APPLICATION OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THEORY IN TEACHING GEOGRAPHY AND SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES
Denis U. Agiande, Ph.D
Department of Geography Education and Sustainable Development Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Science Education
University of Calabar
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Tel: [+234] 8063176080
Ishoja Fidelis B.
Department of Geography & Sustainable Development Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Science Education
University of Calabar
&
Bassey Victoria Princess
Department of Geography & Sustainable Development Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Science Education
University of Calabar
Abstract
There are two basic education philosopher that define schooling and dominate or influence teachers’ classroom practice of teaching and learning. They translate in the classroom practically to teachers centered philosophers and student–centered philosopher. Traditionally, teach centered philosophies emphasize the importance of transferring knowledge through core courses in the traditional academic disciplines and the teacher is the authority figure in the classroom. The world is moving from essentialism where the teacher dominates to progressivism: which has become a necessary change in the central of progressivism is the experiential learning model where a learner centered model of learning which is concerned with training the mind or preparing students who learn by doing. This article examines this experiential learning theory by David Kolb (1984) an American psychologist whose work drew from earlier theories by Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky who placed great emphasis on experiential learning and modeling. Experiential learning theory can be applied in: (1) Teach learning (2) circles of knowledge as teaching and learning tools in traditional subject like Mathematics, English and even in modern disciplines as geography and sustainable development studies. It is effective in preparing learners to do well in the real world.
Keywords: Experiential learning, teaching strategy, geography and sustainability studies. Download Pdf