Description
ABSTRACT
Background: This study explores a youth-based initiative effort, offering a student-centred approach and an experiential learning strategy to develop critical thinking abilities and practical-based education among youths. It investigates the role that a student-centred approach and experiential learning strategies can play in the development of learners in the 21st century.
Purpose: This study aims to explore and analyse the role education can play in the development of learners in the twenty-first century by examining the role of student-centred and experiential learning approaches among students through the lens of Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism (1978), which explains how knowledge is constructed through social interaction.
Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative approach was used to generate data through semi-structured interviews with the alumni scholars (alumni students) of the youth-based initiative Oyo State, Southwestern, Nigeria.
Findings: The findings reveal that student-centred approaches and experiential learning are effective, equip students with 21st-century skills, and the best learning experience, and prepare them for the labour market.
Conclusions: The study was conducted based on the project of youth-based initiative in the southwestern region of Nigeria; therefore, findings may not be generalised to other regions in the country. However, the result from the project can be replicated and have positive implications all over the country.
Keywords: Student-centred approach, experiential learning, youth-based initiative, strategies
