The world is increasingly developed and has made connecting with people easier. The young generation needs knowledge and essential skills to be well-prepared to adapt to an international working and learning environment. So how can they develop that? In the Integrated International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme at Tesla Education, learning through experience is an indispensable part of providing extensive educational effectiveness, and promoting the development of knowledge and skills for students.
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Experiential learning is learning through discovery and experimentation. The learners analyze, reflect, and identify their experiences. Experiential learning is not about the results, but the most important is how they learn and how positive and active they are in the process.
In this educational model, students are not only participants but also “main characters” who actively think and interact with objects of study. Students acquire knowledge that does not depend entirely on passive communication from the teacher but from what they have practiced and felt with all their senses.
Experiential learning is student-centered which intends to encourage their interest and curiosity, and will become the motivation for students to discover and explore the world around them actively. At the same time, combined with experiences and feelings, they will deepen their knowledge and expand their own understanding. Students are led and oriented by teachers in experiential activities and be observed and supported to summarize and reinforce what they have learned and done.
Memorizing and understanding concepts is not easy. For experiential learning, students have many opportunities to apply theories and ideas to real-life situations. As a result, they will understand concepts in an easier way. Academic knowledge becomes closer and easier to remember.
Instead of receiving one-way knowledge from the teacher, experiential learning allows students to experiment and satisfy their curiosity directly. Students will realize different solutions to each problem based on the most practical learning content. They are encouraged to have their own opinions and come up with their own way of solving problems. Thereby, they have the opportunity to be creative and not be constrained by any framework.
Experiential learning opens a new way for students to develop their curiosity and not be afraid of making mistakes. Participation in practical activities, they will draw their own lessons after failing to approach and handle the problem more effectively. They learn how to analyze and compare to eliminate ineffective solutions. Accepting mistakes becomes a valuable part of the learning process. They are not afraid of making mistakes, but they learn not to make those same mistakes again.
Students take charge of their own learning. Learning experiences are opportunities to discover their potential and express their interests. Students learn through every activity and experience, from school to real life. Every student has a different learning style and is appreciated for their differences. Teachers encourage students to develop their strengths and find out what motivates each child to learn effectively instead of imposing a lesson plan. It also helps them to exceed their own expectations.
Through practice and participation in practical activities, children gradually develop necessary life skills such as critical thinking, cooperating and teamwork, self-research, problem-solving, leadership, Etc. Students will apply those skills in various contexts, strengthening the connection between subjects and being useful for their work and later life.
In the Integrated International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme at Tesla Education, hands-on experience is an indispensable part of the learning journey. Students learn from many different environments with interest and excitement. As learners in the 21st century, students need to receive and process information autonomously. Tesla believes that, with the support of experiential learning, they will have more opportunities to explore and absorb knowledge in the way that best suits them.