The Round Square International Conference 2023 圆方国际会议2023

The Round Square International Conference 2023: On the Power of Experiential Learning

“There exists within everyone a grand passion, an outlandish thirst for adventure, a desire to live boldly and vividly through the journey of life.” 

Kurt Hahn, Experiential Learning Educator

Internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership, service. These six words may flash up so much in everyday discussions today that few can understand their full meanings. They seem to be only truly relevant in the talks of politicians, environmentalists, and those who take a major part in the planning and development of societies. But when, from October 8 to 14, the Round Square International Conference 2023 (RSIC 2023) occurred in Nairobi, Kenya, the meanings and actions of these terms became grounded in the reality of more than 1,500 high school students worldwide. Round Square is an international organization of 230 schools that aim to consistently deliver positive influences on internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership, and service (The IDEALS). Each year, Round Square schools gather together during the International Conference to share and listen to the voices of each other and plan together the hopes and actions for the future. This year, the theme of the International Conference is “The New Africa,” which essentially revolves around the development of the IDEALS in the African continent. As a proud Round Square member school, Keystone Academy sent a delegation of six students: Katie Lan (G12), Thomas Han (G12), Mico Zhang (G12), Roseanne Huo (G11), Richard Gao (G11), and Jack Wang (G11). Led by our Head of School Dr. Emily McCarren and Director of Experiential Learning Mr. Chris Cartwright, our delegation actively participated in the agenda events of the meeting, powerfully bringing a Chinese voice into global discussions.

There are, undoubtedly, many aspects and points to be noted about the RSIC 2023. From the exchanging of culture to the awareness of the environment, then to the magic about Nairobi itself, the highlights of this Conference are innumerable. Keystone has an unwavering focus on experiential learning. We host our ELP and OEP programs annually and proactively take part in initiatives to explore the international world, the RSIC 2023 being an example. In the sense of experiential learning, Round Square’s values intertwine with those of Keystone. Thus, examining this event from the perspective of experiential education and learning is only the most pertinent. This article will draw on details from the RSIC 2023 to discuss how the experiential learning we underwent allowed us to immerse, learn about learning itself and acquire spiritual freedom.

Experiential learning is first associated with the idea of full immersion. This association makes this form of education stand out, as other means to obtain information usually do not involve a thorough immersion in an environment. When one attempts experiential learning, they sharpen their senses to react to the surrounding elements. This claim is felt throughout the RSIC. For example, on the Conference’s second day, we went on two game drives in the Nairobi National Park. Headed by a local guide, we marveled at the biodiversity and the magnificence of nature in the Park. Throughout both drives, the guide was quite passionate about teaching us some basic information about the animals, such as the differences between black and white rhinos or the explanation for the lack of elephants in the Park. All this teaching was happening while we glanced out of the windows, seeing the antelopes graze and the rhinos resting in the bushes.

This experience epitomizes experiential learning as we left the classroom setting and immersed ourselves totally in the natural world. In the end, we gained not just knowledge, but further a passion for nature and a motivation to continue exploring the unknown and the unfamiliar. We talked about the possibility of witnessing other natural wonders elsewhere and made a connection with the “rewilding project” in Keystone. Nature is one of the most common yet powerful “classrooms.” It yields endless amounts of lessons and experiences. Since humankind is the child of nature, it makes sense to integrate nature into education. An immersion in nature prods an individual to develop a constant drive for greater adventure, providing them with a spatial coordinate in reality while absorbing new knowledge. The magic of experiential learning is that through the complete immersion of the body in the environment, the learner can automatically remember and understand a vast array of information, further developing a will to explore.

