Hands-on learning has become quite popular as it provides teachers with creative, engaging and flexible learning programs allowing students to reconnect to meaningful learning experiences which were somehow forgotten while more structured and teacher centered approaches were seen as a means to educate students effectively. And since the latest approach seemed unsuitable for students as they became passive receivers of information instead of individuals who were supposed to be able to bring something personal to the whole learning-teaching process, activity-oriented educational design became a trendy tool for teachers everywhere.
However and in spite of having countless advantages regarding students’ participation in the lesson, it never occurred to me that engaging students with numerous activities might cause some sort of accidental as supposed to well-thought and sure to get learning. This is described by UbD as part one of the “twin sins” of traditional design and there were some statements that really caught my attention since they challenge the one thing you are taught while being an undergraduate student: hands-on learning allows students to manipulate a series of element belonging to real experiences situations in order to simulate real life events, engaging students in the search for enduring learning and meaning. It is in that way most of today’s traditional design is based on those kinds of activities so as to allow students to be active participants of the lesson while having a nice time doing fun activities under the “learning by doing” motto. The more activities you have for them, the better.
Activity-oriented design is something I always try to aim at while teaching a lesson for the same reasons I set out previously. Doing activities just because, that is purposeless! In my personal opinion, any activity should fulfill a minimum require which is helping students so they can acquire the wanted set of skills. Well thought out hands-on learning let students observe and understand phenomena while searching and learning the procedure of the situations they are involved in….What’s the harm in that?
Karla....out
