Experiential Learning Theory Essay

Framework of the Study The present study is anchored on several learning theories. These theories helped the researcher in organizing the content and process of the study. These theories are: Experiential Learning Theory, the Adult Learning Theory, Cognitive Load Theory, the Spiral Approach, and the professional Development Theory.

Fig. 1 Framework of the Study

The Experiential Learning Theory

Fig. 2 The Experiential Learning Theory

Kolb explains experiential learning in four stages: a. Concrete Experience. Adults learn best by encouraging them to do physical actions. The experience goes beyond the chalk and talk routine; b. Reflective Observation. Adults need to engage with and reflect on their experience to glean insights and acquire

Adult Learning Theory The Adult Learning Theory was introduced by Malcolm Knowles (1913 - 1917) who called his theory Andragogy (the design and delivery of instruction for adult) to distinguish it from pedagogy (design and instruction for children and adolescent).

There are six assumptions of this theory, 1) adults need to understand the value of learning something; 2) adult learners are self-directed and want to be perceived as such; 3) adults bring their own life experiences to learning; 4) adults bring a readiness to learn; 5) adults are motivated to learn things that will help them in their lives; 6) adults are extrinsically motivated and goal oriented. Knowles further presented how to design a training program for adult learners. The following are the guidelines, 1) know the audience, 2) watch your tone; 3) keep the learners motivated; 4) respect the time of the learner; 5) let the learner practice (Victor, 2015). For any training program to be successful, it is very important to follow a certain

This stage involves the development of the content and the training material. The most important stage is the delivery. When this stage is over, it is time to conduct the training time and place of venue have already been decided. The factors that determine the process of delivery can be: participant demographics, training intervention, individual style of the trainer and more. Evaluation is the last stage in order to test the effectiveness of the training program. It is also aimed to analyze whether the training achieved its objectives. The present study follows the process of the adult learning theory. It likewise uses adult learners who are the non-MAPEH teachers, the respondents of this training program.

Cognitive Load Theory

This study also utilizes the cognitive load theory. This theory refers to the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time. This was developed by John Sweller in 1988. He said that instructional methods should avoid overloading with additional activities that don’t contribute to learning. Fig. 4. Information Processing