However, aside from providing an opportunity to immerse, experiential learning is one of the only channels that allow an individual to learn how they learn. Unlike the traditional book-reading method, experiential learning makes one thoroughly cognizant of what they are undergoing. Thus, although this kind of learning immerses the learner in experiences, it also gives that learner a holistic, bird-view perspective on the learning process. For instance, I tried to learn experientially from my Bangladesh roommate during the RSIC about the current situation of their politics, economics, and culture. I was inquisitive about the Islamic religion’s role in their country. He told me that although his country is small, Islam is an adhesive force that knits together people of different colors, ethnicities, and values. I followed up to let him elaborate on this point. In Bangladesh, religion acts as such a powerful force that even the young generation, who is exposed to the internet and a wide array of other sources of information, still choose to believe in Islam. This is because the roots of Islam and the traditional culture are stuck extremely deep in their society. Hearing this complete answer, I, in return, shared with him the situation in China, how traditional religions, unlike in their country, are decreasing in importance for the young generation. After reflecting upon this process, I became aware that when learning about culture, I tend to have focused discussions with others who are quite immersed in their culture. Through these discussions, I can obtain factual information and personal opinions and perspectives, which help me picture the characteristics of a culture in greater vividity. Experiential learning, in this case, a mutual exchange of ideas on the same topic, allowed me to be aware of my learning process itself, consequently raising the effectiveness of learning and leading me to engage profoundly with a topic.

Experiential learning finally opens the horizon for an individual, nurturing spiritual freedom in the learner. Experiential learning pushes the learner to realize that there are countless journeys to embark on, innumerable opportunities to take in the wonders and unique characteristics of cultures, and moments when it is acceptable to rest to feel the rhythm of nature. This realization kindles a firm determination in the learner to break the limits they set on themselves and leave the familiar zone behind to hear new stories. The actions of breaking limits and leaving the familiar zone constitute freedom. One night in the adventure to Nairobi, we were fortunate to listen to a live performance by Sauti Sol, an Afropop band whose songs hail African culture and possess a clear African identity. By listening to their songs, we grasp, experientially, the beat and pulse of modern African culture. When the crowd uniformly begins to chant the lyrics “Nowhere be like Africa, nowhere be like home” from the song “Africa,” we were struck by awe and fascination, fascinated by the incredible power of African songs to relate to our deepest wants for liberation and a sense of belonging. The fast yet steady African rhythms, the crowd waving and shouting in ecstasy, and the singing from the depth of the African soul all spoke to something deep within us, to the child who dreamt that one day he would hunt the savannahs of the night, and feast on top of the acacia trees, and find a love to last forever somewhere under the dome of stars. What followed was an upsurging want of adventure, a want that disregarded the possible hurdles and only yearned for freedom. The spiritual freedom we longed for so much deep in our souls was exciting yet calming simultaneously, a mix of thrill and contemplation.

It is intriguing when we connect the IDEALS of Round Square with the concept of experiential learning. When experiential learning happens, the essence of the IDEALS bounces to life. During the RSIC 2023, in the form of engaging safari trips, experiential learning brought forth the value of upholding environmentalism and adventure; in the form of equal and powerful cultural conversations, experiential learning demonstrated internationalism in action; in the form of vibrant and vivid cultural performances of music, experiential learning kindled spiritual freedom in us, prompting us to continue appreciating the inherent diversity of the world, which ties closely with the values of democracy and service. Experiential learning links an individual with the real world, the world one can see, touch, hear, smell, and feel. As the virtual environment becomes ever more prevalent, it is worth noting the value of this learning as an anchor that ties the learner to reality, cultivating their passion for real visions, textures, sounds, scents, and emotions. Experiential learning encourages each and every individual to choose their path prudently. With the onset of the virtual world, this kind of learning ensures that the learner stays calm even when faced with the virtual world’s lures and can always live as a lively, real human being.

