Education Through Research

When watching the video Project Learning, I found the biggest takeaway to be that students can learn so much more through research and handons activities. It is important to include these opporunities even in a traditional education setting. Educators need to reach out to all students and all interests. The traditional curriclum is not the only way to teach.

In school the most hands on learning I can remember doing was the science fair. I don't remember having too many teachers that encouraged learning to experience and research. We typically followed a traditional curriclum. I do remember in elementary school when we studied the colonial times, we got to go on a field trip to this place that took you back to colonial times and we had to do some of the household and farm chores just as though we were living back then. I know this wasn't really learning through research but it was a good way to fully understand and comprehend the history we had been reading. It brought things to life. Sometimes bringing the subject matter to life is the best way for everybody to fully understand and learn.

As a future educator I would like to take these principles and do my best to incorporate as much hands on learning as possible. I fear that this will be a huge task that sometimes seems impossible with how much control the government and school districts want over what is taught and how it is taught. I hope that the horror stories I have heard will not apply in all situations.