Experiential Learning Models

Many people believe live trainings work better simply because people can talk to each other face‑to‑face, but that’s not the real reason. In reality, their effectiveness comes from something else entirely, they naturally follow a powerful learning rhythm. Great offline trainings follow one simple logic: action → reflection → understanding → application. This is Kolb’s Cycle. And it’s incredibly powerful. The problem? It was almost impossible to implement it in online learning. That’s why 90% of online courses look like “interactive lectures”: nice slides, videos, quizzes. But that’s content consumption, not transformation. And now - the unexpected twist. For the first time, online learning has caught up with offline experiences. Because AI removed the main barrier: it finally allows learners to get experience, reflection, and practice in a personalized way. Here’s how Kolb’s Cycle looks in modern learning design: 1️⃣ Concrete Experience — action Essence: the learner must do something, live through a situation, face a task — ideally experiencing difficulty or making a mistake that shows their current model doesn’t work. How online: role-based dialogue, scenario simulation. 2️⃣ Reflective Observation — reflection Essence: pause and think — what happened, what actions were taken, and why the result turned out this way. How online: interactive reflection prompts; AI coach provides feedback based on performance and the learner’s own reflections. 3️⃣ Abstract Conceptualisation — understanding Essence: form a new behavioural model — concepts, principles, algorithms that explain how to act more effectively. How online: short video lecture, model breakdown, interactive frameworks, checklists, interactive infographics. 4️⃣ Active Experimentation — application Essence: try the new model in a safe environment and observe the result. How online: AI-based simulation, situational exercise, case-solving with the new approach; AI coach supports and adjusts. The outcome? Online learning stops being “content” and becomes a behaviour tracker. A course becomes a training simulator, not a film. Kolb’s Cycle finally becomes real in digital learning. Do you use this framework? What results have you seen?

The ultimate guide to creating transformational workshop experiences (Even if you're not a natural facilitator) Ever had that gut-punch moment after a workshop where you just know it didn’t land? I’ve been there. Back then, I thought great workshops were all about cramming in as much content as possible. You know what I mean: - Slides with inspirational quotes. - The theory behind the frameworks. - More activities than a summer camp schedule… Subconsciously I believed that: The more I shared, the more people would see me as an expert. The more I shared, the more valuable the workshop. And participants would surely walk away transformed. Spoiler: they didn’t. They were hit-and-miss. But then on a leadership retreat in 2016, I stumbled onto something that changed everything. Something so obvious it's almost easy to miss. But when you intentionally use them, it took my workshops from "meh" to "mind-blowing": Three simple principles: 1️⃣ Context-based Learning People don't show up as blank slates. They bring their own experiences, challenges, and goals. When I started anchoring my content in their reality, things clicked. Suddenly, what I was sharing felt relevant and useful — like I was talking with them instead of at them. 2️⃣ Experiential Learning Turns out, people don’t learn by being told. They learn by doing (duh). When I shifted to creating experiences, the room came alive. And participants actually remembered what they’d learned. Experiences like roleplays, discussions, real-world scenarios, the odd game... 3️⃣ Evocative Facilitation This one was a game-changer. The best workshops aren’t just informative — they’re emotional. The experiences we run spark thoughts and reactions. And it's our job to ask powerful questions to invite reflection. Guiding participants to their own "aha!" moments to use in the real world. (yup, workshops aren't the real world) ... When I started being intentional with these three principles, something clicked. Participants started coming up to me after sessions, saying things like: "That’s exactly what I needed." "I feel like you were speaking directly to me." "I’ve never felt so seen in a workshop before." And best of all? Those workshops led to repeat bookings, referrals, and clients who couldn’t wait to work with me again. Is this the missing piece to your expertise? - If so, design experiences around context. •Facilitate experiences that evoke reactions •Unpack reactions to land the learning ♻️ Share if you found this useful ✍️ Do you use any principles to design your workshops?

