AN EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PLANDr. Lorne FosterYork University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) WHAT IS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING?I) DEFINITIONSII) PRINCIPLESIII) CHARACTERISTICS

1) WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONI) EDUCATION AIMSII) LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1) THE THREE MAJOR ACADEMIC SETS OF EE.I) IN-CLASSII) INTERNSHIPS {REFUGEE AND MIGRATION STUDIES

INTERNSHIPS}III) COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING {ANTI-RACIST RESEARCH AND

PRACTICE (CARRP) EXCHANGE PROGRAM}.

1) ATKINSON COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING WEBSITE.I) EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

i) STUDENTSii) COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS iii) FACULTY AND ALUMNI.

WHAT IS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING?

DEFINITION: “IT IS A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH A LEARNER CONSTRUCTS KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND VALUE FROM DIRECT EXPERIENCES” [[[[ THE ASSOCIATION OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION]]].

DEFINITION: EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION INVOLVES “LEARNING BY DOING.”

DEFINITION: EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AS THE STUDY, ACTION AND REFLECTION OF A "HANDS ON" EXPERIENCE. {{{IN 2001 THE TASK FORCE ON EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AT ST. OLAF COLLEGE }}}

DEFINITION: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROVIDES A MODEL THAT ENABLES LEARNERS TO DRAW FROM THEIR PAST EXPERIENCES TO ACQUIRE NEW KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND/OR ATTITUDES THAT THEY CAN THEN APPLY IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS.

{{{AT THE HEART OF ALL LEARNING IS THE WAY WE PROCESS OUR EXPERIENCES [[[EXPERIENCED-BASE LEARNING]]], ESPECIALLY OUR CRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON OUR EXPERIENCES. THOUGH THERE IS NO ONE CONSISTENT DEFINITION OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION ==== I THINK THAT ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT ASSUMPTION/STIPULATION ====> INTELLIGENCE IS SHAPED BY EXPERIENCE.THESIS: CONNECTING COGNITIVE LEARNING TO SERVICE EXPERIENCES.

PRINCIPALS:

1. LEARNING IS THE PROCESS OF CREATING KNOWLEDGE (THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION OF EXPERIENCE).

2. INTEGRATION OF THEORY AND PRACTICE (OR “INTEGRATED LEARNING”)

3. REFLECTS STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OF THE STUDENTS AND OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY.

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. EXPERIENCE-BASED LEARNING {LEARNING THROUGH DIRECT EXPERIENCE, BY ACTION AND REFLECTION}

2. LEARNER-CENTRED (RATHER THAN TEACHER-DRIVEN).

3. SOCIAL LEARNING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS.

4. A CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF GOAL-DIRECTED ACTION AND EVALUATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ACTION.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION?

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AIMS TO ENRICH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IN THE ATKINSON FACULTY OF LIBERAL AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES THROUGH FOSTERING UNIQUE APPROACHES TO “INTEGRATED LEARNING” WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND MORE ACTIVELY ENGAGING STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS PROMOTING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ACADEMIC STUDIES, CAREER EXPLORATION, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. ATKINSON STUDENTS WILL BE MORE AWARE OF SOCIAL ISSUES AND MORE COMMITTED AND ABLE TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

2. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO DELIVER EXISTING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS DEVELOP NEW ONES.

ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE IS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, TO UNDERSTAND HOW EXTRACURRICULAR EXPERIENCES CAN COMPLEMENT THE CLASSROOM AND TO TAKE A MORE INTENTIONAL APPROACH TO CHOOSING VOLUNTEER AND/OR FIELD PLACEMENTS.

THERE ARE THREE MAJOR ACADEMIC SETS OF EE:

THERE’S THIS WHOLE CONTINUUM OF EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES AT UNIVERSITY, FROM VOLUNTEERING AT ONE END ALL THE WAY TO CO-OPS AND INTERNSHIPS AT THE OTHER END, AND I THINK SERVICE LEARNING FALLS IN A VERY BALANCED PLACE IN THE CENTRE.

