Perspectives on experiential learning strategy and its influence on secondary school students’ academic achievement and interest in computer studies

The viewpoints on experiential learning strategy and its effect on the achievement and interest of secondary school students in computer studies were investigated. The study was based on the theory of Experiential Learning of Kolb and Experiential Learning Model of Dewey which focuses on learning through experiences, reflections, and practices. This study used the systematic literature review method, which reviews literature both theoretically and empirically, to study the theoretical and empirical viewpoints on experiential learning and its effect on students' success and interest in computer studies. Sources of data were from credible academic publications like journals, textbooks and online databases (Google scholar). A set of inclusion criteria were established and relevant studies were identified. A thematic and comparative analysis method was used to aggregate findings, to key variables and theories. The results were synthesized using narrative synthesis, with a focus on the validity of the results obtained, peer-reviewed literature sources were used, and the results of the analysis were subjected to cross verification. From the synthesized literature, it was found that experiential learning strategies have positive effects on students' learning outcomes which could be seen from the higher involvement of students, critical thinking in learning, and skill development in learning. The review also demonstrated that experiential method makes students more interested in computer studies because it is able to create learning experiences that are interesting and meaningful. Moreover, it was found that the learner centered methods such as simulations, collaborative learning and project-based method were more effective than lecture methods. Results on gender differences were inconclusive, but overall, results indicate that experiential learning is beneficial for male and female students. The study found that experiential learning strategy is an effective pedagogical approach to enhance academic achievement and students' interest in computer studies. Learning outcomes should be improved by using experiential and other learner centred teaching-learning methods so that students can be prepared in real-life contexts was recommended for teachers.