Experiential Learning: Learning through Reflective Practice
Open accessAbstract
Experiential learning is a means to enhance student learning by providing the opportunity, through reflective practice, for students to develop knowledge and apply theory in practice.Based on the extant literature, and my experience as an experiential learning specialist in a teacher education program, I offer the following as core benefits of experiential learning for students: 1) experiential learning provides students with opportunities to critically engage in learningproviding students with a deeper and more meaningful understanding of theoretical knowledge beyond the textbook; 2) providing mentoring and guided navigation of the realities of the workplacethe ability to successfully traverse the nuanced and at times, problematic realities of the workplace; and most importantly, 3) allowing for the development of a thoughtful, personal commitment to professionalism through reflective practiceintrinsically, through reflective practice, students become agents of their own learning characterized by a meta-cognitive awareness of their development as novice professionals.Throughout this paper these benefits are discussed through the lens of three research studies: Conversations About Education, Associate Teacher Feedback, and Teacher Candidate Partnerships.This research context underscores the impact of experiential learning to engage students so that they may learn and grow professionally through reflective practice.
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Critical reflection enables pre-service teachers to develop professional, ethical, and metacognitive awareness.
“Drawing on practicum experiences, she shows how critical reflection enables pre-service teachers to develop professional, ethical, and metacognitive awareness.”
From Theory and Practice in Initial Teacher Education: A Multi-Level Model from Pegaso University (2026) · cites this paper as Roland, 2017
Section 2.3 (page unavailable) reports that teacher candidates in a reflective mentoring model gained awareness of their professional identity and describes reflective practice as fostering awareness of professionalism. Section 2.1 links reflection to confronting bias, but neither section establishes that the candidates developed ethical or metacognitive awareness; the described experiences are not clearly identified as practicum experiences. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredRoland (2017) presents an assessment model based on professional development criteria, implemented through tools such as reflective logbooks, observation grids shared between mentors and university lecturers, and experience review interviews, focused on the development of metacognitive skills and professional agency.
“Roland (2017) presents an assessment model based on professional development criteria, implemented through tools such as reflective logbooks, observation grids shared between mentors and university lecturers, and experience review interviews, focused on the development of metacognitive skills and professional agency.”
From Theory and Practice in Initial Teacher Education: A Multi-Level Model from Pegaso University (2026) · cites this paper as Roland, 2017
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDrawing on Roland (2017), the model implements concrete materials for teacher education, including feedback tools, reflective tools such as the digital portfolio, and protocols for observing teaching practice.
“Similarly, drawing on Roland (2017), the model implements concrete materials for teacher education, including -Feedback tools from the coordinating tutor and the school-based tutor; -Reflective tools such as the digital portfolio; -Protocols for observing teaching practice.”
From Theory and Practice in Initial Teacher Education: A Multi-Level Model from Pegaso University (2026) · cites this paper as Roland, 2017
Section 2.2 describes faculty advisors observing student teachers, offering advice, and collaborating with associate teachers on candidates’ progress; section 2.3 discusses reflective mentoring. These support the general teacher-education approach, but the paper does not describe feedback tools, a digital portfolio, or protocols for observing teaching practice as concrete materials. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredExperiential learning is essential to any study programme to afford opportunities for students to apply theory into practice, subsequently narrowing the theory-practice gap.
“Essential to any study programme is the need to significantly integrate some form of experiential learning to afford opportunities for students to apply theory into practice, subsequently narrowing the theory-practice gap (Coll, Lay, and Zegwaard 2002; Roland 2017).”
From Pedagogical dilemma in teacher education: Bridging the theory practice gap (2023) · cites this paper as Roland 2017
The Introduction (page unavailable) says experiential learning gives students opportunities to apply theory in practice and suggests it is highly beneficial across post-secondary disciplines. Section 2.2 (page unavailable) discusses strengthening the theory-to-practice connection in teacher education. The paper does not establish that experiential learning is essential to every study programme; that wording is stronger than the author's qualified recommendation. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Cites
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Roland, K. (2010) · Brock Education Journal · doi:10.26522/brocked.v19i2.133 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
- [2]2. Conference Board of Canada. "Developing Skills: Where are Canada's Employers?" Accessed July 11, 2017, http://www.conferenceboard.ca/topics/education/comment aries/14-03 20/developing_skills_where_are_canada_s_em ployers.aspx#ftn1-ref (Access date: 2 September, 2016)
- [5]5. Kolb, D. A., Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (2 nd Edition), Pearson Education, Inc., New Jersey, New York, 2015.
- [7]7. K. Roland, "Experiential Learning: Developing Professionalism through Reflective Practice", Conference proceedings of the World Congress on Education: Global Issues in Education and Research, 2016, Dublin, Ireland.
- [9]9. K. Roland, J. Colella and B. Igbokwe, "Conversations about Education: Professional Development through a Multi-epistemic Lens", Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 20(4), Taylor & Francis Online, 2014, pp.483-498.
- [10]10. K. Roland, S. Johnson, L. Jones and C. Boyer, "Building Professional Capital Through the Development of Teaching Partnerships", Conference proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Intellectual Capital, Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, 2016, pp. 231-239.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Pedagogical dilemma in teacher education: Bridging the theory practice gap
Phillips, H. N., & Condy, J. (2023) · South African Journal of Higher Education · doi:10.20853/37-2-4610 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“204 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND PRACTICE Essential to any study programme is the need to significantly integrate some form of experiential learning to afford opportunities for students to apply theory into practice, subsequently narrowing the theory-practice gap (Coll, Lay, and Zegwaard 2002; Roland 2017).”
BackgroundInfluentialTheory and Practice in Initial Teacher Education: A Multi-Level Model from Pegaso University
D’Anna, C., Savoia, T., Di Padova, M., Carruba, M. C., Razzoli, S., Sorrentino, C., & Dipace, A. (2026) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci16020180 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Roland, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Windsor (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Roland, Karen
- Venue
- International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education
- Publisher
- Infonomics Society
- Published
- 2017-03-30
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 2982-2989
- ISSN
- 2042-6364 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2997779889
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 3.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Reflective Practices in Education
- Social Sciences › Education › Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Adult and Continuing Education Topics
- Keywords
- experiential learning, reflective practice, teacher professional development, student professional development, workplace mentoring, metacognition, pre-service teachers, student engagement
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