Immersive Learning Vs Experiential Learning

Visualize yourself flying an aircraft.

Would you be more successful reading a guidebook about it or training on an actual airplane in a simulation environment?

This distinction is often obscured for many people who find it hard to differentiate between immersive learning and experiential learning.

Both methods are equally effective at increasing knowledge retention and improving the efficiency of how we learn; however, they do differ from one another.

Many teachers, trainers, and organizations misapply the definitions above, resulting in poor learning outcomes, budget overruns, and decreased learner engagement.

Research shows that using active forms of learning can increase the amount of content that is retained from a given session by up to 75% versus using passive forms. Additionally, by using virtual environments for training courses, learner engagement can improve between 60% and 80%.

So instead of asking which type of learning environment is better, we need to consider the differences between the two types of learning and the ways in which each one should be applied or used.

What Is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning is the process of gaining knowledge through experience.

Learners perform an activity, reflect on it, and learn from their experience rather than just reading or listening to something.

This type of learning is based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle, which outlines how to transform experience into knowledge.

The key points of experiential learning are:

• Learning is a process of doing things.
• Reflection is an essential piece of this process.
• Mistakes are necessary to develop understanding.
• Practical application should be the emphasis of learning.

Some simple examples include:

• A student conducting a science experiment.
• An intern learning the job.
• A team practicing various skills through role play.

To summarize, experiential learning is the acquisition of knowledge through experiences, including some reflection.

What Is Immersive Learning?

Immersive learning is education that takes place in a simulated or digital environment.

Immersive learning leverages technology to create an environment where learners feel as if they are physically present within that environment.

The key points of immersive learning are:

• Learners feel like they are part of the simulated environment.
• Immersive learning technologies include Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).
• Learning will be realistic and engaging through immersion.
• Safe, yet realistic practice can take place within an immersive learning environment.

Some examples of immersive learning include:

• Medical students practicing surgery within a VR training environment.
• Pilots are training within a flight simulator.
• Workers are learning to use safety procedures within a virtual environment.

To summarize, immersive learning places learners into the experience, thus creating an engaged and active learning environment.

Learn how innovative learning solutions can rebuild your training results. 

Immersive Learning vs Experiential Learning (Key Differences)

Immersive learning vs experiential learning can often be confusing because both methods promote active participation. However, they differ greatly in how they go about this.

When analysing immersive and experiential learning, the two approaches differ in that experiential learning focuses on hands-on, real-life experiences with the added component of reflection, while immersive learning uses simulated experiences in a virtual environment to provide the learner with an experience where they are engaged on a deeper level.

Comparison of Key Differences

1. Environment

Experiential learning is based on real environments.

Immersive learning is based on virtual environments.

2. Technology Usage

Experiential learning does not depend on using technology.

Immersive learning relies on using technology, such as both AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality), to create immersive experiences.

3. Engagement Level

Experiential learning will ultimately keep the learner actively engaged.

Immersive learning will ultimately provide the learner with a present experience.

4. Risk and Safety

Experiential learning can involve real-life risk.

Immersive learning allows the learner to practice safely without any real-life consequences.

5. Feedback/Improvement

Experiential learning usually includes human-based forms of feedback.

Immersive learning typically provides the learner with instantaneous, system-generated forms of feedback.

• Experiential learning is typically about the act of participation.
• Immersive learning is typically about the act of presence.

Both types of learning will ultimately lead to improved learning outcomes; however, they take different paths to get there.

Why Immersive Learning Is Not Just Experiential Learning with Headsets?

Experience Is Learning In Action, Immersion Is A Learning Environment

Many people think that immersive learning is the same as experiential learning, with added virtual reality content; however, this is only a partly correct assumption.

What separates them is even greater than their similarities.

Experiential learning is an educational methodology centered on action and reflection.

Immersive education is not a methodology. It is a physical environment that puts the learner in the middle of the action.

Key Differences That Matter

Participation is Different Than Presence

Experiential learning is based on active participation.

Immersive learning creates a sense of being in the situation.

Observation Is Different Than Simulation

Experiential learning can be accomplished through real-life work tasks (hands-on) or simulations via role-play.

