Why Experiential Learning is a Must Have in 2021

The correlation between memory and time is defined by the concept of the learning curve. It has been observed that in a training environment, the retention span of the participants decreases at a diminishing marginal rate. If the participant starts at a 100% absorption rate on day one, by the end of the last day of training, it is down to 2-3%. This theory is essential to consider in today’s age because the workforce is mostly millennials. The attention span of millennials has been reduced down to 140 characters which in other words is no more than 8 seconds!

The attention span of millennials has decreased exponentially over the last few years and the way certain practices are conducted must be innovated accordingly. Experiential learning is a saving grace that fits perfectly and helps use the diminishing attention span of individuals to our advantage. Game based learning and learning through the act of doing holds a lot of benefits which is why it is the future of training.

How does experiential learning work?

As compared to traditional training, experiential learning enforces the use of critical thinking skills, problem solving skills as well as decision making skills. This allows the participants to accelerate learning by doing. Game-based learning fills the gap between the theory and the practice as the trainee is given a chance to learn and do simultaneously. Experiential learning allows the participants to get a hands on experience related to what the training is about which plays a crucial role in retaining the information.

Changing Mindsets

Experience based learning has a dramatic effect on the participant’s mindset as the activities increase the engagement levels of the participants as they work together and learn from each other. Involvement of the trainees in problem solving activities requires them to critically analyse the situations and this leads to a higher level of ownership of the outcome. Activity-based training allows the trainees to collaborate amongst themselves.

As compared to traditional training, activity-based training offers a comparatively higher level of return on investment because it enhances knowledge and skills by ensuring a higher level of retention. When the training is enhanced with the help of gamification, the training products can be seen as a data bank which can then be used to form reports that accurately present the behavioural trends as well as measure the cognitive learning of everyone involved in the training process.

The 21st Century Way of Training

The world is evolving at a pace that is unparalleled, and so the training and development sector is revolutionising to keep up with the constant change in the surroundings. The only way to survive in this constantly changing environment is by adapting to the system. With the help of experiential learning and activity based training, people in different industries can adapt and face the complexities of the world.

There are certain skills that a company’s resource must possess to stay relevant and competitive in the market. These are enhancement of soft skills as well as certain qualifications that allow the company to technologically achieve a competitive advantage over its competitors. Experiential training of soft skills like communication skills, empathy, collaboration and high pressure situations really goes a long way in developing the necessary qualities that a resource must possess to tackle the challenges that come with the evolution of common practices. An example of that is the shift in the way meetings went from face to face in boardrooms to over a Zoom call because of the Pandemic.

Another necessary skill is the ability of the company’s resources to adapt with the latest advancements in technology. Activity-based learning holds an upper hand compared to traditional learning because employees can retain what they learn at a higher rate when they learn the ropes of a new technological equipment.

Go Virtual in 2021

One of the biggest benefits of experiential learning is that it allows for the training to be customised as per the requirements of the audiences. The participants of the training define their own pace of learning as it is stripped of the theory and the actors are pushed into learning through the art of doing. The combination of technology and the simulations with experiential training makes this concept so accessible that training can be provided anytime and anywhere. The virtual activity based training allows you to store the information related to the training for as long as you need which can be revisited for revision whenever needed. Not only that, this allows for the millennial audiences to retain this information for a longer period of time.