The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
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abstract
An educational lesson that offers the student or learner opportunities to perform, share, analyze, connect, and apply new information is experiential learning. The experiential learning process is a fundamental approach to enhance students critical thinking about content and engagement with the content in order to maximize learning beyond the classroom. The presence of educational technologies is shifting students from consumers of information to engaged knowledge inventors. Educators are working to develop best teaching practices that distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of educational technology tools as compared to traditional tools. The inclusion of experiential learning opportunities will assist educators in using easily accessible devices to enhance student performance and educational outcomes. Experiences and education are not mutually inclusive. Educative opportunities do not necessarily produce educative experiences. Miseducative experiences can result for any number of reasons including improper use of technology. John Dewey, a philosopher and education reformer of the early 20th century, identified miseducative experiences as experiences that halt or mislead the development of future experiences. Merely providing experiences does not produce learning because educational outcomes depend on the quality of the experience, including guidance and feedback. This entry discusses theories of experiential learning developed by John Dewey, Carl Rogers, and David Kolb. It then discusses implementing experiential learning in the context of Everett Rogerss theory of diffusion of innovations.
