People retain as much as 90% of what they experience compared to 20% of what they read and hear and 40% of what they observe.

The term experiential education describes an approach to learning that starts with the premise that people learn best from doing. It involves the participants as active learners through direct participation in experiential or adventure based activities that simulate what is being studied rather than through thought and study alone. Knowledge, skill, and value are produced as a direct result of the learners' participation.

Experiential education has been shown to work both in real life situations and under controlled studies. The NTL Institute for Applied Behavior Sciences performed a study that showed people retain as much as 90% of what they experience compared to 20% of what they read and hear and 40% of what they observe.

Through the skills of our team of highly trained facilitators, Fusion Associates embraces experiential education as a key component for learning. When blended with a combination of powerful content, theoretical models, and a focused business perspective, experiential education is a powerful learning tool.

The 4 Steps of Learning

Step1. Awareness

Starts with concrete experience. Participants carry out the activity and observe the effects of their actions while performing the task.

Step 2. Reflection

Allows the participants the opportunity to make sense of the experience. By stepping back and reflecting on what happened they gain insight into the effects of their actions.

Step3. Reframing

Is the process where participants begin to generalize and theorize. The facilitator leads the group in connecting what just happened to their expectations of what they believe should have happened. The facilitator contributes relevant organization developmental theories to the group's insights.

Step 4. Application

Is where knowledge starts to become skill and participants begin to apply what they have learned to the real world. The facilitator leads the group in synchronizing the new knowledge to current work situations, enabling the participants to work through alternative solutions. With their newly acquired knowledge and contextual planning, participants will be better equipped to refine the way the task is handled in the future.