essay on learning from experiences

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Personal Growth and Development — Reflective My Learning Experience

Reflective My Learning Experience

Categories: Personal Growth and Development

About this sample

Words: 595 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 595 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Introduction.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

Expert in: Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 529 words

1 pages / 533 words

1 pages / 673 words

2 pages / 840 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Personal Growth and Development

Why do we need to examine our life? This question delves into the profound practice of introspection and self-reflection. The process of examining our lives allows us to gain deeper insights into our experiences, behaviors, and [...]

Embracing the journey to be your best self is a pursuit that resonates deeply with individuals across cultures and generations. This essay embarks on an exploration of the concept of self-improvement, delving into its [...]

Adonis, J. (1995). A history of The Boys' Brigade. The Boys' Brigade Asia.Boys' Brigade Australia. (2018). History of The Boys' Brigade. Routledge

Help.open.ac.uk. (2019). Friends and family: When study gets difficult - Help Centre - Open University. Available at: Jou

An ideal person is one who is ideal in respect of physical and emotional balance, behavior and attitude, moral values, personality. In practical life, the combination of all these fine characteristics is very rarely found in any [...]

The first step in the development plan is to conduct a self-analysis such as SWOT and then identify the priority areas that junior managers need to become senior managers in the same organization. After completing this section, [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write Stanford’s “Excited About Learning” Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Johnathan Patin-Sauls and Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Choosing an idea vs. an experience, learning for the sake of learning, learning as a means to other ends, be specific.

Stanford University’s first essay prompt asks you to respond to the following:

“ The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (100-250 words)”

For this short answer question, your response is limited to a maximum of 250 words. In this article, we will discuss considerations for choosing to write about an idea or experience, ways to demonstrate a love or enthusiasm for learning, and why you should be as specific. For more information and guidance on writing the application essays for Stanford University, check out our post on how to write the Stanford University essays .

Regardless of if you choose either an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning as a topic, there are a few considerations for each.

Most people gravitate towards writing about an idea. One challenge that arises with an idea-focused essay is that applicants who are passionate about an idea often become hyper focused on explaining the idea but neglect to connect this idea to who they are as a person and why this idea excites them.

When writing about an experience, it is important to strike a balance between describing the experience and analyzing the impact of the experience on you, your goals, and your commitment to learning.

This essay question allows you to expand on your joy for learning and your genuine curiosity. Stanford is searching for students who are naturally curious and enjoy the process of learning and educating themselves. For example, a compelling essay could begin with a riveting story of getting lost while hiking the Appalachian Trail and describing how this experience led to a lifelong passion for studying primitive forms of navigation.

There is a strong tendency among applicants to write about formal academic coursework, however, the most compelling essays will subvert expectations by taking the concept of learning beyond the classroom and demonstrating how learning manifests itself in unique contexts in your life.

If you’re someone for whom learning is a means to other ends, it is important that you convey a sense of genuine enthusiasm and purpose beyond, “I want to go to X school because it will help me get Y job for Z purpose.” You may be motivated to attend college to obtain a certain position and make a comfortable income, however these answers are not necessarily what admissions officers are looking for. Instead, it can be helpful to relate an idea or experience to something more personal to you.

Academic & Professional Trajectory

Consider relating the idea or experience you choose to a major, degree program, research initiative, or professor that interests you at Stanford. Then go beyond the academic context to explain how the idea or experience ties into your future career.

For instance, if you are interested in the concept of universal health care, then you might describe your interest in applying to public health programs with faculty that specialize in national health care systems. You might then describe your long term career aspirations to work in the United States Senate on crafting and passing health care policy.

Personal Values & Experiences

Another way to tie the ideas in this essay back to a more personal topic is to discuss how the idea or experience informs who you are, how you treat others, or how you experience the world around you.

You could also focus on an idea or experience that has challenged, frustrated, or even offended you, thereby reinforcing and further justifying the values you hold and your worldview.

Community Building & Social Connectedness

You may also explore how this idea or experience connects you to a particular community by helping you understand, build, and support members of the community. Stanford is looking to find students who will be engaged members of the student body and carry out the community’s core mission, values, and projects, so this essay can be an opportunity to highlight how you would contribute to Stanford.

Be specific in your choice of idea or the way in which you describe an experience. For example, a response that focuses on the joys of learning philosophy is too broad to be particularly memorable or impactful. However, the mind-body problem looking at the debate concerning the relationship between thought and consciousness is a specific philosophical idea that lends itself to a rich discussion.

How To Learn Through Experience

One of the most common misconceptions is that learning is synonymous with education. You often hear colleagues say they stopped…

One of the most common misconceptions is that learning is synonymous with education.

You often hear colleagues say they stopped learning after leaving college. The truth is we only get an education from institutions. Learning, on the other hand, is a lifelong process.

To understand this, just think of how a baby learns.

Initially, the baby is too young to get up, walk, or say anything. But soon it starts moving around, and eventually, learns to walk and speak.

The baby does this just by learning from experience.

Learning through experience is not easy, but it is something we all do at different levels.

Let’s look at the example of the baby again. It is not afraid of anything because it doesn’t understand the concepts of safety or fear. As the years roll by, it will learn these concepts through experience. Learning from experience can make us stronger and more capable of doing the right things.

What Is A Learning Mindset?

Mindset is the basic mental structure or aptitude that shapes a person’s thoughts, actions, and behavior towards others. A person is known to possess a learning mindset when their natural tendency is to focus on learning consistently.

A learning mindset is a fundamental trait. A mindset focused on learning can be strong criteria to weigh factors such as:

The person’s approach to learning.

There are different types of learners. Some are comfortable with formal learning in a mentor/teacher-learner process. Then there are those who prefer real learning through experience.

Response to learning

Different people face different challenges and advantages while learning; and so their responses also vary. Some are quick learners; others could take longer to get used to a concept and could need repeat lessons or additional support. ( Zolpidem )

The takeaway

The first objective of any learning program is the ‘knowledge’ that the learners will gain from it. Be it something that boosts their interpersonal skills or professional skill acquisition.

Learning From Experience: How To Do It

Most of our life experiences are great opportunities to learn new skills for personal development. But many people don’t take advantage of such opportunities simply because they don’t have a mindset focused on learning.

For those who have a learning mindset, the experiences become the bedrock for self-reflection. These reflections help them assess their situation, their world view and understanding of human behavior, etc. They then put these ideas to the test and eventually gain new experiences.

Learning from experience is also known as Experiential Learning (EXL). One of the popular definitions of the process says it is “learning through reflection on doing”.

It is greatly different from conventional learning as there may be no teacher or mentor involved. The learner plays an active part in the learning process. It is an individual-focused learning technique for learning from experience.

A common example of real learning through experience is that of botany students. While they can simply learn about the various plants and trees by reading books on the subject, they are regularly taken on trips across biodiversity parks, gardens, and forested areas for learning from observation.

The learners don’t have to rely on things they hear from others or read from books but can learn based on their own experiences. Such learning is usually much more impactful as it can be counted as real learning through experience.

Such experiential learning is a common feature for students of streams such as history, architecture, tourism, and geology. Medical students also get to learn by observation as they attend live surgeries and observe the healing process of patients in hospitals.

David Kolb is a renowned name in the field of experiential learning. According to Kolb, knowledge acquisition is a perpetual cycle. We learn from our personal as well as professional experiences.

Kolb outlines four characteristics of a learner that must be present in anyone keen on learning from experience. These are:

Willingness to actively participate in the experience, ability to reflect upon the experience gained, analytical skills to visualize the experience, decision-making and problem-solving skills that can be applied to new-found ideas.

As the above learning experience examples highlight, the process of learning through experience requires a lot of self-effort, initiative, a desire to learn, and an action-based learning period. David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle is an ideal framework for understanding the various stages of the process.

Many modern educators are well-versed with the importance of experiential learning. One of the key reasons behind its impact is considered to be the emotional and sensory experience that such hands-on learning provides. It helps learners connect with actual knowledge instead of simply learning the concepts and information through books. The personal involvement of learners helps them in reflection and that gradually furthers them to learning from experience.

The crux of experiential learning is highlighted by five questions:

Did you notice, why did that happen, does that happen in life, why does that happen, how can you use that.

These questions make learners reflect on what they observed or experienced and gain long-term knowledge.

Need For Businesses To Cultivate A Learning Mindset:

Learning experience examples:.

If you look at the most popular and high-paying jobs of today, you will find that most of them didn’t even exist 20-30 years ago. On the other hand, many of the hottest jobs of 30 years ago—DOS operators, typists, switchboard operators—don’t exist anymore.

Constantly changing technologies and innovations keep changing the nature of jobs and processes that we see in our daily lives..

In recent years, we are witnessing the rapid proliferation of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and automation. Jobs are increasingly becoming redundant.

According to research by McKinsey, 400 to 800 million contemporary jobs will no longer exist by 2030.

However, this doesn’t imply there will be no jobs for those currently employed in these positions.

Some jobs are likely to morph into a different form—just like the typists of yesteryears have now been replaced by computer operators and commercial painters replaced by graphic designers.

Other new jobs will be of a more ‘human’ nature that focus on teamwork and creativity. Automation will only take away the mechanical part of the jobs the human aspect and management roles will still be with humans.

So, the time is ripe for businesses to cultivate a strong experiential learning mindset to make sure their employees are ready for future technologies and jobs. Let’s look at some core competencies that human resource managers need to focus on:

Digital Expertise:

With the rapid growth in AI technologies and tools, many businesses have already invested in AI tech or are planning to do so gradually over the next few years. However, most of those companies are not focusing on making their current employees AI-ready.

