Immersion Programs: A Boon or Bane for Students?

Introduction
Learning is inherent to human beings. As human beings, our minds are programmed to learn, unlearn, and re-learn new things at different stages of our lives.

In the context of the above diagram, the question is, “When does powerful learning take place?” Powerful learning happens when the subject learner is completely immersed in an environment where all the means of learning (heart, mind, and body) coincide with the sources of learning (self, others, and nature, or the universe). This gave birth to a concept named ‘Immersion Learning.’

What is an Immersion Program?

Immerse yourself in a life that moves you, because what you surround yourself with is what your life becomes.”

As good as its name suggests, immersion learning is a unique educational approach where a student learns directly by being placed in an environment that resonates with the subject matter of study. This implies that learners are completely immersed in a learning environment for a certain time period, both inside and outside their classrooms.

The Pros of Immersion Programs

As a learning experience, Immersion Programs bring together:

  • Innovative course curriculum
  • Exceptional faculty
  • Real-time exposure to the learning environment
  • Focused knowledge in a preferred area of study
  • Exposure to different languages and cultures creates a depth of understanding in children
  • Use of innovative teaching pedagogies such as audio and visual for the delivery of information

Prepare the ground for students to compete and excel in a global economy

The Cons of Immersion Programs

As per research reports, immersion education is a useful choice for the majority of learners. However, a certain cohort of students might not be able to make the most out of such programs. The underlying reason for their low or negative response to the program format could be attributed to the students’ less developed linguistic and cognitive skills. Therefore, they are unable to cope with the environment that an immersion program offers. In addition, many times learners are exposed to a new environment in a new country. This eventually takes them away from their own roots. This is usually followed by obtaining permanent residence in a new country while leaving their home country.

Are Immersion Programs Right for You?

As our world continuously shrinks because of increasing connectivity, global education looks like the key to survival for the next generation. Immersion programs help students establish connections between their own lives and the lives of people in a different country or region. This enhances our understanding of the cultural, economic, environmental, and political influences that shape our lives. Moreover, students exposed to such programs are able to interact and communicate more competently with people from diverse backgrounds and different cultures. Such children also develop a perspective on how to look at the same subject or area of study from different angles.

Conclusion

What may be good for someone, may not be the best option for someone else. Likewise, an immersion program has its own pros and cons. Therefore, it should be the student’s decision to enroll in an immersion program or not.
UnTechEd leads the way in the immersion education space with innovative immersion programs conducted in collaboration with leading universities and institutions in the sub-continent. As a professional organization with above 15 years of experience in the international education arena, UnTechEd collaborates with renowned names such as Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) and UCSI University, Malaysia for conducting such programs.