Experiential learning – a way to develop agile minds in the knowledge economy?

Purpose Technology development over the past 20 years has radically increased the options we have in developing skills. Today's “new frontier” requires fresh approaches to developing agile minds and workforce capability. Experiential learning, an age‐old approach refreshed by recent technology developments, provides a key element in this new approach. A new understanding of experiential learning is essential if we are to develop new, efficient and effective learning paradigms. Design/methodology/approach This article explores the latest thinking and practice of twenty‐first century experiential learning and is based on work carried out over the past two years and presented at a private event in London in October 2009. Findings The key finding is that most of our learning results from the experiences we have, from practice, from the opportunity to interact with others, and from taking time to reflect on these activities. In light of this, experiential learning and an “unknowingly prepared” mindset are the two keys to unlocking workforce capability which is about action rather than information. The adage “knowledge is power” has been replaced by “access is power”. Today's technology, particularly Web 2.0 and social media, provide the oil to this powerful new engine. Practical implications There are several practical implications. Approaches to individual and organizational learning need to change. In the new world, learning is part of work and work needs to be seen as a set of learning experiences. Originality/value This paper offers a fresh perspective to how we learn. Companies that move to embed experiential learning approaches will be better‐placed to build and maintain workforce excellence and innovation.