Experiential learning is a practical learning process that allows students to participate in practice and reflection. It is different from rote learning or cramming education. Learners learn or absorb knowledge passively. Experiential learning pays more attention to learners’ learning process and autonomy. By actively participating in the experience, learners can reflect on the experience and reasonably understand and apply the learned knowledge. The reference from Qing’s blog describes the four-step learning process through a circle: observation, thinking, action, feeling, and conceptualization of learned knowledge.
Qing’s topic is about how to succeed in university. Compared with experiential learning, I think direct instruction is more suitable for her topic. Direct instruction emphasizes carefully planned courses and clearly defined and specified teaching tasks. Summarize experience through students’ autonomy and professional teaching and feedback provided by teachers, and set goals for the next exam or semester. Experiential learning may require a longer reaction cycle, which requires a certain period of the learning experience, results, and reflection. If students want to succeed in college, direct instruction may be more efficient.
