Research Bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1996 - Dr. Stirling McDowell ...

comparing the written feedback from students’ and parents’ questionnaires to the criteriafor experiential teaching and learning provided in the “Vision for Saskatchewan SecondarySchools,” the researchers found statements that addressed almost every criterion.“What we have tolearn to do we learnby doing.”AristotleThey noted, however, that few parents responded to the questionnaire. Conversations witha number of parents indicated that they did not feel they knew enough about the teachingapproaches to make meaningful comments. Hendry and Warkentin believe this lack ofknowledge needs to be addressed and recommend further efforts to make parents aware ofthe types of teaching methods and strategies being used in their children’s classrooms.Both researchers report a tremendous positive impact on their lives and careers from theirinvolvement in a collaborative research project. According to Hendry, “the opportunity toreflect in greater depth on my teaching methods” and “to interact with individuals on aprofessional basis at conferences allowed me to grow intellectually and gain knowledge ofdifferent research methods that have enhanced the final outcome of our research.” ForWarkentin, the “project was one of the most rewarding and exciting educational endeavoursof my 35 year career in teaching. To see experiential teaching and learning in actionat the secondary level and to see it ‘really work’ was quite an overwhelming experience.”Hendry and Warkentin hope that their colleagues will undertake similar action researchprojects in order to improve upon teaching practice in Saskatchewan high schools. Toencourage educators’ interest in experiential learning, they have produced a video andhandbook entitled “Creating Student-Centred Curriculum in Secondary Classrooms.”References:Saskatchewan High School Advisory Committee (1994). Policy directions for secondaryeducation in Saskatchewan. Regina, SK: Saskatchewan Education, Training andEmployment.Hopkins, R.L. (1994). Narrative schooling: Experiential learning and the transformationof American education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.Students work together in the classroom.6Learning from Practice