Experiential learning takes place when a person is involved in an activity, looks back at it critically, determines what at was useful or important to remember, and uses this information to perform another activity.

In the past few years, research in the area of experiential learning has strengthened this approach by adding several key processing steps beyond simply doing the activity or experience. These steps include:

• having the participant(s) experience the activity--perform or do it;
• having the participant(s) share the experience by describing what happened;
• asking participant(s) to process the experience to identify common themes;
• having participant(s) generalize from the experience to form principles or guidelines that can be used in real-life situations, e.g., life skills;
• asking participant(s) to apply what was learned to another situation.

Providing an experience alone does not create "experiential learning." The activity comes first. The learning comes from the thoughts and ideas created as a result of the experience. This is a "learn by doing" or experiential process. Addressing each step in the process assures a purposeful plan to obtain a specific.

. . . and justice for all
The Iowa Cooperative Extension Service's programs and policies are consistent with pertinent federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination. Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Stanley R. Johnson, director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.