Importance of Learning Theories and Kolb's Experiential Theory

This essay discusses the significance of learning theories in understanding and guiding the learning process, particularly within organizational contexts. It emphasizes the relevance of Kolb's experiential learning theory, which comprises four stages and learning styles, highlighting its benefits for learners in connecting knowledge with practical experiences. Furthermore, the essay underscores the importance of understanding individual learning styles for employees, line managers, and learning specialists, as it fosters a more effective and academically-inclined work environment, contributing to enhanced performance and professional development. The exploration of these concepts aims to provide insights into how learning theories can be leveraged to improve individual and organizational growth.

ESSAY
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Importance of learning theories-..................................................................................................3
Kolb’s experimental learning theory and its relevance-..............................................................4
Importance of learning styles for the employees, line managers and the specialists-.................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Learning theories refers to how an individual receive, process, learn and understand the concepts
and topics during the learning. These theories offer the framework which helps in understanding
hoe the knowledge is used in the practical life, creation of the knowledge as well as how the
learning occurs or takes place (David, 2019). These theories can be used according to the
different learners and helps in making right decisions for the instructional practices. This report
will discuss the importance of learning theories and the relevance of the Kolb’s experiential
theory. Further, it will also discuss the importance of learning styles for the employees, line
managers and learning and developed specialists as well.
MAIN BODY
Importance of learning theories-
Learning theory is the framework which helps in observing, describing, explaining and guiding
the process of learning for people and everything which are related to this process. There is much
importance of the learning theories in the academic world. These theories address issues reacting
to the concept of learning, types of learning theories and the learning styles. The main purpose of
learning theories is to state the conditions and processes through which the learning takes place.
Learning theories also helps in what things can motivate the people for learning as well as what
conditions and circumstances can hinder the learning of an individual. These theories of learning
also help in making connections between the learner and the teacher by which there creates an
effective learning process (Gandhi and Mukherji, 2021).
There are different types of learning theories which can be used by teachers and in the
organisation for effective learning and development such as behaviourism, humanism,
cognitivism and many more depending on the needs in the organization. There is much
importance of learning theories to the learners as well as also for the employees and subordinates
in the organization. As learning theories provide a framework for understanding the concepts in
the learning process. It plays a significant role in the learning process because it helps the
learners in learning the topics in a more detailed manner. Learning theories provides the basis for

understanding the for the learning process occurs as well as the way of explanation. The theory
helps in making more informed and effective decisions for the development, design and the
delivery of the learning. The learning theories provides an explanation of the processes which
help in engaging the learners for implementing and integrating the acquired knowledge to their
new knowledge as well as in the practical life. It is very important for the professionals because
they are indulged in the business of helping others in learning process. Learning theories has the
stages which helps the learners in effective learning by improving their performance and
developed for the future learning.
Learning theories develops the hypothesis which explains how the learning process takes place
and occurs (Hui and Chan, 2022). It is very important to understand for an individual that how
they learn or to understand our own development as it helps applying the effective strategies at
home for best learning at home and mastering the topics or concepts. Every individual has
different styles of learning which fits for them. Each theory consists of the facts and assumptions
so it helps in by first identifying the goals of learning.
Kolb’s experimental learning theory and its relevance-
Kolb’s experimental learning theory is consisting of four stages of learning cycle and with four
learning styles. This theory provides a powerful foundation of learning and development by
describing the processes by creation of knowledge through the experience (Gemmell and Kolb,
2020). The Kolb’s experimental learning theory can be defined as the process of learning where
the knowledge acquired by grasping and transformation of the experience. Kolb stated that the
learning requires the concepts which can be applied in the various ranges of the situations. This
learning theory involves two parts in which first part provides the detail about the four stages of
the cycle as by following these stages, the learners can easily covert their experiences to the
knowledge.
The second part of this learning theory focuses on the learning styles that helps the learners to
acquire the knowledge for their development. The four stages of this cycle are-
Concrete experience- The first stage of this theory, the learners encounters the experience
which could be completely new experience or the reimagined experience. The learners should be
actively involved or engaged in the learning process.
Reflective observation- After engaging in the learning, an individual must look on the task or
activity that will be performed and how they will be applied.