Through immersive, fully simulated environments are created.

An External Experience Versus An Internal Experience

Experiential learning occurs outside of the learner.

Immersive learning surrounds the learner.

Learn in Depth Vs Learn Through Emotion/Sensation

Experiential learning leads to increased understanding of a concept.

Immersive learning reinforces connections made through emotions and sensory input.

Easiest Way To Understand

• Experiential learning = doing a task
• Immersive learning = Live a task

Therefore, because immersive learning places the user in the same experience, and in real-time, it enhances the learning experience, resulting in increased engagement and more rapid skill acquisition.

How Immersive and Experiential Learning Work Together?

The two methods are not competitive. They are in favor of each other.

Immersive learning enhances experiential learning by enhancing experiential learning to be more realistic, repeatable, and measurable.

The way they are related to the learning process.

• Concrete Experience: Immersive simulations give real-life scenarios.
• Reflective Observation: Actions are monitored through systems and give feedback.
• Conceptual Understanding: Students get to know what was effective and what was not.
• Active Experimentation: Students rehearse the situations and enhance their performance.

Real-World Examples

• Surgeries are being performed on a simulation by medical students.
• Pilots in training use flight simulators.
• Workers are being trained on safety measures in the computer-based world.
• Leaders who engage in decision-making on simulated situations.

The combination of these approaches makes them more robust and cohesive in terms of learning outcomes.

Engagement, Retention, and Learning Outcomes

The only way that learning can be effective is when individuals remain engaged and retain the learning.

This is enhanced by both experiential and immersive learning, although differently.

Engagement Levels

Experiential learning maintains the activity of the learners.

Immersive learning helps learners to be fully concentrated.

Studies demonstrate that the level of engagement can be enhanced by more than 60 percent in training facilities by the use of immersive settings.

Retention Rates

Individuals learn better when they are doing.

Individuals have greater recollection when they consider the experience as their own.

Research indicates that retaining up to 75 percent can be achieved with active learning techniques as opposed to passive learning.

Learning Outcomes Comparison

When to Use Experiential vs Immersive Learning?

The decision to go with immersive learning or experiential learning is based on the objective, setting, and materials.

When to Use Experiential Learning?

• Practice in the real-world is possible.
• Educating involves contemplation and dialogue.
• Human interaction is important
• The budget is limited
• The skills can be acquired in the real environment in a safe way.

When To Apply Immersive Learning?

• There is a risk of training.
• Real-world situations are difficult or costly to simulate.
• Learning must be repeated several times.
• On-the-fly feedback is needed.
• There should be regular training of large teams.

When Both Can Be Used Together?

• Skills cannot be learned; they should be mastered.
• Training needs to be scalable and measurable
• Students should have experience and simulation.
• Performance improvement is the main goal

Collaborate with VEDX to create scalable, high-quality immersive and experiential learning solutions for your business.

The Future of Learning

Learning has moved from being passive (reading, watching) towards active (doing) and now, with technology's aid, into an immersive environment.

Education and training will no longer be delivered strictly through reading or watching.  Rather, learners are now engaging in simulators that reflect the real-life experience of performing an act.  They can perform acts and make mistakes in a safe environment, thus enabling them to learn more quickly.

Extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) advances have caused dramatic changes to how we deliver knowledge.  Today's training is individualized, adaptive, data-driven, and uses technology to monitor your behavior, evaluate your performance, and update your personalized learning path in real time.

Organizations are moving away from traditional theory-based education models to a simulation-based education model, which allows learners to engage in real-life scenarios without incurring real-life consequences.  This improves the speed at which they learn a skill, as well as the speed at which they apply their newly acquired skill.

The future of immersive learning vs experiential learning will not be about choosing one over the other, but rather about blending both forms of learning to develop effective learning systems that are engaging, scalable, and produce tangible results.

Final Thoughts

Immersive learning vs experiential learning is not an option of two competing approaches. Experiential learning is a process that emphasizes learning by doing and reflection, whereas immersive learning is an improvement of such a process by creating realistic and technology-based environments. Combined, they provide more engagement, better retention, and ability growth in contemporary learners.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)