In many schools today, experiential learning has become synonymous with “doing.” Students paint posters, build models, participate in games—and teachers often consider the learning complete.
But here’s the hard truth: activity is happening at one end, and learning is expected at the other. The bridge that connects the two is often missing.
What’s missing? Meaning. Reflection. A moment to pause and make sense of what just happened.
🔍 Let’s Take a Common Example: “Rangoli Making on Diwali”
Every year, across Indian schools, Rangoli making is organised during Diwali. It’s colourful, creative, and culturally engaging. But ask students after the activity what they learned—and most will say, “We had fun.”
That’s not the problem. The problem is that’s where it ends.
With the right facilitation, this one activity can open doors across disciplines. But without reflection, it remains just another festive celebration.
🧠 What Can Be Learned Through Rangoli Making (Across Subjects)?
| Subject | Learning Opportunities Through Rangoli |
|---|---|
| Math | Symmetry, Geometry (patterns, angles), Area, Ratio, Fractions, Measurement |
| Science | Concepts of colours (pigments, light reflection), Material properties (chalk, powders), Physics of patterns (spirals, radial balance) |
| Art | Design, Aesthetics, Colour theory, Visual balance, Folk art forms |
| History | Cultural significance of Rangoli across Indian states, Evolution of traditional arts |
| Geography | Regional diversity in patterns, Materials used in different climates |
| Language (English/Hindi) | Descriptive writing about the process, Reflection paragraphs, Instructions writing, Storytelling around traditions |
| Civics & Values Education | Teamwork, Respect for culture and diversity, Role of women in preserving traditional arts, Environmental sensitivity (eco-friendly materials) |
So why doesn’t this rich, interdisciplinary potential get realised?
Because the activity is completed—but never unpacked.
Why Doing Alone Isn’t Learning
“Learning by doing” is the mantra echoed in countless classrooms. But let’s not confuse participation with transformation. A hands-on task might ensure engagement, but without structured debriefs or reflective questions, it risks becoming entertainment—not education.
An activity, no matter how innovative, becomes hollow if it doesn’t provoke deeper thinking. When the activity ends, real learning should begin—not end.
Kolb’s Learning Cycle Misunderstood
David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is often cited but rarely applied in its entirety. While most educators are great at creating Concrete Experiences (Step 1), few continue the process through Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualisation, and Active Experimentation.
Kolb’s model was never meant to be a flat circle—it’s a spiral. Each revisit to the cycle should elevate the learner to a new level of understanding. But that climb is impossible without structured reflection and conceptual bridge-building.
🔗 What Bridges Activity and Learning?
The bridge is not more activity. It’s not even feedback. It’s thoughtful facilitation—especially reflection and conceptualisation.
Without asking:
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What patterns did we use?
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Why do different states make different designs?
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How is symmetry used in our design?
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What materials were eco-friendly, and why does that matter?
…the learner simply goes through the motions. Learning becomes linear, not layered.
🌪 The Spiral, Not the Circle
Each reflection leads to new insights. The spiral allows:
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Depth over repetition
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Personal insights over memorized facts
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Courage to re-attempt, rework, and reshape understanding
With each reflection, the learner climbs upward, returning to familiar steps with sharper insight and maturity.
❌ The Common Pitfall: Summarizing Instead of Debriefing
Many educators wrap up activities with a generic summary. But what’s truly needed is a structured debrief—a space where students explore:
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What challenged them?
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What did they discover?
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What was their thought process?
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What can they try next time?
This is where learning breathes and grows.
🔁 Real Learning Is Trying Again — With Insight
Once students reflect and internalise, they’re ready to apply those insights. This is active experimentation—the most overlooked but most powerful phase.
Here, students become thinkers, not just doers. Learning transforms from an event into a journey.
💡 Why This Matters Now
If students never learn to reflect, connect, and re-apply, they grow up with shallow learning and poor resilience. Later in life, they struggle with failure—not because they are incapable, but because they were never taught how to learn from it.
🎓 A Call to Educators
So, the next time you design an “experiential” lesson, ask:
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Is this just an activity, or an actual learning opportunity?
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Have I built the bridge from doing to understanding?
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Are my students spiraling upward, or just going in circles?
Let’s move beyond learning by doing and step into learning by thinking, questioning, failing, laughing, and trying again. That’s where the real growth lies.