This article describes the circumstances, process, and decisions which led to Purdue University's definition of experiential education. The motivation for creating the definition came from a realization that though experiential education was a common practice at the university, it was not visible to nor well understood by university…

Teaching and learning are profoundly personal experiences, yet systems of education often prioritize ubiquitous agendas that alienate rather than engage. Creating space for individuals and their lived experiences has the capacity to transform the classroom from a place of containment to one of expansiveness. Resisting the tendency of education to…

The term Powerful Learning Experience (PLE) is an outgrowth of a University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) project. Colleagues who were engaged in the Leaders Supporting Diverse Learners (LSDL) project, along with researchers examining exemplary educational leadership programs refined the original framework. The version described in…

Saint Mary's College of California is a small, Catholic Lasallian, liberal arts institution located in the San Francisco Bay area. Founded in 1863, the institution currently serves approximately 2,000 enrolled students. The Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA) is the social justice and community engagement center that provides…

Research advances in neuroscience and the developmental and learning sciences have provided us with important insights about how people learn and develop. The knowledge we now have points to important transformations in teaching practice, which in turn require transformations in educator development in order to support all educators in developing…

Many new political science faculty at teaching universities are recent PhD recipients, and are coming to these institutions from research-oriented universities. There are considerable differences between the training for graduate students received at research universities and the expectations for faculty at teaching universities. This essay…

Reflection is a necessary component of learning. Through reflective assignments and tasks, students are given opportunities to evaluate their learning and analyze strategies they use while acquiring and applying course material. Reflections also help students assess and think deeply about the information presented in class and thus better retain…

The author has been blessed with great mentors throughout her career. When she was invited to participate in the Leadership University of Mary Washington (UMW), a mentoring program at her institution, she did not hesitate to say yes. In this article, the author shares her reflections on mentoring.

Reflexivity refers to the capacity for individuals to understand the cultural system and manage their own position within it. Reflexivity is a key concept in the understanding of intercultural communication, particularly in recognising the ability for individuals to understand and adapt to new cultural contexts. However, the prevailing methods…

Outdoor learning experiences in Higher Education (HE) provide students with the opportunity for emotional development, cognitive development and learning. Despite this, the literature exploring the impact of emotive outdoor learning experiences on students' development and learning is scarce. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the…

The paper describes activities and reflections during and after a four day outdoor education course from the point of view of four educators: a philosopher, an outdoor educator, social work educator and a literacy educator. During the course, various philosophical and educational activities and ideas were put to the test, issues such as slowness,…

Leading a long-established LLC as an Interim Director poses particular challenges and rewards. Uncertainties abound for the program and for the individual. Professionally speaking, taking on the hybrid role of faculty/ administrator can be both difficult and exciting. Ultimately, the solutions are in the details. Listening carefully to students,…

For this collection of articles celebrating the 50th anniversary of the American Educational Studies Association, I was invited to contribute a narrative detailing my history and relationship to the field, influences to my development as a scholar, the state of the field during my presidency, and any advice or guidance I might share with current…

This article shares the insights the author has gained in coaching higher education leaders--department chairs, deans, vice presidents, and faculty--and their teams. It focuses on the attributes of higher education leadership and how the coaching process impacts these attributes; examines common areas of concern that surface during coaching, such…

Any use or non-use of digital technology in outdoor experiential learning requires critical examination. Digital technology can undermine the aim of being outdoors, but it can also create opportunities to enhance outdoor learning experiences. This paper presents a conceptual framework, based on a systematic review of the literature, that…