Integrating Experiential Learning into Course Curricula through Faculty Training A Case Study

Abstract

Experiential learning has benefits for students as they develop skills for the real world and gain cognizance of the learning process. While experiential learning has significant value for students, faculty often do not have the time to design new activities related to experiential learning. Can faculty professional development, focused on experiential learning, increase the use of these theories and related activities in individual courses? The research reported here focused on summer-long faculty training to give faculty a better background in experiential learning and designing new classroom activities. Two post-training, mixed methods, open-ended, and multiple-choice survey questionnaires were distributed, one after the training and one at the end of the academic year, to the training participants. The survey responses were uniformly positive, and most faculty implemented new experiential learning projects. Focused training on experiential learning can improve faculty understanding of the experiential learning process and increase their use of these elements in the classroom. Designing experiential learning training for faculty can increase the impact of experiential learning at a university. This training can serve as a model for other institutions to implement and expand.