Los Angeles Leadership Academy

Senior Thesis
Ashley Marquez
English 12
Mr. Steed

A hands-on learning approach is one of the best ways an educator can introduce new
concepts and academic material. Students lose interest in the learning process when they are

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continually tested about what they know using a one-dimensional approach. Without a doubt,
enforcing hands-on activities develops a better understanding of certain concepts students will
need to master as they grow up and get introduced to the real world. Enabling students to
complete hands-on activities, will help them activate many parts of the brain which will broaden
their horizons in the aspects of creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
Now, conceptualize the idea of surgeons performing a lung transplant on a patient or
physical therapists helping a crippled individual regain their ability to walk again without having
any experience, how catastrophic would that be for both the patient and the professional if the
professional did not know innovative ways to tackle a problem.
Creativity, the use of imagination to create original ideas is something that has eluded
modern day classrooms. Creativity also refers to divergent thinking due to the way ones mind
activates proposals far beyond expectations or thinking outside of the box. According to
Edutopia, Divergent behavior is discouraged in school when students are scared to say or do the
wrong thing in class (Edutopia, March 18, 2014). Edutopia is implying that most students are
afraid to share suggestions or ideas mainly because they are intimidated by the other students
who may be much brighter than they are. Divergent thinking is key to creativity, but it is
impossible for students to share creative ideas when the feeling of vulnerability leads to
introversion. In the words of Elite Daily, School actually limits our creativity more than
anything else because it is so egregious and is solely focused on how well you can cram and
memorize things you will forget right after the fact. Students get tired of just learning through
teacher lectures; they gain interest when they are assigned to think and create visuals or models
of the concepts that may help them comprehend much better and keep them captivated.
Interestingly, an activity such as creating a 3D rollercoaster for an algebra class will definitely

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expand the students knowledge because they would have to calculate the distance between the
loops or the length of the roller coaster. Clearly, this will give the student a better understanding
of the material being taught because after creating the roller coaster, they will be able to explain
the different functions being used.
Critical thinking is an important 21st century skill students need to master in order to
succeed in the real world because critical thinkers diligently question ideas rather than just
accepting them and moving on with the thought. Critical thinking is self-directed, selfdisciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous
standards of excellence and mindful command of their use.. (The Critical Thinking
Community). These students improve their quality of thinking by assessing and analyzing not
only complex, but simple ideas which will lead them to become far deeper thinkers.
An excellent high school activity such as reading and analyzing To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee, will help students develop their critical thinking skills because they will examine
consequences of assumptions made towards other groups, understand the nature of stereotypes,
and actually identify them. According to The Critical Thinking Community, this will benefit
them later on because their skills in communication and problem-solving will build them into
expressive and mindful individuals which will soon lead them to success.
Communicational skills are an essential tool for a persons future. Students need to have
the ability to introduce themselves properly, begin and maintain intellectual conversations,
manage relationships, and present themselves in front of an audience. Therefore, communication
is important because it is the only source of transferring information to one another. In regards to
job interviews and meetings, students will need to have already developed the ability to present
themselves well enough to move forward and accomplish their goals. For instance, at a job

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interview the individual should dress formally, speak properly and effectively and he/she should
have the ability to formulate accurate responses, and maintain adequate eye-contact.
Oral presentations during high school will bolster confidence toward presenting ideas to
peers in professional settings. According to NDC Resource Center, When students listen to
each other, they often benefit from hearing concepts being explained from different points and in
ways that might be closer to the students way of thinking. When students listen effectively they
generate questions to further everybody's thinking and learning. Sharing knowledge and ideas
through projects and presentations will also help other students gain new information and get
ideas from different varied points-of-view.
Collaboration often occurs when students work peer-to-peer or in large groups where
they each discuss their thoughts towards certain topics and solve problems. ..many instructors
have found that through peer instruction, students teach each other by addressing
misunderstandings and clarifying misconceptions (Collaborative Learning May, 2016). It allows
students to learn from each other while sharing concepts that trigger prior knowledge and build
upon new concepts learned. In addition, it develops a higher level of thinking skills because they
have the chance to get questions answered in many other perspectives and the brain becomes
open to accepting different opinions from multiple perspectives. Cooperative games allow
students to work together to make decisions based on creative thinking, communication, and
collaboration. As there arent any right or wrong answers (just strategies), students build better
relationships with other team members as they struggle, deal with failure, and eventually work to
master the problem presented (TeachHub, May 2016). Human Knots is a collaboration game
where a group of students get in a circle and try to detangle themselves within a time frame. This

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game will teach students how to collaborate, communicate and work together to find solutions
while struggling and dealing with negative outcomes..
To conclude, hands-on activities create opportunities for a better learning and teaching
experience for both the students and teachers. Hands-on activities will create a positive impact
on the students and the ability to present ideas, think deeply, and be able to express their
creativity instinct. Teachers will then have credibility on the students success because they
helped students go above and beyond with their creativity, critical thinking, communication, and
collaboration skills. Students abhor the idea of learning from textbooks and taking tests after
learning the material. They want the opportunity to express their ideas and gain a better
understanding by creating projects and keeping their minds productive. Furthermore, hands-on
activities will stimulate different regions of the brain which will then help students throughout
college because their horizons will broaden and they will become open-minded towards
situations and think outside of the box.

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Work cited
"Critical Thinking Skills." Critical Thinking. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2016
"Communication Skills." Communication Skills. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2016.
"Collaborative Learning: Group Work." CTE. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.
"Fuel Creativity in the Classroom With Divergent Thinking." Edutopia. N.p., 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 12
May 2016.
"Hands-On Is Minds-On." Scholastic Publishes Literacy Resources and Children's Books for Kids of
All Ages. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
"National Council for the Social Studies." The Social Studies 27.2 (1936): 138. Web.
"Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking." Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2016.
"Why Creativity Is The Most Important Quality You Have." Elite Daily Why Creativity Is The Most
Important Quality You Have Comments. N.p., 08 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 May 2016.