scholarly journals Experiential Learning Through the Eyes of Emirati Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 302
Author(s):  
Nicole Shammas

Abstract: General Studies courses are core to the whole education philosophy espoused in the United Arab Emirates. These courses provide a wider breadth of knowledge for students by fostering skills such as critical thinking, global awareness, research and communication. This paves the way for building the UAE’s knowledge base and delivering graduates who can compete globally through research and innovation. The research explores the role of experiential learning within General Studies to cultivate these key skills, and seeks to capture students’ responses to this type of learning. This is a mixed methods study that includes ethnographic data collection, uncovering the complexities of a lived classroom learning experience from the perspective of the students. Data was collected from interviews with students, written reflections and a Likert scale survey. Results suggest that Emirati female students respond favourably to experiential learning, thus countering previous findings about their preferred learning style. This study contributes significantly to a field with scant knowledge of experiential learning as a vehicle for instruction in a tertiary Emirati context. Key words: Experiential Learning, General Studies, Intercultural Learning,

Author(s):  
Eric Cox

The intellectual foundation of modern experiential learning theory owes much of its roots to John Dewey’s educational philosophy. In his seminal 1916 work, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education, Dewey argued that human knowledge and education are rooted in inquiry, which in turn is rooted in human experience. His ideas, along with those of Jean Piaget, formed the basis of D. A. Kolb’s 1984 book Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Kolb’s theory of learning, which he formulated to better understand student learning styles, became the starting point for the debate on the use of experiential learning. Kolb introduced a four-stage cycle to explain learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. His framework has been adopted to investigate how learning occurs inside the classroom. However, numerous criticisms have been leveled against Kolb’s learning styles approach. One type of criticism focuses on the importance of learning style on student learning, and another focuses on the construct validity, internal validity, and reliability of Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI). There are several avenues for improving the use of experiential learning techniques, such as the integration of service-learning into the classroom and an institutional commitment to designing a complete curriculum.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wasif Minhas ◽  
Jo Perret

Purpose One of the largest higher education institutes (HEI) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and another public sector organization (PSO) responsible for promoting heritage, history and culture in the tourism sector formed an informal partnership in 2012. The purpose of this paper is to give Emirati students an opportunity to undertake projects based on their heritage, communities and develop their skills by experiencing “learning by doing.” Design/methodology/approach Projects briefs were provided by the PSO and followed the curriculum requirements of first year bachelor programs. In February 2013, faculty from different departments within the HEI met with PSO representative to explore how both organizations could collaborate. The conversation also focused on how the PSO could take advantage of readily available resources of creativity and innovation at the HEI. An innovative, cross-discipline, joint-marketing project was developed in line with the curriculum and PSO needs. By June, 2013, all students had undertaken projects which led toward developing recommendations and materials to promote the brief from PSO of “Raising Awareness” and “Increasing Visitor Numbers.” Findings Students from different disciplines produced different elements to meet the brief; however, they all followed a similar approach of research, analysis and evaluation. Although such projects are difficult to manage, staff found they had a profound effect on students’ motivation, personal development and overall learning experience. Originality/value This case study provides an insight into how experiential learning can be fostered through educational partnerships in the UAE context and beyond. It also highlights the importance of technology and informal relationships between partnering institutions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Antonia Pacios Vázquez ◽  
Silvia Serrano Calle ◽  
Joaquín Ordieres Meré

