Application of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model in the Description of a Soil Profile: Phenological Garden of the School of Geography, Mexico

Abstract

This study explores the implementation of David Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory in the teaching of edaphology, in the Geography Program curriculum of the School of Philosophy and Literature of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (unam), within the framework of the research project, “Determination of Climatic-Edaphic Values to Establish the Water Balance of Cereal Crops” (PROINV_23_17). In this study former soil profile description practices were continued and strengthened, promoting student engagement with geographical research. The main objective was to integrate experiential learning with fieldwork, and scientific research, allowing students to develop observation, analysis, diagnosis, and proposal formulation skills for agricultural soil management. The methodology combined an initial theoretical phase on soil structure and formation, followed by the description and identification of soil profile horizons, enabling the evaluation of the site’s edaphological conditions, and their relationship to agricultural cultivation. The results validated the usefulness of Kolb’s model, demonstrating that the experiential approach not only facilitates theoretical learning but also contributes to the development of competencies for solving practical problems, particularly in the agricultural field. However, the need for more detailed laboratory analyses was emphasized to confirm certain physical and chemical soil properties. Additionally, a positive impact was observed in student training, as they participated in institutional projects where they interacted with various specialists and applied prior knowledge to generate well-founded proposals based on their findings.