Once machine learning and AI technologies enter more operational areas, there will be a need for personnel who are well-versed in working with automation and AI.

Ability To Work Seamlessly In An Inclusive Environment:

Diversity and inclusivity are no longer just jargon. The future belongs to offices that are gender/culture/ethnicity-neutral. There will be diverse perspectives, lifestyles, and behaviors in every organization. People who have open or hidden biases against some or the other section will not be desirable. Teams will also need to get rid of their generational biases.

Learning is a continuous process that is not only academic but greatly experiential as well. Everything we do, observe or hear, creates an opportunity for evaluation, understanding, and creation of new ideas. These ideas subsequently get integrated into the work processes and are validated through new experiences.

It is a constant cyclic progression that we all need to learn. However, as various learning experience examples indicate, it is often not easy to get into the learning mindset. That’s where Harappa Education’s Learning Expertly course can help you. It teaches you about the growth mindset and helps you and adopt fresh perspectives on existing problems.

Explore our Harappa Diaries section to know more about topics related to the Think habit such as Meaning of Heuristic , Critical Thinking , What is an Argument , Creative Thinking & Design Thinking .

EssayBasics.com
Pay For Essay
Write My Essay
Homework Writing Help
Essay Editing Service
Thesis Writing Help
Write My College Essay
Do My Essay
Term Paper Writing Service
Coursework Writing Service
Write My Research Paper
Assignment Writing Help
Essay Writing Help
Call Now! (USA) Login Order now
EssayBasics.com Call Now! (USA) Order now
Writing Guides

Real Learning Takes Place Through Experience (Essay Sample)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Formal or academic learning starts at preschool and continues even after college. But mostly, the hardest yet most valuable lessons can be had only through real-life experiences. Learning through experiences shapes us as a person. The idea of having to live with the consequences of one’s decision can be scary and daunting. But the way you will change and evolve is a continuous process that’s worth it.

If you need to write about learning through experiences, it is best to look up an essay writing service provider who could help bring your ideas to life.

Essay on Importance of Learning Through Experience

We oftentimes limit our understanding of learning as everything we process inside a classroom. The different fields or subjects studied in school are applied in real life, both theoretically and practically. Subjects such as science, mathematics, language and literature, and values education are also applicable in everyday life.

Children Sitting Inside Classroom Drawing

Armed with academic know-how, a student can use head knowledge in decision-making and troubleshooting scenarios.

However, people who are textbook-smart are quite different from those who are known to be street-smart. There is a difference between performing in a classroom setting and responding to actual situations.

Learning through experience and in the real world can sometimes be a matter of life or death, compared with theoretical dialogues held within the four walls of a school.

That being said, it is a proven fact that people who are college-educated are known to make wiser decisions as they are able to apply what they have learned in school.

Skills in logic and critical thinking that they gleaned in the process also come in handy.

Knowledge is Power

The more you know in life, the more wisdom you have in terms of making decisions in work or job applications and career development.

Strategic and organizational thinking also play important roles in the process of learning.

Applying What You Know

True knowledge is wisdom applied, and it must be done in the absence of any neglect or misuse.

Real learning through experience takes stock of previous experiences, gathering lessons, and learning to apply them honorably.

In life, there is always an opportunity to apply theories or theses that we bring with us from our academic education. The real test is not actually in the classroom but in the real world.

The Equally-Good Benefits of Academic Learning

Schools not only offer theories and concepts on how to survive different situations. They arm us with the techniques and skills necessary to be successful in life.

That being said, an academic education gives us an edge over other people who have not attained any degree in universities and colleges.

Education makes us smarter and tougher than the rest who have not been as fortunate to finish their schooling.

Advantages and Benefits of Life Experiences

Life experiences are treasures to learn from, as many of them are scenarios we don’t usually study about in school. At the same time, most of us make mistakes in life. Through these wrong decisions, we learn to glean lessons that we take with us moving forward.

Good or bad, life experiences can either strengthen and toughen us up or scar us for life.

The Value of Our Response

Some people are wise and humble enough to turn a negative experience into an opportunity to grow and become better. In addition, these experiences become a permanent part of our personal history.

If we respond positively, the changes we experience could help us journey with other people who go through something similar.

Learning Experiences Are Varied

There are many types of learning experiences and some of those may represent failure or weakness, causing us to sometimes be hard on ourselves.

Thoughtful woman writing in notebook at home

But we have the power to change our perspective and choose to move forward with hope and optimism in the face of a bad experience.

Trauma and Becoming Better People

Healing from a traumatic experience can be tough and tedious, but when the inner work is done well, the result always benefits the person and his community.

In this light, harsh experiences are still worth going through just as much as a near-perfect experience.

While we prefer the comfort of growth without pain, pain offers a unique voice in our stories and teaches us hard things.

Learning from Life is a Community Project

Silhouette Photography of Group of People Jumping during Golden Time

Life experiences are not solo journeys. As you learn from experience, others feel the impact. You will either be a bigger blessing to them or a heavier burden, depending on how you respond to the lesson.

Real-life experiences shape and mold us in a way that affirms our identity and purpose. This is why all life experiences outside the classroom are worth keeping and remembering.

Short 1 Minute Speech on the Importance of Learning Through Experience

The learning process of a person happens throughout the course of his life. Most commonly, we think of schools as the best place for this to happen. We don’t often consider the importance of learning through experience.

There is much to be said about how learning occurs in a classroom. You have a community of co-learners and a teacher to help aid your learning curve. But informal learning also offers unexpected benefits.

Active experimentation, reflective observation and self-reflection are three things that can happen when learning through experiences. In this scenario, a person is given the opportunity to connect mind, heart, and hands.

This results in a transforming experience that reading books, while important, may not always offer. With different outcomes to consider, a person is exposed to the consequences of his actions and decisions.

Personal involvement always leads to personal growth. A concrete experience that allows someone to live through the fruits of his decisions always prunes a person.

With each learning experience comes an incredible opportunity to become better people, whether or not the outcome was favorable.

What does it mean to learn through experience?

Learning through experience means opening yourself to the certainty of growth. It also recognizes that good or bad consequences are both valuable in shaping you as a person.

Why is learning through experience important?

Taking an experience and learning from it is so beneficial to our growth as human beings. It increases our resilience and our capacity to relate with others in light of critical situations. It also encourages decision-making, accountability, and ownership.

Reviews / Why join our community?
For companies
Frequently asked questions

Learning Experience Design - The Most Valuable Lessons

This article, the one that you are reading, is part of a learning experience. Learning experiences aren’t a matter of classroom delivery – they are any interaction with a user/customer/individual in which the person is going to learn something (which we hope you will in this article).

Products contain a vast array of potential learning experiences from learning the interface, how best to interact with the product, to information provided and through help and support and onboarding too. That means many UX designers are going to get involved in designing learning experiences throughout their careers. The term “ learning experience design ” may have been coined by Connie Malamed, a learning experience designer, in 2015.

Angus T Jones, the American Actor, said; “everything is a learning experience” and that means learning experience designers have unlimited potential in the real world.

It can really help to see learning experiences as something that happen everywhere and not just in a formal classroom situation.

What Problem Does a Learning Experience Seek to Solve?

A designer, at heart, is a problem solver. Without a problem to solve, a design is of very low value (though it may be aesthetically pleasing all the same). Learning design attempts to solve one or more of 5 types of problem for the learner:

A lack of knowledge. It’s hard to do something if you don’t know what it is you’re meant to do or you fail to understand what might be involved in doing something.

A lack of skill. I may know how to drive a car but if I lack the practice of driving – you don’t want me to drive you to the shops. Skill is the practical application of knowledge.

A lack of confidence . Everyone knows how to speak in public and everyone has the skill to do it – all you need is a voice. Yet, a lot of people struggle to speak publicly (only spiders are more terrifying in fact) because they lack the confidence to do so.

A lack of motivation . You can have all the knowledge, skill and confidence in the world but if you don’t want to do something – it’s unlikely to get done.

A lack of resource or tools. You can’t, for the moment at least, drive a car with no steering wheel. Sometimes the learning is aimed at fixing a problem that exists preventing a motivated, knowledgeable, skilled and confident person from doing what they want to do.

Trying to solve a lack of motivation is incredibly challenging. It may be better to review the user experience than tackle this through learning experience design .

Designing a Learning Experience

The easiest way to design a learning experience is to work backwards from the desired outcome. What do you want someone to be able to do? What will the outcome of them doing that be?

This forms the basis of your requirements for the learning experience. You can then work backwards to ask:

What does someone need to know in order to be able to do this?

What do they need to be able to do in order to complete this?

What equipment or resources must they have in order to deliver the objective?

In general, it is difficult (if not impossible) to address motivation through digital learning and it is assumed that confidence will come through practice.

From there you can begin to decide two things – what content you will need and how you will structure that content.

The Content of Learning Experiences

The content of a learning experience aims to provide the things that your user needs in order to be able to do a task. The structure of your content reflects the most logical order in which the content should be presented to support the completion of a task.

For example; if you wanted to teach someone to park a car. You would need to teach them how to use their mirrors, the gas and brake pedals, the gear stick (to find reverse), how to maneuver the car and what to take into account while doing so. You might also, in a manual transmission, have to teach them about the clutch.

It is pretty clear that you don’t want to teach maneuvering first because if the user doesn’t know how to change gear or move the car with the pedals… they aren’t going to be able to relate to how to maneuver a car.

