There’s a beautiful quote by Benjamin Franklin, which we are sure all of you must have come across – “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” The message conveyed here is further supported by Sir Albert Einstein’s ideology, according to which, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” Both of these statements highlight the importance of experiential learning loud and clear.
We at Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the best CBSE affiliated schools in Kangra, firmly believe that at the pace at which things are advancing in the 21st century world, it has become even more important to expose children to the widened horizons of experiential learning. That’s so because, unlike traditional teaching-learning methodologies, experiential learning takes away the burden from the learners to mug up the concepts from books without actually understanding their practicality. Experiential learning has the power to make the concepts practically clear to learners, making them understand their application in the real world.
Now, let us look into why experiential learning is said to be imperative when it comes to STEM education.
Why is Experiential Learning Vital in STEM Education?
STEM education, which essentially comprises Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics aims for students to remember important concepts and subject technicalities in a way that knowledge and information are retained for a lifetime.
To that end, while book-based learning definitely has a pivotal role to play in introducing children to age-specific concepts related to these subjects; For improved memorization and retention, pouring in the experiential factor becomes vital. It helps provide a self-inspiring environment to children and waters their curiosity and creativity. If you think that’s all, let us tell you, no, it isn’t! There are multiple reasons why experiential learning is considered vital for amping up the level of STEM education. Today, in this blog post below, let us have a look at some of these reasons.
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Boosts Student Involvement and Participation:
For STEM education to be able to register itself in the minds of children, it is necessary that the class environment be fine-tuned in a manner that it is capable of matching up with the real-world requirements and applications. This is where support needs to be taken from experiential learning to instill the seeds of active participation and involvement among young minds. For example, the integration method of experiential learning can be brought into play to merge classroom learning with life experiences to help students derive a deeper understanding of the subjects at hand. Similarly, reflection exercises can be made a part of children’s routines where active thinking takes center stage by persuading children to look holistically in the areas of STEM.
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Tapping on the Solid Correlation between STEM and Experiential Learning:
Delivering STEM to children only becomes possible with extensive use of projects, experiments, and practical applications. For example, the vast ambit of science demands proof, which can be dismantled before children with the help of lab-based science experiments. The design and nature of STEM bears close resemblance with experiential learning making the latter a subset of the former.
Experiential Learning intertwines with STEM in the form of science experiments, technology workshops, engineering challenges, and mathematical contests.
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Building a Hands-On Approach:
We at Delhi Public School Kangra are of the opinion that to improve children’s familiarization with the world of STEM, there is no better option but to settle for a hands-on approach.
A hands-on approach requires shortlisting designated activities and designing them in such a manner that theoretical knowledge can be applied to practical situations. Experiential learning opens deeper avenues to STEM by creating interactive experiences that go all in for experimentation, exploration, and problem-solving.
Summing Up:
We at Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the best CBSE affiliated schools in Kangra, strongly believe that the first step to improved recognition and acceptance of STEM begins with crafting a well-defined curriculum for STEM. Of course, taking expert opinion into consideration and harnessing the power of technology is key. However, what is equally or more important is to include the essence of experiential learning in STEM. This is probably the reason why we see experiential learning models such as STEM labs, field trips, workshops, and project-based learning gaining momentum in today’s day and age.
When experiential learning joins hands with STEM, it helps prepare children not just for celebratory schooling but goes way beyond by ensuring their future readiness. One of the best boons is higher employability. In times, when the market is characterized by cut-throat competition, experiential learning helps strengthen STEM ideologies, which in turn allows children a solid footing in their employability era.
If you look at the statistics, you will come to know that in the last 10 years, i.e., between 2011 to 2021, the STEM workforce has grown from 29 million to 34.9 million, highlighting a multitude of opportunities in the field. All it takes is an early realization and the right path in this regard.