Learning By Doing: How Experiential Learning Has Been Embraced Over Several Working Generations
Welcome to the Trine University Center for Sports Studies Blog! My name is Zander Atwood, and I am an Assistant Professor of Sport Management and the Director of the Center for Sports Studies at Trine University. I am beginning my second year as a professor at Trine, and am looking forward to continuing research in the sports and entertainment industry through the Center for Sports Studies. Part of my goal with the Center for Sports Studies is to expand upon the many unique opportunities presented in the sports and entertainment industry, and to highlight new and emerging topics and trends in the industry that may not necessarily be on the forefront of conversations today. Through this blog, I aim to shed some light on these and give readers a different perspective on new approaches and mindsets in the industry.
For my first contribution to the blog, I’d like to discuss how experiential learning prepares students for careers in sports and entertainment. Specifically, let’s focus on how each of the last few working generations understand and utilize experiential learning to their advantage. Experiential learning was first coined by David Kolb, and is a “widely recognized and influential framework that describes how people learn through experience.” Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory describes how humankind learns by doing more than any other method. Learning occurs through a four-step process:
- Experiencing - People begin to learn by using concrete experience gained through use of the senses and perceptions to understand what is currently happening.
- Reflecting - People use reflective observation after the experience to understand what happened and connect their feelings with ideas learned through the experience.
- Thinking - People use abstract conceptualization by engaging in thinking about the experience. Through this, they can reach conclusions and form “theories, concepts and general principles that can be tested” by others.
- Acting - People use active experimentation to test their theory and apply what they learned to receive feedback and generate new experiences.
This process is a never-ending cycle that allows for people to continue learning and growing through everything they say, do and think (Institute of Experiential Learning, 2024).
Experiential learning is a process that provides unique insight as to how each of the last three working generations - Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z - approach it. In order to understand how each generation understands and utilizes experiential learning, it’s important to understand each generations’ tendencies towards work in general.
Generation Xers are generally accepted as being born between the years 1965 and 1980. This generation tends to exhibit characteristics such as flexibility, informality, skepticism and independence, and embrace ideals such as workplace diversity, work-life balance, and their personal-professional interests rather than the company’s interests. These characteristics and motivations tend to point towards an overall general acceptance of experiential learning, deaming it as useful and efficient so long as it aligns with their goals and doesn’t overly complicate their work-life balance. Generation Xers are moderately to highly accepting of experiential learning, with the caveat that the learning experience must feel practical, relevant, and not wasteful of their time (Purdue University, 2023).
Millennials, or Generation Y, are generally accepted as being born between the years 1981 and 2000. This generation tends to exhibit characteristics such as competitiveness, civic- and open-mindedness, and are more achievement-oriented, and embrace ideals such as responsibility, the overall quality of their superiors, and their individual unique working experiences. These characteristics and motivations tend to point towards Millennials having the most positive reception towards experiential learning, understanding it as a fun, interactive and rewarding way to develop new skills while maintaining their desire for balance and purpose. Their acceptance of experiential learning is high, provided the experiences remain innovative, challenging and meaningful (Purdue University, 2023).
Generation Zers are generally accepted as being born between the years 2001 and 2020. This generation tends to exhibit characteristics such as being more global-minded, entrepreneurism, progressivism and less overall focus, and embrace ideals such as diversity, personalization, individuality and creativity. These characteristics and motivations tend to point towards a generation that is the most enthusiastic adopter of experiential learning, especially when it’s tech-driven, innovative, and flexible. Generation Zers’ acceptance of experiential learning is very high, but maintaining engagement requires novelty, relevance, and room for creativity (Purdue University, 2023).
The overall trend shown through each of the past three working generations shows an increased acceptance and tendency towards embracing experiential learning as a reliable source of growth and education. The ability to learn through doing helps increase one’s ability to understand the task at hand and become more adept and knowledgeable in that given skill or ability. This increases the importance for younger generations to participate in internships, case studies, and hands-on learning experiences such as volunteer programs and youth sport coaching. Trine University’s Ketner School of Business, among many other quality institutions around the country, requires students enrolled in a business degree undergraduate program participate in a for-credit internship opportunity as part of their learning experience at the university (Trine University, 2025). This gives students the opportunity to learn on the job and gain real-world experience they wouldn’t normally receive in a classroom setting.
There are numerous benefits to participating in an experiential learning opportunity. From life lessons to important skills and abilities, there’s so much to gain from learning by doing. As an Assistant Professor in Sport Management, it’s my job to help my students and advisees see the many different opportunities the world can provide for them. I believe taking part in multiple internships and experiential learning experiences can provide students with a great opportunity to learn from multiple people in many different professions and walks of life, thereby giving them a more broad range of skills and abilities to learn on their own through their work and education. I hope this blog post encourages you to help support experiential learning as much as I do!
References
Institute of Experiential Learning. “What Is Experiential Learning?” Institute for Experiential Learning, 2024, experientiallearninginstitute.org/what-is-experiential-learning/.
Purdue University. “Generational Differences in the Workplace.” Purdue Global, Purdue Global, 2023, www.purdueglobal.edu/education-partnerships/generational-workforce-differences-infographic/.
Trine University. “Ketner School of Business | Trine University in Indiana.” Trine.edu, 2025, www.trine.edu/academics/colleges-schools/ketner-business/index.aspx. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Alexander “Zander” Atwood is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Trine University and the Director of the Trine Center for Sports Studies.