Apprentissage expérientiel
CHALLENGE and EXPERIENCE followed by REFLECTION leading to LEARNING and GROWTH
- Association for Experiential Education -
Experiential learning is about learning through experience—supported by reflection, connection, and the intentional application of new understanding across contexts. At Digital Human Library, this isn't an add-on or a special activity; it's a design philosophy. We build learning so students engage with meaningful experiences they can revisit, reflect on, and carry forward—because learning deepens not in the moment, but in the thinking, connection, and application that follow.
Experiential Learning Cycle
Digital Human Library draws on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, grounded in the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, and William James.
Experiences become learning when learners move through all four stages of Kolb’s cycle:
- having a concrete experience
- reflecting on that experience
- forming new understanding and ideas
- applying that learning in new situations
Learning does not happen in a single moment. It develops through this process.
Without time to reflect, interpret, and apply new ideas, an experience is a moment a time, rather than deep learning.
Digital Human Library makes it possible to bring real experiences into the classroom through conversations with experts, exploration of environments, and exposure to real-world pathways. These experiences give students something concrete to work from rather than simply read about.
Designing Learning Experiences
Intention
Experiential learning begins with intention.
Before an experience, educators consider:
- why the experience matters
- how it connects to learning goals
- what students might notice, question, or wonder
Intention reflects clarity of purpose. When the purpose is clear, experiences contribute to learning.
PathBuilder is used at this stage to select and organize experiences so they align to learning goals and form part of a larger sequence rather than stand alone.
Core Elements of Learning
Intentional design considers four interconnected elements.
Modern Pedagogies
A thoughtful integration of approaches such as experiential learning, inquiry, project-based learning, and design thinking.
Learning Environment
The spaces and conditions that support learning, both physical and digital.
Learning Partnerships
Connections between students, educators, families, and community partners.
Digital Technologies
Tools that expand access and allow students to explore and apply learning in new ways.
Global Competencies
Experiential learning supports the development of transferable skills students need to navigate a complex world. Through meaningful experiences, students strengthen their ability to think critically, communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and act as informed global citizens. They also develop creativity, initiative, and problem-solving skills while learning to reflect, adapt, and take responsibility for their learning. These competencies grow over time as students connect experiences, apply their learning in new contexts, and engage with people, ideas, and environments beyond the classroom.
Planning shifts from focusing on what students produce to how they learn.
Learning Through Experience
Experiences that Support Learning
Experiential learning can take many forms:
- conversations with people who share lived and professional experience
- exploration of places, careers, and cultures
- inquiry-based projects
- collaborative problem solving
Digital Human Library provides access to these experiences through:
- Video Conference with Experts (VC) where students interact directly with professionals
- Virtual Tours and Virtual Reality (VT/VR) where students explore environments and systems
- CareerMentor (CM) where students connect learning to future pathways
Relationships
Relationships are central to experiential learning.
These include relationships with self, with others, with environments, with community, with technology, and with the learning process itself.
Video conferencing builds direct human connection. Virtual exploration connects students to places and systems. CareerMentor connects learning to future possibilities.
Authenticity
Experiences are most effective when grounded in real-world contexts.
- students explore real places
- students connect with real people
- students engage with real ideas
Digital Human Library provides access to real environments and perspectives, helping bridge learning between classroom and world.
Making Learning Visible
Reflection
Reflection turns experience into understanding.
- students process what they encountered
- students examine ideas and assumptions
- students connect experiences to prior knowledge
- students recognize how their thinking is changing
Digital Human Library experiences give students a shared point of reference, making it easier to revisit details and engage in meaningful discussion.
Making Sense of Learning
As students reflect, they begin to make sense of their experiences.
- students identify patterns and relationships
- students revisit ideas from different perspectives
- students connect new experiences to existing knowledge
PathBuilder connects multiple experiences so understanding develops across lessons rather than in isolation.
Applying Learning
Learning continues when students use what they have learned in new contexts.
- students use ideas in different situations
- students approach new problems with prior knowledge
- students transfer understanding across contexts
Application often occurs between experiences. Knowledge gained from one experience shapes how students engage in the next.
Digital Human Library enables this by providing multiple types of experiences that can be used in sequence.
Supporting Learning Over Time
Learning Over Time
Experiential learning develops across time.
- students return to ideas through multiple experiences
- students revisit questions with deeper understanding
- students build on prior knowledge
- students recognize how their thinking evolves
Digital Human Library experiences are designed to be revisited. PathBuilder organizes these experiences so they connect and build over time.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Learning improves through feedback and adjustment.
- educators respond to student thinking
- educators respond to emerging questions
- educators respond to new insights
Digital Human Library allows educators to adjust learning as it unfolds by selecting new experiences or revisiting previous ones.
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment and evaluation support both the process and outcomes of learning.
- assessment tracks progress and refines goals
- evaluation measures overall learning
Digital Human Library provides clear reference points for assessment through shared experiences and observable learning.
Celebrate
Celebration recognizes learning and supports continued growth.
- celebration provides closure
- celebration reinforces understanding
- celebration motivates further learning
Experiential learning creates visible outcomes that can be shared and built upon.
Reimagine Learning
Experiential learning by nature ignites rich conversations about how learning happens and the important work we do as educators. And as you reflect on your why and on your own intentions, in consideration of how relationships impact learning, we hope you reflect on EL as an opportunity to integrate authentic learning experiences into your classroom program that immerse students in the process of learning, with opportunities for reflection, monitoring, and assessment of their progress and achievement.
Experiential learning turns experience into understanding.
Working with Digital Human Library Services
Digital Human Library services can be used on their own or combined in ways that support connected learning over time. Many educators bring experiences together to build on student curiosity and inquiry, connect ideas, and deepen understanding. Working across services supports planning that brings context, experience, and human connection together in purposeful ways.
Visioconférence avec des experts
Visites Virtuelles et RV
CareerMentor IA
PathBuilder
Rejoignez-nous
Start engaging in meaningful, connected learning with Digital Human Library today! Individual teachers may subscribe directly through our website. Districts, schools and libraries are invited to contact us to learn more.