What is Experiential Education? – Featuring Phil Brown from High5Adventure.com - Digital Learning Today

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What is Experiential Education? – Featuring Phil Brown from High5Adventure.com

April 6, 2025 • 31 mins

In this episode of Digital Learning Today, Phil Brown from High 5 Adventure discusses the principles of experiential education, emphasizing the importance of learning through experiences. He explains how adventure education can foster problem-solving skills and team development among both students and educators. Phil also highlights the significance of creating 'aha' moments in learning and the role of play in education. He shares insights on building adventure programs and the future of experiential education, particularly in the context of social emotional learning. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today!

Conversation Takeaways

Experiential education allows students to learn through experiences.
Problem-solving skills are essential for students' success.
Team development is a long-term process, not just a one-time event.
Creating connections among educators is crucial for effective teaching.
The ABCDs of problem solving can guide students in overcoming challenges.
Playfulness in education can enhance engagement and learning.
Experiential education provides alternative avenues for learning.
Continuous professional development is vital for educators.
Aha moments can be facilitated through well-designed activities.
Social emotional learning is increasingly important in education.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Experiential Education
02:56 Understanding Experiential Learning
05:57 Building Adventure Programs
09:11 The Importance of Problem Solving
12:12 Team Development vs. Team Bonding
15:02 Creating Aha Moments in Education
17:58 The Future of Experiential Education
20:51 The Role of Play in Learning
23:54 Conclusion and Future Directions

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About our Guest: Phil Brown

Phil, originally from England, joined the High 5 training and team development team in May 2015 and has presented at many national and international conferences on the topics of adventure and experiential education. He is also one of the co-authors of the book “Tinker: Building Purposeful Experiences from Classic Adventure Activities” and the producer/host of “Vertical Playpen” – the podcast all about Adventure and Experiential Education. Phil is also the President-elect of the Board of Directors for the Association for Experiential Education.