10 Best Examples of Experiential Learning in Education and Workplace

Learning is most effective when individuals are practicing instead of listening. That sentiment is supported by the research. According to the National Training Laboratories, individuals typically remember around 75% of what they practice, but only 5% of what they hear when presented in a lecture format. This variance is partly what makes experiential learning such a vital approach to education and work.

Experiential learning in education and professional settings relies on active participation. It provides learners with opportunities to utilize knowledge, reflect upon experiences, and develop skills in real contexts. Learning is not primarily about memorizing theories, but rather discovering how to integrate theories into practical applications. Experiential learning prepares students to experience the real world, while engagement students with practical tools for problem-solving. To illustrate, let’s visit 10 best experiential learning examples in classrooms and professional venues.

Project-Based Learning in Schools
Project-based learning is one of the most popular approaches to experiential learning in education. In this process, students complete real-world projects whereby they research, design, and present a solution. For instance, a science class may work on building a water filtration model for a rural community. This type of learning promotes critical thinking and collaboration while bridging what students learn in school to how it can be used in the world. These are also strong examples of experiential learning in education.
Role-Playing in Training Programs
Role-playing has been shown to be very effective in workplace learning. For example, sales teams will practice conversations with clients over simulated phone calls. Healthcare professionals will also role-play to stimulate discussions about what it is like to talk with patients. These scenarios serve to provide safe spaces to try things out and improve capacity to respond. Role-playing also provides a context for theoretical lessons. Ultimately, role-playing increases confidence in one’s performance in real life situations. It is widely used in experiential learning in workplace environments and is among the most effective experiential learning methods in workplace training.
Internships and Apprenticeships
Internships in the classroom and apprenticeships in the workplace are rich forms of experiential learning. They are replete with actual work contexts in which learning occurs. For example, engineering students in factories can understand service and operations that are not obtained in a classroom. Similarly, apprentice chefs learn cooking skills through practice meals prepared in real-life restaurants. These serve as examples of experiential learning in workplace development.
Field Trips for Applied Knowledge
Field trips may seem straight forward, but they are very valuable in experiential learning activities for students. History students can visit heritage sites and environmental science classes can visit a forest or lake classroom. The experiences give context that is difficult to derive from books alone. For employees, where business partners have factories or offices, site visits provide employees an understanding of what is involved in their partner’s work.
Case Study Simulations in Business Schools
Case study simulations are often utilized in business schools to prepare students for leadership positions. The students evaluate real situations facing a company, offer proposals to address the situation, and then defend their reasoning. This mode of experiential learning in education provides students with experience in problem- and decision-making. Many business executives remember case studies as part of their education because they best reflect the complexity of the business world.
Service Learning in Communities
Service learning integrates community service and academic study. Students engage in volunteer efforts that support social issues, including leading health awareness initiatives, or working with economically disadvantaged children, for example. In this process, they experience the integration of academic knowledge while increasing their empathy and societal responsibility. Many universities throughout the world utilize service learning in order to graduate socially responsible citizens. This is one of the most valuable types of experiential learning.
Job Shadowing in the Workplace
Job shadowing enables employees or students to observe the work of established professionals as they accomplish their work tasks throughout the day. For example, a law student might have the opportunity to observe a practicing attorney during court proceedings to better understand how things are handled in the legal field. Likewise, a new employee at a company might spend time shadowing a more seasoned employee to understand how things are carried out in the workplace. This is a great way to shorten the learning curve; it builds confidence before an employee works independently. It is also among the most practical experiential learning methods in workplace training.
Gamified Learning Platforms
Gamification has provided a new area of experiential learning. The use of platforms that incorporate elements of a game, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, make learning fun. For instance, language apps create motivation for learners to practice daily, based on completing challenges. In corporate training, gamification allows employees to learn compliance rules or learn technical concepts with a greater retention rate. The introduction of fun and competition creates motivation. This highlights the benefits of experiential learning in both education and workplace training.
Outdoor Leadership Programs
Experiential learning can also happen away from a classroom or office. Outdoor leadership programs emphasize working with problems and working on team dynamics in natural environments. Engaging in activities such as trekking, rafting, or wilderness survival gives students the opportunity to demonstrate resilience to challenge themselves and make effective decisions under pressure. Organizations often utilize outdoor programs to help build trust within teams while simultaneously identifying potential leaders. Schools incorporate them to teach young people about self-sufficiency, working with others and dealing with challenges. This represents another of the key types of experiential learning.
Hackathons and Innovation Challenges
Hackathons and innovation challenges are among the clearest and best examples of experiential learning in workplace practices today. For example, tech companies host hackathons where employees are placed in teams to collaboratively design a solution and present an prototype, all within a set timeframe. Schools and universities use innovation challenges as a way to tap into students’ creativity and innovative abilities. In these situations, businesses and organizations promote collaboration, exploration, and fast-paced problem solving. They show some of the strongest benefits of experiential learning in modern times.

Why These Examples Matter

These ten examples emphasize how experiential learning creates an active setting where learners are not simply constant recipients of knowledge, but become engaged in the construction of knowledge. The variety also showcases that it is highly adaptable to different environments, whether in a classroom or in a corporate boardroom.

These are diverse types of experiential learning with direct impact. The benefits of experiential learning are observable. Students participating in project-based or service learning indicate a high rate of retention. Employees receiving experiential training demonstrate better performance and can more easily adjust to a changing environment.

Building Skills for the Future

In today’s world, we need individuals who can quickly adapt, think critically, and act decisively. Experiential learning develops these very traits and abilities. A lecture on leadership may be inspiring for students, but when a student plans and carries out a project for a college event, the student learns about leadership in context.

The same goes for an employee who experiences creativity during a hackathon when constrained by reality. These snapshots of practice reflect professional development and serve as real experiential learning activities for students.

A Balanced Approach

Experiential learning tends to be most effective when it is paired with traditional methods. For example, lectures and readings provide the foundation to get started, and active experiences put that knowledge into practice. Interning in a field takes on much more meaning when students have theoretical lessons to back it up from their university education. These are strong examples of experiential learning in education. Joining a gamified training session becomes significantly more impactful if employees can also utilize reference material. The true balance provides learners insight as to the why and then the how of the subject.

Final Takeaway

Experiential learning has transitioned from a fringe methodology in education and work to a central method in educational pedagogy and workplace knowledge building because of its utility. There are many opportunities ranging from role plays to hackathons.

What effort is devoted to building effective conditions for learners to experience, reflect, and apply? The future of education and work will belong to those who can produce practice out of knowledge, especially through experiential learning in workplace programs and academic initiatives.