Your original answers to the three questions above will tell you what content you need. The structure of that content (e.g. the order in which it is delivered) should be based around what needs doing 1st, then 2nd, then 3rd, etc. to get from a start point to an end point.

Learning experiences require processes. Even when the car has no driver. Teaching Google’s driverless car how to drive will have been an incredible task to conduct.

Types of Content – Learning Interaction

Once you have content and you have structure you can start to examine how to deliver that content. Will you use video, audio, or text? Will it require a practical component? (Learning to drive for example cannot be taught with videos, audio or text though the concepts of driving can be – if you want someone to be able to drive, they need to get into a vehicle and drive it).

There are two key considerations to take into account here:

The more varied the learning methods are – the more likely they are to be engaging (too much video or too much text dependence, for example, can destroy a learning experience)

The learning methods should be appropriate for the outcome – don’t choose a video if only practice is going to get the learner to where they want to be

The use of multiple learning methods is usually referred to as “blended learning” and as you can see from the graphic above; there are many options for this.

Content Consistency – Learning Branding

The final consideration is the branding element – how will you ensure that your content looks, feels, sounds and reads in a similar way? There’s a reason that schools don’t swap teachers every 15 minutes in a lesson… the change of voice would distract you from the learning experience itself.

Great learning experiences don’t just provide the learning – they also provide a single continuous look, feel, etc. that complements the learning and doesn’t distract the learner from learning.

The Take Away

Designing learning experiences is a vast topic and the guidelines above are aimed at getting you to think about the high-level components of learning experience design. They are certainly not going to prepare you for every aspect of learning design. However, many of your existing UX skills can be applied to learning experience design from research to testing – learning is a product with a specific set of objectives and can be designed by UX designers as much as any other product.

Want to know the difference between instructional design and learning experience design – find out here .

Find out how learning experiences contrast and fit with user experiences here .

User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide

Get Weekly Design Insights

Topics in this article, what you should read next, apple’s product development process – inside the world’s greatest design organization.

1.4k shares

What is Interaction Design?

How to Change Your Career from Graphic Design to UX Design

Shneiderman’s Eight Golden Rules Will Help You Design Better Interfaces

1.3k shares

The Principles of Service Design Thinking - Building Better Services

10 mths ago

A Simple Introduction to Lean UX

3 years ago

Dieter Rams: 10 Timeless Commandments for Good Design

How to Do a Thematic Analysis of User Interviews

1.2k shares

The 7 Factors that Influence User Experience

Adaptive vs. Responsive Design

Open Access—Link to us!

We believe in Open Access and the democratization of knowledge . Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.

If you want this to change , cite this article , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge !

Privacy Settings

Our digital services use necessary tracking technologies, including third-party cookies, for security, functionality, and to uphold user rights. Optional cookies offer enhanced features, and analytics.

Experience the full potential of our site that remembers your preferences and supports secure sign-in.

Governs the storage of data necessary for maintaining website security, user authentication, and fraud prevention mechanisms.

Enhanced Functionality

Saves your settings and preferences, like your location, for a more personalized experience.

Referral Program

We use cookies to enable our referral program, giving you and your friends discounts.

Error Reporting

We share user ID with Bugsnag and NewRelic to help us track errors and fix issues.

Optimize your experience by allowing us to monitor site usage. You’ll enjoy a smoother, more personalized journey without compromising your privacy.

Analytics Storage

Collects anonymous data on how you navigate and interact, helping us make informed improvements.

Differentiates real visitors from automated bots, ensuring accurate usage data and improving your website experience.

Lets us tailor your digital ads to match your interests, making them more relevant and useful to you.

Advertising Storage

Stores information for better-targeted advertising, enhancing your online ad experience.

Personalization Storage

Permits storing data to personalize content and ads across Google services based on user behavior, enhancing overall user experience.

Advertising Personalization

Allows for content and ad personalization across Google services based on user behavior. This consent enhances user experiences.

Enables personalizing ads based on user data and interactions, allowing for more relevant advertising experiences across Google services.

Receive more relevant advertisements by sharing your interests and behavior with our trusted advertising partners.

Enables better ad targeting and measurement on Meta platforms, making ads you see more relevant.

Allows for improved ad effectiveness and measurement through Meta’s Conversions API, ensuring privacy-compliant data sharing.

LinkedIn Insights

Tracks conversions, retargeting, and web analytics for LinkedIn ad campaigns, enhancing ad relevance and performance.

LinkedIn CAPI

Enhances LinkedIn advertising through server-side event tracking, offering more accurate measurement and personalization.

Google Ads Tag

Tracks ad performance and user engagement, helping deliver ads that are most useful to you.

Share Knowledge, Get Respect!

or copy link

Cite according to academic standards

Simply copy and paste the text below into your bibliographic reference list, onto your blog, or anywhere else. You can also just hyperlink to this article.

New to UX Design? We’re giving you a free ebook!

Download our free ebook The Basics of User Experience Design to learn about core concepts of UX design.

In 9 chapters, we’ll cover: conducting user interviews, design thinking, interaction design, mobile UX design, usability, UX research, and many more!

New to UX Design? We’re Giving You a Free ebook!

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Meaningful learning experiences in everyday life during pandemics. a qualitative study.

$\r\nIrene Gonzlez-Ceballos$

Department of Psychology, Institute of Educational Research, University of Girona, Girona, Spain

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the lives of people all over the world. In particular, an unprecedented educational crisis has occurred due to the circumstances of physical distancing and remote learning. This article focuses specifically on the meaningful learning experiences in the everyday lives of adolescents during the pandemic. 72 meaningful learning experiences were identified from 11 participants who recorded their specific learning experiences for a week by a means of a journal recorded by themselves. A content analysis was undertaken in order to identify the ecology (what, how, where, and who with) of the different learning experiences. The results show a prevalence of personal and conceptual learning, a presence of both formal and specifically informal, everyday activities among the meaningful learning experiences detected, the importance of peers, teacher and “learning experiences while alone,” and the use of digital technologies as learning resources; they also reveal the assistance of others in the learning process. The main contribution of this study illustrates how students in everyday life during pandemics are involved in a whole range of different activities both at school and at home.

Introduction

In recent decades, the impact information and communication technologies have on the transformation of both learning processes and educational practices has been documented ( Jenkins, 2009 ; Coll, 2013 ; González-Patiño and Esteban-Guitart, 2014 ; Bender and Peppler, 2019 ; Gee and Esteban-Guitart, 2019 ). In particular, recently, different studies have documented the impact of remote education, as well as the emergence of hybrid models (online-offline), on educational inequalities, as well as teaching and learning processes ( Arora and Srinivasan, 2020 ; Iglesias et al., 2020 ; Jena, 2020 ; Paudel, 2021 ). However, this literature did not address the impact of pandemics on learning experiences of the young. This article aims to contribute to the existing literature by considering the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has on the meaningful learning experiences of young people from different socioeconomic and sociocultural conditions.

We understand meaningful learning experiences as being those that, due to their cognitive-emotional impact, the learner identifies as being especially relevant. Additionally, the learner grants a particular meaning to the set of recognized learning experiences achieved throughout the day, beyond the bounds of context and place where the learning experiences occur ( Esteban-Guitart, 2016 ; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 ). According to Esteban-Guitart (2016) meaningful learning experiences mean “those that the learner selects and chooses from his/her prior learning experiences, for their positive or negative impact. These experiences are the most relevant from the learner’s point of view, for whatever reason, and are connected to their needs or interests” (p. 52).

Previous research suggests that educational times and spaces have both been modified and that this is mainly due to the porosity of digital practices and cultures. In this sense, we speak not only of learning throughout life but also life-wide: the result of participation in different contexts, situations and daily educational practices, both social and in the community ( Esteban-Guitart et al., 2018 ). Based on the Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory ( Bronfenbrenner, 1979 ), the notion of learning ecologies, in this sense, considers the set of physical and/or virtual activities, the help, collaboration and guidance of other people, as well as the different resources, inside and outside the school education context, as potential opportunities for learning available to a learner ( Barron, 2004 ).

Taking the very notion of “learning ecologies” as a reference ( Barron, 2004 , 2006 ), Coll (2013) argues that we are facing a profound revision of the fundamental parameters that characterize educational practice (where, when, what, who with, why and how we learn). From a model focused on universal schooling, belonging to the twentieth century, we are now in a moment of transition toward distributed and interconnected emerging models. In this sense, we speak of “local learning ecosystems” ( Hannon et al., 2019 ) to refer to a great multiplicity of interconnected educational scenarios and agents, linked to the development of basic competencies or skills for the 21st century, through participation in affinity groups or communities of practice, in different physical and digital mediums, as well as in distinct narrative formats ( DiGiacomo D. et al., 2018 ; Lacasa, 2018 ).

In a previous study, the importance of informal situations and practices was identified, as generators of even school-type learning (aspects related to the science or history curriculum, for example); the importance of the peer group, and the “self-taught” situations—learning that one claims to have undertaken alone—, as well as in digital format (for example, YouTube, social networks, Internet content search) and from the participation in communities of affinity or interest, such as a Facebook group, or online gamers, as geography/format of a large part of the meaningful learning experiences identified in adolescents aged 15 and 16 ( Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 ).

These results are in tune with the literature linked to “connected learning” according to which, a large part of learning is currently generated from the link or connection between a certain interest and curricular, professional or civic opportunities, through collaboration and support from others, forexample through social networks ( DiGiacomo D. K. et al., 2018 ; González-Patiño and Esteban-Guitart, 2019 ; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2020a ).