Designing training programs that actually transform learners? Start with this timeless truth: People don’t learn just by listening. They learn by doing. One of the models I often use while designing development interventions is the 70-20-10 model of learning. Originally developed by McCall, Eichinger, and Lombardo, this framework continues to remain relevant — even in an age of AI-driven learning and digital platforms. Here’s how it breaks down: 1) 70% – Experiential Learning - Learning by doing. On-the-job tasks, stretch assignments, simulations, and real-life decision-making. This is where actual transformation happens. It’s the space where knowledge turns into capability. 2) 20% – Social Learning - Learning from people. Through feedback, coaching, mentoring, peer discussions — we learn by observing, reflecting, and engaging with others. It deepens context and creates community. 3) 10% – Formal Learning - Learning from structured content. Workshops, courses, textbooks, instructional videos. Still important — but only a small piece of the bigger puzzle. When I design workshops, I treat this model not as a formula — but as a design principle. The formal workshops (10%) introduce key concepts. The social components (20%) reinforce it through feedback and peer exchange. But it’s the on-the-job application (70%) that brings the real shift. Because people don’t remember slides — they remember experiences. The 70-20-10 model is a reminder that learning isn’t an event. It’s a process. Transformation doesn’t come from knowing… it comes from doing. If you're building learning programs for your organization, start by asking: “Where will this show up in their real work?” That’s where learning becomes meaningful. #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #ManishKhanolkar

Student-Centered Learning Models: A Practical Visual Reference My teaching philosophy is grounded in what bell hooks calls engaged pedagogy, a student-centered model that begins with the recognition that learning thrives through mutual engagement. At its core, engaged pedagogy is informed by a unique theoretical mixture that includes, among others, Dewey’s theory of experiential learning, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. All of these theories reject what Paulo Freire refers to as the banking model of education, a model where teachers simply deposit knowledge into passive students. Instead, engaged pedagogy frames teaching as a relational, reciprocal process where the teacher doesn’t stand above the learner but alongside. And here’s what I find most powerful: when you add critical thinking to that mix (as hooks did), the entire framework gains structure. Critical thinking becomes the central node, the connective tissue that links reflection, engagement, and growth. Now, you might ask: What does this have to do with AI? Everything. Because you can’t effectively integrate AI into your classroom if you treat it as a bolt-on tool. Pedagogically sound AI integration requires a strong framework. One rooted in collaboration, inquiry, and student agency. That’s exactly what these student-centered models provide. Here’s my argument: if you want to use AI well in your teaching, you need to be creative within a structure that encourages engagement, critical thought, and participation. Otherwise, AI becomes a shortcut and shortcuts don’t build deep learning. But when AI is used within a framework like engaged pedagogy, it becomes a tool for amplifying curiosity, collaboration, and deeper thinking. That’s why I put together a new resource for you. It features four powerful learning models that align with this ethos of learning-by-doing and social constructivism: 1. Experiential Learning 2. Inquiry-Based Learning 3. Project-Based Learning 4. Game-Based Learning And I’ve included a fifth piece on critical thinking, which I believe should be the cross-disciplinary thread that ties all of these approaches together. Without critical thinking, none of these frameworks truly reach their potential. I compiled them into a single downloadable document completely free. My goal is simple: to support teachers who are navigating the evolving role of AI in education without losing sight of what good pedagogy actually looks like. References 1. hooks, bell. (2010). Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom. Routledge. 2. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. Macmillan. 3. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press. 4. Erikson, E. H. (1969) Identity: Youth and Crisis. W. W. Norton & Company. 5. Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum.

When I coached teachers through Teach For America, we relied on Kolb's experiential learning framework. The process was simple but powerful: learn a new concept, apply it in practice, reflect on the experience, and use those reflections to learn and grow further. This continuous cycle of learning, application, and reflection remains, in my view, the most effective way for adults to learn—and when I speak with Learning & Development (L&D) leaders, they wholeheartedly agree. For a long time, however, replicating this process in an online setting was incredibly challenging, and scaling was impossible. But that has changed as AI has come into the picture. Online learning can be multi-directional, enabling real-world practice, reflection, and feedback. You’re not just reading about how to deliver tough feedback to an employee but actually practicing it with an AI-driven coach that provides personalized feedback. Or honing your presentation skills. Or tackling a hands-on coding project. This is how adults learn best—through doing, reflecting, and iterating. And we’re excited to build the tools that make that possible. When people ask what we do at Uplimit, I often say that we are in the weeds of teaching and learning. And it’s within those weeds that there are tons of opportunities to use automation and AI to make meaningful learning possible and easy. What are some of the best experiential learning programs that you've seen with adults?

