Tweet: Critique of Kolb’s experiential learning

Is "reflecting" inherent part of learning something ?
Animals learn too… humans are animals too.
Maybe we can argue that animal reflection is atleast not that deep.

— Kiran Johny (@johnywrites) April 8, 2020

Good question. Almost certainly not in some forms of procedural learning. In other cases we're not sure if & how reflection has happened on the way to learning something, or even what counts as reflection. And is reflection only linear (i.e. we learn about X by reflecting on X)?

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020

Maybe in Kolb's model, motivation comes into play re orienting oneself to reflection & active experimentation, & in engagement in experiences & abstract conceptualisation. But separating these as different phases of a cycle also brackets off sources of motivation?

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020

Thanks. I like the insight that Kolb's ELT neglects social aspects of development—learning with & from others. Dennison's example is sports coaches, but dialogue, collaboration & communication are all marginalised in Kolb's model (e.g. as just part of environment), aren't they?

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020

Thanks. Jarvis shows how Kolb's model doesn't pick up on complexity(of learning or experiences). Kolb advocates controlling experiences to support meeting learning objectives, rather than the other way round (supporting learning from unpredictable & uncontrollable experiences).

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020

I found Ian Garner's paper useful in its discussion of theoretical inconsistencies in Kolb's presentation and justification of the model: https://t.co/GZtHERIHcZ

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020

I'll admit, before you posted this, I thought I didn't need to re-look at Coffield et al. because I knew what was in there. But am now re-reading and it's a rich discussion of pedagogical thinking more generally, so…thanks! And yes, Kolb gets a pretty thorough treatment.

— Tim Fawns (@timbocop) April 9, 2020