The learning cycle
The learning cycle is a repeatable process of moving from experience through reflection and conclusions to the next action.
Definition
David Kolb's experiential learning model often identifies four elements: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract generalization, and active experimentation. The model is a useful map, but it does not need to be treated rigidly. The bottom line is that experience alone is not enough - it needs reflection, generalization and a test in action.
Key ideas
- Experience
- Reflection
- Experimentation
Practice and life
After an important action, write down: what I did, what I noticed, what conclusion I draw and what I will test next time.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to repeat experiences without reflection. The second mistake is analysis without experiment, which prevents knowledge from coming back to life.
> Experience teaches only when it returns through reflection to the next action.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What did a specific experience teach me?
- What conclusion can I test?
- What will I do differently next time?