The Experiential Learning Cycle[(]
The following sample questions, when combined with the facilitator's summarizing and reflecting, aid the group in moving either more deeply into the stage at hand or on to another stage.
It is obvious that many of these questions focus on and will elicit similar responses; i.e., they overlap in content and meaning. However, for the skillful facilitator variations on the same theme offer more than one road to arrive at the same place.
NOTE: The Experiencing Stage is the activity itself, and needs to be set up appropriately, with instructions and other information, but is not included in the “questioning.”
SHARING
In stage two, the sharing phase, participants have completed the experience.
Questions are directed toward generating data.
Ø Who would volunteer to share? Who else?
Ø What went on/happened?
Ø How did you feel about that?
Ø Who else had the same experience?
Ø Who reacted differently?
Ø Were there any surprises/puzzlements?
Ø How many felt the same?
Ø How many felt differently?
Ø What did you observe?
Ø What were you aware of?
INTERPRETING
In stage three, the interpreting phase, participants now have data.
Questions are directed toward making sense of that data for the individual and the group.
Ø How did you account for that?
Ø What does that mean to you?
Ø How was that significant?
Ø How was that good/bad?
Ø What struck you about that?
Ø How do those fit together?
Ø How might it have been different?
Ø Do you see something operating there?
Ø What does that suggest to you about yourself/your group?
Ø What do you understand better about yourself/your group?
GENERALIZING
In stage four, the generalizing phase, participants work toward abstracting from the specific knowledge they have gained about themselves and their group to super ordinate principles.
Questions are directed toward promoting generalizations.
Ø What might we draw/pull from that?
Ø Is that plugging in to anything?
Ø What did you learn/relearn?
Ø What does that suggest to you about in general?
Ø Does that remind you of anything?
Ø What principle/law do you see operating?
Ø Does that remind you of anything? What does that help explain?
Ø How does this relate to other experiences?
Ø What do you associate with that?
Ø So what?
APPLYING
In stage five, the applying phase, participants are concerned with utilizing learning in their realworld situation.
Questions are directed toward applying the general knowledge they have gained to their personal and/or professional lives.
Ø How could you apply/transfer that?
Ø What would you like to do with that?
Ø How could you repeat this again?
Ø What could you do to hold on to that?
Ø What are the options?
Ø What might you do to help/hinder yourself'?
Ø How could you make it better?
Ø What would be the consequences of doing/not doing that?
Ø What modifications can you make to work for you?
Ø What could you imagine/fantasize about that?
Processing the Entire Experience
A final stage can be added here, that of processing the entire experience as a learning experience. Questions are aimed at soliciting feedback.
Ø How was this for you?
Ø What were the pluses/minuses?
Ø How might it have been more meaningful?
Ø What's the good/bad news?
Ø What changes would you make?
Ø What would you continue?
Ø Any suggestions?
Ø If you had it to do over again, what would you do?
Ø What additions / deletions would help?
Adult Learning
References, Bibliography & Selected Readings
Abernathy, D. (1999). Presentation tips from the pros. Training and Development. October, 1926.
Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Aslett, D. (1989). Is There a Speech Inside You? Cincinnati: Writers' Digest Books.
Association for Training and Development. (1998). Write Better Behavioral Objectives. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.
Crosbie, R. (1997). Presentation skills myth vs. reality. Canadian Manager, v 22, n 4, 9 (2).
DeDoux (1994). Emotion, memory and the brain. Scientific American 270, 6:5057.
Desimone, R. & Harris, D. (1998). Human Resource Development. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Brace & Company.
Fletcher, L. (1979). How to Design and Deliver a Speech. New York: Harper and Row.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.
Hacker, D. Infoline: Testing for Learning Outcomes. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.
Hoff, R. (1992). I Can See You Naked: A Fearless Guide to Making Great Presentations. New York: Andrews and McNeal.
Inguagiato, R. (1993). Case studies: let's get real. Training and Development, October, 47 (10, 2024.
Jacobs, R. and Furnmann, B. (1984). Learning style inventory. In J. W. Pfeiffer and L.D. Goodstein (Eds.). The 1984 Annual for Group Facilitators, San Francisco: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Jader, G. C. (1991). Practice makes perfect. RN, 54(10), 1920. 23.
Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching With the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Klarman, K. L. and Mateo, M. A. (1994) An approach to presentation skill development of nurses. Journal of Nursing Staff Development. 10(6) 307311.
Kolb, D. (1991). Learning Styles Inventory, Boston: McBer and Company.
AETC Faculty Development, Treatment Adherence 2003
Developed by Cicatelli Associates Inc.
Laus, M. & Champagne, D. (1993 ). Ghosts in the training room. Training and Development, March, 2124.
Lavitt, D. (1992). A case for training. Training and Development, June, 46 (6), 1923.
Lawson, K. (1998). The Trainer's Handbook. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Leech, T. (1982). How to Prepare, Stage and Deliver Winning Presentations. New York: AMACOM.
