Participants say experiential education creates lasting learning, urge classroom integration

For participants on a multi-day outdoor field session, experiential education was more than a method — it was "a way of life," they said. They described learning as a full-body, sensory experience that ties classroom topics to real-world relationships and local people, and several speakers urged bringing more hands-on programs into public schools and involving classroom teachers. Participants said experiential education matters because it helps students build lasting memories and empathy that classroom lectures alone do not produce. "For me, experiential education is, really a way of life," said Participant 1, participant. Participant 6 added: "To me, the difference between experiential learning and the traditional academic sense…