Experiential Teaching Methods

The term ‘experiential’ basically means learning and development based on experience rather than receiving it through listening or study of theory. The expression 'hands-on' is further used to describe such teaching which its greater form is.  

Experiential teaching is such model which promotes learning by doing and by receiving first-hand experience of it. In such teaching process, students tend to learn and retain more information. Also, they are able to transfer the skills learned to other aspects of their life.

Use of visual teaching method is one such example of experiential teaching. It is far better process as it lies in the periphery of experiential teaching; opposed to learning by lecturing, which is pretty common and conventional. Another aspect of experiential teaching is that students are not taught how to do something but how to find out the answers to problems they are facing at present or apprehending in the future.

Outdoor setting is another tool of experiential teaching method. Use of this method enhances the learning of the students and exposes them to more inquiry–based experiences. Learning under such set-up engages young people, creates a fun, hands-on environment and helps students apply their new knowledge in different settings. Experiential teaching proves to be fruitful when a person involved n the activity looks backs and evaluates it, it, determines what was useful or important to remember and uses this information to perform another activity.

Several schools like Mother’s Pride and Presidium are known for providing “experiential education” to students. They even have an academy known as “The Knowledge Tree” that provides training to teachers for about such method.
 

Experiential teaching acts as a catalyst that sparks cognitive mind-sets of the children. It takes teaching to the higher –level and converts it into a beneficial interaction between teacher and the student. Hence, it automatically improves performance at both ends. Teachers get better results after employing experiential teaching methods and students are able to grasp the subject well with more ease and comfort as compared to conventional teaching ways. Our present education system looks forward for a change and implementing experiential teaching method is the right thing to do.