Neethu K Mathew (Economics and Business Studies Teacher), The Gera School In very simple terms teaching should facilitate learning by doing. The significance of experiential learning has been discussed in multiple platforms for quite some time now. Experiential teaching encourages learners to do, reflect on the learnings from doing and then applying them to other situations. Hands-on laboratory experiments, internships, practicums, field exercises, student exchange programmes, undergraduate research and studio performances are only some of the experiential learning activities. The teaching process qualifies to be experiential when it incorporates reflection, critical analysis and synthesis of a given topic. Kolb’s (1984) cycle of learning depicts the experiential learning process focusses on integration of knowledge—the concepts, facts, and information, activity—knowledge applied to a “real world” setting; and reflection— synthesis of prior knowledge and activity to create new knowledge”. Experiential teaching, however gains the best results when integrated and designed to be closely knitted together with interactive teaching and differentiated teaching to nurture and bring out the best in each learner in a class, irrespective of their nature and the skill-set that they already possess. What is Interactive Teaching? Teaching-learning can be active or interactive. An active approach when there is teacher-student interaction equally involving both a teacher and students and students are active participants in the process. Where is the difference? In contrast to active approach, interactive learning involves students’ interaction not only with the teacher but with each other as well. Directing the teaching process into a direction which best facilitates the achievement of student goals is a prominent role of the teacher in interactive method. The teacher includes interactive activities and assignments in the lesson plan. With the progress in these activities and assignments, students acquire new information and an individual task is transformed into a group task in which each member has an integral role to play and crucial tasks to execute which will eventually lead to the whole group’s success. Interactive exercises and tasks that students are made to perform form the basic components of interactive lessons. The use of interactive teaching methods ensures full participation of students in the learning process, and which is a major source of learning. Practice proves that using methods helps to achieve the results of modern education. Exchange information and ideas among students, contribution of each student to the teaching process, and equal involvement of all the students in the cognitive process are all possible with interactive method. It also contributes towards the nourishment of communicative skills: the ability to listen to others, evaluate different points of view, participate in discussions, make joint decisions, develop tolerance, etc. The ARMA International Center for Education offers the following guidelines to express the focus of interactive educational teaching styles: Encourage student participation. Use questions that stimulate response, discussion, and a hands-on experience. Use teaching aids that press for answers, and capture/hold the student’s attention. Set up a workgroup environment. Involve yourself as well as the student. Different Interactive teaching styles that make a difference…
