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What are Experiential Learning Cycles?
Experiential Learning Cycles are models for understanding how the process of learning works. They are distinct from other models of learning, such as behavioral models or social learning models, in two notable ways:
• Experiential Learning Cycles treat the learner's subjective experience as of critical importance in the learning process. ELCs draw onexperiential education principles, which are largely based on the educational philosophy of John Dewey (1920's-1950's).
• Experiential Learning Cycles propose an iterative series of processes which underlies learning. Depending on the model, there is anywhere between one stage (experience alone) through to six stages of learning to be considered.
Experiential Learning Cycles are commonly used tohelp structure experience-based training and education programs. For example, Experiential Learning Cycle models are amongst the most important pieces of theory used in many outdoor education programs.
Why break down learning into distinct stages?
By breaking fuzzy processes (such as learning) down into distinct stages (such as a 4-stage model), the idea is that we can better understand, testout, and make use of the main components.
However, trainers and educators who use convenient models, need to be critical consumers. Whilst a good model can greatly aid research and practice, a poor model (one which is wrong or misinterpreted) can create more problems than it solves.
Here is an example of how it can helpful to break learning down into discrete steps:
Tom is a typical three-yearold boy in almost all respects, except that recently he has been throwing more temper tantrums than usual, they seem to be lasting longer, and occasionally they become particularly destructive to furniture, etc. Tom's parents are struggling to find ways to help Tom learn other ways of dealing with his frustrations and anger. They are concerned that if Tom doesn't learn to deal more appropriatelywith his emotions, that the problem could continue through his early schooling years and perhaps longer.
Tom's parents seek help from a psychologist who recommends implementing either a Time-Out procedure or a "Stop-Say-Listen" approach. Both of these procedures have been shown to be effective in helping children learn to deal with emotions and learn more effective behaviors because theyintentionally add a "reflection" stage to the "action" stage. Such approaches to parenting can be seen as similar to the 2-stage Experiential Learning Cycle (action - reflection).
In many fields related to experiential learning, education, and training, the underlying "theoretical engine" is the idea that people can learn very effectively through direct, hands-on experience, as long as theseexperiences are well designed and facilitated.
But there are many examples where experience alone is not sufficient for meeting particular learning goals. In such situations, it seems to work better if the raw experience is packaged together with facilitated exercises which involve thinking, discussing, or creatively processing cognitions and emotions related to the raw experience.
Note that the term"Experiential Learning Cycle" is often used to refer to the 4-stage process model discussed extensively by Kolb (1984), but 8 other models are discussed on this page, plus Juch (1983) has collated 17 models.

Underlying Philosophy
How, exactly, do people "learn from experience"? The most famous response to this question comes from John Dewey's philosophy of education (see 500 Word Summary ofJohn Dewey's "Experience & Education").
The underlying philosophy of experiential learning cycle (ELC) models is Deweyian. By Deweyian is meant that Experiential Learning Cycle models emphasize that the nature of experience as of fundamental importance and concern in education and training.
A further, Deweyian assumption underlying ELCs is that people learn experientially and that some...