I’m reading and writing about Kolb’s four stage experiential learning theory: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation. I’ll use a semi-hypothetical trip to the Vancouver Aquarium with my young nephew Cruz to illustrate. The first stage involves experiencing with all of the incumbent feelings that are evoked. (Wow, it’s so cool to see whales up close!) The second stage is reflecting back on the experience. (This whale show is kind of lame. Those Belugas don’t do much. How come there are no killer whales? The trainer talks too much.) In the third stage, he formulated a conceptual model for the experience, processing it, giving it a personal frame of reference. (I feel kind of sorry for those whales, swimming around in circles. It must be really boring not being able to swim out in the ocean with your family.) The final stage is where the application occurs, and the learner is transformed and primed for future learning. (Auntie, we should blog about these whales. I don’t think it’s right to keep them here.) Wonder if this example will fly in my research proposal. Wonder if it would fly with my nephew?