Praxis for a Post-Information Future: Evaluating the Impact of a Pedagogical Framework Based on Experiential Learning

Abstract

This paper traces the implementation of a pedagogical framework in a low-cost private school in Karachi designed to put students’ engagement with the world at the center of the learning process. The need for such a framework arose as a response to the realization that education system in Pakistan is lagging behind in preparing children of a post-information future. Through classroom observations, formal and informal interviews, and assessment of lesson plans conducted over the period of a year, the study investigated whether a learning cycle based on experiential learning could enhance student engagement in the learning process and help them develop the skills necessary to navigate an increasingly uncertain future. The observations before and after the training revealed significant impact on such variables as divergent thinking, the ability to ask open-ended questions, and willingness to probe concepts deeper as opposed to passive learning.