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to present different implemented innovations in education focused on the specific course “Industrial Constructions” at Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII) Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), that for more than ten years have been adopted, in order to propose a more adequate framework for learning and evaluation. This paper reports on the outcomes of a research study to clarify the role of class size and identify other constraints to the success of innovative actions.The research covers several years and it includes different number of students´ groups through that period. The course has been included in diverse educative programs over time, but also varied innovative actions have been implemented as well, including experiential learning with practical perspective and magisterial lessons approach, and experiential learning combined with flipped classroom and gamification, etc. The linear perspective of the research allows to compare different instances as well as the conclusions and feelings from teachers´ perspective in accordance. It is not claimed a fully rigorous statistical robustness in the comparison because there are many uncontrolled variables, therefore, it is highlighted that the comparison is a qualitative one, with high added value from the teacher’s perspective.The analysis shows some expected results regarding the size of the groups but also other interesting results regarding motivation and students´ skills that can contribute to enhance teachers´ perspective in their selection of the best methodology.ResumenEl objetivo de este artículo es presentar diferentes metodologías innovadoras en educación realizadas en el curso de “Construcciones Industriales” durante más de diez años en la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII) de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, para proponer una estructura de aprendizaje y evaluación. Este estudio presenta los resultados de la investigación sobre la influencia del tamaño de clase e identificar otras limitaciones con el éxito de las acciones de innovación educativa.En los diez años en los que se ha realizado esta investigación participan grupos de clase con diferentes números de estudiantes. Esta asignatura se ha impartido en diversos programas docentes y con diferentes metodologías, como son clase magistral y aprendizaje práctico de trabajo de grupo, y aprendizaje práctico con clase invertida y gamificación. La visión de la investigación permite comparar distintos casos así como las conclusiones conforme a las opiniones y puntos de vista de los profesores. No se trata de un estudio comparativo con un alto rigor estadístico debido al número de variables adicionales, por lo que se subraya que las conclusiones del estudio son cualitativas con un alto valor del enfoque del profesor.El análisis muestra algunos resultados esperados respecto el tamaño de la clase, pero también otros resultados interesantes en cuanto a la motivación y competencias de los alumnos que pueden contribuir a mejorar el enfoque de los profesores en la selección de la mejor metodología.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Anggreni Anggreni

Learning is the process of changing individual behavior as a result of interaction with the environment. It is a system consisting of components  interacting with ano another to achieve the goals of teaching that has already been predetermined. One of the learning model that is often used in learning theory is experiential learning (experience-based) learning. Experiential learning was first introduced by David A. Kolb. Experiential learning is an effort to achieve the goals based on experiences that are constantly changing in order to improve the effectiveness of the learning outcomes themselves. The purpose of this experiential learning model is to influence students in three ways, namely: (a) changing student cognitive structure, (b) changing student attitudes, (c) extending existing student skills. Learning procedure in the experiential learning consists of 4 stages: (a) concrete experience, (b) reflection observation, (c) conceptualization / reflection observation, (d) active experimentation. David Kolb divides one's learning style into four categories: diverger, assimilator, converter and accomodator. Experiential learning is organized and implemented by focusing more on the things that are owned by students. This principle also relates to experience in performing tasks in the usual ways of learning undertaken by students.Keywords: Learning, experiment learning, learning outcomes


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-63
Author(s):  
Mariana Sandu ◽  
Stefan Mantea

Abstract Agri-food systems include branching ramifications, which connect in the upstream the input suppliers with farmers, and downstream farmers, processors, retailers and consumers. In the last decades, at the level of the regions, food systems have undergone rapid transformation as a result of technological progress. The paper analyzes the changes made to the structure, behavior and performance of the agri-food system and the impact on farmers and consumers. Also, the role of agricultural research as a determinant factor of transformation of agri-food system is analyzed. The research objective is to develop technologies that cover the entire food chain (from farm to fork) and meet the specific requirements of consumers (from fork to farm) through scientific solutions in line with the principles of sustainable agriculture and ensuring the safety and food safety of the population.