However, often these learning experiences that take place in non-formal or informal spaces of activity, are neither taken advantage of, nor linked to, the curricular type learning that takes place in school. “The majority of young people do not find ways to connect learning in their online affinity networks with in-school, civic, or career-relevant opportunities” ( Ito et al., 2019 , p. 2).

In any case, it seems clear that the opportunities and sources of learning today transcend the walls and borders of the school educational context and practice, as digital mobile devices allow access, construction and exchange of knowledge, skills, and competences. What Jenkins (2009) refers to as the concept of “participatory cultures” characterized by the ability to produce and exchange content and experiences through different media such as amateur videogame design, films or songs shared through YouTube, blogs, Facebook, Instagram, or other social and digital media.

The aim of the study presented here is to identify, and analyze, meaningful learning experiences experienced over the course of a week by 16 and 17-year-old adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in order to illustrate the potential impact of the pandemic situation on learning processes and ecologies.

Materials and Methods

With the aim of achieving the aims of the research, and in accordance with the unit of analysis described in the introduction, meaningful learning experiences, a qualitative approach was used in the consideration of the identification and analysis of the subjectivity as a proposal for the generation of knowledge ( Mruck and Breuer, 2003 ). In particular, and in the same line as previous research ( Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 ), a content analysis, described below, was carried out.

Participants

An intentional sample, deliberately chosen, of 11 participants was selected from a first-year high school class of 28 students from a state school in a neighborhood characterized by its high sociocultural diversity in Girona, Catalunya, Spain. The sample was composed of five boys and six girls between 16 and 17 years of age, balancing gender distribution. Of the total, six are of local origin (Catalan, Spanish), while five students come from abroad (two from Honduras, one from Colombia, one from Bolivia, and one from Morocco). The purpose was to reflect the diversity of both the school and context of the region. Table 1 describes the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. For reasons of confidentiality, a code was assigned to the different participants.

Table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample.

Table 2 additional data regarding the participants in relation to their learning ecologies ( Barron, 2004 ), specifically the availability, or otherwise, of an Internet connection, together with available devices and usual practices carried out during the week as well as going to high school.

Table 2. Some characteristics of the participants’ learning ecologies.

All participants have an Internet connection, as well as personal mobile phones and seven personally owned laptop computers, in four cases shared with either siblings or parents. With regard to after-school activities, what stands out are sports and physical activities. Two participants did not report doing any after-school activity during the week (see Table 2 ).

With the aim of identifying meaningful learning experiences, an adaptation of the personal journal of meaningful learning experiences proposed by Esteban-Guitart et al. (2017) was used. The original version consisted of five questions, in our version we used four questions that the participants had to answer at the end of the day for a week (see Figure 1 ). Specifically, the data was collected between Monday, 25th January and Sunday, 31st January, 2021. The questions were: (a) What is the most important thing you learned today? (b) Where did you learn it? (c) Who with? (d) How did you learn it? The instructions were: “Using the four questions in this diary, I would like you to collect, over 7 days of a week—weekend included-, the situations, occasions or experiences where you learned something. It is important, that of all the things learned throughout the day, you focus on the one that is most relevant or important to you.”

Figure 1. Example of a personal diary of meaningful learning experiences.

With the aim of identifying some of the characteristics of the participants’ learning ecologies, information was collected via an on-line questionnaire. This information consisted of: the availability or otherwise of an internet connection, the digital devices available; as well as the after-school activities carried out during the week (see Table 2 ).

Firstly, the study was approved by the research ethics and biosafety committee (CEBRUdG) of the University of Girona. Next, the research proposal was presented to the director of the school, and to the classroom teacher of the participants. After its approval, a sample of 11 participants was taken from the class group. They were contacted and informed of the purpose of the research, and authorization was sought to participate in the study based on informed consent. Once the instrument, a personal diary of meaningful learning experiences, was provided by the research team, the participants filled it out during the week of 25th–31st January, 2021. Finally, an on-line questionnaire was administered to each participant to identify the availability or otherwise of digital devices, the availability of an Internet connection, as well as the activities carried out during the week. During this period, classes were physically attended in the formal educational context with mask and hygiene measures, although 1 day a week, on Wednesday, classes were not attended in person and were held on-line. On the other hand, there was a situation of semi-confinement, since at that time there were measures affecting bars, cultural facilities and shops in the region of Catalonia. Specifically, non-essential shops were ordered to close at weekends, as well as shopping centers of more than 400 m 2 . On the other hand, restaurants and cafes were allowed to open but only between the times of 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. There was a limitation to interior capacity of 30%. There was also confinement on a municipal level in that entering and leaving Girona was restricted except for a justified reason. This measure affected the mobility of the population. One of the exceptions was that of attending school. However, all university lectures were online and face-to-face classes at the university were suspended.

Data Analysis

In order to analyze the empirical data obtained, thematic content analysis procedure was used with a deductive-inductive category system procedure in a round-trip iterative process between the data and the initial categories that were enriched and modified from the analysis carried out ( Vaismoradi and Snelgrove, 2019 ). In particular, an answer was found to the research question related to the characterization of the ecology (what, where, how, who with) of meaningful learning experiences. To do this, we initially based our research on the a priori categories developed by Esteban-Guitart et al. (2017) from the parameters of the new learning ecology described by Coll (2013) . However, the category “what” was added, which was not analyzed in the study by Esteban-Guitart et al. (2017) . It was decided to include this category because although it is contemplated in the parameters of the new learning ecology ( Coll, 2013 ), it was not included in the research undertaken by Esteban-Guitart et al. (2017) . This was considered to be a limitation in itself as it was not possible to obtain any analysis about the content of the meaningful learning experiences identified. In order to operationalize this category, the conceptual, procedural, and/or personal-identity learning contents were used. To this end, the learning types described by García-Romero et al. (2018) , Lalueza and Macías-Gómez-Estern (2020) , and Macías-Gómez-Estern et al. (2019) in research on the evaluation of the learning service by university students is used. In order to readjust the previous categories inductively based on the data obtained, inclusion criteria were introduced. Table 3 shows these categories, codes and inclusion criteria finally used in the study.

Table 3. Categories, codes and inclusion criteria used.

In relation to the coding process, the codes that appear in Table 3 have been assigned to the text segments of the diaries written by the participants about their meaningful learning experiences. This analysis allows collection of the frequencies of citations associated with the different categories and analysis codes.

“High intercoder reliability” (ICR) ( Burla et al., 2008 ) is used in qualitative content analysis carried out for ensuring concordance in data analysis. In particular, transcripts were coded independently by two researchers from the categories, codes and inclusion criteria used (see Table 3 ) by two researchers, and ICR was calculated. A resulting kappa value of 0.91 can be regarded as solid.

A total of 72 meaningful learning experiences were identified as a result of the seven experiences that each participant has selected on each of the 7 days of the week; With the exception of BCT007 and BCT009, who stated, on 3 days in the first case and on 2 days in the second case, that they had not learned anything relevant throughout the day.

Regarding the content category of the meaningful learning experiences (the “What?”), the identity-personal subcategory stands out (with 32 citations), followed by conceptual (with 30) and procedural (with 10). Regarding the “Where?”, the formal educational context stands out, either at the educational institution (24 associated citations) or at home (with six citations) but in activities, such as homework, extension of time, and homework. However, most meaningful learning experiences originated in informal contexts or situations. In relation to the “Who with?” The code that obtains a greater association of citations is “Alone,” followed by the peer group and the teacher. To a lesser extent with the family. Finally, at the level of “How?” what stands out is the consideration of learning without any type of cultural mediation, without the use of artifacts; however, in the case of the use of artifacts, the digital format stands out. Finally, it is worth highlighting social interaction as a generator of a large part of the meaningful learning experiences, compared to self-learning (see Table 4 ).

Table 4. Citations associated with the different categories and analysis codes.

For the purposes and context of this research, and of this monographic issue, the presence of COVID is highlighted in four of the meaningful learning experiences reported. As can be seen in Table 5 , these are current issues in the pandemic period in which the study was carried out, for example, vaccines.

Table 5. Meaningful learning experiences associated with COVID-19.

Taken as a whole, meaningful learning experience linked to identity-personal aspects (for example, linked to the organization of tasks, values or aspects linked to knowledge about oneself) have been derived from informal situations and contexts of life and activity. For example, BCT002 (day 5) claims to have learned that doing things in advance (for example homework) frees up time for leisure. The participant says she learned it alone, at home, specifically “doing all the homework she had for the following week in order to make the most of the weekend, even though we can’t go out much.” Meanwhile the curricular-conceptual type learning takes place in the formal sphere. However, conceptual learning carried out at home is also highlighted, acting as a support and extension of school activities, as well as derived from informal situations in seven of the total experiences with formal content (30). For example, derived from a chat with friends, BCT010 claims, on the second day, to have learned the equation of the trajectory of movement. However, the majority of conceptual learning took place in the school and was basically facilitated by the teacher. While learning carried out in informal life situations or practices is associated with situations in which the learner claims to be alone, or with peers—basically connected through digital devices. In relation to this, the use of social networks such as Instagram, video games, or search engines such as Google stand out. For example, BCT008, on the seventh day, claims to have learned to play 1-min games of chess with the computer, through an online chess game; or BCT007 (day 2) claims to have learned with Instagram that the first love one must receive is one’s own love. In reality, a large part of the situations considered self-learning are characterized by the use of digital devices. For example, BCT003, on the third day, learned how to install an application on the computer without paying by searching for information on the Internet.