Abstract Conceptualisation- In this stage, the learners generate new ideas and develop their
current experience and understandings based on the reflections which has been raised in the
previous stage of this learning theory.
Active experimentation- This is the last stage of this learning theory, as this stage the learners
applies the knowledge acquired in the learning process in the everyday life or their careers
(Learning, 2020).
Importance of Kolb’s experimental theory-
This theory is very relevant as it provides many benefits to the learners such as it offers different
learning styles to the individual. It also helps the learners in engaging and involving in the
experiences and the learners are effectively able to connect and understand the knowledge and
concepts learned through this learning theory for applying to practical life. It is considered as the
most influential learning theory as it provides the learners to learn and understand deeply and has
positive impact on the performance of the learners (Majgaard and Weitze, 2020). It enables the
learner to increase the critical thinking, supports the advancement of the abilities to effectively
solve the problems in the real life. The learners are able to connect with the material or content
they study with the real world where they can apply this knowledge for the experience.
This model of learning is proved as the most effective because it helps to learn the individual
from learning with the experiences, it helps the learner how the things can be applied in the real
life in order to professional development for working effectively and efficiently in the future
(Niman and Chagnon, 2021). This theory of learning has provided the positive results to the
learners and can use the learning concepts effectively in the future by which it can be stated that
this is relevant learning theory.
Importance of learning styles for the employees, line managers and the specialists-
Learning theories helps employees as well in various things. As an employee and line managers,
being aware about the learning process of themselves helps them to work more productively and
effectively in the organisation. Especially for the managers, understanding the team members in
better communication with the employees (Scholtz, 2020). It is very important to understand the
learning styles because every people prefers different styles of receiving the information.
Managers has more importance of the understanding the learning styles as they help them in
improving the performance of the employees for their particular task. Employees learning styles
will help them in understanding the concepts and more effectively for performing the roles and

tasks in the organisation. This will also help them in applying the experience in their current
roles for better performance.
Evaluating different styles of the learning in the business helps in understanding the process
information of the employee and by this working environment of the company will help them in
success. Understanding the learning styles of the employees will help them to learn in an away
which provides them easy learning of the concepts. This helps the employees in effective
working by the things they have learned. Learning styles of an individual increases the self-
confidence, improves the image in the organisation as well as creates the motivation for working
in the organisation so it is very important to understand the learning styles of every individual
employee of the organisations. Learning organisation helps the line managers as well as the
employees to understand the need of change, creates the learning environment for the employees
and every individual of the organisation (Andrade and Zerbini, 2019).
Learning styles matters in the workplace because it will create an academic environment in the
organisation which will help me development of an individual and it will directly contribute to
the overall performance of the company. Learning with the different styles helps the employees,
line managers and the development specialists to flourish their individual goals and learning the
new skills and helps in the professional development of every individual of the company.
CONCLUSION
This report has discussed the importance of the learning theories such as it provides the basis of
understanding hoe the learning process occurs which is very important for the individual to
understand the strengths which will help them in effective working. Along with this, it has also
discussed the Kolb’s experimental learning theories as well as how much relevant it is. Further, it
has also discussed the importance of understanding the learning styles for employees, line

managers and the development specialists because it helps in motivating the employees and
working effectively for the future.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Andrade, R.B.N.M. and Zerbini, T., 2019. Distance Learning Degrees: Possibility of Evasion,
Styles and Learning Strategies. Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 29.
David, L., 2019. Summaries of learning theories and models. Learning Theories.
Gandhi, M.H. and Mukherji, P., 2021. Learning Theories. StatPearls [Internet].
Gemmell, R.M. and Kolb, D.A., 2020. Experiential learning and creativity in
entrepreneurship. Encyclopedia of creativity, invention, innovation and
entrepreneurship, pp.937-944.
Hui, G.C.K. and Chan, A.S.W., 2022. The Relations of Educational Practices to Learning
Theories. Behav Sci, 5(1), p.1070.
Learning, E., 2020. Experiential learning.
Majgaard, G. and Weitze, C., 2020, September. Virtual Experiential Learning, Learning Design
and Interaction in Extended Reality Simulations. In I 14th European Conference on
Games Based Learning, ECGBL (pp. 372-379).
Niman, N.B. and Chagnon, J.R., 2021. Redesigning the Future of Experiential Learning. Journal
of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 21(8), pp.87-98.
Scholtz, D., 2020. Assessing workplace-based learning. International Journal of Work-Integrated
Learning.
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