《2023年圆方国际会议：体验式学习的力量》

"每个人的内心都有一种宏大的激情，一种对冒险的奇妙渴求，一种在人生旅途中大胆而生动地生活的极致渴望"

库尔特-哈恩，体验式学习教育者

国际主义、民主、环保、冒险、领导力、服务，在当今世界的日常讨论中，这六个词可能经常出现，但很少有人能够理解它们的内在含义。它们似乎只在政治家、环保主义者与那些主要参与社会规划及发展的人的谈话中才真正具有现实意义。但是， 10 月 8 日至 14 日在肯尼亚内罗毕举行的 "2023 年圆方国际会议"（以下简称“RSIC 2023”）中，这些术语所包含的含义与行动就融入了全世界 1500 多名高中生的现实生活中。圆方是一个由 230 所学校组成的国际组织，旨在持续传递国际主义、民主、环保、探险、领导力和服务（以下简称“The IDEALS”）方面的积极影响。每年，圆方的成员校都会在国际会议期间齐聚一堂，分享并倾听彼此的声音，共同规划未来的希望和行动。今年，国际会议的主题是 "新非洲"，会议内容主要围绕 "The IDEALS "在非洲大陆的发展展开。作为圆方的成员学校，鼎石学校派出了由六名学生组成的代表团： Katie Lan（12年级）、Thomas Han （12年级）、Mico Zhang（12年级）、Roseanne Huo（11年级）、Jack Wang（11年级）、Richard Gao（11年级）。在校长Dr. McCarren与体验式学习总监Chris Cartwright的带领下，我校代表团积极参与了会议的各项议程，有力地将中国声音带入全球范围的讨论中。

毫无疑问，RSIC 2023有许多值得关注的方面与要点。从文化交流到环保意识，再到内罗毕本身的魅力，本次会议的亮点不胜枚举。北京鼎石学校非常注重将体验式学习贯穿于所有教学理念中，我们有每年一度的ELP、OEP项目，也积极推进全球范围内的体验式学习活动，此次圆方的会议就是鼎石积极推进的工作之一。这样的理念及工作与圆方组织的教育哲学不谋而合，因此从体验式学习的角度来审视这次活动的过程与影响是最贴切不过的。因此，本文将运用 RSIC 2023 的细节，探讨体验式学习如何让人沉浸其中，了解学习过程本身，并最终获得精神自由。

体验式学习首先与“完全沉浸”这一概念联系在一起。这种联想使这种学习形式脱颖而出，因为其他获取信息的途径通常不会让学习者完全沉浸在某种环境中。当一个人尝试体验式学习时，他的感官会变得敏锐，从而对周围的不同元素迅速做出反应。在整个 RSIC活动 中都能感受到这种说法的真实性。例如，在大会的第二天，我们在内罗毕国家公园进行了两次观兽旅行。在当地导游的带领下，我们对公园内的生物多样性与自然的壮丽景色赞叹不已。在两次驾驶过程中，导游都非常热情地向我们传授有关动物的一些基本信息，比如黑犀牛与白犀牛的区别，或者公园里没有大象的原因。当我们从车窗向外眺望，看到羚羊在吃草，犀牛在树丛中休息时，所有这些教学活动都在同时进行。

这种体验是体验式学习的缩影，因为我们离开了课堂环境，完全沉浸在自然世界中。最后，我们收获的不仅仅是知识，更多的是对大自然的热情，以及继续探索未知和陌生世界的动力。我们讨论了在其他地方目睹其他自然奇观的可能性，并与鼎石本身的学生领导的 "野化项目 "建立了联系。大自然的确是最普通却最为强劲的 "课堂 "之一，它提供了无穷无尽的课程与经验。既然人类是大自然的孩子，那么将自然融入教育也是合情合理的。沉浸在自然中会激发个人不断探险的动力，为他们提供现实中的空间坐标，同时不断吸收新的知识。体验式学习的神奇之处在于，通过让身体完全浸泡在环境中，学习者可以自动记忆并理解大量信息，进一步培养探索的意愿。

