The Power of Experiential Learning and Strategies for Inclusivity

9 min readMar 14, 2024

On March 5, 2024, CEWIL Canada, in collaboration with Academica Group and supported by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative, released a report titled Mapping the Terrain: A Synthesis of Recent Research and Future Directions that provides a comprehensive overview of the current state and future prospects of work-integrated learning (WIL) in Canada, highlighting its crucial role in bridging academia, industry, and community to equip students with essential workforce skills. The report is a great resource for stakeholders in the educational sector, aimed at fostering dialogue and innovation in experiential learning. This article highlights the power of experiential learning (EL), compares it with WIL, and offers strategies for making experiential learning more inclusive. The article concludes with a shameless plug for Ontario Tech Engineering highlighting our experiential learning and co-operative education models.

Educator Role Profile. Adapted from “On Becoming an Experiential Educator: The Educator Role Profile” by A. Kolb, D. Kolb, A. Passarelli, and G. Sharma, 2014, Simulation and Gaming, 45(2), p. 220. Copyright 2014 by SAGE Publications.

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

David A. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle presents a compelling framework for understanding how we learn from our experiences. Central to Kolb’s theory is the idea that effective learning is a cyclic process involving four key stages: experiencing, reflecting, conceptualizing, and experimenting. This cycle emphasizes the critical role of reflection and analysis in turning concrete experiences into valuable learning moments. By engaging in this cycle, learners are encouraged to actively participate in their education, transforming experiences into actionable knowledge through a continuous process of reflection, understanding, and application.

Experiential Learning vs. Work-Integrated Learning

Experiential learning (EL) and work-integrated learning (WIL) are both educational approaches that emphasize learning through experience, but they have distinct characteristics and scopes:

Broad concept: Experiential learning is a wider concept that encompasses any learning process where knowledge is acquired through hands-on, practical experiences. It’s not limited to the professional or work context.
Diverse settings: This type of learning can occur in a variety of settings outside the classroom, including but not limited to workplaces. It may involve simulations, fieldwork, volunteering, or other hands-on activities.
Learning cycle: Often based on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, it emphasizes the importance of reflecting on and analyzing the experience, thereby transforming experience into learning through observation, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation.
Goal: The primary goal is to enhance the depth of learning and understanding through active participation in the learning process, which can be applied to any subject matter.

WIL

Specific focus: WIL specifically refers to education programs and activities that integrate academic learning of a discipline with its application in the workplace. It’s a subset of experiential learning focused on work-related experiences.
Partnership between education and industry: WIL involves a direct collaboration between educational institutions, students, and employers/industry partners. It aims to prepare students for the workforce through practical experience in their field of study.
Structured programs: WIL is often more structured than general experiential learning and includes specific forms such as internships, apprenticeships, co-operative education (co-op), and field placements.
Benefits: While it shares the general benefits of experiential learning, such as enhanced learning outcomes and personal development, WIL has a clear focus on improving employability skills, understanding industry demands, and facilitating smoother transitions from study to work.

While all WIL is EL, not all EL is WIL. WIL is a more specific application of the broader principles of experiential learning, with a clear focus on integrating academic learning with practical work experience to improve employability.

Why is Experiential Learning Powerful?

Experiential learning is a powerful educational approach that involves learning through doing and reflecting on the experience. This method is increasingly popular on university and college campuses for several reasons:

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn” -Benjamin Franklin

Enhanced learning and retention: Experiential learning facilitates deeper retention of knowledge compared to traditional lecture-based learning. When students actively engage in experiences, they are more likely to remember what they’ve learned because they can associate knowledge with real-world contexts and situations.
Application of theory to practice: It bridges the gap between theory and practice. Students can apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, which helps them understand how their learning applies in real-world scenarios.
Skills development: It significantly contributes to the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills as well as soft skills such as communication and teamwork, which are highly valued in the workplace.
Improved employability: Participation in experiential learning has been linked to better employment outcomes for students, including higher employability rates, better job fit, and potentially higher starting salaries.
Addressing skill gaps: For partner organizations, experiential learning is a strategic tool for identifying and nurturing talent, helping to address skill gaps and future workforce needs in a cost-effective manner.
Personal and professional growth: Experiential learning often places students in real or simulated professional environments, providing opportunities for personal development, such as teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. These are critical soft skills valued in the workforce.
Increased engagement: Engaging in hands-on activities increases student motivation and engagement. When students find learning relevant and interactive, they are more likely to participate actively and take ownership of their learning process.
Adaptability and flexibility: Through experiential learning, students often face unexpected outcomes or challenges, teaching them to adapt and be flexible. These are valuable skills in a rapidly changing world and various professional fields.
Reflective Learning: A key component of experiential learning is reflection, where students analyze their experiences, understand their reactions and behaviors, and glean insights that contribute to personal growth and learning. This reflective practice promotes deeper learning and self-awareness.
Networking Opportunities: Experiential learning often involves collaboration with industry professionals, community leaders, or other external partners, providing students with networking opportunities that can be beneficial for their future careers.

Strategies for Inclusive Experiential Learning

Enhancing the inclusivity of experiential learning involves the design and implementation of strategies that ensure all students, regardless of their background or abilities, have equal opportunities to participate and benefit from hands-on learning experiences. Here are some strategies to enhance inclusivity in experiential learning, making it a non-avoidable and transformative experience integral to every student’s educational path.

