Experiential learning opportunities like study abroad programs, internships, service-learning, fieldwork and collaborating with faculty members on research are often a powerful part of higher education, and it’s not a new concept.
It’s “the oldest idea in education—learning by doing,” Linda Bachman, director of experiential learning at UGA, told The Chronicle of Higher Education.
“We want to make sure all of our students have opportunities to connect what they’re doing in the classroom to what they want to do with their lives beyond graduation, personally and professionally,” Bachman said. “We know that students get more deeply engaged with what they’re learning when they have a hands-on opportunity to practice.”
Experiential learning is now required at UGA, and administrators plan to use some of the preliminary numbers they’ve collected to spot patterns and close resource gaps.
Once there’s data, decision-makers can say, “Ah, we see that, for instance, humanities students might benefit from more internship opportunities,” Bachman said. “Or we definitely need more support for study abroad that aligns with the STEM disciplines.”
To read more on The Chronicle of Higher Education’s report on experiential learning, visit http://bit.ly/2mQHLya.
