Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
David Kolb's experiential learning theory: learning as the creation of knowledge through the transformation of experience, in a recurring cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting driven by two dialectics. Rebuilt from Kolb's own second edition (2015) and Alice and David Kolb's later papers as the practices a learning function can evidence: full-cycle and spiral design, learning spaces, educator roles, learning flexibility, holistic assessment and deliberate learning.
Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle is a compliance framework from International with 7 domains and 32 controls that map to 6 other frameworks. The largest domains are Learning spaces – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (7 controls), The experiential learning cycle and spiral – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (6 controls), Assessment, development and deliberate learning – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (5 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
Framework summaries on this platform are interpretations grounded in the published source, for educational and compliance planning purposes. They do not reproduce or replace the official standards. Refer to the authoritative source for the definitive text. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective organisations.
Framework Domains (7)
Assessment, development and deliberate learning – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::M1 | Holistic, authentic assessment across the four learning modes |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::M2 | Foster a learning identity |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::M3 | Cultivate growth-producing learning relationships |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::M4 | Mindful experiencing: attend to present experience and to one's own passage through the cycle |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::M5 | Deliberate practice: repeated performance compared with a model, with feedback |
Educator roles: teaching around the learning cycle – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::E1 | Facilitator role: help learners connect with and reflect on their experience |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::E2 | Subject expert role: help learners organise reflections into the knowledge base |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::E3 | Standard-setter and evaluator role: set performance requirements and evaluate application |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::E4 | Coaching role: help learners apply knowledge to their own goals |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::E5 | Dynamic matching: shift educator role to the learner, the subject and the stage of the cycle |
Learning spaces – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L1 | Respect for learners and their experience |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L2 | Begin learning with the learner's experience of the subject matter |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L3 | Create and hold a hospitable space: challenge with support |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L4 | Make space for conversational learning |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L5 | Make space for the development of expertise |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L6 | Make space for inside-out learning linked to learners' interests |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::L7 | Make space for learners to take charge of their own learning |
Learning style and learning flexibility – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::S1 | Use learning style as a dynamic, development-oriented concept, not a label |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::S2 | Develop learning flexibility and full-cycle capability |
Propositions of experiential learning theory – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::P1 | Treat learning as a process, not only as outcomes |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::P2 | All learning is relearning: surface and work with learners' prior beliefs |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::P4 | Learning as holistic adaptation across settings and life stages |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::P5 | Learning as a transaction between the person and the environment |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::P6 | Learning as the creation of knowledge: fit the approach to the kind of knowledge |
The dual dialectics of grasping and transforming experience – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::D1 | Grasping dialectic: pair direct experience with conceptual understanding |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::D2 | Transforming dialectic: integrate reflection and action (praxis) |
The experiential learning cycle and spiral – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C1 | Concrete experience: provide direct experiencing of the subject |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C2 | Reflective observation: organise structured reflection on the experience |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C3 | Abstract conceptualization: connect reflections to concepts and theory |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C4 | Active experimentation: apply and test the learning in the learner's own context |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C5 | Full-cycle design: teach around the learning cycle |
| kolb-experiential-learning-cycle::C6 | Learning spiral: organise learning as recurring cycles that deepen and transfer |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle, you already cover:
LEADS in a Caring Environment
10%
4 controls mapped
Compare →NHS Healthcare Leadership Model
8%
3 controls mapped
Compare →Argyris Double-Loop Learning
8%
3 controls mapped
Compare →+ 3 more: ISO 37000:2021 (5%), Hersey & Blanchard Situational Leadership Model (5%)
See all 6 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 6 other frameworks
Coverage is not the same as your position
This page shows what Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.
The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business daysWhat is Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle and who does it apply to?
Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle is a compliance framework from International with 7 domains and 32 controls. David Kolb's experiential learning theory: learning as the creation of knowledge through the transformation of experience, in a recurring cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting driven by two dialectics. Rebuilt from Kolb's own second edition (2015) and Alice and David Kolb's later papers as the practices a learning function can evidence: full-cycle and spiral design, learning spaces, educator roles, learning flexibility, holistic assessment and deliberate learning. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle actually require?
Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle has 32 controls organised across 7 domains. The largest domains are Learning spaces – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (7 controls), The experiential learning cycle and spiral – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (6 controls), Assessment, development and deliberate learning – Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle do I already cover?
Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle maps to 6 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are LEADS in a Caring Environment (10% coverage), NHS Healthcare Leadership Model (8% coverage), Argyris Double-Loop Learning (8% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle?
Start your Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 32 controls and track your progress.
Start Your Compliance Journey
Create a free account to run self-assessments, get AI advisory, and track your compliance progress across 1,120 frameworks.
Get Started Free →Free forever, no credit card required