Research Library

Our Research Library enables easy access to selected publications and a bibliography on experiential learning theory.

Experiential Learning Classics

Assessing Individuality in Learning
Boyatzis, R. E. & Kolb, D. A. 1991, Educational Psychology 11(3,4), 279-295.
Beyond Specialization
Wolfe, D. M. and Kolb, D. A. 1980, In Brooklyn Derr (Ed.) Work, Family and the Career: New Frontiers in Theory and Research. New York: Praeger Publishers. (pp. 239-281)
Experiential Learning: From Discourse Model to Conversation
Kolb, D. A. 1988, Lifelong Learning in Europe, 3, 148-153.
From Learning Styles to Learning Skills
Boyatzis, R. & Kolb, D. A. 1995, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 10(5): 3-17.
Integrity, Advanced Professional Development, and Learning
Kolb, D. A. 1986, In S. Srivstva (Ed.), Executive Integrity. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Learning Styles and Disciplinary Differences
Kolb, D. A. 1981, In A. Chickering (Ed.), The Modern American College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Management and Learning Process
Kolb, D. A. 1976, California Management Review, 15(3): 20-31.
Problem Management
Kolb, D. A. 1983, Chapter 5. The Executive Mind. Srivastva, Suresh. San Francisco: Jossey Bass
The Challenges of Advanced Professional Development
Kolb, D. A. 1991, In Lois Lamdin (Ed.) The Council of Adult Development and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Chicago.
The Process of Experiential Learning
Kolb, D. A. 1984, Chapter 2. In D. Kolb, The experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Current Studies

