"Hands-on learning" and "learning by doing" are commonly used expressions in education. An understanding of this process called "experiential learning" will help new and experienced educators provide youth with rewarding and fun experiences. As you begin to use this process, it may take more time to prepare than a lecture or a demonstration. Yet, you will soon find the time spent is well worth the effort.

Why use experiential learning?

It might take more preparation, but the rewards for both the adult educator and youth participants are potentially significant. Consider the following in your decision:

Advantages

• Use of multiple senses (sight, sound, etc.) can increase retention of what is learned.
• Multiple teaching/learning methods can be integrated to maximize creativity and flexibility.
• Child-centered learning becomes the focus.
• The process of "discovery" of knowledge and solutions builds competence and confidence.
• Learning is more fun for youth, and teaching is more fun for adult leaders and helpers.
• If youth are actively engaged in learning, they have a greater stake in the outcome of what they learn and are less likely to become discipline problems.
• Youth can learn life skills that will be used over and over in addition to subject matter content.

Disadvantages

• A decentralized approach can seem less orderly, and it may be less comfortable to an authoritarian-style teacher.
• It requires more preparation by the leader-teacher and may require more time for processing. Therefore, some subject matter may have to be sacrificed for better learning and retention by youth.
• It requires patience and guidance by the leader.
• There is often no single "right" answer.

Purpose of this web site

This web site is dedicated to support an experiential learning training package that includes a training guide and video/DVD.  This tool aims to help Extension educators, professional staff and volunteers in all youth organizations make sense of experiential learning.  You have lectured, role played and experimented with all sorts of simulations - now you can have the real thing.  The training package, which consists of a facilitator's guide, videotape/DVD, and this web site, uses an experiential training design to illustrate how learning takes place using real volunteers, children, and older youth.  No attempt is made to say this is the only way but rather a way that can be modified to fit your style as a facilitator.

• View the table of contents for the training guide.
• View the typical performance outcomes for participants in the training.
• View a description of the video vignettes in the training videotape/DVD.
• Download a helpful document (192K PDF) about working with youth of various "ages & stages."

Web Sites on Experiential Learning

Learn more about experiential learning through dozens of web links to related resources materials, organizations, journal articles, background information, etc.

Credits

The curriculum and this supporting web site was developed by the 4-HCCS Design Team for Experiential Learning.