Experiential Learning in Higher Education: Design and Implementation

By: Patricia Moore Shaffer, PhD

Principal & CEO

In today’s dynamic educational landscape, higher education institutions are increasingly adopting experiential learning to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This approach goes beyond traditional classroom teaching, providing students with hands-on, practical experiences that prepare them for real-world challenges.

What is Experiential Learning and Why is it Important?

Experiential learning is an educational philosophy that advocates for student learning through direct experience and reflection. It involves activities such as internships, co-ops, service learning, and project-based learning. This approach is vital as it fosters critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and deepens subject matter comprehension, thereby increasing student engagement and retention.

Designing Effective Experiential Learning Programs

To design effective experiential learning programs, higher education institutions have employed these strategies:

• Integrate with Curriculum: Ensure that experiential activities align with academic goals and learning outcomes.

• Collaborate with External Partners: Establish partnerships with businesses, non-profits, and community organizations for real-world projects.

• Offer Internships and Co-ops: Provide structured opportunities for professional experience.

• Implement Service Learning: Combine community service with academic coursework.

• Develop Study Abroad Programs: Facilitate cultural and environmental immersion.

Successful Examples of Experiential Learning

There are many successful examples of experiential learning in the US higher education landscape. Here are a few to inspire you:

• LaGuardia Community College: LaGuardia's experiential learning includes extensive internship opportunities and community-based projects that enhance students' professional skills and civic engagement.

• Northeastern University’s Co-op Program: Integrates professional work experiences with academic study.

• Stanford University’s d.school: Emphasizes design thinking through hands-on projects.

• Valencia College: Offers service learning programs where students participate in community service projects as part of their coursework, promoting both academic learning and social responsibility.

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI): Uses project-based learning to solve real-world problems.

Challenges and Solutions in Implementation

Implementing experiential learning programs presents several challenges. Resource allocation is a major concern as these programs can be resource-intensive. To address this, institutions can secure grants and form partnerships to support funding and logistics. Another challenge is assessing the outcomes of experiential learning. Developing clear assessment rubrics and using reflective practices can help measure student learning effectively. Additionally, scaling these programs for large student populations can be challenging. Leveraging technology, such as virtual simulations and online collaborative projects, can aid in making experiential learning scalable and accessible.

Benefits for Students and Institutions

Experiential learning offers numerous benefits for both students and institutions. For students, it enhances learning by providing a deeper understanding and retention of knowledge through practical application. It also improves career readiness by offering real-world experience and developing essential skills. Moreover, it fosters personal growth by increasing students’ confidence, independence, and sense of responsibility. For institutions, experiential learning enhances their reputation and attractiveness to prospective students. It strengthens engagement with industry and community partners, creating valuable networks and opportunities. Additionally, it contributes to fostering a culture of innovation and practical problem-solving within the institution.

Experiential learning is a powerful tool in higher education, offering numerous benefits to both students and institutions. By effectively designing and implementing these programs, institutions can provide valuable, real-world experiences that prepare students for future success. Shaffer Evaluation Group has supported higher education institutions that are designing and implementing experiential learning. Learn more about how we can help you assess the success of your experiential learning program by contacting us at seg@shafferevaluation.com.

Shaffer Evaluation Group: Pioneering Educational Innovation and Research through Rigorous Evaluation

By: Patricia Moore Shaffer, PhD

Principal & CEO

At Shaffer Evaluation Group, we pride ourselves on driving educational innovation through meticulous, insightful, and impactful evaluation. Our track record speaks volumes about our capability to conduct rigorous educational evaluation, and we'd like to share a few standout projects that illustrate our expertise and dedication. These projects not only showcase our ability to handle complex evaluations but also highlight our commitment to fostering educational equity and excellence.

1. Boston College/DevTech Research Group: Coding as Another Language

Overview: The Coding as Another Language curriculum, which utilizes coding app ScratchJr, integrates computational thinking and computer science with learning about math and literacy through a collaborative, project-based process. 

Our Role: To assess the effectiveness of the Coding as Another Language curriculum, we designed and implemented a randomized control trial that met What Works Clearinghouse standards for study rigor. This study design allowed us to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum and its impact on student performance in literacy, mathematics, and coding skills. This evaluation was supported through an Educational Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Key Findings:

• Second-grade student participants demonstrated significantly higher coding skills compared to the business-as-usual control group.

