2.3 Experiential Learning

2.3. Experiential Learning

Our project on media education uses a methodology of experiential learning based on a learning cycle with five phases:

Source: COMPASS. Manual on Human Rights Education with Young People (page 40). Council of Europe. Get It Right Handbook - Modules as a tool for experiential learning

Most of the activities of this toolkit require active participation and involvement of young people. Although these activities are usually fun do not forget their learning purpose!

After doing an activity it is essential to follow through with a debriefing and evaluation to enable participants to reflect on what happened during the exercise (phase 2), to evaluate their experience (phases 3 & 4) and to go on to decide what to do next (phase 5). In this way they come back to phase 1 of the next cycle in the learning process.

The activities encourage cohesiveness and a sense of group identity and solidarity. They offer a framework and structure to group experiences, which should allow trainers to work with their own and the young peoples’ experience and competencies. When carefully facilitated, activities are an effective method of learning.

2.4. Who is this handbook for?

Facilitators

A facilitator is someone who guides young people to discover their knowledge and learn from the experience of the activity. A facilitator can be either a teacher who encourages students to think outside the box, a youth worker who supports young people evolve or a social worker who interacts with young people in more difficult situations. A facilitator assists young people in the process of exploring their own learning potential.

The activities in this toolkit require facilitators to be conscious of different topics that intersect with the activities.

Tips for Facilitators

Try to bring new experiences into an activity. Make games, role-plays and team building activities challenging enough to get young people to get out of their comfort zone and engage in a more active way.

Encourage young people to think critically over an activity – to review and reflect on what has happened and what they have learned.

Try to make learning easy by organising things in a model or theory. Most of the time, things are understood better when they are explained coherently and with structure.

We hope that this compilation of tools from our intercultural team will inspire you in further promoting media literacy in youth work.

Enjoy reading!