.

1. Unlocking powerful learning -- a new model

Introduction

The tumblers

An overview of the chapters

Conclusion

2. Exploring experiential learning

Introduction

Defining experiential learning

A meaningful experience

Learning is personal

Painful learning

Detrimental experiential learning

Learning from mistakes

Formal versus experiential learning

The lineage of experience learning

Experience as learning styles

A chronology of experiential learning

Challenging the concept of experiential learning

Conclusion

3. Facilitation, good practice and ethics

Introduction

The booming business

The deliverers

Experiential provider roles

Intruding complicators or enabling animateurs

Wisdom and experience

Dysfunctional and indigenous learning

Setting the climate and conditions

Ground rules and values

Reviewing self-practice

Ethical behaviour

A question of balance

Ethical models

Codes of practice

Professional bodies and the professional codes of practice

Good practice: the environment

Conclusion

4. Learning environments: spaces and places

Introduction

Indoor learning: the new classroom

Outdoor learning

Disappearing boundaries: indoor--outdoor, natural--artificial

Reaching out: Learning in city space

Artificially created learning spaces

Pedagogy and personal development

Empathetic strategies and the outdoor therapeutic 'effect'

Outdoor environments: therapeutic experiential learning

Sustainable learning environments

Conclusion

5. Experiential learning activities

Introduction

The changing milieu

Planned or unplanned activity?

Dramaturgy

Innovation, activities, resources and objects -- a simple experiential typology

Adventurous journeys

Sequencing learning activities

Mind and body

Rules and obstacles

Constructing and deconstructing

Telling the story -- using physical objects

Conclusion

6. Learning activities: exploring reality

Introduction

What is a real experience?

Fantasy

Play and reality

Suspending reality: drama and role-playing

Metaphors and storytelling

Management development and cartoons

Using photographic images and computer software

Reflections on reality -- reading and writing

Rafts and planks... or real projects?

Conclusion

7. Working with the senses

Introduction

Re-awakening the senses

Appealing to the senses: higher education

Sensory stimulation in learning and therapy

Inner sensory work: presencing and anchoring

Conclusion

8. Experience and emotions

Introduction

Emotion and experiential learning

The power of the emotional state

Emotional waves

Experiencing emotional calm -- sorting time

Flow learning

Experience, learning and 'identity'

Conclusion

9. Working with emotions

Introduction

The emotional climate -- mood setting and relaxed alertness

Overcoming emotion -- fear

Mapping and accessing emotions

Using trilogies in emotional work

Using humour and other positive emotions

Accessing emotions through popular metaphors

Metaphoric intervention

Conclusion

1. Experience and intelligence

Introduction

Working with intelligence

Other forms of intelligence

Emotional quotient -- EQ

Spiritual quotient -- SQ

Naturalistic intelligence -- NQ

The creative quotient -- CQ

Conclusion

11. Learning and change

Introduction

Learning and change

Theories of learning: theories of change!

The development of reflective practice

Using problems and challenges

Reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action

Single and double loop learning

Encouraging conditions for reflection

The danger of formal education and training

Critical reflection

Action learning

The action learning set

Timing and duration of learning sets

Problems and action learning

Strategies for learning and change

Conclusion

12. Imagining and experiencing the future

Introduction

Imagination

Imagination versus action

Mental fitness for the future

Imagining the future

The value of problems

Imaginative strategies

Imagination and the child

Conclusion