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Zhaoyu Chen, McGill University, CanadaAbstract
Many students struggle to adapt when transitioning from traditionally teacher-led classrooms to the self-directed learning environment encountered in higher education. To address this gap, this paper advocates introducing experiential learning approaches in late elementary grades (4–6) to cultivate independent learning skills earlier in students’ development. Psychological research indicates that late elementary is a critical period of brain development, making it an ideal window to foster autonomy with long-term benefits for future learning. Grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning theory, this paper proposes the Guided Discovery Model (GDM), a structured three-stage framework that blends hands-on discovery with purposeful teacher guidance. In the GDM, students actively construct knowledge and meaning for themselves, nurturing autonomy, critical thinking, and readiness for future academic and civic life. Meanwhile, teachers discreetly scaffold the experience using backward design principles (planning with clear end goals in mind) to ensure that student-led discoveries remain aligned with intended learning outcomes. By balancing student agency with behind-the-scenes teacher planning, the GDM develops learners’ self-directed learning abilities without compromising educational objectives. This model offers a practical, theory-informed approach to curriculum design, demonstrating how experiential and guided discovery strategies can be effectively adapted to the needs of younger learners to cultivate genuine learner autonomy while maintaining instructional quality and goal alignment.
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Conference: ECE2025Stream: Teaching Experiences
This paper is part of the ECE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Chen Z. (2025) Adapting Experiential Learning Methods to Foster Autonomous Learning in Elementary Grades (4-6) ISSN: 2188-1162 The European Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 377-385) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1162.2025.31
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1162.2025.31
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