Everything You Need to Launch Experiential Learning Today

I have had many people reach out over the past few months asking about experiential learning in k-12 classrooms. What is experiential learning? What is an example of experiential learning? Where can I get experiential learning activities? How do you use experiential learning in the classroom?

I have even had educators reach out that are in the process of starting experiential schools. That is really exciting, and from what I'm gathering, also a little scary and chaotic for these educators.

All of the questions that I'm getting revolve around what is needed to launch experiential learning. Most are looking for a curriculum or set of resources to do the trick.  This post is to make recommendations for those exact tools and resources.

I have written up a resource catalog - experiential learning starter kit - in this post that will give you everything you need to start experiential learning seamlessly right now.

The resources recommended here personalize learning and guide self-directed learners. Check them out and reach out ANYTIME with questions. Continue to follow this blog series on experiential learning for more tips and tricks.

I also highly recommend checking out my free 10-Point Checklist for Your Experiential Learning Program​. It includes must-haves for experiential learning and a mind map to help you iron out the details of your own program or classroom!

Get your free checklist

This starter kit includes: 

1. Personal learning plan 
2. Experiential learning activity tool kits
3. 21st century skill-building portfolio

The rest of this blog post goes over each of elements of experiential learning and how the resources included in the starter kit complement those elements.

Experiential Learning Activities and Tools to Get You Started

1. Resources that Personalize Learning

Experiential learning is personalized, meaning learning experiences are designed around students' unique interests, backgrounds, hobbies, learning styles, and more. Here are a few helpful tools that you can use to get to know your students and for your students to get to know themselves! 
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• Free Project Brainstorming Activities: Students go through a series of activities that help them discover their interests, and therefore, set the stage for future projects or learning experiences. This resource make learning personal through interest-based learning.
• Personal Learning Plan: A personal learning plan (PLP) is so important in experiential learning environments, because like I said, experiential learning is personal. Students develop their personal learning plans right away, and modify or add to them throughout the year. 

2. Student-Directed Learning Resources

As you've seen in my experiential learning blog series, student-directed learning experiences are key. How do you make learning student-directed? By giving students choices based on their personal interests and experiences. I have several student-directed learning activity tool kits that can be used over and over and over again, which are all included in the experiential learning starter kit. 
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• Project-Based Learning (PBL) Tool Kit: Project-based learning for self-directed learners is a powerful strategy. It is also my go-to learning experience because it is so easy to personalize. Project based learning is authentic, community-based, real-world, and so much more. 
• Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) Tool Kit: My problem-based learning tool kits help guide students through identifying and solving real-world problems. They look at the problem from a variety of angles, research all sides, talk with real people that have been impacted by the problem, and more.  
• Maker Project Tool Kit: I love adding design thinking to any learning experience because of all of the skills involved. Through trial and error students are always improving, they get creative, they practice communication and collaboration skills, and so much more. 
• Scientific Inquiry Tool Kit: Scientific inquiry is student-led scientific experimentation. The student makes the observation, asks the questions, designs the experiment, and more. 
• Community Action Projects Tool Kit: This tool kit provides the guiding materials for students to run their own community action projects, service-learning style PBL projects. Students choose an issue of personal importance or interest, develop an action plan, and take action.​

If you're not in need of the entire starter kit, check out some of these smaller bundles. 
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• Student-Directed Learning Tool Kits Bundle: Includes PBL, PrBL, Maker, and Scientific Inquiry Tool kits.
• 21st-Century Skill-Building Activities Bundle: Includes PBL, PrBL, Maker, Scientific Inquiry, and Community Action Project tool kits, plus a digital 21st-century skills portfolio for 21st century learners. 
• Personalized Project-Based Learning Bundle: Maybe you only want to start with project-based learning. Try this bundle that includes the PBL project tool kit and the personal learning plan. 

3. 21st-Century Skill-Building Resources

Developing skills and competencies for life is equally as important, if not more important, than gaining content knowledge. Content can be Googled. The skills to locate information that is not Googleable is more necessary in the 21st-century for 21st-century learners. 

• 21st-Century Skills Portfolio: Experiential learners can showcase skills developed through experiential learning with my 21st-Century Skills Portfolio. Students showcase evidence of skill-building and reflect on those skill-building experiences. There is a printable and digital option. 

4. Resources to Showcase Learning

"Assessments" have a different meaning in an experiential world. In my 13 years in experiential education, I can safely and accurately declare that I have never administered a test. Yes, testing might have its place, but that place is not in an experiential learning environment. It simply wouldn't make sense. 

So how do I evaluate experiential learning? What are some experiential learning assessment strategies?

• Rubrics: I evaluate single projects or learning experiences with rubrics.    **Each tool kit mentioned above comes with its own rubric.
  • Rubric Bundle: If you're not interested in the tool kits, but could use help with the rubrics, consider this bundle.
  • Student-Generated Rubric: As I've mentioned often on this post, experiential learning is student-directed. So why not have students create their own rubrics? If learning experiences are personalized, evaluations can/should be as well. I have a student-generated rubric template for that reason. 
• Reflections: ​An important piece of experiential learning is reflecting on the experience. Every single one of my resources includes a reflection piece.
  
  • Free experiential learning activities reflection
  • Experiential Learning Reflection Template: Digital Slideshow - This reflection is included for free as a bonus in my experiential learning starter kit.
• Assessment Portfolio: This is key! Experiential learning IS THE curriculum, not a piece of it or a supplemental activity, so if you are really diving into experiential learning head first, get on board with an assessment portfolio. Students add ALL of their learning outcomes (session, year, or even an entire academic career) into one portfolio, such as photographs of their final products, rubric scores, reflections, and more.
  
  • Get my experiential learning activities portfolio for free!

I hope that this has been helpful, and as always, reach out with questions. I have played around with the idea of offering a professional development course that would help educators launch experiential learning. 

Follow Experiential Learning Depot on Pinterest, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram for more on experiential education, and check out my TpT store for experiential learning resources. 

Did you know there is an experiential learning Facebook group? Check that out - Experiential Learning Community for K12 Teachers - and join in the discussion about all things experiential learning.​