The traditional learning experience comprises reading and remembering page after page of text. There are text-filled books even for subjects like painting and music! But for a complete learning experience, reading books and sitting through lectures is not enough. Students also need first-hand experience of the concepts, or what is called learning by doing. Also known as experiential learning, this idea is not new to education.
In fact, in 350 BC, Aristotle said, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” But it wasn’t until the 1950s that this idea was popularized. This was because of the efforts of psychologists such as Kurt Lewin, Jean Piaget and John Dewey.
Why Learning by Doing is Important
This type of education has been found to be great for professional development. Some of the ways learning by doing can improve professional education are:
1. Deeper Understanding
It has been found that students who physically experience the concepts of science and math are able to better understand them. This is extremely important for the professional development of a student. This was found in a University of Chicago-led study. In this study, brain scans were used to check for learning. The scans showed that when students physically learned scientific concepts, such as torque and angular momentum, the associated motor and sensory parts in their brains were activated. The same areas of the brain have been found to be activated in college students who perform better in quizzes. This makes learning by doing a necessity for any professional development course.
In another study, two groups of students were taught about water purification devices. One group of students learned it the traditional way, while the other learned by building a model of the water purification system on their own. It was found that the group that had a more hands-on approach had developed a deeper understanding of the subject.
2. Increased Retention
Passively listening to information has been found to lead to very low retention rates. In fact, most students say that they remember about 10% of the information when reading or sitting through a lecture. But when they have the opportunity to learn by doing, the retention rate has been found to be as high as 75%.
Such high retention means that a larger number of students do well in subjects such as science and mathematics. A study found that students who do not take part in more active and hands-on learning are almost 1.5 times more likely to fail a course.
How MagicBox™ Helps
For a long time, the problem with learning by doing had been the implementation. Learning by doing has generally been more expensive and harder to implement. But all that has changed with the help of a professional learning platform, such as MagicBox™. This digital learning platform can be used to offer virtual learning resources, explainer and tutorial videos and other interactive learning formats to ensure more efficient and easier learning.
With the help of virtual learning, students are better able to learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to real world scenarios. For instance, in the case of healthcare, with virtual technology, students can better understand human physiology through virtual human avatars. There are also elements and games that can be used to interact with the body by the students. Even the time taken and success ratio can be monitored, which makes the entire experience more of a game than a lesson. There is also the option to include audio to increase realism.
But this is not the only benefit of using MagicBox™. Some of the other advantages include:
1. Lower Costs & Resource Requirements
The cost of educational material, aids and equipment can be really high when it comes to learning by doing. But with the help of digital learning, this cost can be significantly reduced. In addition, the need for physical spaces, such as labs, is reduced, as is the expense of maintaining all the equipment in these experiential labs.
2. Anytime, Anywhere Learning
With MagicBox™, learning by doing is not confined to the walls of the school. Students can learn at any place they desire, whether at school, home or even while travelling. Students can also learn at the time of their choice. All that is needed is a device with internet access.
3. Improved Engagement
Page after page of text can be extremely boring. This is particularly true for the current generation of students, who expect the use of technology in almost everything. With eLearning, which includes interactive and multimedia features, such as audio, videos, puzzles, quizzes, and infographics, learning becomes much more interesting and motivating. In fact, with the use of virtual learning, 70% of the teachers see improved engagement levels!
If you too want to take professional education at your school to the next level, choose MagicBox™. Contact us to know more.