Lishner, K. (1985). The lecture circuit: Broadening professional prospective. Nursing Success Today, 2 (1), 263 0.
Milano, M. & Ullius, D. (1998). Designing Powerful Training. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Moir, J. (2000). Copyright Manual for Faculty and Staff. St. Petersburg, FL: St. Petersburg
Junior College.
Mucciolo, T. (1998). When planning, don't forget these 6 room setup tips. Presentations, (August), 24.
Murrell, K. L. (1987) The learning model instrument. In J.W. Pfeiffer (Ed.). The 1987 Annual Developing Human Resources. San Francisco: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
National Nursing Staff Development Organization. (1995). Pensacola, Florida: Core Curriculum For Nursing Staff Development.
Phillips, J. (1997). Handbook of Training Evaluation and Measurement Methods. Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing Company.
Price, D. & Messerschmitt, J. Try these 8 power points for presenting more confidently. Presentations, (June), 84.
Renner, P. (1993). The Art of Teaching Adults. Vancouver, BC: Training Associates.
Russell, L. (1999). The Accelerated Learning Fieldbook. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Salopek, J. (1998). Crank up your coolness quotient. Training & Development. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.
Selby, M. L., Tornquist, E. M., & Finerty, E. J. (1989). How to present your research Part II: The ABCs of creating and using visual aides to enhance your research presentation. Nursing Outlook, 37(5), 236238.
Shafer, C. (1998). Teaching seven laws can help you present better, too. Presentations, June, 35.
Silberman, M. (1998). Active Training. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Stringer, D. (1999). Case writing 101. Training and Development, Sept, 53 (9), 5258.
Swink, D. (1993). Role play your way to learning. Training and Development, 47 (5), 9198. Thiagi, S. (1998). The secrets of successful facilitators. www.thiagi @thiagi.com.
Thomassy, C. S. (1989). The basics of building a presentation. Critical Care Nurse, 9(7), 1214, 16, 21.
Wilder, C. (1990). The Presentations Kit. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Witkin, B. & Altschuld, J. (1995). Planning and Conducting Needs Assessments. London: SAGE Publications.
Zielinski, D. (1998). Secrets from the pros: 5 master presenters share their top techniques. Presentations, June, pp 4756.
AETC Faculty Development, Treatment Adherence 2003
Developed by Cicatelli Associates Inc.
Web Resources For Training
General Training
Academy of Human Resource Development
http://www.ahrd.org
American Society of Training and Development
http://www.astd.org
http://nwlink.com/donclark/hrd.html
Competent Trainer Standards by International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction www.tcm.com/trdev/isbti
Corporate Review newsletter
http://www.traininguniversity.com
EDUCAUSE
www.educause.edu
Periodicals about Training
www.leamativity.com/training FAQs/periodicals.htm
Quality Training
www.qualitymag.com/training
Society for Human Resource Management
http://www.shrm.org
TCM Training and Development Virtual Bookstore
www.tcm.com/trdevfbookstore.htm
Training and Development Resource Center
www.tcm.com/trdev
Training Central Index
http://www.centra.com/distance
The Training Forum
www.trainingforum.com
Training Magazine
www.trainingsupersite.com
The Training Net
www.traininanet.com
Training Oasis for ideas about delivery techniques
www3.syMDatico.ca/thetrainingoasis/ianspice.htm
The Training Registry
www.tregistry.com
Organizations for Learning Professionals
www.leamativity.com/training FAQs/organizations.htm
Training and Professional Development for Nursing
National Nursing Staff Development Organization
www.nnsdo.org
Learning
Association for Experiential Education
http://www.aee.org
Education Resources Information Center (AskEric)
askeric(a~ericir.s r.~edu
*focuses mainly on K12, but has some good information on learning
Information About Whole Brain Learning
www.brains.org
www.aboutleaming.com
Training Media
Training Media Association
http://www.trainingmedia.org
Distance Learning
Adult Ed./Distance Learner's Resource Center
www.geteducated.com
Distance Learning Clearinghouse
www.uwex.edu
Telecommunications for Adult Learning
http://www.granite.cyg.net
AETC Faculty Development, Treatment Adherence 2003
Developed by Cicatelli Associates Inc.
Curriculum Design
Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development
http://www.ascd.ora
Icebreakers
Cornell Training Network for ideas about icebreakers
www.cornell.edu/OHR/TNET/Icebreakers
Thiagi Site for icebreakers
www.thiagi.com/tips.html for trainer tips
Evaluation
American Evaluation Society
http://www.eval.org
Center for Effective Performance
http://www.cepworldwide.com/index.html
Evaluation/ROI Community of Practice
http://www.leamingcircuits.org_/
International Society for Performance Improvement
http://www.ipsi.org/
Reference
Demo teaches you how to search the internet
www.digitalthink.com
Source for business, computer and technology related courses
http://www.trainingdb.com
AETC Faculty Development, Treatment Adherence 2003
Developed by Cicatelli Associates Inc.
[(]* University Associates: The 1979 Handbook for Group Facilitators