Kolb's four-stage experiential learning cycle as the structural spine of case-based curriculum¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article adopts Kolb's four-stage cycle as the organizing structure of its program-level model, mapping case-based activities onto each stage. As printed, "The four stages are; Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), Abstract Conceptualisation (AC) and, Active experimentation (AE)". The authors treat the cycle as continuous and iterative, with concrete experience and abstract conceptualisation supporting grasping experience and reflective observation and active experimentation supporting transforming experience, operationalised through real-world problem cases.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Cases structured so learners move through experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting in a recursive process

Constraints¶

• Applied here to human services/social work education at program level

Target Learners¶

• undergraduate community and human services students

Target Learning Objectives¶

• reflective practice skills
• applying theory to real-world practice scenarios

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Federation University Case Based Experiential Model
• Kolb's experiential learning cycle as the pedagogical basis for an engineering learning module

Examples¶

• Implement experiential learning as a program-level teaching philosophy rather than as isolated activities

Key Sources¶

• Patil, T., Hunt, M., Cooper, K., & Townsend, R. (2020). Developing a case-based experiential learning model at a program level in a regional university: Reflections on the developmental process. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 60(2). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1267932