Formal education is great and I have learned a lot from schools and universities. I have also gained a lot of knowledge from work places. There is another form of learning however, which I have found to be extremely powerful.
My Outside-of-the-Classroom Learning Experiences (extensive travels) however, have served as my most practical, meaningful and beneficial sources of knowledge. I hand-picked each experience, and therefore learned about topics I am interested in. Studies have shown that when people are engaged and interested in what they are learning, the information is more likely to stick.
Actually BEING INVOLVED IN THE EXPERIENCE, rather than reading about it in a book or watching it on television, for me, is one of the key reasons I find this form of learning to be so potent. The ability to use my five senses during this experiential learning is another reason why I am able to clearly remember what I have learned. I will describe below, my experience at 10 Commandos Beach in the Philippines:
And what a perfectly sunny day it was. A hammock swaying in the wind. Many actually. I chose one. I laid on it and relaxed, swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze, watching the waves come in to shore and then retreat back out to sea. I later moved out of the shade and into the sun and sat down in the sand. But not before purchasing a coconut from the only vendor the island had -- a small hut, but a memorable one. The coconut water was cool and refreshing. Absorbed in the warmth of the sun, sandy, and slathered with the usual obscene amount of sunblock, I was content. Content beyond belief.
What have your learning experiences been like? Have you found one form of learning more effective than another?
My Outside-of-the-Classroom Learning Experiences (extensive travels) however, have served as my most practical, meaningful and beneficial sources of knowledge. I hand-picked each experience, and therefore learned about topics I am interested in. Studies have shown that when people are engaged and interested in what they are learning, the information is more likely to stick.
Actually BEING INVOLVED IN THE EXPERIENCE, rather than reading about it in a book or watching it on television, for me, is one of the key reasons I find this form of learning to be so potent. The ability to use my five senses during this experiential learning is another reason why I am able to clearly remember what I have learned. I will describe below, my experience at 10 Commandos Beach in the Philippines:
And what a perfectly sunny day it was. A hammock swaying in the wind. Many actually. I chose one. I laid on it and relaxed, swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze, watching the waves come in to shore and then retreat back out to sea. I later moved out of the shade and into the sun and sat down in the sand. But not before purchasing a coconut from the only vendor the island had -- a small hut, but a memorable one. The coconut water was cool and refreshing. Absorbed in the warmth of the sun, sandy, and slathered with the usual obscene amount of sunblock, I was content. Content beyond belief.
What have your learning experiences been like? Have you found one form of learning more effective than another?
RSS Feed
