Life and death in education

I am still into experiential learning. My definition of experiential learning is that someone has actually gone through an experience; not a simulated experience, such as just pretending you are blind by putting on a blindfold.

One thing that bugs me is the tendency of the social and health service sectors in Hong Kong to be crazy about getting into the latest trends. First, it was reality orientation (RO) that became really popular. Every agency was trying to conduct RO. Then it was reminiscence, life-story work, music therapy and so on and so forth. The latest is horticultural therapy. Once a craze begins, everybody tries to get a head start.

As a researcher and educator, I am appalled at the lack of planning for all of these activities. Because the trend in question is not well understood and has not been studied, it leaves little room for researchers to examine whether there are therapeutic effects from these interventions. And if there are, what are they? In what ways do they have an impact? These questions often remain unanswered, because there are no baseline data. Also, it is hard to “unteach” myths and misconceptions about what certain therapeutic interventions can or cannot deliver. People have gone too far to embrace the ideas.

But I digress. Another trend of the city’s health and social service sector is life-and-death education. I recall a news item about schools cooperating with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to organize experiential learning on life and death for elementary school children. They go into a psychedelic (my description) space (room or passage) and play games that ask spiritual questions about life and death. Supposedly, it is thought provoking for the youngster, so that he or she will not shy away from matters of life and death, and accept them as a part of life.

How odd and unnatural for school children to learn about life and death in this manner! How artificial our society has become. Everything has to be structured for our learning. Do we really believe that our children will better grasp matters of life and death after going through this kind of exhibit?

I believe our youngsters would learn a lot more if they had more opportunity to grow up with their grandparents and their grand-aunts and -uncles. Wouldn’t it be nicer to have carnivals to bring generations together? Life-and-death education is something I have learnt about experientially. My friends’ and relatives’ deaths have taught me about life. I believe in learning in a more naturally occurring context. Of course, core family units in today’s highly mobile society are scattered far and wide, with some family members miles apart from others. But the Internet, Facebook, Skype and other technology applications can keep us together. Learning about life and death cannot be left to exhibitions and teachers alone. It has to come from those who really “live” with us, and have a place in our hearts.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.