Enhancing Your Experiential Program with Narrative Theory

Abstract

The narrative perspective reminds us that experiential learning must be more than teaching participants how to apply predetermined skills and generic concepts to future life situations. Participants must be given the opportunity to explore personally meaningful concepts that come from their own history, context, and feelings for true learning to occur. In this article narrative theory is used as a framework from which to explore the different stages of experiential learning and the consequent role of the facilitator in connecting experiences to the ongoing life story of each participant.