January 26, 2026 How is experiential learning different from rote learning?
In today's classrooms, students learn in many different ways. But two methods are commonly discussed: experiential learning and rote learning. At Resonance School, we strongly believe that real learning happens when children experience knowledge, not just memorise it. That’s why experiential learning is becoming an important part of our teaching approach.
What is Experiential Learning, Exactly?
Experiential learning goes in a cycle. First, students experience something in a real-world or simulated setting. Then they think about their own thinking. They discuss their learning with classmates or teachers and keep refining their understanding.
Experiential learning methods are exactly what the name suggests: learning from, through, or by experiences. Teachers use the students' own experiences to help them make sense of the world. This is quite different from a lecture, which generally engages just the thinking part of the brain. The cognitive, emotional, and sometimes even the physical parts of learning are engaged in experiential learning.
When students bring in their own experiences, they automatically start to reflect on what occurred, what they did, and how they can improve. Students learn more from mistakes than successes-because we rarely stop and celebrate ourselves when everything goes right!
How does experiential learning take place in classrooms?
Experiential learning is participative and active. Some of the common methods include:
Small group discussions, pair work, and reflections
Simulations, in which the teacher has created a scenario within the classroom
Role plays, where students “become” someone else in a safe environment
Games, including online interactive games, use the learner’s experience
These activities help students feel and experience concepts, not just memorise them. That's why skilled teaching is so important.
Experiential Learning vs Rote Learning
Rote learning involves learning by memorising information without any regard to how it could be used in real life. Experiential learning is exactly the opposite of that; students learn by doing, reflecting, exploring, and applying.
In experiential learning, students gain firsthand knowledge of their field. They avoid confusion later in life since they understand how concepts work in practice. They build deeper understanding, stronger retention, and more practical skills.
Where Do We See Experiential Learning?
There exist a number of experiential learning opportunities in school education, including:
Field work, workshops, student teaching method, volunteering, etc. These experiences help students complete their preparation for their careers. They build communication skills, self-confidence, and decision-making abilities by solving real-world challenges.
Powerful Benefits of Experiential Learning
Ability to apply knowledge immediately. Students are able to use what they have learned to solve real-life issues. Students get immediate guidance, thus allowing them to develop expertise more quickly. Helps in bettering teamwork, communication & development of reflective habits. Because of the constant feedback loop, students can see their improvement-even within one hour. At Resonance School, our activity-based lessons and practical sessions ensure that students reap these benefits daily.
The following skills are of importance in the process of experiential learning, either as a teacher or as a student: Reflection, observation, questioning, listening, emotional Intelligence, calmness
Experiential learning features widely in higher education and increasingly in schools around the world. Today, top foundation schools like Resonance blend experiential activities with traditional teaching to make students understand concepts rather than just memorise them temporarily. This helps bring both together, whereby the student not only knows the answer but understands it, too.
FAQ:
1. What is the key difference between rote and experiential learning?
A: Experiential learning is an active, hands-on approach that differs from passive methods like rote memorisation from textbooks, which require a lot of memorisation.
2. What is the teacher's role in experiential learning?
A: Teachers change from being the main source of information to becoming facilitators, designers of learning experiences, and mentors.
3. What activities are part of experiential learning?
A: Science projects, workshops, field experiments, case studies, community projects, and technology-enabled activities.