Lesson 7. Direct, Purposeful Experiences and Beyond

" Direct Purposeful Experiences and Beyond" implies that these direct experiences must not be the period or the end. We must be brought to a higher plane. The higher plane referred to here is the level of generalization and abstraction. Direct experiences are firsthand experiences that make up the foundation of our learning. There are the rich experiences that our senses bring from which we construct the ideas, the concepts, the generalizations that give meaning and order to our lives. They are sensory experiences. These direct experiences described to be purposeful because the experiences are not purely mechanical. They are not a matter of going through the motion. They are experiences that are internalized in the sense that these experiences involve the asking of questions that have significance in the life of the person undergoing the direct experiences. Direct purposeful experiences or firsthand sensory experiences make us learn concepts and skills effectively, and it implies to the teaching-learning process by: First, let us give our students opportunities to learn by doing and immerse our students in the world of experience. Second, let us make use of real things as instructional materials for as long as we can. Third, help the students develop the five senses to the full to heighten their sensitivity to the world. Fourth,guide our students so that they can draw meaning from their firsthand experiences and elevate their level if thinking. Indirect experiences are experiences of other people that we observe, read or hear about. They are vicarious experiences.