Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Didiosky Benítez et al
2. Basic concepts on experiential knowledge
All people learn from <strong>the</strong>ir own experiences. But experiential learning refers to situations where
experience is initially apprehended at <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> simple impressions, thus requiring a fur<strong>the</strong>r period
<strong>of</strong> reflection before it is assimilated. Experience refers to whatever humans perceive or understand
from <strong>the</strong>ir interactions with <strong>the</strong> environment, whereas knowledge refers to <strong>the</strong> content <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> human
representation <strong>of</strong> experiences. Thus, in this paper <strong>the</strong> term ‘experiential knowledge’ is used to refer
things perceived from concrete experiences, things tacitly (or implicitly) learned or acquired after a
period <strong>of</strong> reflection on experiences (Eraut 1994; Storkerson 2009).
Experiential knowledge is gained through personal participation in or observation <strong>of</strong> concrete
experiences. The reasons why it remains initially at <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> impressions may be linked to <strong>the</strong>
learning intent or <strong>the</strong> need for simultaneous action at <strong>the</strong> moment <strong>of</strong> experiences. However, <strong>the</strong>re is
not much evidence about what is learned from experience. What we know is that experiential
knowledge depends on what is perceived, and on time dedicated to reflection (Eraut 1994).
2.1 Experiential knowledge categories
According to Eraut's (1994) knowledge categories, experiential knowledge can be classified into:
knowledge <strong>of</strong> people, situational knowledge, knowledge <strong>of</strong> practice, conceptual knowledge, process
knowledge, and control knowledge. This typology, as Eraut (1994) suggests, is a powerful tool for
thinking about <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> experiential knowledge in educational contexts and how it might be
fur<strong>the</strong>r developed.
Knowledge <strong>of</strong> people refers to knowledge acquired unintentionally as a by-product <strong>of</strong> encounters that
have o<strong>the</strong>r purposes. These may be direct encounters or encounters with third parties who provide
indirect information about <strong>the</strong> person concerned. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, situational knowledge is
concerned with how people describe <strong>the</strong> situations in which <strong>the</strong>y find <strong>the</strong>mselves. This includes
significant features <strong>of</strong> situations, aspects susceptible to change, influences to certain decisions and
events. In addition to this, knowledge <strong>of</strong> practice covers <strong>the</strong> whole repertoire <strong>of</strong> possible practices
from which educators are able to choose. This includes not only some awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> existence <strong>of</strong>
those practices, but also its advantages, limitations, feasibility, and desirability. Closely related to this
knowledge <strong>of</strong> practice is process knowledge, which is knowledge <strong>of</strong> how to do things and how to get
things done. It usually requires a combination <strong>of</strong> knowledge and skills. It is partly a matter <strong>of</strong> knowing
all <strong>the</strong> things that one has to do and partly a matter <strong>of</strong> possessing and using practical skills.
Conceptual knowledge is defined as that set <strong>of</strong> concepts, <strong>the</strong>ories and ideas that a person has
consciously stored in memory. It includes not only <strong>the</strong> concepts <strong>the</strong>mselves but also its links to
particular contexts <strong>of</strong> use. Finally, control knowledge refers to knowledge that is important to control
one’s owns behaviors. It includes self-awareness and sensitivity; self-knowledge about one’s
strengths and weaknesses; self-management in <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> time, prioritization and delegation. In
general, even though <strong>the</strong>se categories seem different types <strong>of</strong> knowledge, most important educational
processes involve <strong>the</strong>ir combined use. However, as <strong>the</strong>se categories recognize experiential
knowledge as somewhat fallible, validity problems must have to be taken into account in any use <strong>of</strong>
experiential knowledge (Eraut 1994).
2.2 Experiential learningThere are several works linked to experiential learning, but as Lewis and
Williams (in Beaudin and Quick 1995:11) agree, Kolb’s experiential learning <strong>the</strong>ory is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most
influential works in this field. The <strong>the</strong>ory stands from six foundational propositions with regard to
learning: (1) learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms <strong>of</strong> outcomes; (2) all learning is relearning;
(3) learning requires <strong>the</strong> resolution <strong>of</strong> conflicts between dialectically opposed modes <strong>of</strong>
adaptation to <strong>the</strong> world; (4) learning is a holistic process <strong>of</strong> adaptation; (5) learning results from
synergetic transactions between <strong>the</strong> person and <strong>the</strong> environment and (6) learning is <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong>
creating knowledge.
From Kolb’s perspective concrete experiences are <strong>the</strong> base for observations and reflections. These
reflections are assimilated into abstract concepts from which implications for action can be drawn.
Finally, <strong>the</strong>se implications can be actively tested and serve as guides in creating new experiences
conforming <strong>the</strong> experiential learning cycle, as shown in Figure 1.
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