Importance of Real-World Experience in Learning

Experience Teaches More Than Books: A Reflection on Workplace Learning In the professional world, experience often teaches us more than books. While theoretical knowledge is crucial, it’s the practical application that truly refines our skills and understanding. Real-world scenarios present unique challenges that require adaptive thinking and problem-solving beyond what textbooks can offer. I vividly recall making my first few cold calls. Despite having read extensively on sales techniques, the nerves and unexpected reactions from potential clients taught me more about persistence and improvisation than any book ever could. Each call was a lesson in resilience and adaptation, skills that no textbook could impart. Learning from mistakes is a significant part of this process. The trial and error of real-life tasks teach resilience and adaptability, qualities essential for growth in any role. Each misstep provides a lesson, fostering a deeper, more practical understanding that no book can replicate. For instance, handling customer resolutions, especially when they are sensitive, has taught me the importance of empathy and patience. Textbooks provided a framework, but actual interactions revealed the nuances of active listening and thoughtful communication, which are crucial for resolving conflicts effectively. Experience also offers a contextual understanding of how to apply theoretical knowledge. It reveals the nuances and complexities of real-life situations, providing insights into team dynamics, effective communication, and conflict resolution—skills that are vital in an office environment but difficult to master from reading alone. Making sales requires patience and time, a lesson I’ve learned through numerous interactions and negotiations. Books taught me the theory of building relationships, but experience showed me the importance of timing, trust, and understanding the client’s needs deeply. For those who join a business later, like in my case, the learning curve is steep. However, combining fresh perspectives with the practical insights gained on the job can lead to innovative strategies and a more profound comprehension of the business. Ultimately, while books are invaluable for foundational knowledge, it’s experience that hones our skills, shapes our understanding, and equips us to handle the ever-evolving challenges in the workplace. Embrace each challenge as a learning opportunity, and you'll continue to grow both personally and professionally. --- Feel free to connect and share your thoughts on the importance of experience in professional growth! --- *#ProfessionalGrowth #ExperienceVsBooks #WorkplaceLearning*

Does this sad scenario sound familiar? #Students shuffle to class, heads down, thumbing glowing screens. They slide into seats, open books, and settle for an hour of passive listening. The #teacher drones on, speaking to blank stares behind laptops. Maybe there is an activity every so often. Where is the energy, the collaboration, the sense of purpose? Now imagine this. A group of students gather in a dorm lounge late at night, debating ideas for a student-run #business. They work together to develop a #businessmodel and a #marketing campaign, build a website, and find their first client. These students are preparing for life after #college: By organizing events. By making sales calls. By meeting with mentors. By building with #technology. They learn by doing, navigating challenges, taking risks, and reflecting on failures. Leaders emerge. Skills sharpen. Teams bond. Students gain confidence and real-world experience. They graduate with more than a degree - they have a track record of delivering results and a hunger to do more. The time for passive and manufactured learning is over. The need for real-world experience has never been greater. John Carroll University Entrepreneurship students run the Food For Thought Food Buggy: https://lnkd.in/euJn2yb

【VALUABLE REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES】情熱と勇気を持って人生の実体験に臨み続ける大切さ ＊＊Scroll down for ENGLISH version ＊＊ ★写真は、いつも行く US BANK という銀行の向かいにある教会の前に駐めてあったオートバイです。サイドカー付きの立派なオートバイで、60代半ば位と見受けられる男女のカップルが、それぞれのオートバイのライダーです。カッコいい！　いくつになっても＃情熱 と #勇気 を失わず実体験を続ける最高の例ですね。 ★『人生の #実体験 シリーズ』の続編です。家庭教師、お好み焼き屋さんの店員、インポートワインの店頭販売、白馬のスキーロッジでの住み込みのアルバイト等を学生時代に経験していた私は、アメリカ留学を終えて帰国し、某大手 #英会話学校 の講師になりました。全国から新人講師が研修施設に集まり、１週間泊まり込みで教授法の研修を受けました。研修というより実地訓練と言ったほうが妥当かもしれません。この超実践的な研修訓練が後の私の人生に非常に役に立ちました。 ★英会話学校の講師という仕事は、私が本当にやりたい事への通過点というかステッピングストーンでしたので、カリキュラムの組み方・教授法・生徒との接し方、イベントの進行等、学び得る事全てを、1年程の間にしっかり吸収させてもらいました。いろいろ学んだ中で１番重要な事柄は、中学校や高校で学生達を教えるのと、英会話学校で高い受講料を払ってプライベートレッスンや少人数レッスンを受ける大人の生徒さん達を教えるのは全く違うという事です。何が違うかというと、後者は生徒という立場の #御客様 ですから、顧客としてリピーターになってもらえるよう講師を含め企業側は、それなりの努力をしなければならないという事です。これは、英会話学校に限らず、いろいろな業種にあてはまりそうですね。 ★ どんなにテクノロジーが進歩しても、人生には実体験からしか学べない事がたくさんあります。あのカッコいいオートバイに乗っていた御年配のカップルのように、いくつになっても好奇心と情熱と勇気を失わず、未知の世界に飛び込み、多くの事を体験し、学び続けたいものですね。 ★★★★★ ★The photo shows motorcycles parked in front of a church across from the bank where I always go. It's a splendid motorcycle with a sidecar, and a couple in their mid-60s, looking like the riders of each motorcycle. How cool! It's the best example of continuing real-life experiences with #passion and #courage , no matter how old you are. ★This post is a sequel to the “Real-Life Experience Series.” After experiencing various part-time jobs during my university student days in JAPAN, such as being a private tutor, a restaurant assistant, selling imported wines, working at a hotel in skiing resorts, I studied abroad in America. After returning to Japan, I became a teacher at a well-known English conversation school. New teachers from across Japan gathered at the training center for a week-long, live-in training session on teaching methods. This highly practical training proved to be extremely useful in my later life ★The job of an English conversation school teacher served as a stepping stone for me, a path toward what I truly wanted to do. Over the course of about a year, I absorbed everything I could learn. The most crucial one was realizing the significant difference between teaching students in middle / high school and instructing adult learners at an English conversation school, where they pay high fees for private or small-group lessons The fact is students at the English conversation school are #customers . That means the company, including the instructors, must make efforts to ensure they become repeat customers. This holds true not only for English conversation schools but also for various industries ★No matter how much technology advances, there are many things in life that can only be learned through real-life experiences. Just like the elderly couple riding the cool motorcycles, it's important to keep #curiosity , #passion , and  #courage alive, dive into the unknown, and continue to learn throughout our lives ============== ★ This post was written by me ANNA G. ZAIZEN here in America

Today’s world changes faster than most college curriculums. A bachelor’s degree used to be the gatekeeper to an interview. That’s changing. But one thing is for sure: Regardless of who’s doing the hiring, everyone wants to know what experience you have. While a college degree can potentially signify you’ve gained the foundation for doing a job, real-life experiences assure employers you have real assets to get the job done successfully. The best job seekers, and the most forward-thinking companies, are being to realize that translating experiences into more broadly applicable skills, abilities, and attitudes and beliefs about work, is the new name of the game. As a candidate, the goal is to share what you bring to the job right now and how it can be applied to what’s needed today, and may also be valuable for the future all at the same time. #DegreeVsExperience