The field of experiential learning (EL) has significantly expanded over the past several decades, along with a proliferation of research and scholarship on EL methods and best practices. The following chapters provide detailed, behind-the-scenes insights into the creation and development of powerful and impactful EL programs that contribute to student success. The book brings together the voices of 37 faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students , alumni, and community partners, from over fifteen different academic disciplines and areas of specialization at the University of Dayton (UD), a private Catholic and Marianist institution in Dayton, Ohio. The book contains EL case studies, reflections , and strategies for designing, facilitating, expanding, and assessing different EL activities and programs , including community-engaged learning, internships, education abroad , student employment, and more. It provides a unique, holistic picture of EL which includes educatorsâ personal experiences and learning processesâperspectives which are often missing in EL literature.
The book also features many examples of the ways EL educators collaborate within and across academic and professional boundaries to develop multidisciplinary , interdisciplinary , and transdisciplinary approaches to EL. The chapters describe the complexities of doing EL in a college setting, including: integrating EL into a course or curriculum, navigating academic and institutional hurdles to obtain EL resources and support, handling the logistics of executing an EL activity or program , mentoring and guiding students with varied skills and abilities who are at different developmental stages in their college careers, leading students into new and diverse communities beyond the classroom, and facilitating deep, sometimes difficult conversations with students and colleagues about the ethical , social , political , and economic dimensions of EL.
One especially unique feature of this book is that students contributed to the collection in many important ways. Students in ENG 377 Writing in Social Contexts, taught by English professor Patrick Thomas, co-authored the afterword and provided immensely valuable editorial support, rendering the book itself an EL project. Additionally, my own student team in the Office of Experiential Learning co-authored the bookâs foreword and offered a wealth of insights that informed the development of this project.
Scholars have offered numerous definitions for EL, a broad term which includes many pedagogical approaches , learning environments, and activities1 (Beard & Wilson, 2015; Eyler, 2009; McClellan & Hyle, 2012; Morris, 2016). In sum, EL is a process that involves active engagement and self-guided learning in a purposeful, immersive experience, as well as reflection and sense-making about that experience in order to transform it into knowledge that can be applied in subsequent experiences and contexts. Active engagement in purposeful, immersive experiences can take many forms, from internships to community-engaged learning , student employment, education abroad , and moreâthere are numerous teaching and learning methods which can be included under the larger umbrella of EL (Roberts, 2016).
EL learning goals and objectives can also vary greatly; some experiences are intended to prepare students for specific professions, others are meant to help individuals achieve greater integration of classroom concepts and real-world problems, others are meant to enhance learnersâ problem-solving and leadership skills or intercultural competencies, and some attempt to do all of these and even more. In addition to differences in form and objectives, strategies for implementing EL experiences can vary greatly, depending on the learners (K-12 versus traditional college-age students or adult learners, for example), the specific techniques employed by instructor or facilitator of the experience (e.g., having students work in groups or teams), and the structural or geographic constraints and assets of the learning environment (location, the academic calendar timeline, funding availability).
Overall, research has found that EL has many benefits for students; âgains in deep learning, practical competence, persistence rates, civic engagement, appreciation of diversity, professional networks, and many othersâ (Kuh & OâDonnell, 2013; Hesser, 2013, cited in Coker & Porter, 2013) are well documented. The various forms of EL represented in this collection are now recognized as high-impact practices which have become essential and fundamental components of higher education. Yet as the chapters in this collection demonstrate, creating impactful EL opportunities is not always easy or straightforward, particularly because effective, meaningful EL experiences must be intentionally designed and require careful coordination, collaboration, and integration. Authors highlight the âcritical importance of orchestrating appropriate framing of the educative experience, of guided inquiry and reflection, and of meaningful linkages between various experiencesâ (Roberts, 2016, p. 56). This is more important than ever as colleges and universities are increasingly challenged to purposefully integrate EL on their campuses, as well as track and evaluate the outcomes of EL for diverse learners. As a result, it has become more and more important to provide opportunities for students to apply classroom concepts in real-world settings, and gain practical experience through relevant and engaging EL.
The rise in interest in experiential learning (EL) in US education makes sense in a time when young generations are leading and advocating for change in the world. Indeed, âgiven the weight of societal issues and concerns in front of them, this generation appears to have less tolerance for âlearning for learningâs sakeâ and seem to push harder for relevance and applicationâ (p. 61). Thus, the collection brings together educators who âpromote various expressions [of EL]â and âargue for educational reform that would support experiential education in all settingsâ (Itin 1999 in Roberts, 2016, p. 44). However, it is also worth noting that doing EL can present challenges, which several authors in the collection point out. It should also be kept in mind that EL is not always equally accessible to all learners, and more can and should be done to make EL equitable in higher education institutions. Some barriers can include, âfinances, major requirements, athletics, a lack of research opportunities, commitments to student organizations, familial complications, and transportation issues as reasons for nonparticipationâ (Coker & Porter, 2015, p. 66). As a result, it is important for institutions and educators to make opportunities as accessible through various means; âexperiential learning requirements, scholarships, targeted advising, diverse faculty and destinations, and good institutional policies can all increase participationâ (66).
About UD and Dayton
UD, a mid-sized institution of approximately 12,000 students, has a long history of EL initiatives on campus, in the city of Dayton, and globally. Over the past century, the university has built long-lasting ties with numerous organizations and corporations where hundreds of students participate in internships, co-ops, and community projects each year. UD is privileged to have abundant resources to do EL on a large scale. EL is integrated into the academic curriculum and offered through a variety of centers and institutes on campus.2 Our Institutional Learning Goals which guide and frame our Common Academic Program also reflect the centrality of EL at UD. EL at UD is a way for students to explore their vocation and discover their passions, purpose, and callings, and how they can use their talents and gifts to meet the worldâs greatest needs.
As a Catholic, Marianist university, our educators are committed to educating the whole person and developing leaders in service of others which promotes leadership and service for the common good. UD attracts students and faculty who are interested in helping others and invested in making a positive impact on communities both on and off campus. For them, EL is a direct way to take action and make a difference with their college education. Throughout the years, UDâs leaders have shown strong support for the development of EL in key areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation, community-engaged learning, global and intercultural learning , among others. Our current president has underscored the important role of EL in UDâs educational mission as the University for the Common Good and has also implemented various initiatives to make our campus (predominantly white, middle to upper class) more inclusive and accessible to more diverse groups of students.
UDâs Office of Experiential Learning, located in the Ryan C. Harris Learning Teaching Center, was created as a way to connect UDâs EL efforts and help foster communities of practice around EL. The deep support and commitment to EL allow educators to experiment with different types of EL and establish important partnerships across institutional and community boundaries. This has resulted in fruitful and vibrant EL communities of practice which include individuals from a myriad of backgrounds, perspectives, and types of expertise. I am very fortunate to be the Director of EL at a university where EL is widely practiced and supported by university leadership, and where students generally have great interest in, and access to, a multitude of EL opportunities. And, of course, it is wonderful to be at a place where there is so much interest in reflection, research , and scholarship about EL.
The city of Dayton also provides a unique context for this collection. Despite Daytonâs historical legacy as a city of inve...