Universal design for learning (UDL): Apply UDL principles to create flexible learning environments and activities that accommodate the diverse needs of learners. This includes providing multiple means of engagement, representation, action, and expression to ensure all students can participate fully.

UDL is an educational approach that enhances teaching and learning by accommodating the diverse needs of all students. It is based on three key principles: multiple means of engagement to capture learners’ interest, multiple means of representation to offer various ways of accessing information, and multiple means of action and expression to allow learners to demonstrate their understanding in different ways. UDL aims to create flexible and inclusive learning environments that support individual learning differences, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Accessibility considerations: Ensure that all experiential learning sites, tools, and resources are accessible to students with disabilities. This may involve physical accessibility, as well as the availability of assistive technologies and accommodations tailored to individual needs.
Culturally responsive teaching: Design experiential learning that acknowledges and values the diverse cultural backgrounds of students. Incorporate multicultural perspectives and content, and allow students to explore and reflect on their own cultural identities and those of others in the learning process.
Flexible participation options: Offer a variety of experiential learning opportunities, including virtual simulations, remote internships, and community-based projects that can accommodate different schedules, learning styles, and life circumstances.
Mentorship and support networks: Establish mentorship programs and support networks that connect students with faculty, industry professionals, and peers who can provide guidance, support, and encouragement, particularly for underrepresented students in certain fields.
Preparatory and reflective activities: Offer preparatory workshops or courses to help all students develop the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their experiential learning activities. Incorporate reflective exercises that allow students to connect their experiences to their personal and academic growth.
Feedback and continuous improvement: Solicit feedback from students about their experiential learning experiences and use this information to continuously improve inclusivity. Pay attention to barriers or challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds and strive to address them.
Partnerships with diverse organizations: Partner with a wide range of organizations, including those serving underrepresented communities, to provide a breadth of experiential learning opportunities. This can expose students to diverse perspectives and social issues, enhancing their learning and personal growth.

By implementing these strategies, educators and institutions can make experiential learning more inclusive, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for their future careers and civic life.

Experiential Learning at Ontario Tech Engineering

Ontario Tech University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science offers a diverse array of experiential learning opportunities designed to prepare students for the dynamic challenges of the engineering field, including:

The Jeffrey S. Boyce Engineering Innovation and Design Studio serves as a co-working space where students can bring their innovative ideas from concept to reality, fostering creativity and practical problem-solving skills.
Co-op and Internship Programs integrate academic studies with paid work experiences, enabling students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings.
The Student Enrichment Program (SEP) establishes connections between students and industry partners, focusing on the future of sustainable energy.
The Women in Engineering (WIE) Program encourages female students to engage in engineering through workshops, conferences, career mentorship, and volunteer opportunities.
Engineering Outreach allows students to gain valuable resume experience by developing curriculum and teaching engineering and other STEM concepts to K-12 students across the Durham region and beyond.
The Capstone Design Project in the 4th year challenges students to solve open-ended, industry-driven problems, embodying the essence of experiential learning by applying their cumulative knowledge to real-world engineering design processes.

Co-op at Ontario Tech Engineering

Ontario Tech Engineering Co-op program embodies the essence of experiential learning, offering undergraduate engineering students a dynamic pathway to integrate academic knowledge with practical, paid work experience. With over 300 students participating annually, the program boasts partnerships with more than 100 employers, resulting in 600+ co-op jobs posted on the career portal each year. This robust co-op structure enables students to tackle real-world problems, enhancing their skill sets and preparing them for the competitive industry landscape even before graduation.

The co-op program is uniquely designed to provide flexibility through 4, 8, 12, or 16-month paid work terms, allowing students to alternate between semesters of study and work. This flexibility ensures that each student can tailor their co-op experience to best suit their educational and career goals. For those committed to the co-op stream, completing a minimum of three 4-month work terms awards them a co-op designation on their degree parchment, an accolade that signifies their enhanced readiness for engineering careers.

Admission to this transformative program is accessible either directly through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) by selecting the co-op option or after the successful completion of the first year of study at Ontario Tech, with a minimum cumulative GPA requirement (yes, we are working to address the GPA requirement to provide more inclusive co-op). This inclusivity extends to international students, who must be legally entitled to work in Canada to participate.

The Engineering Co-op Office plays a pivotal role in guiding students throughout their co-op journey, from initial preparation with the ENGR 1000W — Professional Competencies for Engineers course to the completion of their co-op terms. This dedicated support, combined with the practical experience gained, sets Ontario Tech engineering students up for success in their future careers.

By incorporating experiential learning into their curriculums, universities prepare students not just academically but also professionally and personally, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to succeed in their careers and life. This hands-on approach reflects the evolving needs of the workforce and the importance of adaptable, lifelong learning. Delivering and accessing experiential learning and work-integrated learning have their unique challenges, including external stakeholder relations, student preparation, internal stakeholder relations, supply and demand imbalances, shifting stakeholder expectations, and moving targets for work relevance.

Probe further

CEWIL Press Release Mapping the Terrain: A Synthesis of Recent Research and Future Directions

Institute for Experiential Learning — What is Experiential Learning

Ontario Tech Engineering Experiential Learning