The exceptional situation, derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, has had an impact on different aspects of people’s daily lives. The aim of the study presented here was to identify different meaningful learning experiences in the pandemic situation. In a previous study, the importance of informal learning situations and contexts was identified, as well as the importance of social and digital media as spaces for interaction and learning ( Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 ). This study is in tune with the previous study, despite the fact that the formal educational context also appears as relevant, perhaps as it is the main activity of young people, as well as being at home, as they are in a moment of semi-confinement; with restrictions in shops, bars and cafes and mobility. In fact, the study illustrates how the learning processes took place either in high school or at home. Highlighting learning undertaken alone. A situation that can also be explained due to the social restrictions of personal contact and mobility. However, a large number of the experiences have been categorized as resulting from social mediation (47) as opposed to those without social mediation (25), since the peer group at school and through their contact with digital devices is observed as an element which is highlighted from many of the meaningful learning experiences identified. This is in agreement with the work of DiGiacomo D. K. et al. (2018) that shows the importance of social and material conditions in the development of interests and learning objectives in adolescents and young people.

Compared with the study by Esteban-Guitart et al. (2017) , the aforementioned difference in terms of the presence of the formal environment in meaningful learning experiences (not found in that study, and considerably significant in this one), the distribution and importance of the peer group, and the situations of “Being alone” are found to have the same trend. Although in this study, these situations increase proportionally, perhaps due to the pandemic situation, as well as the presence and importance of the teacher in such learning; this aspect was not identified in the previous study. Finally, in the “how,” the presence of the digital format or tools and practices also stands out. It is important to highlight here that all the participants reported having an Internet connection as well as mobile phones and either shared, or unshared, laptop computers.

Regarding critical considerations of the study undertaken, it is necessary to consider that the qualitative nature of the study, involving 11 adolescents and young people, prevents us from reaching conclusions and generalizing the results to other contexts and situations. In addition, the categories of analysis should be reconsidered in future works, since due in large part to the porosity of digital media and devices, it is difficult to identify the border of the contexts. For example, BCT011, on the first day, claimed to have learned that they had Raynaud’s Syndrome. He learned it, in fact, in a multiplicity of situations and contexts, after, as he describes it, talking with his doctor, searching on the Internet, consulting with his family and friends, and also especially from the “My Health” digital application. In the same way, learning from the formal, school environment, although it may begin in the context of the high school, continues through the internet, with the peer group and especially in this study described here, at home.

This consideration leads us to problematize the notion of context itself, understood as a physical and/or virtual environment, more or less defined in time and space, in which the learner participates directly, adopts different roles, activities and interpersonal relationships ( Bronfenbrenner, 1979 ), toward procedural considerations that take into account the hybrid and porous nature of learning situations that in fact question the traditional separation between the formal and informal sphere ( Jornet and Erstad, 2018 ; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2020b ; González-Patiño and Esteban-Guitart, 2021 ). In any case, future research should trace, through for example, life stories and case studies, the parameters considered here under the metaphor of the new learning ecology ( Coll, 2013 ). The aforementioned research would allow us to go into greater depth regarding both the conditions and the characteristics of the learning experiences, as well as to overcome certain limitations of the categories used, for example in relation to the “how?” category. This is because by reducing this category to the mere presence or absence of cultural or social mediation does not allow for an in-depth documentation of the process of acquisition and development of the learning experience described.

The aim of the research was to examine the meaningful learning experiences throughout the unusual situation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. A content analysis was undertaken, following the same line of previous research ( Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 ). This made it possible to document 72 meaningful learning experiences of 11 adolescents from 16 to 17 years old. The meaningful learning experiences were collected for a week by means of a personal diary. Using the “new learning ecology” ( Coll, 2013 ): what, where, who with and how learning happens, the content analysis was carried out. Concerning “what,” the results show a prevalence of learning experiences related to subjectivity (values, attitudes, beliefs, sentiments, and preferences) and conceptual learning (learning of facts and concepts); concerning where, there is a presence of both formal and informal learning experiences; concerning “who with,” the most frequent learning experiences are with peers, with teachers and alone; and concerning “how,” the results show the relevance of digital technologies as learning resources. The main contribution of this research consists in the empirical documentation of the aforementioned parameters in the context of a pandemic. However, as this is a rather unrepresentative sample, in no way is it intended to make a generalization of the results found. On the other hand, a case study would allow for a greater depth of documentation of the learning experiences as well as their characteristics and conditions. Regarding practical applications, it should be noted that the learning experiences need pedagogical consideration, not just taking into account where they have originated, as this throws light on the situational and distributional character of the learning experiences. This aspect follows the line of previous research on the analysis of different situations in formal contexts, non-formal contexts and informal contexts as generators of meaningful learning experiences ( Barron, 2004 ; Esteban-Guitart, 2016 ; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2017 , 2018 ; DiGiacomo D. et al., 2018 ; Bender and Peppler, 2019 ).

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the research ethics and biosafety committee (CEBRUdG) of the University of Girona. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author Contributions

ME-G conceptualized the research idea and planned the study. IG-C carried out the collecting data. MP and JS contributed to data analysis. ME-G, IG-C, MP, and JS contributed to the interpretation of the results. ME-G and IG-C wrote the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the manuscript.

This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO), the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI), and the European Regional Development Funds (European Union), grant number EDU2017-83363-R.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Arora, A. K., and Srinivasan, R. (2020). Impact of pandemic COVID-19 on the teaching-learning process: a study of higher education teachers. Ind. J. Manag. 13, 43–56. doi: 10.17010/pikom/2020/v13i4/151825

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Barron, B. (2004). Learning ecologies for technological fluency in a technology-rich community. J. Educ. Com. Res. 31, 1–37. doi: 10.2190/1n20-vv12-4rb5-33va

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Barron, B. (2006). Interest and self-sustained learning as catalysts of development: a learning ecology perspective. Hum. Dev. 49, 193–224. doi: 10.1159/000094368

Bender, S., and Peppler, K. (2019). Connected learning ecologies as an emerging opportunity through cosplay. Comunicar 58, 31–40. doi: 10.3916/C58-2019-03

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Google Scholar

Burla, L., Knierim, B., Barth, J., Liewald, K., Duetz, M., and Abel, T. (2008). From text to codings. Intercoder reliability assessment in qualitative content analysis. Nurs. Res. 57, 113–117. doi: 10.1097/01.NNR.0000313482.33917.7d

Coll, C. (2013). El currículo escolar en el marco de la nueva ecología del aprendizaje. Aul. Innov. Educ. 219, 31–36.

DiGiacomo, D., Vittorini, P., and Lacasa, P. (2018). Digital skills and life-long learning: digital learning as a new insight of enhanced learning by innovative approach joining technology and cognition. Front. Psychol. 9:2621. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02621

DiGiacomo, D. K., Van Horne, K., Van Steenis, E., and Penuel, W. R. (2018). The material and social constitution of interest. Lear. Cult. Soc. Inter. 19, 51–60. doi: 10.1016/j.lcsi.2018.04.010

Esteban-Guitart, M. (2016). Funds of Identity. Connecting Meaningful Learning Experiences in and Out of School. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Esteban-Guitart, M., Coll, C., and Penuel, W. (2018). Learning across settings and time in the digital age. Digit. Educ. Rev. 33, 1–16. doi: 10.1344/der.2018.33.%.25p

Esteban-Guitart, M., DiGiacomo, D. K., Penuel, W. R., and Ito, M. (2020a). Principios, aplicaciones y retos del aprendizaje conectado. Cont. Educ. 26, 157–176. doi: 10.18172/con.3966

Esteban-Guitart, M., Iglesias, E., González-Patiño, J., and González-Ceballos, I. (2020b). La personalización educativa en tiempos de cambio e innovación educativa. Un ejemplo ilustrativo. Aul. Abie. 49, 395–404. doi: 10.17811/rifie.49.4.2020.395-402

Esteban-Guitart, M., Serra, J. M., and Vila, I. (2017). Informationalism and informalization of learning in 21 century. A qualitative study on meaningful learning experiences. Soc. Educ. His. 6, 1–25. doi: 10.17583/hse.2017.2111

García-Romero, D., Sànchez-Busqués, S., and Lalueza, J. L. (2018). Exploring the value of service learning: students’ assessments of personal, procedural and content learning. Estud. Sob. Educ. 35, 557–577. doi: 10.15581/004.34.557-577

Gee, J., and Esteban-Guitart, M. (2019). Designing for deep learning in the context of digital and social media. Comunicar 58, 9–18. doi: 10.3916/C58-2019-01

González-Patiño, J., and Esteban-Guitart, M. (2014). Some of the challenges and experiences of formal education in a mobile-centric society. Digit. Educ. Rev. 25, 64–86. doi: 10.1344/der.2014.25.64-86

González-Patiño, J., and Esteban-Guitart, M. (2019). Affinity online: how connection and shared interest fuel learning. Mi. Cult. Act. 26, 383–386. doi: 10.1080/10749039.2019.1680695

González-Patiño, J., and Esteban-Guitart, M. (2021). La transformación hacia experiencias expandidas en educación superior: curso #UAMskills de identidad digital. Rev. Educ. Dist. 21, 1–24. doi: 10.6018/red.433881

Hannon, V., Thomas, L., Ward, S., and Beresford, T. (2019). Local Learning Ecosystems: Emerging Models. Doha: Qatar Foundation.

