Practical Learning is one of the best ways for efficient and continuous learning over time. That is why we should introduce Practical Learning in all our learning solutions, from kindergarten to high school to encourage their interest in learning through play.
There are many benefits that practical learning has in children’s learning: it involves them more, helps them improve their skills and competencies, to achieve results, increases their desire to learn … and it does so through curiosity, creativity, analytical thinking, and collaboration. Because we believe that the best way to understand their minds is through their hands.
Today we tell you the 8 reasons why it is key to introduce STEM through Practical Learning. In addition, we leave you with some of the tips and tricks for learning STEAM at home. Let’s discover them one by one!
1. They acquire knowledge through experience, rather than through the abstract
It has been proven that the experience itself is more effective when it comes to learning new things and associating everything that they are acquiring than abstract concepts. Tinkering, a movement based on creativity, experimentation, and gamification is essential in education. This method is essential to explore and understand everything we do, and it becomes more effective when done from the game.
2. They do better in all STEAM subjects
Thanks to this methodology, boys and girls develop their skills in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and design more effectively. When they enter the world of STEAM, students can become Life Hackers, people who through little tricks can become more productive and efficient in all areas of their lives.
3. They become more collaborative
It has been proven that students who work with Practical Learning become more collaborative, motivated, and active people. Working hand in hand makes collaborative learning develop better, so that not only new knowledge is learned, but it is applied to help others or to create together. In addition, it is key to a true improvement of the skills and competencies of the students.
4. They stay more with the details
Experimenting with objects first-hand improves student retention and greater attention to detail. In this way, their attention and concentration are also developed, which will be seen in the way they develop in all their projects, both school and personal.
5. Helps them focus
We live surrounded by stimuli, that is why concentration is essential to carry out our tasks in the most efficient way possible. Thanks to Practical Learning we can help students focus their attention on what they are doing.
6. Stimulate their creativity
Being creative is essential to be able to better solve problems and think from other perspectives. When they work in a practical way on their projects, students become more creative by understanding different points of view and knowing how to find the solution that is best suited to solve any doubts that may arise.
7. They awaken your imagination
When we imagine, we are closer to making it happen. Being in contact with Practical Learning makes us encourage the little ones to do great things. As with creativity, posing imaginary situations with which they can think of new alternatives makes them increasingly develop their critical thinking and show themselves open to new proposals.
8. They cultivate their curiosity
Curiosity is the engine of true Practical Learning because it develops long-term memory. Wanting to know more and feeling motivated to do great things… In addition, curiosity is the basis of scientific and technological development!
9. tips and tricks for learning STEAM at home
Whether in the classroom or in the dining room, girls and boys have great imaginations, an innate curiosity, and an enormous desire to explore.
We suggest you follow STEAM learning at home, all you need are ideas and resources for it. And here they go!
- Ordering doesn’t have to be a boring task! Make it a playful learning opportunity – sort, tag, count, and categorize as you go. You can order by a different method each time, such as color or size. Make it a career or learning about what each thing is and how it can be used as you collect it.
- Create a STEAM Space at home where you can explore, play with science, technology and learn programming.
- Learn together! It’s a great family activity and can be relaxing for adults too. You can even learn something new yourself.
- Create an engineering or design notebook for your sons and daughters. Document all the work you do step by step. Record the problem you want to solve, the design challenges you run into, or the things you need to be able to reflect on whether the final solution provides a resolution to the original problem.
- Take breaks from time to time!
- Build, Create, Explore… And make sharing part of the process! Get them to talk about their creations and ask questions: “Why have you built them like this?”, “What decisions have you made?”, “Where have you found a challenge?” and “How did you overcome the challenge?”
- Challenge them to think in a new way! “What would happen if you remove the blue bricks?” “How does the construction or design of the model change?”
- Make them storytellers! Challenge them to create a story that explains their creation and allows the building to come to life in new ways.
- Get inspiration from others. Use our videos and social networks to spark their interest and challenge them to go even further in their learning.
- Keep learning every day and ask yourself the why of things!