Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development

Rating:
Summary: An indispensible and seminal text!!
Review: Kolb's "Experiential Learning" is a masterpiece. In it, he deftly synthesizes the strands of learning theory and psychological research that inform his 4 stage learning cycle. All committed "experiential educators" should consult this book in order more deeply to understand the deep and rich conceptual foundation(s) of our potent pedagogical practice. In his "Foreword" to the volume, Leadership guru Warren Bennis positively hyperventilates in applauding Kolb's achievement in this work. And for good reason! From thence comes Kolb's elegant & powerful "Learning Styles Inventory" (or LSI), among other things. Even if you're a cynic or skeptic re: the merit of experiential education, you would do well to peruse this tour-de-force in order better to appreciate what you may be missing.

Rating:
Summary: Please pass the molasses
Review: When one encounters the word " dialectic" while reading academic texts it should be as a clear signal as a fire to forest ranger that trouble is on the horizon. This statement may be a bit of an exaggeration but it would definitely be accurate to say that Kolb's Experiential Learning is no easy read. Of course, this does not diminish the value of the book, in spite of difficult passages. Ironically, this is the essence of the concept of "dialectic". Liberal doses of psychology are ladled throughout the book as the masters (Piaget, Jung, et. al) are consistently consulted to back up theory. Although not professing to have knowledge about psychology, it is clear that their work is essential to establish the interrelationship between cognition and experiential learning. Theory of learning and the opposing learning styles of apprehension and comprehension are explored. This book is clearly the cure for a stubborn case of insomnia. I can't say that the book is without merit, however, because it held some great information that will be useful now and in future applications when I have the chance to practice my current endeavors. Some passages even caused a sense of anticipation for the succeeding ones because there was a considerable amount of interesting information that I had not yet pondered. I would compare this book to putting molasses on pancakes on a winter day. It is thick and doesn't go down easily but great once you warm up to it