Iglesias, E., González-Patiño, J., Lalueza, J. L., and Esteban-Guitart, M. (2020). Manifiesto en tiempos de pandemia: por una educación crítica, intergeneracional, sostenible y comunitaria. Rev. Int. Educ. Jus. Soc. 9, 181–198. doi: 10.15366/riejs2020.9.3.010

Ito, M., Martin, C., Pfister, R. C., Rafalow, M. H., Salen, K., and Wortman, A. (2019). Affinity Online: How Connection and Shared Interest Fuel Learning. New York, NY: New York University Press.

Jena, P. K. (2020). Impact of pandemic COVID-19 on education in India. Inter. J. Curr. Res. 12, 12582–12586.

Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture. Media Education for the 21 st Century. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Jornet, A., and Erstad, O. (2018). From learning contexts to learning lives: studying learning (dis)continuities from the perspective of the learners. Digit. Educ. Rev. 33, 1–25. doi: 10.1344/der.2018.33.1-25

Lacasa, P. (2018). Expresiones del Futuro. Cómo se Comunicarán las Próximas Generaciones. Madrid: Morata.

Lalueza, J. L., and Macías-Gómez-Estern, B. (2020). Border crossing. A service-learning approach based on transformative learning and cultural-historical psychology. Cult. Educ. 32, 556–582. doi: 10.1080/11356405.2020.1792755

Macías-Gómez-Estern, B., Arias-Sánchez, S., Marco, M. J., Cabillas, M. R., and Martínez, V. (2019). Does service learning make a difference? Comparing students’ valuations in service learning and non-service learning teaching of psychology. Stud. Higher Educ. [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1080/03075079.2019.1675622

Mruck, K., and Breuer, F. (2003). Subjectivity and reflexitivity in qualitative research. Forum Qual. Soc. Res. 4, 1–13. doi: 10.17169/fqs-4.2.696

Paudel, P. (2021). Online education: benefits, challenges and strategies during and after COVID-19 in higher education. Inter. J. Stud. Educ. 3, 70–85. doi: 10.46328/ijonse.32

Vaismoradi, M., and Snelgrove, S. (2019). Theme in qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. Forum Qual. Soc. Res. 20, 1–14. doi: 10.17169/fps-20.3.3376

Keywords : learning, education, digital life, COVID-19 pandemic, qualitative research

Citation: González-Ceballos I, Palma M, Serra JM and Esteban-Guitart M (2021) Meaningful Learning Experiences in Everyday Life During Pandemics. A Qualitative Study. Front. Psychol. 12:670886. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.670886

Received: 22 February 2021; Accepted: 13 April 2021; Published: 07 May 2021.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2021 González-Ceballos, Palma, Serra and Esteban-Guitart. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Moisès Esteban-Guitart, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

25 Learning Experiences Examples

learning experiences examples types definition

A learning experience is any experience a student has in which they learn something. They can be both intentional and unintentional and both in and outside of schools.

Learning experiences can be structured, or unstructured, direct, or vicarious. They can come from listening to a lecture, reading, participating in an activity, or through observation.

For teachers in structured learning situations, it is often suggested that learning experiences be:

Tied to educational objectives
Meaningful and engaging
Age appropriate
Match the learning style of students
Connected to real-life situations
Varied and dynamic
Culturally aware
Designed to allow students options

Types of Learning Experiences

Structured – These are experiences that have a clear procedure to ensure that the learning occurs. Example: A chemistry professor uses direct instruction to explain how atoms are held together by chemical bonds to form molecules.
Unstructured – These are experiences that have learning as a goal, but allow students to find their own way to learn the lesson. Example: Students are given a set of materials such as paper towel tubes, tape, scissors, and cardboard to make their own marble runs (see also: unstructured play ).
Experiential – These situations involve students ‘experiencing’ what it’s like to be in a certain situation. Example: business students engage in a simulation that involves assuming different roles in a labor-contract negotiation.
Collaborative – This involves learning that occurs alongside and with other learners. Example: Students must work in teams to develop a customer satisfaction survey, collect data, analyze the data and graph the results.
Observational – This involves passive learning, where students come to a realization simply through watching something occur. Example: A young child observes their father cracking eggs to make breakfast and then tries to mimic the actions.
Reading – Written text can be used as a form of instruction and therefore can facilitate learning. Example: Students are assigned to read the next chapter for homework and take the sample test at the end.
Independent – This learning experience doesn’t involve a formal teacher, but is instigated and pursued by the learner themselves. Example: A college student takes computer programming courses online during their summer vacation.
Blended – This type of learning involves a mix of teacher instruction and student-led inquiry. Example: The assignment involves students listening to their professor’s lecture in the classroom, supplemented with material from an online seminar.
Project-Based – The student is provided a project, and learning occurs through the process of completing the project. Example: Fifth graders make a poster on volcanoes that includes text, diagrams, and photos.
Sensory Based – This learning takes place when our senses (touch, feel, taste, smell, sight) give us stimuli that help us comprehend our world. Example: A 12-month-old grasps an unfamiliar object, examines it visually, tries to pull it apart, smells it and then puts it in its mouth to determine if it is edible.

Learning Experience Examples

Internship: During internships, we get to learn what it’s like to do a certain job and whether we’d enjoy it.
Apprenticeship: During apprenticeships, we learn on the job, which helps to develop practical rather than theoretical skills.
Reading a good book: Reading books isn’t just fun. A good book also teaches us moral and life lessons.
Project-based learning tasks: In this learning experience, students are given projects to complete. In the process of doing the project, learning naturally occurs.
Inquiry-based learning task : Students are given a puzzle to investigate, and, through investigation, they gain deep knowledge.
Lightbulb moment: A lightbulb moment is any moment where you finally reach a realization about something (see also: threshold concepts)
Take your kid to work day: Attending a parent’s workplace is often highly educational to a child who can get an insight into what it means to work in a certain profession.
Losing: Losing in a sporting game helps you learn to be gracious in defeat.
Failing: In failure, we often get a chance to reflect and figure out what we did wrong so we succeed next time.
Success: Failure often teaches more than success, but if we reflect on our successes, we can also learn what we did right to ensure we succeed again in the future.
Observation: Observing another child getting in trouble and deciding it’s best not to misbehave.
Conducting primary research : Research studies, such as dissertations at university, are designed to learn something new (often that no one knew before).
Experimentation: Experiments allow us to test hypotheses that lead to new insights on a topic.
Self-reflection : Through self-reflection, we explore how our personal experiences have educational value.
Vicarious punishment : People see the negative consequences of someone else’s actions, so they decide not to participate in those behaviors themselves ( see also: vicarious reinforcement ).
Writing an essay: The process of constructing an essay involves conducting research and figuring out how to structure an argument, which helps you to develop your knowledge.
Teamwork tasks: Students are often set teamwork tasks not only to complete a curriculum outcome, but also to learn how to get along with others to reach a common goal.
Attending a presentation: Presentations from teachers, colleagues, or mentors are designed to help structure educational information into a clear and simple learning experience.
Professional development days: Professional development days can involve learning about the newest innovations in an industry so we can remain relevant and skilled practitioners.
Seminars: In university, seminars are small group learning experiences that facilitate conversation between peers.
One-to-one coaching: One to one coaching is a valuable learning experience because it’s catered directly to the student’s needs, unlike whole group instruction.
Embarrassment: Embarrassment is often very confronting and leaves a big impression, which teaches us to avoid certain behaviors in the future.
Play: Both children and adults engage in play to learn about ourself, our bodies, how to develop social skills , and so much more (see also: play based learning ).
Conversation: Through one-to-one conversations, we can gather other people’s perspectives on issues, which can help us to learn more about the issues.
Teachable moments : Teachable moments are everyday instances that can help elucidate an important lesson for students.
Disciplinary scenarios: Good disciplinary techniques should teach a clear lesson, such as “this behavior is unacceptable” or “this action leads to this negative consequence”.

Learning Experiences Case Studies

1. inquiry-based learning experience.

According to Lee et al. (2004), inquiry-based learning is an “array of classroom practices that promote student learning through guided and, increasingly, independent investigation of complex questions and problems, often for which there is no single answer” (p. 9).

For example, in a traditional anthropology course, a professor will lecture while students diligently take notes that are committed to rote memory and later regurgitated on an exam.

However, in an inquiry-based lesson, instead of telling students about cultural artifacts, their relevance to a specific culture, and what they were used for, the lesson would be reversed.

The professor gives the artifacts to the students and then says nothing.

The students then set out to examine the objects and conduct their own research. They try to identify what the objects are, what they are used for, which culture they belong to, and whatever else they can uncover.

This is a type of learning experience that is far more engaging to students. The information is processed at a much deeper level and their interest and motivation is far higher than what would occur in a traditional lecture format.

2. Service-Oriented Learning Experience

Service-oriented learning refers to when students apply academic concepts to help address community or societal needs. This type of learning experience contains several elements of other types of learning. It is often experiential, collaborative, and project-based.

For example, the Growing Voters report by Tufts University provides institutions with a valuable framework for facilitating participation of the next generation of U. S. voters.

The framework identifies ways that educators and community leaders can “…close voting gaps, expand the electorate, and support a more equitable and representative American democracy” .

This is the type of learning experience for students that also addresses a societal need. However, it’s more than just volunteering: “…service-learning applies equal focus to both learning and the service goals . It requires an academic context and is designed so that that the service and learning goals are mutually reinforcing” (Starting Point, n.d.).

3. Performance-Based Learning Experience

Performance-based learning involves students developing specific skills related to the subject being studied. It helps them see the connection between abstract academic concepts and how those concepts manifest themselves in the real world.

