student-centered teaching through experiential learning ... · student-centered teaching through...
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Student-Centered Teaching Through Experiential Learning and Assessment
• Assess and document impact of an
experiential learning project on conceptual
knowledge of the students and their ability to
synthesize and apply the concepts learned.
I. Project • A semester long project incorporating all the
four steps of the Kolb’s Experiential Learning
Model introduced.
• Student pairs managed 13 different species
of cover crops and 6 vegetable crops
including planting, weeding, taking care, and
harvesting of their crops (Figure 2).
• Recorded crop growth and soil quality
parameters.
• Reflected upon their observations on their
crop plots and others, and synthesized
concepts.
Fig. 1. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle
Results
Reference Kolb, D.A. 1984. Experiential learning: experience as the source of
learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Acknowledgements Plant and Environmental Sciences,
New Mexico State University. Las Cruces, NM
Introduction • Experiential learning: "the process whereby
knowledge is created through the
transformation of experience." Kolb (1984).
• Why Experiential Learning:
Students are better able to effectively apply
principles when instruction is combined with
experiential learning.
“Tell me and I will forget,
show me and I may remember,
involve me and I will understand“
(Confucius 450 BC).
• Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory:
• In order to gain genuine knowledge from a
learning experience, the students must go
through the 4 steps of the cycle of (Fig. 1).
Figures 3 & 4. Students’ conceptual knowledge about various topics as
observed in self-assessment (Fig. 3a-c); and direct assessment (Fig. 4a-c).
• Majority of the students showed an increased level of conceptual and applied
knowledge after completing the experiential learning project (Figs. 3, 4, & 5).
• More than 90% of the students earned 95-100% grade in their final report
evaluated based on critical thinking, analytical ability, and problem-solving.
II. Assessment 1. Conceptual knowledge:
i. Self-assessment: pre/post
ii.Direct assessment: post
2. Applied knowledge: crop
evaluations
3. Critical thinking, analytical
ability, and problem-solving:
comprehensive report
Objectives
Methods
The experiential learning
project improved both the
conceptual knowledge of the
students and their ability to
synthesize and apply the
concepts learned.
Figure 2. Students
experiencing the 4 stages
of the experiential learning
cycle.
Conclusion
Kulbhushan Grover1 and Shelly Stovall2
Plant & Environmental Sciences1; Office of the Associate Provost2, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
[email protected]; [email protected]
Figure 5a-b. Students’ applied knowledge as observed in in-field direct
assessment (n=19).
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Principles of Planting Cover Crops”
Before
After
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Criteria to Evaluate Cover Crops”
Before
After
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Criteria to Evaluate Cover Crops”
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Principles of Planting Cover Crops”
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Major Roles of Cover Crops”
0
20
40
60
80
100
A Lot A Little Nothing
“Major Role of Cover Crops”
Before
After
3a. 4a.
3b. 4b.
3c. 4c.
% s
tud
en
ts w
ho
kn
ew
ab
ou
t th
e t
op
ic
Degree of knowledge observed
Recommendation
0
20
40
60
80
100
Poor Good Excellent
“In-Field Crop Performance Rating: Oats”
0
20
40
60
80
100
yes no
“Recommend a Crop or Not for the southwest: Oats”
5a. 5b.
% s
tud
en
ts r
ati
ng
th
e c
rop
Crop performance rating
Student Testimonials
New Initiative
“Student-Centered Field Laboratory”
A New Initiative in Experiential Learning.
“Got us to think out of the box.”
“I believe this could revolutionize
the college experience.”
“We worked together, learned
together, & enjoyed the
experience as a whole.”
“You can teach a student all you
want from a book..
…future classes and employment
opportunities.”
“The biggest gain was real-world
experience that can be carried over to
…but it will never be the same as
to actually applying the concepts.”
“This was my best Agronomy class.”
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