Author(s):  
Ruth Swanwick

This chapter proposes a pedagogical framework for deaf education that builds on a sociocultural perspective and the role of interaction in learning. Pedagogical principles are argued that recognize the dialogic nature of learning and teaching and the role of language as “the tool of all tools” in this process. Building on established work on classroom talk in deaf education, the issues of dialogue in deaf education are extended to consider deaf children’s current learning contexts and their diverse and plural use of sign and spoken languages. Within this broad language context, the languaging and translanguaging practices of learners and teachers are explained as central to a pedagogical framework that is responsive to the diverse learning needs of deaf children. Within this pedagogical framework practical teaching strategies are suggested that draw on successful approaches in the wider field of language learning and take into account the particular learning experience and contexts of deaf children.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 2103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilie Tăucean ◽  
Matei Tămășilă ◽  
Larisa Ivascu ◽  
Șerban Miclea ◽  
Mircea Negruț

Sustainability and leanness are organizational approach concepts for more efficient activities and increased competitiveness. This paper presents a study and an application of the concepts of sustainability and lean, with the purpose to capitalize on the benefits of the two concepts’ tools when used together in an industry and education activity. A literature review was carried out to evaluate qualitatively and empirically the concepts of sustainability, lean, and enterprise games, and the possibility to integrate the first two concepts into a new tool applied into an enterprise game. An online survey was done to identify which tools are used within companies in the region, how and what training methods they used, and what the reported benefits are. The survey results were used to design a new tool integrated in a new enterprise game (SLIM) developed by the authors. The game was tested and validated in educational laboratory with students and actual employees from companies. The game follows the frame of an enterprise game, considering the simulation of enterprise classical functions. The game’s purpose is to improve the activity in successive rounds. A scorecard is used to fill in and compute the key performance indicators (KPIs), and a new indicator is proposed (SLIMx). Applications of the instrument/game include: students’ training in an educational laboratory; lifelong learning; professional training in companies; and professional perfection/reconversion of potential employees and the unemployed. The SLIM game was simulated in a team of 15 players over three rounds, with teachers playing the role of the supervisor. A number of possible improvements have been identified. The next step is testing it in enterprises with various fields of activity. SLIM has proven to be an effective solution to improve organizational efficiency and motivate players to gain new knowledge.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002224372199110
Author(s):  
Joy Lu ◽  
Eric T. Bradlow ◽  
J. Wesley Hutchinson

Online educational platforms increasingly allow learners to consume content at their own pace with on-demand formats, in contrast to the synchronous content of traditional education. Thus, it is important to understand and model learner engagement within these environments. Using data from four business courses hosted on Coursera, we model learner behavior as a two-stage decision process, with the first stage determining across-day continuation versus quitting and the second stage determining within-day choices among lectures, quizzes, and breaks. By modeling the heterogeneity across learners pursuing lecture and quiz completion goals, we capture different patterns of consumption that correspond to extant theories of goal progress within an empirical field setting. We find that most individuals exhibit a learning style where lecture utility changes as an inverted-U-shaped function of current progress. Our model may also be used as an early detection system to anticipate changes in engagement and allows us to relate learning styles to final performance outcomes and enrollment in additional courses. Finally, we examine the role of quizzes in how consumption patterns vary across learners in different courses and between those who have paid or not paid for the option to earn a course certificate.


Author(s):  
Álvaro Borrallo-Riego ◽  
Eleonora Magni ◽  
Juan Antonio Jiménez-Álvarez ◽  
Vicente Fernández-Rodríguez ◽  
María Dolores Guerra-Martín

The supervision of clinical placements is essential to achieving a positive learning experience in the clinical setting and which supports the professional training of those being supervised. The aim of this study was to explore health sciences students’ perceptions of the role of the supervisor in the supervision of clinical placements. A quantitative methodology was used, administering a previously validated questionnaire, by means of an expert panel and a pre-test, to 134 students from the Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry at the University of Seville (Spain). The analysis of variables was carried out by means of a data matrix. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in the perception of placement supervision depending on the degree, with Nursing producing the highest degree of affirmation in the variables studied and the greatest satisfaction with placement supervision; in contrast, Physiotherapy produced the greatest dissatisfaction and the lowest degree of affirmation. The study and analysis of these perceptions facilitates the collection of relevant information in order to formulate actions that help to improve the supervision experience during placements. They also allow a greater understanding of what factors most influence the experience of supervision during clinical placements.


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