Learning by Doing: Why It’s the Key to the Future (and an Example That Will Surprise You)

Imagine you had to learn something new today.

You could read a thousand-page text full of abstract definitions disconnected from your real life.Or you could experience it—live it and create from it—in a process that transforms not only what you know but who you are and how you act in the world.

Which do you think would work better?

The Pedagogy Behind It: Learning by Doing

Experiential learning is not just an educational trend. It’s an approach backed by some of the most influential thinkers and universities in the world:

• John Dewey said: “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

• Jean Piaget proposed that knowledge is actively built through interaction with the environment.

• Paulo Freire taught that learning is an act of liberation and social transformation.

🌟 At Harvard Business School, for instance, their teaching model is based on the case method, where students learn by solving real business problems, analyzing complex dilemmas, and making decisions as if they were executives. Deep learning happens when we apply knowledge to real contexts and face the uncertainty of the world—not when we memorize the “right” answers.

In fact, this experiential approach is the preferred method in leadership, innovation, and talent development programs at global companies. Why?

✅ It develops critical and strategic thinking.

✅ It fosters communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills.

✅ It builds confidence and self-awareness to navigate complex, ever-changing environments.

How Do We Apply This Pedagogy at Eidos?

En Eidos diseñamos cada programa y experiencia formativa bajo este enfoque de Learning Experience Design (LXD), que integra:

✅ Autoconocimiento – entender quién soy y qué quiero aportar. 

✅ Juego y exploración – activar curiosidad y creatividad. 

✅ Descubrimiento – conectar con problemas reales de la comunidad. 

✅ Solución y prototipado – diseñar y probar ideas de cambio. 

✅ Concreción y acción – crear soluciones reales, desde un cambio de hábito hasta un proyecto social o tecnológico.

Así, cada participante no solo aprende, sino que se transforma en agente de impacto en su entorno.

An Inspiring Example: The Museum of Solutions (MuSo)

One of the most powerful examples of applying this pedagogy is the Museum of Solutions (MuSo) in Mumbai, India.

🔹 What is MuSo?It’s a 10-story children’s museum, co-created by Eidos in a project led by the JSW Foundation in India. It was designed as a space where children don’t just observe—they take the lead, create solutions, and design better futures in the heart of Mumbai.

🔹 Why is it innovative?Because it’s built on three pedagogical pillars that embody experiential learning:

• Boldly Child-Led – Children’s voices define the experiences and activities.

• Rooted to Reality – Every challenge is connected to real-world issues in Mumbai and beyond.

• Radically Inclusive – It embraces diversity as a driver of empathy, collaboration, and growth.

  
  

Context: A Social Purpose Museum in India

Mumbai is a vibrant, contrasting city with over 20 million people, 40% of whom live in informal settlements with limited access to basic services and quality educational opportunities.

In this context, MuSo aims to:

✅ Empower children as change agents—today and tomorrow.

✅ Inspire them to design solutions for the problems that matter to them.

✅ Connect their learning to sustainability, inclusion, and equity.

Impact and Results

The MuSo experience fosters:

• Growth mindset (Carol Dweck).

• Autonomy and agency (Montessori, Freire).

• Curiosity and creativity (Piaget, Bruner).

• Critical thinking, resilience, and problem-solving (Bloom, OECD).

Each child walks away with the conviction that they can create real change in their environment—and in the world.

And What Can We Do From Where We Are?

Experiential learning isn’t just a method for children. It’s the key to forming leaders, teams, and communities capable of adapting, innovating, and solving the complex challenges of our time.

💡 If you lead a team in talent, social impact, innovation, or education—and want to design transformative experiences like MuSo for your organization or community:

👉 Let’s talk.

Contact us