Adaptive Flexibility: Testing Experiential Learning Theory of Development
Mainemelis, C., Boyatzis, R., & Kolb, D. A. 2002, Management Learning, 33 (1):5-33.
An Experiential Approach to Cross-Cultural Learning: A Review and Integration of Competencies for Successful Expatriate Adaptation
Yamazaki, Y., and Kayes, D. C. 2004, Academy of Management Learning and Education, 3(4): 362-379
Are There Cultural Differences in Learning Style?:
Joy, S., Kolb, D. A. 2009 January, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 33(1): 69-85.
Conversation as Experiential Learning:
Kolb, D. A., Baker, A. C., & Jensen, P. J. 2002, In A. C. Baker, P. J. Jensen, D. A. Kolb and Associates, Conversational learning: An experiential approach to knowledge creation. Westport, Connecticut: Quorum.
Deliberate Experiential Learning: Mastering the Art of Learning from Experience
Kolb, D. A., & Yeganeh, B. 2012, In K. Elsbach, C. D. Kayes & A. Kayes (Eds.), Contemporary Organizational Behavior in Action (1st Edition ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Designing Learning:
Eickmann, P., Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2004, Designing learning. In R. J. Boland & F. Collopy (Eds.), Managing as designing (pp. 241-247). Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Eastern Experiential Learning: Eastern principles for learning wholeness
Trinh, M. P. & Kolb, D. A. 2012, Journal of Career Planning and Adult Development, Special Issue “Recovering Craft: Holistic Work and Empowerment. William Charland, Guest Editor.
Educational Experiences Become Experiential When the Learner Is Fully Present.:
Stock, K.L., Cola, P.A., & Kolb, D.A. 2023, EBLS Press Working Paper
Eight Important Things to Know About the Experiential Learning Cycle:
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2018, Australian Educational Leader, 40 (3):8-14.
Enhancing Deep Learning: Lessons from the introduction of learning teams in management education in France
Borredon, L., Deffayet, S., Baker, A. C., Kolb, D. A. 2011, Journal of Management Education, 35(3): 324–350.
Entrepreneurial Innovation as a Learning System:
Gemmell R. M., Kolb, D. A., Somers A. 2012,
Equine-Assisted Experiential Learning:
Stock K.L. & Kolb, D. A. 2016 April, Organization Development Practitioner, 48(2):43-47
Evaluating Experiential Learning—The Personal Application Assignment:
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2017 April, The Experiential Educator: Principles and Practices of Experiential Learning, EBLS Press
Experiential Learning and Its Critics: Preserving the Role of Experience in Management Learning and Education
Kayes, D. C. 2002, Academy of Management Learning and Education,1(2): 137-149.
Experiential Learning in Teams:
Kayes, A., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. 2005 December, Simulation & Gaming, 36(3):330-354
Experiential Learning Theory: A Dynamic, Holistic Approach to Management Learning, Education and Development
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2009, P. 42-68. The SAGES Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development. Edited by S. J. Armstrong, and C. V. Fukami.
Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions
Kolb, D. A., Boyatzis, R., & Mainemelis, C. 2000, Prepared for R. J. Sternberg and and L. F. Zhang (Eds.), Perspectives on cognitive learning, and thinking styles.
Experiential Learning Theory as a Guide for Experiential Educators in Higher Education:
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2017 June, ELTHE: A Journal for Engaged Educators, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 7–44
Learning Styles and Learning Spaces: A Review of the Multidisciplinary Application of Experiential Learning Theory in Higher Education
Kolb, A. Y. & Kolb, D. A. 2006 January, Learning styles and learning: A key to meeting the accountability demands in education (pp. 45–92). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Learning Styles and Learning Spaces: Enhancing Experiential Learning in Higher Education
Kolb, A. Y. & Kolb, D. A. 2005, Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol. 4, No. 2, 193–212.
Learning Styles and Typologies of Cultural Differences: A Theoretical and Empirical Comparison
Yamzaki, Y. 2006, Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29(5):521-548
Learning Styles of Entrepreneurs in Knowledge-Intensive Industries:
Gemmell, R. M. 2017 April, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 23 Issue: 3, pp.446-464
Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: A Case Study of a Ludic Learning Space
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2010, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 23(1): 26-50.
Mindfulness and Experiential Learning:
Yaganeh, B. and Kolb, D. A. 2009 March, Working Paper, Department of Organizational Behavior, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University.
Moving and Learning: Expanding Style and Increasing Flexibility
Peterson, K., DeCato, L., & Kolb, D. A. 2015 September, Journal of Experiential Education, 38(3):228–244
On Becoming a Learner: The Concept of Learning Identity
Kolb A. & Kolb, D. A. 2009, Essays on Adult Learning Inspired by the Life and Work of David O. Justice. Learning Never Ends. CAEL Forum and News 2009. P. 5-13.
On Becoming an Experiential Educator: The Educator Role Profile:
Kolb, A., Kolb, D. A., Passarelli A. & Sharma G. 2014 April, Simulation & Gaming, 45(2):204–234
Performance, Learning and Growth as Modes of Growth and Adaptation Throughout Our Careers and Lives:
Boyatzis, R. E. and Kolb, D. A. 2000, In Murray A. Peiperl, Michael B. Arthur, Rob Goffee, and Timothy Morris (Eds.) Career Frontiers: New Conception of Working Lives. Centre for Organization Research London Business School. Oxford University Press.
Socio-Cognitive Foundations of Entrepreneurial Venturing: Unpublished Ph. D Dissertation.
Gemmell, R. M. 2013, Weatherhead School of Management, CWRU.
The Evolution of a Conversational Learning Space:
Kolb, A. 2002, In A. C. Baker, P. J. Jensen, D. A. Kolb and Associates, Conversational learning: An experiential approach to knowledge creation. Westport, Connecticut:Quorum.
The Experiencing Scale: An Experiential Learning Gauge of Engagement in Learning:
Stock, K. L., Kolb, D. A. 2020 November, EBLS Working Paper, Number 2 20
The Kolb Experiential Learning Profile 2021 Technical Specifications: A Guide to Experiential Learning Theory, KELP Psychometrics and Research on Validity
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2021 March, Experience Based Learning Systems, LLC.
The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 2013 Technical Specifications: Versions 3.1 & 3.2
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2013 May, Experience Based Learning Systems.
The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0 Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to the Theory, Psychometrics, Research on Validity and Educational Applications
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. A. 2013, Experience Based Learning Systems.
The Learning Flexibility Index: Assessing Contextual Flexibility in Learning Style
Sharma G., Kolb, D. A. 2010 January, Case Western Reserve University
The Learning Way: Learning from Experience as the Path to Learning and Development (2nd Edition)
Passarelli M. A., Kolb, D. A. 2020 March, Oxford Handbook of Lifelong Learning, 2nd Edition
The Learning Way: Meta-Cognitive Aspects of Experiential Learning
Kolb, A. Y. & Kolb, D. A. 2008, Simulation & Gaming. 40(3): 297-327.
The Learning Way: Learning from Experience as the Path to Learning and Development
Passarelli M. A., Kolb, D. A. 2009 August, Oxford Handbook of Lifelong Learning
The Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Ideation:
Gemmell, R. M., Boland R. J. & Kolb, D. A. 2011, Entrepreneurial Theory and Practice, DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2011.00486.x.
Towards the Essence of Adult Experiential Learning: A Reading of the Theories of Knowles, Kolb, Mezirow, Revans and Schon
Malinen, A. 2000, Sophi University of Jyvaskyla.
Using Experiential Learning Theory to Promote Student Learning and Development in Programs of Education Abroad:
Passarelli M. A., Kolb, D. A. 2012 Feburary, In Michael Vande Berg, Michael Page, & Kris Lou (Eds.) Student Learning Abroad. Sterling, VA.

