Experience the Joy of Learning through Experiential Learning
Education
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Ever wondered how young students learn the best? Did you make any attempts at finding out the best learning method suited to them? Research carried out over the years has made it clear that a certain type of education, which is called experiential learning, might be the answer you are looking for. In fact, experiential learning is proven to display a 75% increase in the retention rate of students, clearly hinting at its success.
But what is experiential learning? How exactly does it work? How does it benefit young learners? Let's Read on to find out!
Also Read: The impact of experiential learning on the students
What is Experiential Learning?
Experiential learning is defined as learning by doing. It requires a student to fully engage with a topic rather than learning it through a book or series of lectures. Experiential learning brings a distinctive paradigm, which transforms the concept of learning from an absorptive mode to an actionable one. This method involves the use of practical aspects in the learning process, helping the educational process to become much more stimulating and productive.
Experiential learning encompasses a comprehensive four-part model that assists learners in gaining knowledge through experience and contemplation. This process is also aimed at increasing subject knowledge and developing skills to use knowledge in practice or problem-solving situations.
Here is a closer look at this 4-step process:
- Experiencing: The first one is active participation in the experience. This can be done in the form of fieldwork, experiments or projects that the children can handle and or simulate. This step is significant since it forms the background of all subsequent learning as it gives a fundamental platform of experience.
- Observing: This is another aspect where the learner must be keen, monitor, and observe the details, patterns, and results they are achieving. This part assists students in making an understanding of observations by noticing related outcomes of their behaviours in a particular environment as well as reactions from other individuals.
- Analyzing: In the analysis phase, students apply analyses deeper and look more critically at what they experienced and observed. This involves the clarification process by asking questions, making comparisons and drawing contrasts between various aspects of the experience by identifying principles and concepts.
- Experimenting: The last stage entails the act of experimenting or applying the things that were learnt from their experiences and their analysis. It is in this seemingly mundane arena that students apply knowledge, experiment with new possibilities, form hypotheses, and find innovative solutions. This step is known as ‘translating the theory into practice’.
Incorporating these four steps into everyday lessons has proven to benefit young learners and successfully bridge the gap in the achievement of learning outcomes.
You might also like: Why Experiential Learning is the Only Way Forward?
Why Experiential Learning?
The advantages of experiential learning are multiple. Let us have a look at a few of those.
- Higher Retention Rates: Practical knowledge enhances retention rates much more than mere studying. It is proven that there is a 75% probability of retaining what the students learn when they are taking practical lessons compared to 10% when they are reading or only 20% when they are being taught by a teacher.
- Active Engagement: Experiential learning usually leads to increased student engagement with their curriculum. The latter immediately engaged them in the learning process therefore imparting in them a sense of ownership and possession which added value to the learning process.
- Improved Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Engagement through experiential learning orients students to critical thinking and problem-solvability. Various studies reveal that students who undergo experiential learning gain 23% more critical thinking than students in traditional classroom learning.
- Practical Application of Knowledge: Experiential learning also lays importance on the practical use of knowledge in different situations. It also positively impacts knowledge integration by preparing students to apply gathered concepts and skills in other situations.
- Better Academic Performance: It is proved that students who use the elements of the practical approach achieve better results compared to those who do not engage in such activities. High levels of engagement and practical application, as well as best retention levels, play a positive role in achieving academic performance.
Read More | Discover the Importance of Experiential Learning for Students
Proxima International School: Inspiring Excellence through Experiential Learning
One of the best schools in Pune, Proxima International School was founded in 2017 to begin a new interesting journey in children’s education to inspire every learner – “Dare to Dream… Learn to Excel”. The school strives to transform the children’s life giving them a better learning experience.
The educators at Proxima International School are of the opinion that an overemphasis on the development of a few skills can cause an imbalance in personality development. With this purpose, the school encourages numerous activities so that the students are free to unleash their creativity.
At Proxima International School the potential of every child is realized to the maximum with lots of extracurricular activities to choose from. The school aims to achieve an environment where it would keep experimenting to evoke the curiosity of young minds to explore further. Teachers and educators are always on the lookout for how they can make their students distinguishable and be positive influencers in society.
For more information on this and similar schools in the area, check out this list of the best schools in Pune.
