Abstract:

Graduation is a confirmation of specialist, theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and specific competences. There is no doubt about that this all three learning outcomes at a higher educational level are important and necessary, but the proportions between them are impaired. The students do not get enough practical skills and soft skills.

Often the first contact of a graduate with a place of work in the learned profession exposes his inability to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and the competences he has acquired during the studies are not properly recognized and used. The use of active and experiential learning, regardless of the field of knowledge, is very useful. The development of active and experiential learning among students increases the chances for a better understanding of the new theoretical knowledge, skillful use of it in practice, gaining additional competencies, including soft skills and dissemination and popularization of knowledge.

How to implement active and experimental learning during academic studies? Is it possible in humanities and social sciences, or only in exact sciences? This article aims to present various methods of active and empirical teaching and learning, which I used in didactic work at the university in the faculty of education for the last twelve years. These methods give satisfactory results of acquiring new theoretical knowledge, acquiring practical skills and gaining competences useful on the labor market and are also considered attractive and useful by students.

Keywords:

Active learning, experiential learning, adult education, higher education, competences, skills.