Applying Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle for Laboratory Education

By M. Abdulwahed, Zoltan K. Nagy. 2009

396 citations recorded by the source corpus.

This paper describes a model for laboratory education based on Kolb's experiential learning theory. The method is implemented using modern teaching technologies and a combination of remote, virtual, and hands‐on laboratory sessions and have been applied to the teaching of the undergraduate process control laboratory at the Chemical Engineering Department at Loughborough University, United Kingdom. An argument that poor learning in the laboratory is due to insufficient activation of the prehension dimension of Kolb's cycle was suggested and verified, providing a pedagogical explanation. The quantitative analysis showed significant enhancement of the learning outcomes of the experimental group compared with the control group. Apart from the hands‐on session, the proposed model involves additional activities, such as pre‐ and post‐lab tests and virtual laboratory sessions, which are associated with Kolb's cycle to facilitate constructivist learning. The paper provides the first laboratory education model that builds thoroughly on Kolb's experiential learning theory.

Subfields: Education, Media Technology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4e9c51d5d1089989ce91aff59014f06b15d168fd

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Citations in the corpus

Assessing Experiential Learning Styles: A Methodological Reconstruction and Validation of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (2013, positive): “Moreover, numerous studies lend empirical support to the model (e.g., Abdulwahed & Nagy, 2009; JilardiDamavandi, Mahyuddin, Elias, Daud, & Shabani, 2011; Massey, Kim, & Mitchell, 2011).”
Virtual and remote labs in education: A bibliometric analysis (2016, methodology): “[92] describe an empirical study to measure the pedagogical effectiveness of hands-on and VRLs to support the Kolb’s learning cycle, i.”
Student Perceptions of Learning in the Laboratory: Comparison of Industrially Situated Virtual Laboratories to Capstone Physical Laboratories (2011, methodology): “…physical laboratory (Sehati, 2000; Shin & Yoon, 2000), it is generally agreed that these virtual laboratories are more effectively used in conjunction with the analogous physical laboratory; e.g., as preparation (Abdulwahed & Nagy, 2009; Hodge, Hinton, & Lightner, 2001; Mosterman et al., 1994).”