What is a Learning Experience?

New articles about education often feature the latest techniques to enhance the learning experience. Much of the information focuses on techniques adults can use to distribute knowledge to children. New teaching methods promise to help children absorb information for a test. The ability of children to perform this educational sequence defines the traditional learning experience.

Looking for another viewpoint, I started searching for the essence of a learning experience.

My search started by looking up the definition of learning. In Webster’s, the purpose of learning is “Modification of a behavioral tendency by experience.” At dictionary.com, the definition says, “The act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill.” Other dictionary definitions are similar. In search of another meaning for learning, I looked at psychology.

In New Social Learning, Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner define learning as “The transformative process of taking in information that, when internalized and mixed with what we have experienced, changes what we know and builds on what we do.”

In the Wonder of Learning by Reggio Children, Jerome Bruner shares that learning “Is not simply about acquiring knowledge about what we have encountered, it is dedicated to going beyond the information given.” Howard Gardner shares about learning, “Babies and children act upon the world to know it.”

I continued thinking about learning. I wrote down all the actions I observe children engage in as they act upon the world in the search for meaning. The following are the most repeated actions I observe that define the learning experience for children in our school-age community.

Chosen Freely – The learning experience for children always starts with a choice. Children develop an interest in a subject for reasons that have meaning for them. Then children began a search to know more. The search often utilizes traditional education tools like books and computers that advance the search for meaning. Then children engage in hands-on investigations with materials to find deeper meaning.

Construction of Knowledge – Children gather information and move fast. They want to apply knowledge to a practical application. By applying the information to practice, children confirm their theories. Sometimes children come up with new questions they want to explore through a hands-on application of materials. This process is not a search for an endpoint. The process is a journey to know more about something children find interesting.

The Search for Answers – Children engage in a search for meaning. They create collisions between what they know and what they want to know. The possibilities contained within an investigation create an environment where learning thrives.

Timeless – When children engage in an actual learning experience, time stands still. The work becomes engrossing. The children work for hours and hours and never ask what time it is or mention they feel bored. Instead of looking for a distraction, children look forward to each work period so that they can continue their investigation.

Sensorial – Children are very attuned to the sensory experience of learning. Children want to search for answers to their questions. They also want to experience the sensations involved in finding the answer, and that is why children enjoy investigating their questions with hands-on materials. Materials that allow children to explore theories and discover possible solutions

Creative – Children express their search for knowledge through creativity. Children use paper, paint, clay, Legos, sticks, markers, beads, and recycled materials, to name a few, to express new ideas. Ideas they want to share about the human experience. Children often share stories about the work they create. The story connects to the search for answers. The story is the timeline of the learning experience.

Community – For children, the learning experience takes place in the community. During investigations, children engage with peers and teachers in a co-learning relationship. The learning relationship offers extra inputs and insights into the search for meaning.

The learning experience is a journey where children investigate the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of life. Children engage in the learning experience at their own time and pace. The learning experience is unique for each child.