By James Forsythe - Experiential Learning Coordinator
Experiential learning at ICSZ turns abstract concepts into lived experiences, and nowhere was this more evident than during a recent visit to the nuclear power plant in Leibstadt (Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt - KKL). Students from Grade 9 arrived with questions about how nuclear reactors work and what role nuclear energy plays in a world facing both rising energy demands and a climate crisis. Stepping onto the site transformed some of those questions into real-world inquiries, where wonderings and curiosities became a little more concrete.
Inside the plant, students traced the journey of energy from the fission of uranium fuel rods to the spinning of turbines that generate electricity for Swiss homes and industries. They were able to connect key scientific ideas—such as nuclear fission, chain reactions, and the conversion of nuclear energy into electrical energy—to the physical systems in front of them. Seeing the control room, cooling systems, and extensive safety infrastructure helped them visualise what it means to keep a nuclear chain reaction controlled, stable, and productive rather than destructive.
The visit also invited the students to grapple with the complex trade-offs of nuclear power. Connected to the visit, students had to research the advantages of nuclear energy—such as low greenhouse gas emissions during operation and the ability to generate large amounts of electricity from a small amount of fuel—as well as concerns around radioactive waste, safety, and long-term sustainability. On site, students could ask questions of our tour guides, testing their own assumptions and internalizing knowledge and understandings they would later use in a structured classroom debate on the global impacts of nuclear energy.
Back at school, the experience became the foundation for deeper inquiry. Students organised their notes, evaluated sources, and prepared evidence-based positions for and against nuclear power, practising critical thinking and respectful discourse. Throughout the unit, they were challenged to take principled, informed stances while remaining open-minded to multiple perspectives—a clear expression of the IB Learner Profile in action. In this way, the visit to KKL was far more than a tour; it was a catalyst for interdisciplinary learning that linked science, ethics, and environmental responsibility, demonstrating how ICS uses experiential learning to bring complex global issues vividly to life.