The Value of Experiential Learning

For today's high school students, experiential learning is an amazing tool and one that vocational agricultural programs utilize in a powerful way. Colorado State University Agricultural Education Instructor Nathan Clark says

Clark: "We found that students learn best when they not only have an opportunity to not only hear about topics and things but also get their hands on pieces and manipulate it and do some things with opportunities and skills within agriculture. So experiential learning is great because it takes the opportunity for students to learn about something in the classroom then go out and do it. Then come back to the classroom and really reflect on what they did connects with what they are doing in class but also in the rest of their lives. So it is a great way for students to make a true connection and be purposeful in their learning and be engage in what they are trying to do. Really exposing students to the breadth of what agriculture has to offer."

He continues with some great examples of experiential learning opportunities for students.

Clark: "The ag mechanics or the power structure side, any type of work within electricity, or hydraulics, or welding or any of those kind of things. Not only building a project or doing some things in there but really helping the students to see how it connects to the rest of the ag industry and how it really drives the industry and make sure that we have an industry and there is power for it. On the animal sciences, it might be a dissection from an anatomy standpoint or something to that effect. From plant science there is all sorts of opportunities for planting and growing and then connecting those dots."