IN-CLASS

INTERNSHIPS

COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING

IN-CLASS EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

MAXIMUM STUDENT IMPACT THROUGH LEARNER-CENTRED RATHER THAN TEACHER-DRIVEN APPROACH; EMPHASIZING “SOCIAL LEARNING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS;” RANGE OF CLASS ACTIVITIES, E.G., GUEST SPEAKERS; A CROSS CULTURAL SIMULATION GAME, AND OTHER COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS; ROLE-PLAYING, CULTURAL IMMERSION EXPERIENCES; FIELD TRIPS, THEORY AND PRACTICE COURSES, ETC.

INTERNSHIPS

INTERNSHIPS AND PLACEMENTS ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF “INTEGRATED LEARNING”; POSSIBILITY OF FLEXIBLE, SHORTER/LONGER TERMS; SMALL PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS; A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH CO-OP; BRIDGE-TO-CAREER (FOCUSED) COURSES

PLACEMENTS ARE UNPAID WORK OR RESEARCH EXPERIENCES THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO A SPECIFIC COURSE, ARE USED TOWARDS ACADEMIC CREDIT, AND ARE SUBJECT TO GUIDELINES SET OUT BY A DEPARTMENT/ACADEMIC UNIT.

PLACEMENTS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO:

1. APPLY CLASSROOM LEARNING TO PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES.

2. DEVELOP NEW SKILLS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF SOMEONE MORE EXPERIENCED.

3. ENRICH THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE BY ALLOWING YOU TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN YOUR LEARNING.

4. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK OF CONTACTS AND BUILD YOUR RESUME.

REFUGEE AND MIGRATION STUDIES INTERNSHIPS

INTEGRATED LEARNING THROUGH INTERNSHIPS AND PLACEMENTS RELEVANT TO CURRENT EVENTS IN CANADA, THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO EXPLORE ISSUES AROUND REFUGEES AND THEIR STATUS IN CANADA THROUGH TOPICAL COURSES IN CANADIAN STUDIES, HISTORY, SOCIOLOGY, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND POLITICAL SCIENCE; AND ALLOWING FOR INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO SHARPEN THEIR ANALYSIS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL REFUGEE ISSUES.

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES:

1. COMBINES STUDENTS’COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR ACADEMIC COURSE WORK.

2. FACULTY MAY ALSO ASK THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TO FILL OUT A STUDENT EVALUATION FORM (AND ACCOUNT FOR PORTION OF GRADE).

3. THE DEPARTMENT (FACULTY) CAN WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO DEVELOP RELEVANT (I) RESEARCH PROPOSALS OR (II) POLICY PAPERS AND THEN MATCHES THESE PROPOSALS WITH ATKINSON STUDENTS, WHO CARRY OUT THE WORK FOR CREDIT.

COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING (OR SERVICE-LEARNING)

COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING, A TEACHING MODEL THAT COMBINES VOLUNTEER SERVICE WITH ACADEMIC WORK, AIMS TO INSTILL IN STUDENTS A SENSE OF CITIZENSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

“COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING” OR “SERVICE LEARNING” REFERS TO A MODEL OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THAT COMBINES VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH ACADEMIC COURSE WORK. REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMUNITY ARE LINKED TO ACADEMIC CONTENT THROUGH PROCESSES OF CRITICAL REFLECTION SUCH AS JOURNAL WRITING, SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION, AND THE WRITING OF ANALYTICAL PAPERS.

SERVICE LEARNING IS MEANT TO BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE RECIPIENT OF THE SERVICE, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENT IN A FORMAL, STRUCTURED WAY. THAT’S WHAT DISTINGUISHES IT FROM STRAIGHT VOLUNTEERING. THE STUDENTS ARE PROMPTED TO MAKE THE LINK BETWEEN WHAT THEY LEARN IN CLASS AND IN THE COMMUNITY – BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE – THROUGH A PROCESS OF REFLECTION THAT MAY INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS JOURNAL WRITING, GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND WRITTEN REPORTS.

ATKINSON (CARRP) LEARNING EXCHANGE PROGRAM

THE LEARNING EXCHANGE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR YORK/ATKINSON STUDENTS, STAFF AND ALUMNI TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE IN A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS IN INNER-CITY NEIGHBORHOODS OF TORONTO. THE PROGRAM GIVES PARTICIPANTS REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE RAISING THEIR AWARENESS OF HEALTH, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES.

THE BENEFITS OF SERVICE-LEARNING ARE -- REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS EXPERIENCE HELPS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HEALTH, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES, WHILE BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES AND PROMOTING DIVERSITY.

