Blog #2
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Experiential learning is learning by doing. It’s not just experiencing the material, but engaging with it. The theory was first conceptualized by David A. Kolb: “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, as cited in Stirling, 2019). He breaks down learning into key concepts like grounded experience, mastery of learning modes such as reflection and integration of new experience with previous learning, and the idea that learning happens when an individual interacts with their environment (Stirling, 2019).
This is extremely applicable to our project topic “Solving for Why”, a learning design resource that applies real-world connection to algebraic concepts for better relevance, context, and transfer of knowledge. We would specifically do this when students have to come up with their own real-world scenarios for the algebraic problems they are presented with. Using a platform like Nearpod will help this theory become practice, although it won’t fully replicate the concrete, physical interactions Kolb describes.
In a technology-mediated environment, the goal is to build that bridge cognitively, so that students recognize the algebra already available to them. Nearpod will support the theory by relying on constructivist approaches of creating meaning from their own experiences, which experiential learning is deeply rooted in as well. For example, after learning and practicing the concepts, students will create their own real-world problems using algebraic notation as part of assessment.
Our whole concept is grounded in connecting arbitrary ideas into concrete examples applicable to the student’s life, because what is the point of learning something you won’t relate to anything? Any motivation that was there will be lost. Students will start to interact with their environment spontaneously outside of school hours, like in a store, and question: should I buy 3 bags of Takis for $20 or 4 bags for $17? This approach matters for Grade 9 algebra because it grounds new knowledge in something students already understand. It doesn’t simplify the math, it just reveals the connection that was always there.
Resources:
Stirling, A. (2019). Experiential learning 101. Experiential Learning Hub, University of Toronto.https://experientiallearning.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/plan-and-implement/course-and-program-development-resources/experiential-learning-101/
Hey! I liked how you obviously put a lot of thought into which resources you are using for your learning resource, and that you wanted to make sure students are actually engaging with the content. I remember being in high school myself and being uninterested in math because I didn’t understand its applications, and think that making real world connections is a great way for students to stay engaged and interested!
Hi Sasha, great post! I really resonated with your points about how experiential learning enables students to actively construct meaning from their own experiences rather than passively receiving information. In my individual project on the Diameters of the Planets in our Solar System, I am tackling a similar pedagogical challenge.
Textbooks often visually distort planetary scales to fit on a single screen, which leaves middle schoolers with the false impression that planetary dimensions are relatively uniform. Reading your analysis reinforced my decision to use an experiential learning framework on my design. By grounding these massive, abstract astronomical diameters in local, physical realities (like scaling up from a Victoria middle school gym court to the landmass of Canada) students have to actively manipulate and adapt their mental models based on concrete contexts. Your discussion on how students create meaning through reflection on doing perfectly aligns with how I plan to structure my ‘Cosmic Measurement Chart’ to build real spatial reasoning. Thanks for sharing your insights!