Experience is the best teacher
Experiences that take place outside the classroom have many benefits for learners – and outings provide worthwhile experience.
Some of the benefits for junior- and high-school learners include:
- enhanced learning
- fostering personal and social development
- heightened levels of motivation
- recalling details more vividly
Outings are a form of experiential learning rooted in the simple principle that ‘experience is the best teacher’.
Learners at Capulum College were taken back in time when they visited the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, one of South Africa’s five national museums, built in 1905. Aimed at exploring and celebrating the cultural, historical and natural wonders of South Africa and the world, the museum’s exhibitions include displays of insects, mammals, amphibians, birds and molluscs. The learners were enthralled by the remnant of the last wild elephant in the province, and a life-size model of a Tyrannosaurus rex.
“A people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture are like a tree without roots” – Marcus Garvey
“I enjoyed the experience because all the different rooms taught me so many things,” says Brittany, still in awe of all she saw. “The tour guide helped me to understand how everything worked and I found it so interesting. I saw elephants, frogs and the inside of their stomachs.”
Gift enjoyed learning about animals. “We even saw the very big Dodo bird which is extinct, and we saw baboon statues and leopard statues,” he says, adding that “we saw skeletons and very big statues of snakes, spiders, elephants, rhinos and ants outside the building”.
The Mandela Gallery was of interest to Musa. There he learnt more about Madiba’s journey. And apart part from learning about African mammals, he also learnt about sport, art and the urban revolution. “We also saw a San and a Khoikhoi cave and learnt how humankind changed and made new inventions to help change the world,” he says.
Nonofo enjoyed learning how people in days gone by lived, dressed and ate. “I saw some primates and there was a little TV movie to show how baboons lived,” he says, adding that the caveman site was of particular interest because “I never knew how cavemen lived”.
With a clear understanding of the purpose of museums Sthembiso recommends that everyone visits it so that “they can learn about the history of our town and about looking after animals”. And it was the animals that caught Philasande’s attention who reported seeing springbok, baboons, monkeys, snakes, skeletons and dinosaurs. “My favourite animals were the baboon and the tiger,” he says.
All the learners spoke highly of the experience and of the guide, who “was helpful and taught us so much”.