THE YORK PROGRAM OFFERS HUMAN RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ENHANCE EXISTING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPING NEW ONES.

{{{{ANTI-RACIST RESEARCH AND PRACTICE (CARRP) EXCHANGE PROGRAM– ORIENTED TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS WHO ENCOUNTER RACIAL OR CULTURAL ISSUES AS PART OF THEIR JOB, AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN ANTI-RACISM RESEARCH, EDUCATION OR ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. }}}}

ANTI-RACIST RESEARCH AND PRACTICE (CARRP)

YOUTH JUSTICE ACT (APRIL 1, 2003) ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION FACILITIES == IT REPLACES A LONG-STANDING FOCUS ON PUNITIVE JUSTICE WITH A FOCUS ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE – PLACING A GREATER EMPHASIS ON REHABILITATION, WHILE STILL HOLDING YOUTH ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS ====> ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION FACILITIES {COMMUNITY SERVICE, MENTORING, SKILLS TRAINING AND CAREER PLANNING; PRE-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING PACKAGE, INCLUDING RESUME WRITING, JOB SEARCH TECHNIQUES, AND OTHER SOFT-SKILLS}.

PEACH: PROMOTING ECONOMIC ACTION AND COMMUNITY HEALTH (JANE/ FINCH COMMUNITY)====> LEADING EDGE SERVICES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE AT-RISK AND HIGH-NEEDS STUDENT PERFORMANCE. AS SUCH, IT HAS BECOME A KEY STRATEGY IN INCREASING SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS FOR CHILDREN OF COLOUR THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF CO-OPERATIVE, COLLABORATIVE AND GROUP-CENTRED LEARNING, WHICH NOT ONLY INVOLVES TEACHERS AND PUPILS BUT THE WIDER VISIBLE MINORITY GROUPS' PERSPECTIVES AND “KNOWLEDGE” AS WELL =======> EACH RUNS THREE PIONEERING PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE JANE/FINCH COMMUNITY

(A) SUSPEND AND STUDY PROGRAM (SAS) MATCHES UP EXPELLED AND SUSPENDED STUDENTS WITH A CERTIFIED TEACHER AND A YOUTH WORKER IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS OF COLOUR; (B) THE GET ON THE BUS PROGRAM (GOB) IS DESIGNED TO CONNECT KIDS WITH EMPLOYERS FOR SIX MONTH PLACEMENTS FOR JOB TRAINING AND LABOUR FORCE EXPERIENCE; AND (C) THE WRAP AROUND PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR YOUTH DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY THE STRENGTHS OF HIGH-NEEDS STUDENTS AND BUILD ON THEM BY SETTING UP AN ENTIRE SUPPORT TEAM, THAT NURTURE AND RESPECT THE STUDENTS AND WHO WANT TO SEE THEM SUCCEED {COLLABORATIVE AND PARTICIPATIVE DECISION-MAKING}.

ATKINSON COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING WEBSITE

TO OPERATIONALIZE THIS A FUNDAMENTAL FEATURE OF THE PLAN I PROPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WEBSITE WHERE A WIDE RANGE OF CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES ARE IDENTIFIED. EACH OF THESE ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TRANSFER AND APPLY KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED IN CLASS TO PRACTICAL SITUATIONS. STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES OR SEEK OUT AND CREATE THEIR OWN.

IF STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING AND/OR ARRANGING A FIELD PLACEMENT THEY CAN SEARCH INDEPENDENTLY AND FOLLOW UP WITH THE IDENTIFIED CONTACT.

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONCOMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

FACULTY AND ALUMNI

THIS SITE ALLOWS YOU TO SEARCH FOR CONTACTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SEE IF THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH SOMEONE AT YORK ATKINSON.

ORGANIZATIONS

THIS IS A WEB SERVICE THAT ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH ON CAMPUS AND ELSEWHERE IN THE GREATER TORONTO AREA, TO REACH US QUICKLY AND EASILY IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THIS SITE IS MEANT TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO GET THE MAXIMUM AUDIENCE FOR THEIR OPPORTUNITIES.

STUDENTS

THIS SITE IS HIGHLY INTERACTIVE AND ALLOWS YOU TO CONDUCT SEARCHES BASED ON THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT APPEAL TO YOU, THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF POPULATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH, THE LENGTH OF TIME YOU ARE ABLE TO COMMIT, AND SPECIFIC SKILLS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP OR ENHANCE.

