Researchers tell us we remember only 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear. So a textbook assignment followed up with a lecture isn’t very effective, is it?
But when students are engaged in learning–when they participate and experience a subject by seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and getting their hands dirty–retention jumps to 70%!
…and if they then teach others, they will remember up to 90% of what they’ve learned!
Learning by personal discovery becomes a personal experience. No longer is history something that happened to someone else whom I didn’t even know. The things I experience happen to me!
Learning by personal discovery happens in context. Because I have experienced it myself, I understand why it happened, how I felt, and why it changed things.
Learning by personal discovery encourages me to take ownership of my own educational process. I learn to be curious, and I learn how to find answers to my own questions. I am excited when I discover something new. I become an “authority” and enjoy sharing my excitement with others.