All Hands-on Deck: Why Applied Learning Proves Knowledge Ascertainment

Some people enjoy taking tests and quizzes, and I’ve met a few. But, when you’re interested in a subject, learn about it, and apply that learning to real-life situations … well, that knowledge in action. You get to prove not only to your instructor but also to yourself. You get to see how much you’ve learned and what you need improvement on. Tests and quizzes have been the standard for evaluating knowledge for years. However, the power of hands-on learning is chasing its tail with tenacity in gauging student information retention and understanding.

Engaging students in applied exercises gives them insight into how concepts function in everyday life or professional settings. I teach a Web Programming class. Students build a website that they want using the techniques we learned in class. They can use any technology they want. For example, we teach the use of MYSQL databases, but some students have used MongoDB. The criteria were to use a database to save and display information on a web page. Projects like this naturally encourage a yearning for lifelong learning beyond the classroom.?

In our world, where technology can sometimes make us unconnected to people and things, hands-on gets us back in touch and communicating with fellow students and colleagues. The beauty of hands-on learning is it can involve collaboration and sharing ideas. Students can all work on individual projects simultaneously and draw comparisons. In a more collaborative effort, each student can own a piece of the project and bring it all together to see what works and what doesn’t. This encourages real-world experiences. After all, no one gives you tests or quizzes on the job. They want to see how you do things, how you can fix them if things go awry, and how well you work with others to achieve common goals.

Tests and quizzes still have their place in gauging the amount of knowledge students acquire. They encourage several skills, like knowledge retention and discipline (by studying), and aid professors in defining knowledge gaps so they can address students’ needs. However, actively engaged students increase their chances of applying their education as well-rounded professionals who are also skilled in problem-solving, critical thinking, and relationship building.