Experiential learning, confidence and groups

Abstract

<p>The fields of experiential learning and groups often intersect in theory and practice. As public administration continues to evolve through increasing use of multiple agency collaboration, experiential learning becomes an often sought instructional tool for government and business employees working in groups. Although this instruction often benefits groups in many ways, this study looks at the potential increases within group members via these experiential learning initiatives. I use an examination of survey data to try and show these increases in confidence and the formation of collective interdependence efficacy. The hypothesis of this study was answered by comparing several groups of participants in a one-day experiential learning exercise. Although the data reflecting the measurement of confidence and potential increases were not statistically significant, they did show increases in confidence and future areas of research. This research attempts to fill a current gap in the research on the formation of confidence in groups using experiential learning. Future analysis is necessary in this field and my research points to possible venues of exploration.</p>