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The Value of Experiential Learning Programs
Addressing the comprehensive health needs of our students within the classroom and the school environment is not enough. If the students in today’s schools are going to need to solve the impending health issues that are coming their way, then we need to equip them with the skills necessary to promote health and apply what they learned within the classroom into the real world. Confucius states this best when he says:
“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” (Confucius)
Therefore, we need to give students valuable experiences that allow them to apply the skills they learn in the classroom (and at the school level) so they can truly understand how to improve each component of wellness within their lives and the lives of others. These experiences can be sought after through after school activities, field trips, weekend programs, summer camps, weekly activities, or school-wide programs through the use of experiential education opportunities.
Experiential Education is a philosophy and methodology in which educators engage learners in directed experience and focused reflection in order to enhance knowledge (Martin, Cashel, Wagstaff, & Breunig, 2006). These experiences can take a variety of forms. They could be local/international service trips, volunteer work, beach clean ups, environmental campaigns, adventure education programs, fundraising campaigns, health promotion projects, etc...
Kolb’s model of experiential learning summarizes how participants in these programs use the experiences to build upon their skills through active implementation, reflection, and re-implementation based on previous reflection in an ongoing cycle of learning.
Experiential Education is a philosophy and methodology in which educators engage learners in directed experience and focused reflection in order to enhance knowledge (Martin, Cashel, Wagstaff, & Breunig, 2006). These experiences can take a variety of forms. They could be local/international service trips, volunteer work, beach clean ups, environmental campaigns, adventure education programs, fundraising campaigns, health promotion projects, etc...
Kolb’s model of experiential learning summarizes how participants in these programs use the experiences to build upon their skills through active implementation, reflection, and re-implementation based on previous reflection in an ongoing cycle of learning.
An example of some of the benefits that we gain from these models include:
Most importantly, by implementing these programs with schools around the world, it will enable to us have the community (local or global) get involved with addressing the wellness needs of individuals everywhere. Whether the school works with the media, and NGO, a business, family members, or other community members it serves to create awareness of important global health issues and bond all aspects of a community together towards a common goal/purpose. By taking these experiential education programs to the communities of the world, we are better able to promote, unite, and tackle the health issues on a larger scale than we would be able to only achieve through the classroom or school environment.
So please, get involved and find ways to promote or encourage experiential learning programs in our schools!! Check the following links to learn more about how these programs work and how they can be implemented.
C.A.S. component of IB schools
Adventure Education Training Course at HKU
Dragonfly
Hong Kong Adventure Youth Association
Hong Kong Institute of Adventure Counseling
Adventureship
Outward Bound Hong Kong
Outward Bound Hong Kong youtube clips
Treasure Island Group, Hong Kong
Numerous articles on the benefits of outdoor learning
Long Term Impacts Attributed to Participation in Adventure Education
Adventure and Experiential Education: Principles, Adaptations and a Case Study
A Longitudinal Study of the Outcomes from Participation in Wilderness Adventure Education Programs
How are Adventure Education Program Outcomes Achieved?
Adventure Education.com
Project Adventure
Outward Bound
Adventure Based Experiential Learning: Going Beyond
Excellent example from West Island School, Hong Kong
Benefits of community based service learning
Benefits of student participation in community of service: University of Michigan
Experiential Learning: Previous Research and New Directions
David Kolb Experiential Learning Theory
Experiential Learning Cycle
So please, get involved and find ways to promote or encourage experiential learning programs in our schools!! Check the following links to learn more about how these programs work and how they can be implemented.
C.A.S. component of IB schools
Adventure Education Training Course at HKU
Dragonfly
Hong Kong Adventure Youth Association
Hong Kong Institute of Adventure Counseling
Adventureship
Outward Bound Hong Kong
Outward Bound Hong Kong youtube clips
Treasure Island Group, Hong Kong
Numerous articles on the benefits of outdoor learning
Long Term Impacts Attributed to Participation in Adventure Education
Adventure and Experiential Education: Principles, Adaptations and a Case Study
A Longitudinal Study of the Outcomes from Participation in Wilderness Adventure Education Programs
How are Adventure Education Program Outcomes Achieved?
Adventure Education.com
Project Adventure
Outward Bound
Adventure Based Experiential Learning: Going Beyond
Excellent example from West Island School, Hong Kong
Benefits of community based service learning
Benefits of student participation in community of service: University of Michigan
Experiential Learning: Previous Research and New Directions
David Kolb Experiential Learning Theory
Experiential Learning Cycle