Experiential learning is a process where the participant constructs knowledge, skills and values from direct experiences. This learning philosophy is based on the belief that adults learn best by direct and purposeful contact with their learning experiences. It is interactive and encourages learners to discover knowledge rather than be informed. Such learning experiences are realistic – physically active, cognitively meaningful and effectively engaging. The Training methodologies that will be used in the program include experiential exercises, challenging games and simulations and purposeful conversations.
The process of learning from experience is ubiquitous, present in human activity every where all the time. Learning holds the key to individual potential as well as performance. By understanding the design and structure of experiential learning, participants will be empowered to enhance their own learning, helping them to rise to new challenges and adapt to changes in their environment. In this highly interactive program you will learn how to learn, and discover how to adapt to different kinds of situations.
Experiential Learning offers a dynamic view of learning based on the learning cycle and driven by the resolution of the dual dialectics of action/reflection and experience/abstraction. It is a holistic theory that defines learning as the major process of human adaptation involving the whole person.
While the traditional model of education focuses primarily on performance and outcomes, the experiential learning framework equally focuses on the process and the outcome of learning. Embracing this framework requires leaders and educators to go beyond the familiar educational methods and adopt a holistic approach to learning.
THE NEED FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
As trainers, you are aware that the learning process is as important as the content of learning. This perhaps is more so in an adult training environment. Often, unskilled trainers put overwhelming importance on the content/topics of the training programs and ignore the learning process, thereby hindering the creation of an appropriate learning environment. As a result, not only do the trainees go away dissatisfied, but the learning also remains largely ineffective.
The art of instruction that strikes a balance between learning content and learning process is also referred to as the art of facilitation. “To facilitate” means “to make easy”. The effective adult trainer has to be an effective facilitator. In other words, he/she has to be able to make the learning process easy; “easy” not in the sense of being simplistic, but rather in the sense of getting the trainees actively involved in the learning process. The trainees should feel that they own the learning and not that the learning is imposed on them by the Trainer.
BE A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL TRAINER IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Professional Trainers are responsible for managing the content, process and the environment of a learning situation. Whatever be the content (Topic) of a training program, it is the process of delivery (Methodology) that determines the effectiveness of the program. For the program to be effective it has to engage and involve the participants fully in the learning process. The following are the benefits of an experiential learning process:
• The active involvement of the trainees in a participatory environment keeps them motivated and energetic. Without adequate motivation and energy, learning is unlikely to be high.
• Trainees learn better by listening and doing rather than by simply listening to the Trainer.
• In a participatory environment, the trainees learn not only from the Trainer but also from each other. This adds much more value to the learning process.
• The trainees get ample opportunity to share their valid experiences during the learning process. This process of sharing helps to crystallize their ideas- on the subject at hand as well get valuable feedback from other trainees on their personal understanding.
• This approach makes the learning process more challenging for the trainees since they cannot simply lay back and only listen. They realize that their active contribution is vital to the success of the learning process. This helps the trainees to “learn to learn” rather than just learn the subject at hand. Therefore benefits of Experiential learning extend far beyond the confines of the classroom and the duration of the concerned training program.
• The participatory approach helps to build up the trainees confidence and encourages them to be inter-dependant rather than dependant on the Trainer. This helps build a learner-centric approach to learning, which can be more durable and creative than a Trainer-centric learning.
To excel in the global competitive work environment, you need to upgrade your skills which will enable you to meet the increased demands of the current corporate world.
This PROFESSIONAL TRAINER CERTIFICATION IN DESIGN AND FACILITATION OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING awarded by IIPE will give you an edge to stand out, accelerate your career and business goals, and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace in almost any industry.
Requirements for Entry:
It is available to all students, of all academic/industry backgrounds.
COURSE CONTENT:
Overview and importance of Experiential Learning
Identify and incorporate key principles of the experiential learning process.
Understand the dynamics of change to challenge the learning potential of the participants.
Use simple techniques to enhance learner participation and create a suitable climate for learning.
Learn the art of facilitation and choose appropriate experiential activities to meet training objectives and participant’s needs.
Practice questioning / debriefing techniques to derive insightful learning.
Acquire a bagful of Innovative Training Games and Activities.