Education is quickly developing and schools tend to gradually change their educational methods and turn towards more effective ones like digital learning solutions, 360-degree learning approaches, practical learning, and more.

One of the most effective approaches that have slowly picked up the pace in the last few years is activity-based learning. This method turns the classroom into an exciting place in which the learners make sense of something through direct activities thus promoting better understanding of various subjects and at the same time helping in developing lifetime skills.

What is Activity-Based Learning?

Activity-based learning is a teaching approach that facilitates the involvement of the student during the learning process. As compared to usual memorization, this learning approach is a set of tasks in which students have to use their body, thinking, and interacting skills. These activities may include experimentation, group work, role play, field trips, and problem-solving tasks among others. The major objective is to improve the flow and the level of interest that the students have while learning so that they can learn effectively and have the information retained in their brains.

A Comparative Study of the Benefits

  • Improve the understanding of students: This way, the students can be able to grasp and even pass concepts learned and make them more real. For instance, when teaching about plant biology in the sciences, students gain a lot more when they plant seeds and have to monitor the changes that occur to them in a specified period. The ability to make the ideas with the hands improves retention as compared to when one is just being taught the ideas online.
  • Enrich critical thinking: The activity-based learning helps students to use creativity in solving problems considering various aspects. An example is in a math class, students will be required to analyze a real-life situation and solve it using the concepts learned in mathematics. It not only allows them to demonstrate their acquired knowledge but also to hone the skills of problem-solving.
  • Improve the communication level: A good number of activities done under activity-based learning are best done in groups and this will foster teamwork and d group among students. When students work in a group on a project, they get to understand how to develop teamwork, division of work, and conflict solving which are important factors in learning as well as business community.
  • Provide different learning styles: Every student has his or her way of learning. Some understand issues better through diagrams, symbols, and illustrations while others learn better through activities. The activity-based learning addresses these learning styles by providing several activities that relate to the learners’ abilities through sensory modalities. This approach is inclusive in nature to ensure that none of the students is left behind during the learning process.

How to Implement Activity-Based Learning at Schools?

  • Through role-playing activities: Practical activities, such as role-playing, make students become different people and think from their perspectives, which makes the material studied deeper and easier to grasp. An example of a social studies class may be the United Nations meeting where children are assigned to certain countries and discuss international problems.
  • Science-related activities: Science classes give activity-based learning a proper place to be as they involve virtually anything that can be experimented on. Actually, concepts learned on chemical reactions are not sufficient where the students can merely engage in experiments, in this case, in a laboratory setting, and make conclusions out of such experiences.
  • Outside trips: Education is not limited to school or a classroom. Visits to museums nature reserves or some business establishments give students practical experience in their school activities. Such trips ensure the topics that are taught in class are made contextual and thus give the students an opportunity to see the relevance of the topics.
  • Technically driven education: The activity-based learning can be significantly improved with the help of technology by offering various interactive instruments and materials. This is made possible through educational applications, virtual reality, and online collaborative learning tools. For instance, in a teaching of geography, one could invite the children for a virtual tour to some famous landmarks and this increases the incentive or appeal of the teaching.

Conclusion

The activity-based learning is one form of education that is already turning the tide and changing education for the better. Thus, following this path, schools can benefit student knowledge and at the same time provide them with the tools with which they will be needed in the future. That is why, amidst the changes in education, activity-based learning is considered important in developing smart, curious, and capable learners.