From Passive To Participatory: Rethinking School Education Through Experiential Learning

Abstract

We are always acquiring new skills throughout our lives, so learning is a continuous process. We all acquire new knowledge, whether as parents, students, teachers, or simply as people. Experiential learning is referred to as learning through direct experience or learning by practicing and doing. It is regarded as an effective educational approach because it can influence the development of learners' meta-cognitive skills and implementation abilities through practical application of their knowledge in real-world situations and opportunities for self-directed learning. Therefore, all experiences should be thoughtfully chosen to support the learning process. Experiential learning is an engaging educational method that immerses students of diverse ages, backgrounds, and experience levels. It emphasizes participation and dynamism. Students involve themselves in this learning approach as an educational strategy through practical exercises, active participation, and reflection. Students are driven to engage in research, carry out experiments, and utilize their knowledge in real-world contexts. The NEP (2020) advocates for an experiential learning method that provides hands-on experience for both conceptual and practical knowledge. This approach often motivates learners to explore problems in a way that promotes holistic comprehension across various fields (interdisciplinary approach). Students would benefit from a more meaningful, comprehensive, and coherent learning experience through the implementation of experiential and multidisciplinary approaches. Textbook learning should be emphasized less, while hands-on learning with physical exploration as the main content source should be emphasized more (NCFSE) 2023.