Teaching inequality in Brazil: A study abroad exploration of race, class, gender, sexuality, and geography

This paper presents and analyzes a case study of a five-week study abroad course called Inequality in Brazil: An exploration of race, class, gender, sexuality, and geography. The course was constructed to teach social inequality in the context of Brazil by using place-based and experiential learning within the framework of critical pedagogy (Freire, 1989). By examining inequality through the lens of culture and geography, students were empowered to become student-teachers in their explorations of race, class, gender, and sexuality as they linked theory to practice and lived experience. This paper provides an example of how study abroad can be used to teach about issues of inequality by partnering with community members to build learning environments where students and community members can all benefit.

Analysis of Clinical Experience Using Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory: Postgraduate Medical Surgical Nursing Track Students in Selected Sub-Specialties at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda

BackgroundClinical experiences provide an opportunity for nursing students to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice, and analyze their learning using a theoretical model. Students do not take this opportunity unless it is intentionally included by the facilitators. These observations from the second cohort of medical surgical nursing students with their facilitators, regarding their clinical training period in selected sub-specialties at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) aimed at developing students’ analytical and observational skills while developing clinical skills.MethodsThe study involved nine medical surgical nursing students who were in different subspecialties at CHUK from 7th January up to the 20th February, 2019. Informed observational approach and concomitant reporting were used to validate their learning and gain clinical experience. The students used Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory to analyze their experience, with the focus on innovative skills.ResultsAll medical surgical nursing students reported that they improved their knowledge and skills during clinical practice, while broadening their outlook.ConclusionKolb’s Experiential Learning Theory is useful in validating and bridging theoretical learning to clinical practice.Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(3):430-436

PENGARUH MODEL PEMBELAJARAN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR TEKNOLOGI DASAR OTOMOTIF SISWA KELAS X TEKNIK ALAT BERAT DI SMK NEGERI 2 BITUNG

Dengan mengalami materi belajar secara langsung, diharapkan siswa dapat lebih membangun makna serta kesan dalam ingatannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui ada tidaknya pengaruh penggunaan model pembelajaran experiential learning terhadap hasil belajar teknologi dasar otomotif siswa kelas X teknik alat berat di SMK Negeri 2 Bitung. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode quasi experimental design dengan desain penelitian pretest-posttest control-group design. Sampel dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 60 siswa diambil sesuai dengan kebutuhan penelitian. Kemudian sampel tersebut diberikan pretest, setelah itu diberikan treatment secara bertahap. Setelah diberikan treatment, sampel tersebut diberikan posttest untuk mengukur hasil belajar pada kelompok tersebut. Perbedaan hasil pretest dengan posttest tersebut menunjukan hasil dari perlakuan yang telah diberikan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan data yang diperoleh melalui analisis pengujian hipotesis dimana: thitung = 11,76 dan harga ttabel = 1,671553 dengan db (n1 + n2) -2 = 30 + 30 – 2 = 58 pada taraf signifikan = 0,05. Artinya thitung = 11,76 > ttabel = 1,671553. Maka dapat disimpulkan penggunaan model pembelajaran experiential learning memberikan pengaruh positif terhadap hasil belajar siswa teknologi dasar otomotif di SMK Negeri 2 Bitung. Kata Kunci : model pembelajaran, experiential learning, hasil belajar

A Design Thinking Approach to Teaching Sustainability

Understanding sustainability requires a system-wide perspective to guide the interpretation of problems and conceptualization of solutions. A lake sustainability Trust provided an opportunity for students to gain this perspective by examining societal, commercial, and environmental policy perspectives associated with a local endangered lake and surrounding wetlands. This was an ideal project to bring sustainability issues to life for students but was too complex for a single class to attack. This article describes a multicourse initiative that sought to heighten students’ awareness of sustainability issues using a design thinking problem-solving approach. Interviews conducted revealed concerns that educators may have in considering similar projects. The authors respond to these perceived obstacles with recommendations and a discussion of mitigation strategies. In addition to the Trust gaining direction, the design and implementation of this cross-course experiential learning initiative allowed Marketing Research and Product Design students to develop an appreciation for macrolevel sustainability issues, and environmental policy students to appreciate the value of marketing research in the development of land use plans.

Informal Education Pedagogy Transcendence from the ‘Academy’ to Society in the Current and Post COVID Environment

The purpose of this paper is to consider the following two notions; (1) that the use of ‘informal education pedagogies’ within teaching and learning in the ‘academy’ can both support the learning process within the ‘classroom’ but also transcend to society via students; and (2) that synergies exist between informal education and social pedagogical concepts. The discussions are situated from the perspective of an experienced practitioner and academic who is currently teaching youth related degree courses within a Higher Education Institution. This experiential learning has informed knowledge acquisition, understanding and skills application from professional practice to the teaching environment. An experiential learning perspective will be the primary method adopted; the value of this paper lies in its potential to re-affirm that degree courses which embed a ‘practice the practice’ approach in their teaching methodology support the embedding of core values of the said discipline. The paper argues that the ethically value-based principles and practice of informal education pedagogy, and social pedagogy, are relevant for the current and post COVID-19 pandemic environment.

Maximizing experiential co-curricular programs through Stakeholders’ Theory: An explanatory mixed methods study

Background: Some medical schools offer co-curricular experiential education programs. Despite the established value of such experiences, there are no published studies that reflect upon the systematic integration of perceptions of primary stakeholders, whose engagement is necessary for program continuity. Purpose: To showcase how stakeholders’ theory can be deployed to holistically evaluate the quality of experiential learning opportunities and the value they offer to all stakeholders. Methodology/Approach: Based on a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, data was solicited from 14 Program Organizers, 107 Participating Students, and 107 Onsite Mentors. Findings/Conclusions: The Program Organizers strongly agreed (95.5%) that the co-curricular program is efficacious. A majority of Participating Students rated the overall quality-of-experience as excellent (81.6%), and most Onsite Mentors rated students’ attendance as excellent (88.7%). There was a dependency between Participating Students’ attendance and extent to which they were engaged in teamwork. The qualitative analysis generated the “Global Citizenship” conceptual framework. Implications: Stakeholders’ theory can be leveraged to broaden the analytic scope of experiential learning, encapsulating the development that occurs at the community level due to individuals’ engagement. This conceptual framework can be utilized by other institutions to guide the development of similar co-curricular programs.

How does a primary school organize outdoor swimming and water safety lessons?

The main purpose of this study was to explore how a primary school organized a week with outdoor education, and especially what characterized the outdoor swimming and water safety (SWS)-lessons. The SWS-lessons were part of the physical education (PE) program. Two teachers and one headmaster from a primary school participated in the study. Four days of video observation of SWS-lessons were used in photo-elicitation interviews with teachers and the headmaster. The findings revealed that the headmaster highly prioritized the outdoor education practice in this school and that the teachers’ colleagues showed great eagerness to cooperate and prioritize these lessons. The week’s organization was characterized by collaborating management, and the outdoor SWS-lessons were characterized by experiential learning, challenge by choice, and risk awareness. The outdoor education practice corresponded well with the Norwegian curriculum goals about learning to be safe in, on, and around water.