Lighting the path to student excellence with Active Learning!

Imagine a classroom brimming with energy, where students dive into hands-on activities & submerge in a world of excitement & discovery.

Welcome to the realm of experiential learning – brought about by the NEP 2020’s transformative change in curriculum, teaching pedagogies, and approach to education that transcends traditional textbooks & lectures!

Experiential learning is centered around the practical application of knowledge in the real world and engaging students in active learning, where they are actively involved in the learning process rather than just passively listening to a lecture.

Active learning is predominantly observed in ICSE & some CBSE schools, but the NEP 2020 aims to revolutionize public schools as well, by introducing multi-diverse, practical, & skill-based education.

A research study delved into the impact of active learning on student performance in Science, Engineering, & Maths with either active learning or traditional lecture methods. The study's findings revealed that students in the active learning section had relatively higher scores in contrast to students who attended traditional lectures, who were 1.5 times more likely to fail the examinations. The active learning method was seen to be more effective in smaller classes & for learning concept inventories.

What is it about active or experiential learning that is improving students’ performance?

• • Firstly, active student involvement helps to build strong connections with the course content, which enhances the memory of that information over time.
• • The experiential nature of learning involves emotions & stimuli that involve multiple sensory channels, which help in the better recall of the study material.
• • Forming multiple connections between new & existing memories allows for storage in one’s long-term memory.
• • Additionally, active learning sharpens critical thinking, problem-solving, & analytical skills.
• • Classroom group activities nurture collaboration & interaction, while innovative tasks arouse students' interest in the subject & also alleviate stress & anxiety.

What is it about active or experiential learning that is improving students’ performance?

Such positive changes will help to align Indian education with international standards.

While NEP brings significant qualitative and functional improvements to education, it must simultaneously also address structural disadvantages, political factors, & socio-economic issues that persist in the educational system. Taking it one step at a time, we hope to witness more fundamental changes that address accessibility & other challenges.

Together, let's nurture a vibrant learning environment that empowers all students to excel & thrive in the ever-evolving world.

Reference:

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.