The results are in for the 2019 project-based experiential learning survey! 72 participants completed the survey, primarily from engineering and business schools but also including multidisciplinary programs not bound to a single college.
Perhaps the most useful portion of the experiential learning survey results are also the most challenging to present: a long list of insightful anecdotes from the field. Some but not all of these quotes made it into the slides above and below are selected quotes we wanted to highlight. Participants were assured anonymity so names are not attributed.
Are there any innovations or new components to your experiential initiatives that have you excited?
[A] joint Capstone between Engineering and Business
Director of Project Outreach at a Large Public Engineering School
We offer a real consulting project for Freshman to serve as a sounding board for future learning and career choices. It’s also team based to help connect students right away.
Instructor at a Mid-size Public Business School
2-year capstones, starting with juniors instead of seniors and including an internship with the sponsor between the junior and senior year.
Professor of Aerospace Engineering at an unspecified Engineering School
On the biggest challenge associated with experiential learning:
The development of relationships with the community so that they will come to us with projects. It takes time to build relationships, trust and a reputation.
Associate Dean of a Mid-size Private Business School
Instructor evaluations don’t accurately account for experiential learning projects, also risk management and student fatigue
Experiential Learning Coordinator at a Large Public Business School
Having clients stay actively involved throughout the projects. This affects student motivation in the projects and the resulting effort and quality of their work.
Professor of the Practice at a Mid-size Public Engineering School
A piece of advice to share with other schools with either an existing experiential program or are launching a new one:
Systematic program-based or college-based, instead of lots of one-off course specific projects that are “cult of personality” with specific faculty members, or specific degree programs within a college.
Associate Professor of Management at an Unspecified Business School
Reach out to your alumni. They will see the value of such a program. Have someone be your project champion at the company. Always keep the company in the loop. We have update meetings every month on-site.
Assistant Professor at a Mid-size Engineering School
Random events that make you think it is all going to crash and burn is going to happen — that’s the real world and it is valuable experience for the students to be guided through without you solving it for them.
Professor of Analytics at a Mid-size Private Business School
Go beyond the experiential learning survey: check out our experiential fieldguide, which includes insights from several EduSourced schools.
Want to connect with us and explore the EduSourced platform?
Schedule a live demo.
