EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING & x-learning

Experiential Learning, as its name suggests, is a methodology in which, during the teaching-learning process, the participant, who from now on we will call an apprentice, learns and develops their capacities through experience.

The experience in simulation is connected to analogies and metaphors, and is led to reflection so that this learning is internalized. The ages of the apprentices suppose a different approach within the Andragogy which is the discipline in charge of adult education, Hebegogy when it is directed at young people.

Learning can take place personally from a conscious process or it can take place in groups with the intervention of Facilitators through experiential workshops for the development of soft skills (SP) and hard skills or technical (SP) .

The workshops must be designed and structured by the Facilitator or Consultant, based on the training needs (TNA) and focused on the learners based on the training objectives to be achieved, in accordance with the objectives and profiles of the learners. The training processes are focused on the learning objectives and the contents are adjusted to the objectives, contrary to the traditional approach to education that is strictly oriented to the development of content in a passive way.

According to David Kolb , Experiential Learning can be defined as "the process by which knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of capturing and transforming the experience ". At this stage, the mastery of the Facilitator to apply the Debriefing technique is essential.

Debriefing

The Debriefing is the technique we use to generate the processing of the facts, emotions to lead them to reflections, and from the reflections, generate life learning and then, action commitments.

In our organization we work the processes with the Learning Cycles of David Kolb and Kurt Hahn , with the development of our proposal Debriefing Model of the 4 Elements .

Experiential Learning methodology is often confused with conducting the Group Dynamics technique, in person or online. Group dynamics represent a great resource for learning, integrating play in the process, however, if the activities are present in the program as devices disconnected from the objectives, they fail to generate learning. The Facilitator must resort to Debriefing , technically well structured, to achieve the learning. Group Dynamics are not equivalent to generating learning.

x-learning

The success of experiential methodology, in face-to-face settings, has shown that learning is more effective when it is acquired through experiences and by discovery from the Constructivism approach and currently with a trend towards recent Connectivism , learning theory that arises in the digital age as contributions from Siemens and Downes .

x-learning is a process model adapted to e-learning processes such as b-learning (blended learning), based on Experiential Learning . x-learning is a model to enhance the PEA (teaching-learning processes) , applicable to training programs adapted to virtual environments, maintaining the high impact of the magic and the power of Experiential Learning , Debriefing , ICT , Heuristic Learning , Metacognition , stimulating the creation of a PLE (Personal Learning Environment) , incorporating principles of Andragogy, Paragogy, Heutagogy , and generating based on Constructivism and Connectivism , memorable experiences for Meaningful Learning , applied in our corporate programs, workshops, courses, as well as in the training of online trainers and certification of facilitators in face-to-face workshops.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING & x-learning

The key characteristics of Experiential Learning face-to-face and x-learning , we summarize them in the following points:

1. Experience is the foundation and stimulus for learning. Everything that the apprentices assimilate is based on what eachone has previously known. The apprentices learns based on their previous learning, from lived experiences.
2. Learning is built from the learner's own active experience on a constant basis.
3. Learning is an integral process. The process involves emotions, will, and cognitive effort. All this together allows the learner's participation in the process to be carried out in a satisfactory way.
4. Learning is socially and culturally constructed. Learning is influenced by members of their team, creating a learning community. Learning is influenced by social and cultural expectations in the interrelation with the members of the virtual and face-to-face learning space.
5. Learning is affected by the socio-emotional context in which it takes place. The context in which the learning process takes place, and the interest of the learner to achieve the planned learning objectives, considerably influence the level of motivation of the same. For this reason, the work we do is not limited only when our presence is evidenced in a virtual or face-to-face way, as we develop a great personalized work.

Ernesto Yturralde, defines:

“Experiential Learning as the cyclical generation of action theories, based on internalized experiences.”

ADVANTAGES OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Experiential Learning brings with it numerous benefits aimed at making learners reflect on their own learning. Between these:

1. Experiential Learning allows the learner to achieve greater personal growth through self-knowledge.
2. It works simultaneously on personal, interpersonal, social, work aspects for a better collaborative teamwork.
3. Improves the understanding of the information by the learner for its assimilation and adaptation to its cognitive structure.
4. DIt develops different ways of thinking that allow the learner to face different problems. •
5. Increases the motivation of the learner, in spaces that are enjoyed.
6. It gives the learner autonomy, preparing him for the different capacities and competencies he will face in the real world in the future.
7. It allows learners to acquire greater security, confidence and self-esteem in the acquisition and reinforcement of their skills and competences, as well as in the interaction and participation with the activation of various devices and group activities.
8. The reflective process generates learning and enables learners to extrapolate what they have learned to other contexts from generalization.
9. The apprentice manages to accelerate the learning process compared to other methodologies due to the practice itself, which allows a rapid assimilation of knowledge.
10. It enables you to solve problems more effectively, make better decisions, and improve your critical thinking processes.

GET IDEAS PREGNANT ^©

In addition to the workshops applying x-learning , we facilitate co-creation workshops to detonate the collective intelligence that exponentially stimulates ideas to co-create the future. Collective intelligence shows us that together we are smarter than any person from their individuality. These spaces are ideal for discussing the issues that matter to us within the organization in order to find solutions and create new horizons. All of this will allow us to get ideas pregnant ^© that will be created from the DNA of the organization . We have two methods for these spaces, the Open Space Workshops ( Harrison Owen ) and the World Café Workshops ( Juanita Brown & Davis Isaacs ). Two techniques that are great and effective!

TRAINING PLAN

We consider that education and training are organized and systematic processes by which people obtain knowledge, aptitudes, and abilities based on defined objectives, and should not be considered as isolated "events", but rather must be structured within a Training Plan ; We consider the TNA process and the ROI in training to be important. We celebrate 38 years of experience in this exciting field of Organizational Development and the development of Human Talent . We are at your service with the same passion of our first day of work and the experience of the last, today!

Ernesto Yturralde

« For dreams, we sigh; for the goals, we perspire; for the achievements, we breathe. »

CALL TO ACTION