然而，除了提供沉浸式学习的机会之外，体验式学习也是让个人学会如何学习的唯一渠道之一。与传统的读书方法不同，体验式学习会让人对自己正在经历的事情有根本性的认知。因此，虽然这种学习方式让学习者沉浸在体验中，但它也让学习者以一种整体的、鸟瞰式的视角来看待学习过程。例如，在 RSIC 期间，作为体验式学习的一部分，我试图从我的孟加拉国室友那里通过亲切的谈话了解他们的政治、经济与文化现状。我尤其好奇伊斯兰教在他们国家所扮演的角色。他告诉我，虽然他的国家很小，但伊斯兰教就像一股巨大的粘合力，将不同肤色、种族与价值观的人凝聚在一起。我继续追问，让他详细说明这一点。在孟加拉国，宗教是一种如此强大的力量，即使是接触互联网和其他各种信息来源的年轻一代，由于传统文化与宗教力量之根的强大，他们仍然选择虔诚地信仰伊斯兰教。听到这个完整的回答，我反过来与他分享了中国的情况，即传统宗教与他们国家不同，对年轻一代的重要性在逐渐下降。经过这个过程，我反思，意识到在学习文化时，我的主要途径是与其他沉浸在自己文化中的人进行有针对性的讨论。通过这些讨论，我不仅可以获得事实信息，还可以获得个人观点和看法，从而帮助我更生动地理解一种文化的特征。体验式学习，即就同一主题进行相互交流，让我认识到自己的学习过程本身，从而提高了学习的有效性，使我对不同主题的发展有着更为深刻的理解。

体验式学习最终为个人拓展了视野，培养了学习者的精神自由。体验式学习促使学习者认识到，有无数的旅程可以踏上，有无数的机会可以领略各种文化的奇妙与独特之处，有无数的时刻可以停下来感受自然的韵律。这种认识点燃了学习者打破自我设限的坚定决心，让他们离开熟悉的区域，去聆听新的故事。打破限制、离开熟悉区域的行动正构成了自由。在内罗毕之旅的一晚，我们有幸聆听了非洲流行乐队 Sauti Sol 的现场表演。通过聆听他们的歌曲，我们亲身感受到了现代非洲文化的节拍与脉搏。当全场观众齐声高唱《非洲》中的歌词 "Nowhere be like Africa, nowhere be like home "（没有一片地域如非洲一般，没有一片地域是我们真正的家）时，我们为之震撼，为之着迷，为非洲歌曲能与我们内心深处对解放和归属感的渴望产生共鸣的不可思议的力量所吸引。急促而稳定的非洲节奏、人群狂喜的挥舞与呐喊、来自非洲灵魂深处的歌声，这一切都激发着我们内心深处的某种元素，这种元素促使我们幻想，幻想着有一天能在黑夜的大草原上狩猎、在金合欢树顶上大快朵颐、在星空下的某处角落找到天长地久的爱情。随之而来的是对冒险的强烈渴望，这种渴望无视可能的障碍，只渴望自由。在灵魂深处渴望已久的精神自由让人兴奋不已，同时又让人平静下来，自由与沉思交织在一起。

当我们将圆方的理念与 "体验式学习 "的概念联系起来时，就会发现其中的奥妙。当体验式学习发生时，圆方理想的精髓就会变得愈发现实且显著。在 RSIC 2023 期间，体验式学习以引人入胜的观兽旅行，彰显了坚持环保与探险的价值；以平等而有力的文化对话，体验式学习展示了行动中的国际主义；以丰富鲜活的音乐文化表演，体验式学习点燃了我们的精神自由，促使我们继续欣赏世界固有的多样性，这与民主及服务的价值密切相关。体验式学习将个人与现实世界联系在一起，即一个人可以看到、触到、听到、闻到并感受到的世界。随着虚拟环境愈发变得广泛，值得注意的是，这种学习的价值在于将学习者与现实联系起来，培养他们对真实视觉、质感、声音、气味和情感的热情。体验式学习让每一个人谨慎地寻找并选择自己的道路。它保证了个体永远都能在虚拟世界的多重诱惑下保持镇定，时刻回想真实世界的价值所在，做一名真正鲜活的“人”。