For example, this group of math teachers spent a tremendous amount of time designing a learning experience called Mission Relief . The students play different roles in a simulated emergency scenario involving an airplane.

By applying mathematical formulas and various aeronautical concepts, the students are tasked with guiding the plane to safety.

Performance-based learning is far more interesting to students than traditional formats. It completely transforms the learning experience.

Students process the information more deeply and learn about the subtle nuances of a subject that can only be appreciated through experience.

4. Internships

An internship is when a student works in an organization for several months, for free. That organization could be a small business, large corporation, or non-profit organization. Internships are great ways for students to gain practical experience.

Majoring in a subject domain involves processing a lot of abstract information, taking a lot of notes, writing papers, and studying for exams.

But, there is no way for a student to know if they would actually like to have a career in that line of work without having any experience actually doing the job.

So, an internship is a valuable opportunity for students to dip their toe in the water and find out what the profession is really like.

The results can be quite surprising. Many times, a student will discover that the daily job responsibilities are completely unlike what they envisioned. In other cases, students’ career interests are affirmed, even strengthened, as they discover the job is even more exciting than they imagined.

5. Study Abroad

In the era of globalization, it has never been more important to attain some cross-cultural experience. Many occupations today and in the future will involve collaborating with people that are located in foreign lands. That’s why studying abroad is so valuable.

Many universities offer students the unique opportunity to study in a foreign country. These programs can be for as short as a few weeks or as long as an entire academic year.

Students can stay with a host family that has been carefully chosen, or live in a campus dormitory.

In addition, the credits they receive for the college courses they take transfer to their home institution.

The benefits are numerous: cultural enlightenment, development of a global perspective, forming new friendships, even becoming proficient in a second language.

Of course, not every aspect of studying abroad is super fantastic. Beware of the infamous culture shock .

There are many types of learning experiences . Students today have many options that were once never even imagined.

Educational practices have evolved to be inclusive and dynamic. Teachers and professors take into account the characteristics of their students, their learning styles, and their motivation levels.

Students can learn in the classroom, in the real world, in the virtual world, or in another country. Today, the options are limitless.

Furco, A. and Billig, S.H., (2002) Service-Learning: The Essence of the Pedagogy . Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

Lee, V. S., Greene, D. B., Odom, J., Schechter, E., & Slatta, R. W. (2004). What is inquiry guided learning. In V. S. Lee (Ed.), Teaching and learning through inquiry: A guidebook for institutions and instructors (pp. 3-15). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Starting Point. (n.d.). What is service learning? Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/service/what.html

Wirkala, C., & Kuhn, D. (2011). Problem-based learning in K–12 education: Is it effective and how does it achieve its effects? American Educational Research Journal, 48 (5), 1157–1186. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831211419491

Dave Cornell (PhD)

Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.

Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Positive Punishment Examples
Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Dissociation Examples (Psychology)
Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 15 Zone of Proximal Development Examples
Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ Perception Checking: 15 Examples and Definition

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Positive Punishment Examples
Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Dissociation Examples (Psychology)
Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 15 Zone of Proximal Development Examples
Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link Perception Checking: 15 Examples and Definition

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

Students Share Their Best School Experiences and What We Can Learn From Them

Today, five students from my classes contribute short pieces about their favorite moments, and what others might be able to learn from them.

You might also be interested in these two other posts:

Students Describe Their Favorite Teachers
‘He Was a Very Good Listener’ - Students Write About Their Most Memorable Teachers

Response From Leslie Servin

During my time in high school I had it really good moments, but my best moments that I’ve experienced are in a particular class during my senior year, in Sacramento, Calif. So I was basically a new student in these kind of classes and also I’m English learner. I remember my first presentation in this class. I didn’t want to do it, but finally I did it and that one was my best moment. When I went to present I felt afraid, and then when I presented I felt so good for the effort I applied on. Now I feel so much better than my first day of presentations because I now know that I can do whatever I want to do. The learnings that I acquire made it so good this moment because I know that I have to trust on me. Something teachers or students can learn from my experience is that we have to overcome our fears and not let them control ourselves because we can’t know our capabilities if we are afraid.

Response From Jesneel Singh

The best moment in class was when I was in 9th grade in sixth period. That was when I got into poetry and spoken word. Having that “character and scene” class made my life even greater. Not knowing anything about poetry, hating on poems about reading and writing it in the past. That class was fun in many ways. For example; there was this one time where we had to write our own plays and poems and perform them in front of the class. I felt alive, and the creative side of me came out. When I wrote my first poem in freshman year. I realized that it was fun and unique. I felt like I wanted to write more and more. When I performed my first poem to that class I found my passion. Since that day and today I have written over 400 poems and made two books. I have performed on many stages in small audience and in school. That was a good day for me because I can write my thoughts down and write the truth about the world. Teachers and students can learn from this experience that, you can find what best fits you.

Response From Nancy Ramirez

I would say my best class moment would be from my sophomore year in high school. For my Spanish class, our teacher decided we would do a class circle (Editor’s note: see “How To Practice Restorative Justice in Schools” for more information on class circles) for the day. She asked us a sequence of questions which required us to give a more in depth and heartfelt answer each time, starting with something along the lines of “How are you feeling?” and ending with “Why do you think that is?” A class circle which only should have lasted one day extended to three, with each and every single one of us having to share our deepest and darkest fears and insecurities. By then it felt more than just a class and opened my eyes to very different ways of teaching styles. I believe there is much to learn from this experience, both then and now. I have come to deeply appreciate not only the class but the teacher as well. This experience showed me the extent a relationship with your classmates and your teacher can go....

Response From Oscar Salazar

The best moment I’ve ever experienced in school was last year when I was a sophomore. I took biology last year and towards the end of the year we got to dissect a fetal pig. I know that it sounds gross but it’s really not. That’s what I thought at first too. I did lots of fun experiments in that class that were new to me, such as making a small ecosystem in a bottle and dissecting owl pellets to find mouse skeletons. I think that these experiences were really fun and interesting. I’ve never done anything like that in a class before.

I think that when teachers introduce students to hands-on activities and projects the students enjoy it more. Since we have more energy it’s a good use of it. We learn better when we’re allowed to move around and be creative. Our lives aren’t going to be pen on paper or books forever. It’s best to get us students to explore the world using our skills that we learn and strengthen our understanding of daily life that is sometimes hidden from us and exposed to us abruptly once we turn into adults.

Response From Kayla Guzman

What has been my best moment in a class? I’ve had many great moments but perhaps the most best moment took place in my English class about a month ago. I had a 10-15 minute presentation and I felt pretty confident. 30 minutes before my presentation I decided to incorporate an actor for visual appeal, to correspond with my presentation. I felt even more confident, assure that I would captivate the audience’s attention and keep them engaged. When my presentation started, I gave a signal to my actor which led me to drop my 8 notecards all over the floor. I was aware that the time was ticking, so I quickly grabbed all the notecards off the floor. I became overwhelmed with embarrassment, listening to the echoing laughter of the audience as I tried to rearrange the cards. The cards in my hand then became extremely restraining. My anxiety levels rose, and the disorganized cards just added stress to my emotions. I placed the cards down, and felt a great sense of relieve. My words, my explanations, my connections all flowed out my mouth with harmony, and I felt more natural and free as I presented my topic.

My presentation was a diagnosis of a character with schizophrenia, explaining the symptoms and the reasoning behind my diagnosis. The movement of my hands and my exaggeration presented by a drive of passion, along with my visual representative, kept the audience captive. I felt like a completely different person. By the end of the presentation I was sweaty, not by nervousness but because I left it all on the floor. I realized that the key to presenting with people is not getting their attention just by visual appeal. You need to let your heart pour out so that you can captivate their hearts, reach their souls. You can’t just be the center of attention, you need to give the audience attention, you need to talk to them. First and foremost, you can’t present without emotions. Anything you present should be built off of passion. As long as you can find a connection between yourself and the topic and exude your passion, you will keep the audience engaged.

Thanks to Nancy, Jesneel, Kayla, Leslie, and Oscar for their contributions!

(This is the last post in a three-part series. You can see Part One here and Part Two here .)

The new “question-of-the-week” is:

What was the best moment you ever had in the classroom?

In Part One , Jen Schwanke, Amy Sandvold, Anne Jenks, and Sarah Thomas shared their top moments. You can listen to a 10-minute conversation I had with them on my BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here. In Part Two , Meghan Everette, Jeryl-Ann Asaro, Jeffery Galle, and Kara Vandas shared their memories. I also included comments from readers.

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Anyone whose question is selected for this weekly column can choose one free book from a number of education publishers.

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching .

If you missed any of the highlights from the first six years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below. They don’t include ones from this current year, but you can find those by clicking on the “answers” category found in the sidebar.

This Year’s Most Popular Q&A Posts

Classroom Management Advice

Race & Gender Challenges

Implementing The Common Core

Best Ways To Begin The School Year

Best Ways To End The School Year

Student Motivation & Social Emotional Learning

Teaching Social Studies

Project-Based Learning

Using Tech In The Classroom

Parent Engagement In Schools

Teaching English Language Learners

Student Assessment

Brain-Based Learning

Reading Instruction

Writing Instruction

Education Policy Issues

Differentiating Instruction

Math Instruction

Science Instruction

Advice For New Teachers

Author Interviews

Entering The Teaching Profession

Administrator Leadership

Teacher Leadership

Relationships In Schools

Professional Development

Instructional Strategies

I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column .

Look for the next “question-of-the-week” in a few days.

