Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle C5: Full-cycle design: teach around the learning cycle

Educational programmes are designed so that learners engage all four modes, experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting, rather than one or two; the major implication Kolb draws for education is to teach around the cycle so that every learner can complete it and use and develop all learning styles, which promotes deep learning. Designs that rely on a single mode, such as lecture alone or a field trip with no debriefing, are to be avoided, and a strongly concrete or active programme (an internship) should be complemented with systematic reflection and conceptual analysis. The cycle is an idealised template: learners may begin at their preferred mode, though many experiential educators start with a shared direct experience.