Understanding and Application of Experiential Learning Theory in Medical Education

Abstract

Experiential learning varies greatly depending on how the meaning of experience is construed. In the context of education, experiential learning generally refers to educational activities that are based on the learners’ active participation and implementation of their knowledge, corresponding to the so-called “learning by doing” emphasized by progressive educational philosophy, in contrast to traditional teaching methods where learners passively receive knowledge. This paper examines the principles of experiential learning theory that are relevant to learning from experience, introducing examples applied to medical education to provide a theoretical perspective. Experiential learning theory is explicated on the basis of the theories of Dewey, Kolb, and Schön. Their key ideas are continuity of experience and the interaction between experience and reflection. According to experiential learning theory, growth is education, and education is a reconstruction of experience. Experiential learning is a way of thinking about the educational process, wherein meaningful learning is constructed through reflection-in-action. Medical education is changing rapidly. Medical schools have the mission of preparing physicians who can compete in an unpredictable future and fulfill their roles as professionals. The implications of experiential learning theory for medical education need to be considered and applied to student education. This paper is meaningful in that it suggests the theoretical possibility that experiential learning theory can be used to achieve the educational goals of medical schools.