Best of 2023

The 21st-Century Empowering Wholeness Adaptive (EWA) Educational Model Transforming Learning Capacity and Human Capital through Wholeness Systems Thinking towards a Sustainable Future
Holman D, Švejdarová E. 2023 January, Sustainability. 15(2):1301
Theorizing embodied interaction in coaching
Jackson, P. 2023 January, Theory & Psychology. 33(1), 78–98
Winning Your Customers’ Minds and Hearts
Gao, L.(., de Haan, E., Melero-Polo, I. et al. 2023 March, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 51, 334–371.

Best of 2022

Augmented Reality and Gamification in Education
Lampropoulos G, Keramopoulos E, Diamantaras K, Evangelidis G. 2022 July, Applied Sciences. 2022; 12(13):6809
Creating Affective Collaborative Adult Teams and Groups Guided by Spiral Dynamic Theory
Brown, L.R., McCray, P., Neal, J. 2022 December, Innovative Approaches to Technology-Enhanced Learning for the Workplace and Higher Education. TLIC 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 581. Springer, Cham.
Designing Personality-Adaptive Conversational Agents for Mental Health Care
Ahmad, R., Siemon, D., Gnewuch, U. et al. 2022 March, Designing Personality-Adaptive Conversational Agents for Mental Health Care, 24, 923–943
Embodied Awareness, Embodied Practice: A Powerful Path to Practical Wisdom
Blake, Amanda 2022, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Management
Object Based Learning in the Social Sciences
McGowan, G., Hoffstaedter, G., & Creese, J. 2022 July, Teaching Anthropology. 11(2), 97-107.
Service Learning for Improving Academic Success in Students in Grade K to 12: A Systematic Review
Filges, T., Dietrichson, J., Viinholt, B. C. A., & Dalgaard, N. T 2022 January, Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18, e1210.
Smoothing the Path to Practice
Hanne Jensen & Lasse Lykke Rørbæk. 2022 September, Studies In Educational Evaluation. 74(3):101156
The Effectiveness of Experiential Learning in Teaching Arithmetic and Geometry in Sixth Grade
BP Uyen, DH Tong, NB Lien 2022 April, Frontiers in Education. (Vol. 7, p. 858631)
Where Learners’ Questions Meet Modes of Teaching
de Jesus, H. P., Almeida, P., José, J. T.-D., & Watts, M. 2007 November, Research in Education. 78(1), 1–20.

Best of 2021

Experiential Learning Styles and Neurocognitive Phenomics
Włodzisław D. 2021 January, arXiv:2101.04532, Brain and Education. 12:23
Mapping experience research across disciplines: who, where, when
Roto, V., Bragge, J., Lu, Y. et al. 2021 September, Quality and User Experience. 6:7
More than experience?
Fromm, J. Radianti, j. Wehking, C. Stieglitz, S. 2021 March, The Internet and Higher Education. 50:100804
Rubric for Experiential Training
Gencel, I.E., Erdogan, M., Kolb, A.Y. & Kolb, D.A. 2021 August, International Journal of Progressive Education. 17(4), 188-211
Strengthening Programming Skills Among Engineering Students Through Experiential Learning Based Robotics Project
Ibrahim, M. F., Huddin, A. B., Hashim, F. H., Abdullah, M., Rahni, A. A. A., Mustaza, S. M., ... & Zaman, M. H. M. 2020 December, International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 9(4), 939-946
The Experiencing Scale
Stock, K.L., & Kolb, D.A. 2021, Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education, 4(1), 3-21
The Experiential Learning Theories of Drs. Alice and David Kolb
Kolb, A. Y. & Kolb, D. A. 2021 November, Mensa Research Journal, 52:3
The Palgrave Handbook of Learning and Teaching International Business and Management
Gonzalez-Perez, M. A., Lynden, K., & Taras, V. (Eds.). 2019 September, Palgrave Macmillan
The potential of Kolb’s experiential learning cycle on long term knowledge retention
Boggu, A. 2021 August, Proceedings of Oman 20th International ELT Conference Sultan Qaboos University. 129:142

Current Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) Citations

EBLS has curated the ELT research database of scholarly papers on experiential learning since 1971. Since then, an attempt has been made to identify every paper of importance for ELT. This has become increasingly difficult due to the number to be reviewed, and unnecessary since Google Scholar does this in a far superior way.

Current ELT Citations: Google Scholar

Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) Bibliographies

Our legacy curated bibliographies contain references on experiential learning theory from 1971-2019. Each bibliography gives a complete listing by author, is formatted in APA style, and made available over several volumes in the PDF file format. Many research studies listed in the bibliographies can be accessed through research databases such as: Social Science Citation Index, MEDLINE, Education Abstract, Dissertation Abstract, ERIC Document, Google Scholar and others.