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AT OTHER CANADIAN UNIVERISTIES

TRENT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ACTUALLY CREATE A PROJECT = OR THEY MIGHT HAVE TO WRITE A PAPER OR MAKE A PRESENTATION, WHICH PROFESSORS CAN THEN GRADE. FACULTY MAY ALSO ASK THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TO FILL OUT A STUDENT EVALUATION FORM. HOWEVER, “THE DEGREE TO WHICH FACULTY TAKE THAT [EVALUATION] INTO ACCOUNT IN THE GRADING VARIES QUITE A BIT. … THE TRENT CENTRE IS UNIQUE IN ANOTHER WAY: IT FOCUSES SOLELY ON COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH. THE CENTRE WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO DEVELOP RELEVANT RESEARCH PROPOSALS AND THEN MATCHES THESE PROPOSALS WITH TRENT STUDENTS, WHO CARRY OUT THE WORK FOR CREDIT.

UBC HAS THE TREK VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES UBC STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY CENTRES IN THE INNER CITY. ITS AIM IS TO GIVE STUDENTS REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE RAISING THEIR AWARENESS OF HEALTH, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES == COMBINES STUDENTS’COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR ACADEMIC COURSE WORK == LAST YEAR, THE TREK VOLUNTEER PROGRAM HAD 300 STUDENTS PARTNERING WITH 30 ORGANIZATIONS, UP FROM 30 STUDENTS AND 10 NON-PROFIT GROUPS WHEN IT STARTED IN 1999.

THE ACKNOWLEDGED PIONEER IN SERVICE LEARNING IN CANADA IS ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY. IT INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT IN 1996, ADAPTING A MODEL FROM A U.S. COLLEGE. “STUDENTS DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITY-BASED. STFX OFFERS A VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY SERVICE-LEARNING COMPONENT IN NEARLY 50 COURSES IN A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS INVOLVING 900 STUDENTS OUT OF A POPULATION OF 4,000. VENUES WHERE STUDENTS VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, USUALLY A FEW HOURS A WEEK, INCLUDE LOCAL SCHOOLS, NURSING HOMES, GROUP HOMES, FOOD BANKS AND A WOMEN’S SHELTER. STUDENTS ALSO MAY ACT AS CONSULTANTS IN AREAS RELATED TO THEIR STUDIES. FOR INSTANCE, A NUTRITION STUDENT MIGHT HELP WITH A MEAL PLAN IN A GROUP HOME OR A BUSINESS STUDENT MIGHT HELP TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY GROUP’S STRATEGIC PLAN. {{{STFX HAS A FIVE-YEAR, $1-MILLION GRANT FROM THE J.W. MCCONNELL FOUNDATION HELPED EXPAND THE PROGRAM.}}}}.

THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH OFFERS OTHER SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING A WEEK-LONG IMMERSION PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT STFX CALLED PROJECT SERVE CANADA. ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH UBC, THE PROGRAM ROTATES BETWEEN VANCOUVER AND GUELPH. STUDENTS KEEP DAILY DIARIES OF THEIR EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO FOLLOW FACULTY-LED WORKSHOPS ON BROADER SOCIAL ISSUES.

A NATIONAL MOVEMENT

TEN UNIVERSITIES ARE WORKING TO FORM A NATIONAL COALITION AND AN ACTION PLAN TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING IN CANADA. THE GROUP’S KEY AIM IS TO SECURE LONG-TERM FUNDING TO SUPPORT SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAMS AND PILOT PROJECTS.

THE MEMBERS REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITIES OF ALBERTA, TORONTO, BRITISH COLUMBIA, WESTERN ONTARIO, MCMASTER, GUELPH, QUEEN’S, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, SIMON FRASER AND MEMORIAL.

THE GROUP STARTED AS AN INFORMAL NETWORK OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS THREE YEARS AGO, BUT AT ITS THIRD ANNUAL MEETING AT UBC LAST JUNE, THE ROUGHLY 40 ATTENDEES DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO CREATE A FORMAL ORGANIZATION. A STEERING COMMITTEE MET BY TELECONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER AND IS CURRENTLY DRAFTING A FUNDING PROPOSAL.