• The Hedge’s g effect size of 0.39 indicated a medium effect size of the impact of the curriculum on second grade students’ coding skills.

2. GrapeSEED: Oral Language Program for Pre-K

Overview: Preschoolers must be able to understand language at an oral level to be expected to understand it at the text level. GrapeSEED is a research-aligned, teacher-led program that helps preschool students build oral language and critical listening skills.

Our Role: We conducted several studies in the U.S. and abroad to assess the program's impact on student oral language proficiency. Our mixed-methods approach included surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and test score analysis.

Key Findings:

• GrapeSEED enabled at-risk preschool students to grow faster than their national non-risk peers in every category of language fundamentals.

3. Teacher National Board Certification    

Overview: National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students and schools. It was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.

Our Role: We conducted a quasi-experimental study that evaluated student outcomes in Mathematics and Reading in classrooms taught by Board-certified and non-Board-certified teachers in a southeastern school district.

Key Findings:

• Students taught by Board-certified teachers had significantly higher academic achievement in the subject areas of Mathematics and Reading. The gain in test scores was particularly large for students in Mathematics classes taught by Board-certified teachers.

• Students of color benefited more than their white peers from instruction by Board-certified teachers.

Conclusion

Shaffer Evaluation Group's extensive experience in evaluating innovative educational programs makes us uniquely qualified to conduct an Educational Innovation and Research (EIR) grant evaluation. Our proven methodologies, coupled with our commitment to educational equity and excellence, ensure that we can provide valuable insights and actionable recommendations to drive innovation and improve student outcomes.

Whether it's boosting student performance in STEM or improving early literacy skills, Shaffer Evaluation Group is dedicated to making a positive impact in education. Let's work together to create a brighter future for all students through innovative and effective evaluation!

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Interested in applying for an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant?

If you are interested in applying for the EIR Early-phase grant, and need assistance with your application, contact SEG (seg@shafferevaluation.com). Most recently, SEG collaborated with Boston College on their EIR Early-phase grant, which tested the efficacy of their Coding as Another Language curriculum. SEG will collaborate with you on research design at the grant application stage at no cost to your institution in exchange for being listed in your application as the external evaluator. Learn more about us here: https://www.shafferevaluation.com/

Please note the deadline for submitting the intent to apply is June 6, 2024, and the deadline for submitting the application is July 22, 2024. The mid-phase and expansion tiers have different deadlines. 

Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Project: Coding as Another Language (2019-2023)

By: Courtney Hagan, PhD

Evaluation Project Manager, Higher Ed

The Project

In partnership with the DevTech Research Group at Boston College, SEG evaluated their Education Innovation and Research (EIR) project ‘Coding as Another Language’ (CAL). The overall aim of this project was to improve computational thinking, coding skills, and language arts comprehension of early elementary school students. To achieve this, a delayed treatment design cluster RCT was implemented through randomization of 20 schools to either a control or treatment group. In the treatment group, schools implemented the Coding as Another Language curriculum using the ScratchJr platform. Teachers were provided with professional development to learn the curriculum and, throughout the school year, delivered up to 24 lessons to their students.

SEG's Role

SEG worked with project staff to design the evaluation plan according to What Works Clearinghouse standards. The evaluation plan was designed to meet standards without reservations through addressing randomization, attrition, and baseline equivalence. SEG worked with DevTech to facilitate the process of randomization and measure attrition and baseline equivalence. 

The Evaluation Plan

The evaluation plan also included an outcome evaluation and implementation evaluation. Throughout the project, data were collected from both students and teachers. Student data supported the outcome evaluation, and student assessments and state test scores were used in a hierarchical linear model to determine whether participating in the CAL curriculum had an impact on computational thinking, coding skills, and language arts comprehension. Teacher data were used to support the implementation evaluation. Teachers were asked to complete surveys and participate in focus groups to determine the threshold for fidelity of implementation.

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Interested in applying for an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant?

If you are interested in applying for the Education Innovation and Research (EIR)

Early-phase grant, and need assistance with your application, contact SEG (seg@shafferevaluation.com). SEG will collaborate with you on research design at the grant application stage at no cost to your institution in exchange for being listed in your application as the external evaluator. Learn more about us here: https://www.shafferevaluation.com/

Please note the deadline for submitting the intent to apply is June 6, 2024, and the deadline for submitting the application is July 22, 2024. The mid-phase and expansion tiers grant competitions have different deadlines.