They say experience is a great teacher. How do you leverage it? I rely heavily on experiential learning as a customer service trainer. Customer service reps have valuable experience from... * Serving customers * Being customers * Interacting with other humans The trick is optimizing what you learn from experiences. David Kolb created a four-step experiential process that anyone can use. 1. Experiencing: doing something. 2. Reflecting: evaluate how it went. 3. Thinking: decide how to adjust. 4. Acting: trying something new. My Customer Service Tip of the Week emails are built around this model. 1. Experience Each tip starts with a relatable story or example. For instance, I went to REI to buy hiking poles for my wife and a knowledgeable sales person used her expertise to help me make the right decision. 2. Reflecting The tip asks you to think about how the tip applies to you. The expertise tip suggested making a list of the top ten product questions customers ask. 3. Thinking Think about how you can use the tip when serving your customers. The expertise tip suggested coming up with extra helpful answers to each of the top ten questions. 4. Acting Apply the tip right away with the customers you serve. This process is self-reinforcing. Trying a new approach leads to a new experience. You can then repeat the steps and continue learning. I bet you already do this! What is one customer service skill you learned from experience?

The interest in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) has increased in the age of AI. I'm not surprised. In my 20+ years as a leader in WIL, I have found that this particular type of experiential learning constructs knowledge in a far superior manner over others. With the rise of AI, it just makes sense that hands on learning in the context of career readiness is a missing link. Here are three contextual points: -WIL immerses learners in a rich learning environment: Just like students gain a deeper understanding about speaking French if they study abroad in France, students gain a deeper understanding about working when they are immersed in a professional environment. -WIL means that seasoned professionals know that the students in their midst are there to learn. So this allows students to feel free to ask questions, experiment, and explore. Very different lens than AFTER they are hired into a full time role. -The rise of AI means that many traditional entry level roles will likely vanish and will augment other roles, too, so my research has indicated that it is the uniquely human skills that students will need to land their first jobs. And uniquely human skills must be learned in a human environment, hence WIL. Here are three theoretical points: -Adult learners are motivated to learning by doing something relevant to their lives. (Knowles Theory of Andragogy) -Experiential learning works best when students must conceptualize an action plan then execute it. (Theory of Experiential Learning) -WIL is distinct from general work experience because it is intentionally designed and guided by specific learning objectives. (Bloom's Taxonomy & Outcomes-Based Education (OBE)) As a professor, professional, and former WIL student, I have been on all three sides of the WIL triangle, I have also designed many successful WIL programs and assessed them: WIL is not just for new employees but also relevant for seasoned employees who must pivot in their careers. WIL is for you and your organization! Please follow/connect with me. Send me a DM if you or your organization would like to book me to speak on WIL, Future of Work, and/or how to engineer your resilience to turn uncertainty into progress. [Diagram above from: "A Foot in the Door" Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Education, Feb 26, 2026.] #workintegratedlearning #experientiallearning #learningbydoing #subjectmatterexpert #WIL -

Most college students graduate knowing what a Gantt chart is. Few have ever built one under pressure. That gap between classroom knowledge and real-world readiness is what employers keep telling us about — and what keeps professors up at night. Lectures cover the frameworks. Textbooks explain the theory. But nothing prepares a student for a scope change, a missed milestone, or a team conflict like actually living through it. That's what simulation-based learning does. Students run real projects — charters, WBS, sprint planning, stakeholder management — in a risk-free environment where mistakes are lessons, not consequences. The result isn't just a student who passed a PM course. It's a graduate who's already thinking like a project manager. For professors: what's the biggest gap you see between what students learn and what employers expect? I'd love to hear your perspective. #HigherEducation #ProjectManagement #ExperientialLearning #SimulationLearning #PMEducation