Presentation at HEA-funded workshop 'Active and experiential learning in higher education: evaluations from sport, outdoor and spa'. This workshop provided insight into the application of active and experiential learning in Sport, Outdoor and Spa education. Delegates heard reflections from academics and students engaged in experiential learning and experience first-hand an active or experiential learning session in their chosen discipline. This presentation is part of a related blog post that provides an overview of the event: http://bit.ly/1lvFf6g For further details of the HEA's work on active and experiential learning: http://bit.ly/17NwgKX

1. www.derby.ac.uk/udb
Welcome to the University of Derby
Buxton
www.derby.ac.uk/udb
Active and Experiential Learning in Higher Education: Evaluations from Sport, Outdoor and Spa

2. Programme for the day:
(In room DO/G17, unless stated otherwise)
 10.00am - 10.20am - Welcome and introduction
 10.20am - 10.50am - Discussion and examples of experiential learning from
the University’s experiential learning leads and students
 10.50am - 11.00am - Questions
 11.00am - 11.15am - Refreshment break
 11.15am - 1.00pm Activity : Spa – DO/116a
Sport – DO/111a
Outdoor –DO/G17
 1.00pm - 2.00pm – Lunch
 2.00pm - 3.00pm – Collaborative session
 3.00pm - 3.30pm – Plenary and refreshments
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

3. Drivers for Experiential Learning
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EmployabilityCredibility
Sustainability

4. Active and Experiential Learning
 The recent White Paper which put ‘students at
the heart of system’ purported, good students
should not be simply consumers of other people’s
knowledge (BIS 2011), harmonising with the
current direction of higher education, the
emphasis in experiential learning theory is on
learners as active participants in learning.
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

5. Active and Experiential Learning Definitions
www.derby.ac.uk/udb
‘Exploiting and enhancing
the energy in people and
drawing them into a
positive spiral which
engenders deep level
learning’. (Laevers 2005:9)
‘A sense making process
involving significant
experiences that, to
varying degrees, act as
the source of learning.’
(Beard 2010:17)
‘The process whereby
knowledge is created through
the transformation of
experience. Knowledge results
from the combination of
grasping and transforming
experience’. (Kolb,
1984: 41)

6. Challenges
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Dichotomy of
delivering
process driven
learning in an
outcome driven
curriculum
Ensuring
quality of ‘Real
World
Learning’
environments
Scalability

7. University of Derby, Buxton’s Approach
www.derby.ac.uk/udb
The UK Home of Real World Learning

8. www.derby.ac.uk/udb
Active
Learning
Visiting
Professors
Module
Handbooks
Guest
Speakers
Professional
Development
Planning

9. www.derby.ac.uk/udb
Learning
Laboratories
Commercial
Environments
Module
Handbooks
Employability
Portal
Integrated
Projects

10. www.derby.ac.uk/udb
Work-based
Learning
Placements
Integrated
Projects
Commercial
Environments
Learning
Laboratories

11. Experiences and reflections from staff and students…..
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

12. www.derby.ac.uk
www.derby.ac.uk

13. www.derby.ac.uk

14. www.derby.ac.uk

15. International Spa Management
 Elemis Angels
This experience was a great opportunity to get involved in, the spa was changing
their main product line from Espa to Elemis and it was our job to fill in the
therapist positions, while the permanent staff were in training. This
opportunity was very worthwhile; it was a great experience and addition to our
CV. We have been able to work alongside the manager and Elemis staff and
gained very good references as a result.
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

16. Rooms for the active sessions:
 Spa – DO/116a
 Sport – DO/111a
 Outdoor –DO/G17
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

17. Collaborative discussions:
In your groups, please discuss the following points in
relation to experiential learning:
Drivers
Barriers
Opportunities for inclusion in your curriculum
Record your main points on flipchart for feedback and
discussion
www.derby.ac.uk/udb

18. References:
 BIS (2011) Higher Education: Students at the Heart of the System
Department for Business Innovation & Skills
 Beard, C. (2010) The Experiential Learning Toolkit: Blending Practice with
Concepts Kogan Page, London
 Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning
development. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
 Laevers, F. (1994) Defining and assessing quality in early childhood
education. Studia Paedagogica. Leuven, Leuven University Press
www.derby.ac.uk/udb