What is experiential learning really?
Experiential learning is real-life learning that happens outside of an academic setting. It can take on many forms in many settings.
Examples of experiential learning include:
- Athletic participation (dance, team sports, individual sports)
- Life skills (budgeting, mechanics, culinary arts)
- Work experience (any internship/job opportunities, babysitting, child care, etc.)
What are the benefits of experiential learning?
Experiential learning is invaluable and we are grateful when students participate in extracurricular activities outside their academics. Why?
When students participate in things that excite them, they are more likely to enjoy the learning and be more engaged, taking ownership of their learning experiences.
Here are the reasons why you should take advantage of experiential learning:
Develops creative thinking skills– By allowing students to participate in experiential learning that they are interested in, it allows the creative juices to flow and they are able to develop their creativity through these experiences.
Develops critical thinking skills– By being confronted with real-life experiences, it allows students to think through problems and come up with solutions; this is a critical step in developing their critical thinking skills to apply to all life situations.
Gives them “real world” experience– Experiential learning gives them the opportunity to apply what they have learned in an academic setting to what they are learning in the “real world”. By showing them how things can be applicable in “real world” scenarios, students are more likely to be engaged as they see the relevancy of what they are doing.
Grows their excitement for learning– Passion is often found through outside activities that students participate in. If they are given opportunities to participate in things they enjoy, they are more excited to learn.
Allows for accelerated learning– Think about something that fascinates you. When you are invested in WHAT you are learning, that thirst to learn more comes out. That thirst allows for accelerated learning as students are more hands-on in the experiences/learning they have. This will create better retention and accelerates their understanding. Students are more likely to remember things if they get to DO them versus just hearing them.
We recognize that real-world learning takes place and can be just as important as academic knowledge. With our holistic approach, we work with students on a daily basis to have conversations about what they are ALREADY DOING that might allow them to earn some high school credit.
If you ever have a question about what qualifies as experiential learning, we’d love to chat and give you and your student some guidance on what can qualify. The first step is knowing what you need to enroll in an online school.
What an exciting time to be alive! So many opportunities are all around us to take learning opportunities from everyday situations.
Keep working hard students! Keep striving to find your passion!
Anjilee & Sara