Hands-on learning activities and experiments

Description

The SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) good practice “hands-on learning” is an educational method that directly involves the learners, by actively encouraging them to do something in order to learn about it. In short, it is 'learning by doing'. The learning process is much improved when students are challenged to seek answers and are driven by a curiosity to learn. Well-designed, hands-on activities and experiments in the classroom foster connections to real-world situations and increase learner engagement. There are many different activities that can be used or adapted for different age groups and also incorporate computer work in the classroom. 

For example:

-Students can create a mind map with different ideas on reusing old materials.

-Students working in groups create different products from different materials.

-Students draw a conclusion and present their findings in a form of PowerPoint presentations, or use the platform “Canva” to create photos for tutorials on how those products were made.

Students in higher grades can do a “Light bulb Comparison” experiment.  Students will explore their daily energy use and ways to reduce their energy consumption. They will do a hands-on experiment to compare the amount of energy that different fluorescent light bulbs use and can use Microsoft Excel to create observational charts for the experiment.

Link to website

http://info.thinkfun.com/stem-education/the-importance-of-hands-on-learning 

https://blog.friendscentral.org/benefits-of-hands-on-learning 

https://blog.socialstudies.com/brain-based-research-supports-need-for-hands-on-learning 

https://blog.socialstudies.com/what-is-hands-on-learning 

Country and location

Primary School “Malina Popivanova” Kochani, North Macedonia 

Actors/partners

Teachers, students, educational community

Objectives 

To analyse and apply educational strategies that contribute to social cohesion in the context of a knowledge-based European society, providing key elements and action lines to improve education and social policies.

Results 

Improves retention of information

Improves attentiveness

Improves fine motor skills

Improves critical thinking 

Improves problem-solving skills

Students learn better when they can relate to a subject

Why is it considered a good practice?

- engages students of all ages in multiple modes of learning: kinesthetic, problem solving, and trial and error. 

-students get to show what they’ve learned

- allows students to directly observe and understand what is happening. 

- encourages young pupils to do things for themselves, which will help them with learning independently later on in life.

Elements of replicability in other contexts

Encourages Interaction with Nature

Allow Exploration of all Five Senses

Fosters real problem solving

Develops skills and a lifelong love of learning