The Heart of the Critical Skills Programme - The Experiential Learning Cycle
Experiential learning engages students in active processes and reflection. It offers a multi-sensory, multi-modal environment that allows students the opportunity to interact in real-life contexts.
The Four Educational Ideas that Underpin the Critical Skills Programme
1. A collaborative learning community - is an intentionally structured classroom culture within which teachers and pupils support one another in pursuit of clearly articulated goals.
2. Experiential learning - creates an environment in which pupils are allowed the opportunity to interact in real-life contexts that reflect life outside school.
3. Problem-based learning - is the use of thoughtfully designed and related as the primary (yet not exclusive) teaching approach.
4. Results-driven learning - engages pupils in thoughtfully designed experiences that develop characteristics we desire to foster in terms of knowledge/understanding and skills/dispositions.
The Nine Characteristics of a Critical Skills Classroom
- Pupils frequently work in teams
- Pupils actively solve meaningful problems
- Pupils publicly exhibit their learning
- Pupils reflect on what they are learning and doing
- Pupils apply quality criteria to their work
- Pupils take ownership of their learning
- Teachers mediate, coach and support the learning process
- Classroom culture, curriculum and assessment are guided by specific curriculum targets
- Work is interconnected
“Wow! A powerful course to be on. This is a learning experience I shall not forget and will endeavour to pass on to the children I teach. Therefore continuing to make a difference to their learning.”
Karen Counsell – Becket Primary, North Somerset