A widower describes a week-long camping trip he and his two sons took at the Audubon Family Camp at Hog Island (Maine). Scientists and educators provided lectures, games, art projects, and field courses on subjects ranging from oceanography to forest ecology. Spending time in nature proved healing for the family as well. (TD)

A survey of 24 farm families in eastern Washington with at least one child aged 4-18 examined parents' attitudes toward children's farm work, children's experiential learning about farm work from an early age, safety instruction and practices with children, and supervision of children performing farm work. (Contains 24 references.) (SV)

Provides a lesson plan that is based on the Gettysburg National Military Park's "Life of a Civil War Soldier" traveling trunk program. Explains that this lesson offers a recipe for using a trunk to present the life of a Civil War soldier in the classroom. Includes activities and learning stations. (CMK)

Presents four elementary hands-on science activities that highlight animal adaptation (how birds' beaks are adapted to suit their habitats), the water cycle (how nature cleans rainwater that seeps into the ground), aquatic ecosystems (changes over time in an aquatic habitat), and animal habitats (all living beings' need for food, water, shelter,…

Proposes a role for experiential learning in the training of political-science doctoral students. Argues that most political science programs assume that students have mastered liberal democratic norms and do not need training for non-academic employment. Bases its arguments for experiential learning on the Maryland Graduate Public Service…

Although most constructivist classrooms feature active, social, and creative learning, different kinds of knowledge (inert, ritual, conceptually difficult, and foreign) invite varied constructivist responses, not one standard approach. Constructivism is pragmatic and should be viewed as a toolbox for problems of learning; teachers should use…

Argues that the bodies of girls have traditionally been relegated to absent entities within the learning environment, including in physical education. Asserts that a meaningful education, one that embraces embodiment, would balance different types of learning experiences so that the various aspects of being are all considered and blended.…

Outlines the necessary steps for designing a school wetland which include site assessment, estimating water volume, analyzing soil permeability, site design, and implementation. (PVD)

A nonprofit organization in Tucson (Arizona) trains low-income adolescents to document neighborhood histories and tell their own. Working with professionals in the field, Mexican American and other minority youths learn to research, interview, write, photograph, and edit. After four books documenting Tucson history, a magazine was launched that…

Summer of Service, a national summer service learning program for early adolescents is described. The three tenets of this program--intentional design, youth empowerment, and the opportunity to be of use--combine to make a powerful learning experience. Student input is involved at every stage of the program, and learning is incorporated through a…

Over the years, the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL) has invested considerable effort in formulating its research mission while reflecting on its unique identity among professional organizations. This article reviews the literature on this topic while identifying key issues and proposals. It then discusses the…

In this article, the authors present hands-on activities and demonstrations using readily available materials that help students learn how to prevent soil erosion. With this series of active-learning exercises, the students will be able to practice scientific inquiry while learning about soil as a valuable resource. After demonstrations on the…

James L. Oblinger, Chancellor of North Carolina State University, argues that higher education must continually evolve new methods of teaching and learning to support students' lifelong skills and impending careers. Part of ensuring students' success lies in finding alternative learning models, such as the Student-Centered Activities for Large…

This study examined the long-term effects of participation in a half-day, low-element challenge course on the group functioning of members of college student organizations. Seventy-six participants completed measures of group cohesion, group effectiveness, and individual effectiveness within the group at four points in time: (a) one week prior to…

Contemporary theories of learning postulate one or at most a small number of different learning mechanisms. However, people are capable of mastering a given task through qualitatively different learning paths such as learning by instruction and learning by doing. We hypothesize that the knowledge acquired through such alternative paths differs…