The first theories of experiential learning arose in the mid-nineteenth century as attempts to move away from traditional formal education, where teachers simply presented students with abstract concepts, and toward an immersive method of instruction. Students would “learn by doing”, applying knowledge to experience in order to develop skills or new ways of thinking .

In a world where children spend most of their education cooped up in small boxes called classrooms, real-world experiential learning can be truly transformational for 21st century youth. As Albert Einstein famously said “Knowledge is Experience. Everything else is just information.”

 Practical work encourages self-learning.
 When you do something with your own hands you remember better.
 Practical work is good change from the monotonous lecture method.
 Practical work makes student independent and increase their confidence.
 It familiarizes students with tools and equipment that he will be required to use.

The role of the instructor in the experiential classroom is different than in the traditional classroom. In the experiential classroom, the instructor is a guide, a cheerleader , a resource and a support.

I would like to end with a funny anecdote. One Mr. X had a master’s degree in automobile engineering and worked on a high post in a reputed organisation. One day, on his way to the office, his car stopped working and he got off to investigate the problem. With his high qualification and expertise in the area, he examined each part of the car carefully but couldn’t find any fault. After a while, a peasant who was passing asked him, “What’s the matter?”

He answered, “Well, something is wrong with the car.”

The peasant replied, “Did you check the tank?”

Perhaps there is no petrol.

The peasant was right.

This is what might happen when theoretical knowledge is not supported by practical knowledge.