“Extending students’ educational experience beyond the classroom (and into a natural setting), is foundational to success inside the classroom.” ~ Brian Marenchin, Principal with the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board
Education experts agree that experiential education, like the outdoor education experience offered by Muskoka Woods, provides students with a transformative learning opportunity that can’t be matched in the classroom. Experiential learning via school trips contributes to the holistic growth of young people by championing inclusivity, promoting a healthy lifestyle, sharpening communication skills, honing creative problem-solving skills, and aiding in knowledge retention. Situated in 1,100 acres of Ontario’s cottage country, Muskoka Woods draws on its spectacular setting as well as specialized programming that focuses on skills development — and fun — to provide an experience-based learning opportunity for students that they’ll never forget.
What the experts have to say on the benefits of experiential learning
Inclusivity
Educators concur that experiential learning is important because, by its very nature, it’s a more inclusive way of learning that engages all types of learners.
“[Experiential learning] lets every type of learner thrive, including the tactile and kinaesthetic learners who don’t typically do as well in a classroom setting,” says Lucas Durocher, OCT, Director of Schools and Groups at Muskoka Woods.
Likewise, Brian Marenchin, Principal with the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board (and longtime attendee of Muskoka Woods’ Schools and Groups program), echoes the importance of experiential learning as an equalizer.
“Test scores, pencil/paper and other activities within the walls of a school are fine, but they are not the sole measure of success,” he says.
As such, school trips give those kids who might excel by doing, a chance to feel more connected to their classmates and to the material being taught.
Physical and mental health
Experiential learning in an outdoor setting like Muskoka Woods encourages students to embrace physical movement by providing activities that are new and exciting. Through the extensive variety of activities available to students including high ropes, cross-country skiing, archery, sledding, and team sports to name just a few, students develop healthy habits that combat sedentary lifestyles. Physical activity not only improves fitness but also enhances academic performance and overall well-being. Being physically active is also beneficial to students’ mental health. A study published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development shows that kids who engaged in adventurous play outdoors had reduced anxiety and depression and it interestingly had to do with the fact that the outdoor adventure bred resiliency.
Life skills and personal growth
Speaking on resiliency, Brian Marenchin explains that “through experiential learning, we can coach students to be ‘comfortable being uncomfortable’, increase their confidence, unlock their superpower, and show them how they can make a difference in the world.”
In addition to resiliency, as Brian attests, experiential learning importantly helps grow kids’ confidence and self-esteem by putting kids into new situations and empowering them to try something out of their comfort zone. Brian says it best when he credits experiential learning with showing students that “YOU don’t have to be the best but you can do YOUR best.”
Communication and teamwork
Experiential education means that students learn by doing, reflecting, and then applying, and the outdoor experience, specifically, often involves teamwork, which adds up to an approach that not only sharpens problem-solving skills, but communication skills, as well.
“When you combine [experiential] learning with classroom experiences, it can transform students into critical thinkers and life-long learners, while simultaneously teaching curiosity, resiliency and problem solving,” says Elise Harold, a teacher with the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board.
Knowledge retention
You’ve heard how experiential learning impacts life skills, but taking kids out of the classroom helps kids in the traditional academic sense as well. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Experiential Education showed that students who participate in experiential learning activities demonstrate a 70% increase in knowledge retention compared to traditional learning methods.
Elise Harold corroborates the statistic when she says, “experiential learning transforms theoretical knowledge into practical wisdom, which provides opportunities for children to actively engage with concepts.”
“Clear connection to real life application is one of best things to ensure lessons are retained, and experiential learning does exactly that,” Lucas Durocher explains.
According to educators, embracing experiential education helps students develop physically, mentally, and academically, while also cultivating important life skills that will serve them into adulthood. Organizations like Muskoka Woods are equipped to help teachers harness the powerful tool, so they can give their students an education experience that transcends the classroom.
Visit www.schools.muskokawoods.com for more information on Muskoka Woods’ Schools and Groups program or to book your school in for an experiential learning opportunity that will stay with them for life.
