Experiential Education: Does It Realize the Value Promoted by - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Experiential Education: Does It Realize the Value Promoted by Colleges and Universities?

About Lebanon Valley College • Carnegie Classification: Master’s College & University – small programs • Total Undergraduate Enrollment: 1712 • Total Graduate Enrollment: 204 • % Residential – 77% of full ‐ time undergraduates • Degrees offered: B.A., B.S., B.M., MAT, MBA, MSSE, MME, DPT • 113 Full time faculty

Theories of Experiential Education • Dewey : Learn by doing; reflect on experience • Kolb: Create knowledge through the transformation of experience • Lee: Work ‐ based applied learning opportunities

Theories of Experiential Education • Beard & Wilson: Engagement of the “inner world of the person and the outer world of the environment • Eyler: Interaction with the world and integration of learning • Qualers: Unique pedagogy that includes deep reflection, collaborations, and assessment

LVC Definition Adapted from George Kuh’s definition of “high impact experiences” (2008) • Application & integration of classroom learning to a “real ‐ world” problem or situation • Transformative educational experience • Collaboration in an intellectually or socially challenging environment • Enhanced understanding of self and one’s relation to the larger world

Value of Experiential Education As reported in the literature • Fosters the goals of liberal learning: increases knowledge, develops skills, clarifies values • Promotes self ‐ awareness • Enhances learning via reflection and operating outside of one’s comfort zone • Expands opportunities to interact with persons different from self; promotes value of diversity

Value of Experiential Education As promoted at Lebanon Valley College • Develops students’ professional attributes & competencies: “World ‐ Ready” • Promotes original & innovative thinking and creative risk ‐ taking • Promotes intercultural competence, including openness and receptivity to other cultures • Promotes civic engagement

Categories of Experiential Education at LVC • Creativity: Student/faculty collaborations in art, music, drama, or writing; performances, recitals, and exhibitions. • Intellectual engagement: Capstone courses/ projects, student/faculty collaborative research, independent research. • Intercultural awareness: Study abroad, multi ‐ cultural initiatives, international service learning

Categories of Experiential Education at LVC • Leadership & Professional Development: Internships, clinical experiences & fieldwork, student teaching, student leadership positions (e.g. student government), resident assistants, peer mentors, study POD leaders • Community Engagement: Community ‐ engaged learning and service opportunities

Experiential Education and Student Learning “The difference between experiential education programs that enhance student learning and those that do not is likely the approach used by the university to develop the program.” M. Jill Austin & Diana Zeh Rust (2015)

Institutionalizing Experiential Education Donovan, Porter, & Stellar (2010) characterize successful programs: • Well defined mission or statement of purpose • Actively engaged faculty in planning & oversight of programs • Clearly articulated learning goals/outcomes • Quality control • Internal and external expertise • Showcase of student work

Immersive Experiences at LVC • Managed by individual departments (academic programs or services, co ‐ curricular units) • Required for graduation • Vetted and approved by the General Education Committee and the Committee on Curriculum and Assessment • Meet criteria established by the faculty for immersive educational experiences

Immersive Experiences at LVC • Clearly articulated criteria • Assessed regularly and systematically • Reviewed on a 3 ‐ year cycle • Supported by budget, college infrastructure, and donors • Showcased via web stories, blogs, social media, class presentations, conferences, performances, recitals, exhibitions, and Inquiry

Assessment What is assessed? • Student learning • Quality of the experience • Student satisfaction with the experience • Equity and access

Assessment Methods Reported in annual program ‐ level assessment reports • Performance criteria • Reviews • Projects, presentations, and papers scored using well ‐ defined criteria • Focus groups • Surveys (standardized & self ‐ designed)

Assessment Methods • “3 Minute Response”: Pre & Post assessment • Reflective writings measured by rubric • Evaluations of external agencies • Portfolios

WORKSHOP ACTIVITY Do we value the intentions of experiential learning? • Does our mission statement, value proposition, and/or strategic plan drive intentional experiential learning engagement for our students?

WORKSHOP ACTIVITY What curricular & co ‐ curricular opportunities do we provide to students to create a culture of learning through “real ‐ world” experiences and reflection? Perform an audit of the institution’s offerings that could be categorized into experiential learning opportunities. Include credit and non ‐ credit offerings. • Are any required for graduation? • Who owns or manages the offerings? • Are they supported by the institutional budget?

WORKSHOP ACTIVITY How do we know if we are succeeding? • Do your experiential learning opportunities have well ‐ defined learning outcomes? • Were these opportunities vetted & approved by the faculty? • Are there systematic and regular assessments for student learning in these experiences? • Are students able to design their learning goals and reflect on the experience? • Are the outcomes showcased to market the value of experiential learning at your institution?

Assessment Challenges How do we measure the promises inherent in our experiential learning mission statement? • Transformation • Enhanced understanding of self • Innovation & risk taking

Bibliography Austin, M. J. & Rust, D. Z. (2015). Developing an experiential learning program: Milestones and challenges. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 27 .1, 143 ‐ 153. Brownell, J. E. & Swaner, L. E. (2010). Five high ‐ impact practices: Research on learning outcomes, completion, and quality. Washington, DC: AAC&U. Butler, G. & Hanlon, J. (n.d.). Implementing experiential learning across the curriculum. Available from http://www.ocsb.ca/images/highschool/ocsb ‐ experiential ‐ learning ‐ reference ‐ guide.pdf Center for Urban Education. (n.d.). Template for analyzing data with respect to equity in high ‐ impact practices (HIPs). Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California Center for Urban Education. Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center. (n.d.). Experiential learning. Available from http://www.niu.edu/facdev/_pdf/guide/strategies/experiential_learning.pdf Gosen, J. & Washbush, J. (2004). A review of scholarship on assessing experiential learning effectiveness. Simulation & Gaming, 35 .2, 270 ‐ 293. Gosenpud, J. (1990). The evaluation of experiential learning. In Gentry, J.W. Guide to business gaming and experiential learning (pp. 301 ‐ 329). Dubuque, IA: Nichols Publishing Company. Kinzie, J. (2012). Fostering student learning and success: The value of high ‐ impact practices. Available from http://www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/sem/kinzieHO2012(3).pdf

Bibliography Kuh, G. D. (2008). High ‐ impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Available from http://secure.aacu.org/store/detail.aspx?id=E ‐ HIGHIMP O’Toole, K. (2007). Assessment in experiential learning: The case of a public policy internship. Education Research and Perspectives, 34 .2, 51 ‐ 61. Schwartz, M. (2013). Best practices in experiential learning. The LTO Best Practices Series, 36 , 1 ‐ 20. Retrieved from http://www.ryerson.ca/lt/resources/newsletters/best_practices/ Teaching and Learning Services. (2014). Guidelines for assessment of experiential learning. Retrieved from https://www.mcgill.ca/tls/files/tls/guidelines_ ‐ _assessment_of_experiential_learning_1.pdf Yates, T., Wilson, J. & Purton, K. (2014). Surveying assessment in experiential learning: A single campus study. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6 .3, 1 ‐ 20.

Questions? Ann E. Damiano damiano@lvc.edu Jill Russell russell@lvc.edu