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

Sign Up for The Savvy Principal

Share full article

Supported by

Letter of Recommendation

What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

An illustration of a high school student with blue hair, dreaming of what to write in their college essay.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

Salesforce is closed for new business in your area.

IMAGES

Learning from a New Experience Free Essay Example
📌 Essay Sample with a Feedback on Learning Experience
Reflective Essay
Reflection Essay on Learning Experiences (600 Words)
Sample Learning Experience Essay
Learning experiences essay sample

VIDEO

IELTS essay
Essay on Why I Love Learning!🚀🌈
Essay on Holi| Short Essay on Holi in English| Learn Easy Essay on Holi
My Self
Essay writing discussion IAS (India needs job creators not job seekers) L-2
How to score 20/20 in Essay ISC 2024/ How to write essay for ISC Examination 2024.Tips and Tricks

COMMENTS

Reflective My Learning Experience: [Essay Example], 595 words
As a college student, I have had the privilege of engaging in a multitude of learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. In this reflective essay, I will delve into the transformative moments and the valuable lessons I have learned, highlighting the impact they have had on my personal and intellectual development.
How to Write Stanford's "Excited About Learning" Essay
Stanford University's first essay prompt asks you to respond to the following: "The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (100-250 words)". For this short answer question, your response is limited to a maximum ...
Example of Reflective Essay on Learning Experience
In order to bridge the course theory and practice, I will elaborate on two personal learning reflections that I have experienced during the course. My first learning experience is based on tutorial five and lecture six of this course. During this tutorial, I practiced a negotiation exercise based on a conflicting florist, grocer, and baker.
Learning From Experience: What is Real Learning Through ...
The learner plays an active part in the learning process. It is an individual-focused learning technique for learning from experience. A common example of real learning through experience is that of botany students. While they can simply learn about the various plants and trees by reading books on the subject, they are regularly taken on trips ...
PDF The Learning Way: Learning from Experience as the Path to Lifelong
Abstract. Lifelong learning requires the ability to learn from life experiences. This chapter describes the. theory of experiential learning, whereby knowledge is generated from experience through a cycle of. learning driven by the resolution of dual dialectics of action/reflection and experience/abstraction.
PDF Christina Arnold 12/5/16 Learning Theory: Final Reflective Essay
The first theory of learning that we explored was behaviorism, which looks specifically at learning as a change in behavior. Two out of my three learning experiences were discussing a change in behavior, since learning to draw and crochet are both visual arts. One important aspect of behaviorism is the use of positive feedback and rewards.
Personal Reflection: Reflective Learning as a Student and an Educator
Keywords: reflective learning, scholarship of teaching and learning, higher education . I have always wanted to teach, to share my experiences with students and to make a difference to their learning experiences. So, when I was appointed as lecturer at the University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, from which I graduated, I was ecstatic.
Reflective Essay on Learning and Teaching
ISSN: 2581-7922, Volume 2 Issue 5, September-October 2019. Kerwin A. Livingstone, PhD Page 57. Reflective Essay on Learning and Teaching. Kerwin Anthony Livingstone, PhD. Applied Linguist/Language ...
PDF Guidelines for Writing an Experiential Learning Essay
Sample Subjects/Topics For Experiential Learning Essays Note: All essays are based upon your adult, personal experience (aged 18+). You cannot write an essay to fulfill General Education or Elective requirements, if you do not have significant experience in the area you are writing about. All essays written for academic credit must be
Real Learning Takes Place Through Experience (Essay Sample)
Real learning through experience takes stock of previous experiences, gathering lessons, and learning to apply them honorably. In life, there is always an opportunity to apply theories or theses that we bring with us from our academic education. The real test is not actually in the classroom but in the real world.
'My Online Learning Experience as a Student This Fall Has Been Great
Lyna Nguyen is a junior at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif. My online learning experience as a student this fall has been great. What's working for me is I like the 40 minutes in ...
How to Write a Personal Experience Essay With Sample Papers
Writing an essay about a personal experience or relationship can be a powerful way of both discovering the meaning of your own past and sharing that past with others. When you write about something in your past, you have two perspectives: Your perspective in the present. The perspective you had at the time the true event occurred.
PDF What was Your Best Learning Experience? Our Story About Using ...
Think about your most valuable, effective, and/or engaging learning experience and in 250-400 words share your learning story. Don't editorialize or try to explain why you think it was your best learning experience, just tell the story. 2. Within your group, analyze each person's "Best Learning Experience" story.
Learning Experience Design
Learning design attempts to solve one or more of 5 types of problem for the learner: A lack of knowledge. It's hard to do something if you don't know what it is you're meant to do or you fail to understand what might be involved in doing something. A lack of skill. I may know how to drive a car but if I lack the practice of driving ...
Learning Experience Essay
The Importance Of Learning Experience. update learning (NMC, 2010), and student nurses, as adult learners and aspiring professionals, need to start developing themselves within the culture of lifelong learning in the workplace and take responsibility for their learning (Hinchliff, 2004). This is possible with effective communication in sharing ...
Frontiers
The aim of the study presented here is to identify, and analyze, meaningful learning experiences experienced over the course of a week by 16 and 17-year-old adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in order to illustrate the potential impact of the pandemic situation on learning processes and ecologies.
Students Reflect on Their Distance Learning Experiences
In Part One , five students from the high school where I teach in Sacramento, Calif., shared their reflections. Today, the first three contributions come from students in Austin Green's 1st ...
25 Learning Experiences Examples (2024)
Learning Experience Examples. Internship: During internships, we get to learn what it's like to do a certain job and whether we'd enjoy it. Apprenticeship: During apprenticeships, we learn on the job, which helps to develop practical rather than theoretical skills. Reading a good book: Reading books isn't just fun.
My Learning Experience Essay
My learning experiences have expanded beyond the classroom in a more immersive, hands-on capacity. With my parents, I have been able to travel both inside and outside the country, showing me about different cultures and ways of life. Moreover, my time doing competitive robotics and. The more I learn, the smarter I become of course.
Students Share Their Best School Experiences and What We Can Learn From
You need to let your heart pour out so that you can captivate their hearts, reach their souls. You can't just be the center of attention, you need to give the audience attention, you need to ...
WEEK 1: OJT Learning Experience (August 27
WEEK 3: OJT Learning Experience (September 16-20, 2019) This third week of my OJT is so great experiences for me, many thing are happened, a lot of task that well done, thanks to Ma'am Loids
Scientific and Fantastical: Creating Immersive, Culturally Relevant
An interactive, tablet-based learning platform with a multi-step math task designed using Common Core State Standards shows that embedding learning activities into narratives boosted children's engagement as evaluated by coding video responses and surveys, and the integration of a tutoring chatbot improved learning outcomes on the assessment.
What I've Learned From My Students' College Essays
By Nell Freudenberger. May 14, 2024, 5:02 a.m. ET. Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn't supplied them with several hundred words of ...
Field Service Management Software
Learn how field service management software can boost productivity for your front-line workforce, lower operating costs, and transform your service experience. ... Experience an enhanced user interface that maximizes the potential of your Gantt chart for improved scheduling efficiency. Scheduling and Optimization

Reflective My Learning Experience

Table of contents

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

Still can’t find what you need?

Related Essays on Personal Growth and Development

Related Topics

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chancing factors

How to Write Stanford’s “Excited About Learning” Essay

What’s Covered:

Academic & Professional Trajectory

Personal Values & Experiences

Community Building & Social Connectedness

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How To Learn Through Experience

What Is A Learning Mindset?

A learning mindset is a fundamental trait. A mindset focused on learning can be strong criteria to weigh factors such as:

Response to learning

The takeaway

Learning From Experience: How To Do It

Kolb outlines four characteristics of a learner that must be present in anyone keen on learning from experience. These are:

The crux of experiential learning is highlighted by five questions:

Need For Businesses To Cultivate A Learning Mindset:

Digital Expertise:

Ability To Work Seamlessly In An Inclusive Environment:

Real Learning Takes Place Through Experience (Essay Sample)

Introduction

Essay on Importance of Learning Through Experience

Knowledge is Power

Applying What You Know

The Equally-Good Benefits of Academic Learning

Advantages and Benefits of Life Experiences

The Value of Our Response

Learning Experiences Are Varied

Trauma and Becoming Better People

Learning from Life is a Community Project

Short 1 Minute Speech on the Importance of Learning Through Experience

What does it mean to learn through experience?

Why is learning through experience important?

Learning Experience Design - The Most Valuable Lessons

What Problem Does a Learning Experience Seek to Solve?

Designing a Learning Experience

The Content of Learning Experiences

Types of Content – Learning Interaction

Content Consistency – Learning Branding

The Take Away

User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide

Get Weekly Design Insights

What is Interaction Design?

How to Change Your Career from Graphic Design to UX Design

Shneiderman’s Eight Golden Rules Will Help You Design Better Interfaces

The Principles of Service Design Thinking - Building Better Services

A Simple Introduction to Lean UX

Dieter Rams: 10 Timeless Commandments for Good Design

How to Do a Thematic Analysis of User Interviews

The 7 Factors that Influence User Experience

Adaptive vs. Responsive Design

Open Access—Link to us!

Privacy Settings

Enhanced Functionality

Referral Program

Error Reporting

Analytics Storage

Advertising Storage

Personalization Storage

Advertising Personalization

LinkedIn Insights

LinkedIn CAPI

Google Ads Tag

Share Knowledge, Get Respect!

Cite according to academic standards

New to UX Design? We’re giving you a free ebook!

New to UX Design? We’re Giving You a Free ebook!

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Participants

Data Analysis