In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the traditional model of rote memorization and passive learning is being challenged by quite many interesting and dynamic approaches to learning. An example is what is termed as experiential learning. Most fast paced economies have adopted this approach to learning for their students. I dwell on this in this article because connecting the dots backwards I have seen its exponential power work when it came to my pursuit for Art as a career back then.
At the tail end of my Form 5 during my high school, our fine arts class had its first ever art class trip outside the school. A 34km bus drive from Luweero to Kampala led us to the splendid green Margaret Trowel School of Industrial and Fine Arts at Makerere University which was my first time experiencing what an art space really looked like beyond what I had known from class. I was in awe of the array of studios, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, the amazing tools and machinery, material exploration, experimentation, freedom of expression besides the works the students had put up for major work, an end of course year exhibition which also happens to be the final year project at the School of Art. The icing on the cake was our visit to Makerere Art Gallery one of Uganda's oldest art and archival galleries founded in 1969 which hosted an exhibition by the lecturers of the school by then. We then later visited the Faculty of Art at Kyambogo University exploring their beautiful sculptures, interior design studios and beautiful ambience. This raised my curiosity about the art scene in Uganda making me enthusiastic in pursuing a career in the Arts to befit of the experience I had seen at later stages. I had to work so hard to get to one of the two institutions. looking back, I now see how powerful that experience was because I got into the Margaret Trowel School of Industrial and Fine Arts later exploring painting, drawing and communication design as my electives.
I believe at its core, experiential learning emphasizes the importance of hand- on experiences, active engagement and reflective practice in shaping students education. I am happy I was once that student and got to experience a bit of it.
Kiggundu Rodney Speaking to the Students from Bankhill College Ndejje
Late last month I had a privilege of hosting a group of Form 4 Art students from a school a few metres away from my studio, Kiggundu Art Studio . I witnessed first hand the transformative power of experiential learning from another angle this time. As a reflection to my times visiting an art space for the very first time back in 2010, this encounter with these students not only reminded me of that time I was in their shoes but also reaffirmed my belief in the effectiveness of this approach but also highlighted its profound influence on learners educational journeys.
I could see the excitement like I had back then changing environment and also creating from outside the classroom. Not saying my studio has reached the level of the University, but the idea of them being out of class engaging with the art at the space while asking questions about the art scene in Uganda. The students got to engage in critical thinking and hands-on activities while at the studio as well as writing down their questions and hopes for the future (Especially those interested in pursuing the arts).
One of our goals at Kiggundu Art studio is to prepare students who want to pursue art as a career for the world outside though enhancing their knowledge, skills and attitudes towards understanding of the arts while engaging them on the significance of art in building their communities. Among the most recurring question was, "How Do I better my art to be able to pass exams but also make money from it?"
I shared my experiences as a student then and professional artist now, sharing both my wins, challenges and told them how am still on that journey filled with a lot of patience, dedication, perseverance, learning, unlearning and re-learning. This is also due to the contestations about most outdated Art Curriculums at higher institutions of learning which lack the ethos of conceptual art development and integrated learning of contemporary African art. That will be a topic for another day.
The most interesting thing about this visit was it was orchestrated by our Student Ambassador at the studio called Nantale Noeline who shared with their art teacher how it would be ideal for them to hold one of their classes outside the classroom. Noeline also doubles as one of this year's Apprentices because of her love for music and visual art. When she told her teacher, he did not hesitate re-affirming my belief about the importance of arts professionals who work with organised communities to create favourable, conducive and accessible environments for such learning to thrive. It is also very important for teachers to explore experiential learning within and outside the classrooms because it compliments traditional classroom instructions to meet the diverse students learning needs by providing deeper understanding, hands-on experiences and engagement hence enhancing overall learning outcomes.
Here below, I explore the benefits of experiential learning as we reflect on the impact it can have on the minds and hearts of the young learners.
Benefits
Increased Engagement : Hands -on experiences captivate students and learners interests and encourage active participation in the learning process. A perfect example for me is the work Fundi Bots does in the field of accelerating science learning in schools and their impact is very visible across Uganda and soon across Africa.
Enhanced retention: When learners actively engage with new materials, concepts and current world contexts than their usual, they are likely to retain information and apply it effectively even beyond school.
Development of Critical thinking skills: There is better problem solving, decision making and analytical thinking skills as students navigate challenges and explore solutions within and outside the classroom.
Creativity Boost: Through experiential learning like art projects, science experiments and hands-on projects, students are encouraged to explore their imagination and creativity. Faces Up Uganda has done a great job in this area where they've engaged several of their beneficiaries in creative exploration through their programming's to enhance their creativity. The children always show up during holidays to engage in the creative art activities. They have also gone ahead to resume their in school art classes with specific schools that have embraced this idea.
Improved Communication and Collaboration: Collaborative experiential activities promote communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to work effectively with others. It is arguable these days that young people don't like to work with each other. This is because of less face to face interactions because of continued use of technology. This has reduced the opportunities for them to practice interpersonal skills like communication and collaboration.
Personalized Learning: Experiential learning allows students to learn at their own pace and explore topics that align with their interests, promoting a more personalized and meaningful educational experience.
Real-World Application: By connecting classroom learning to real-world scenarios, experiential learning helps students understand the practical relevance of academic concepts and prepares them for future challenges.
Confidence Building: Successfully completing experiential learning activities boosts students’ self-confidence and self-esteem, empowering them to tackle new challenges with resilience and determination.
Cultivating Lifelong Learning Habits: Experiential learning fosters a love for learning by making education engaging, enjoyable, and relevant to students’ lives, instilling a lifelong curiosity and thirst for knowledge. When the students visited the studio, they were eager to come for holiday classes so that they finetune their ideas and concepts to meet the demands of the choices they offer in the arts.
Overall, Experiential learning requires a multi sectoral and multifaceted approach which involves all stakeholders willing to share knowledge and cultivate skills towards enhancing and accelerating the learning experience for students.
Share your experience where you feel experiential learning has been of great impact to you
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