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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Direct instruction is better than experiential learning, since it's better taught.[/quote]

+1000

- a teacher [/quote]

-1000
Direct instruction is better at getting students to perform on assessments directly related to the direct instruction. Good experiential learning helps students to integrate learning and apply it in new settings and actually [b]remember and use what they learned[/b].    [/quote]

Not if they haven't actually learned anything.  [/quote]

Sample experiential learning for simple circuits:  Build a motorized car model and describe how it works.  They can make a circuit that works and include a switch that turns in on and off.  Advanced kids can figure out how to make speed increases and decreases.  They learn some extra things about aerodynamics and friction and design that aren't targeted directly.  They have ideas for what else they can use circuits.  They can describe how circuits work and create a diagram that shows what they learned.

Sample direct instruction on circuit:  They learn vocabulary words like simple circuit, parallel circuit, electron.  They are shown a diagram and are tested on the diagram later. They match vocabulary words with definitions.

Which do you think is likely to help a kid become an engineer?  
If experiential learning is done crappily, insist on better supports not switch to direct instruction to a meaningless test.  Direct instruction has its places for sure, but it's overused and not tested against whether the kids learn anything that matters in the world and is geared towards kids who are highly invested in pleasing their teacher so teachers like it.[/quote]

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