This article describes a political debate among congressional candidates that the authors organized in 2006. The debate was structured to maximize student involvement both in the planning stages and during the event itself. After discussing relevant literature on experiential learning, the article describes the debate format and details the issues…

Students studying in government-run schools in rural India possess much experiential knowledge of the world around them. This paper presents a narrative account of an ethnographic exploration of such students as they attempted to learn about electricity in an eighth-grade classroom in a government-run school in a village in India. The paper shows…

A central recurring theme in business education is the optimal strategy for improving introductory accounting, the gateway subject of business education. For many students, especially non-accounting majors, who are required to take introductory accounting as a requirement of the curriculum, introductory accounting has become a major obstacle for…

Objectives: The authors reviewed medical student encounters during 3 years of a required psychiatry clerkship that were recorded on a web-based system of six broad competency domains (similar to ACGME-recommended domains). These were used to determine diagnoses of patients seen, clinical skills practiced, and experiences in interpersonal and…

The most pressing need in early childhood mathematics education in the United States is to improve early childhood teacher preparation. A Web-based video system, "Video Interactions for Teaching and Learning (VITAL)", is a novel and effective approach for teacher preparation integrated into early childhood mathematics education courses. With…

Educators in professional programs are challenged to utilize pedagogical approaches that best prepare students with knowledge, values, and skills for professional practice. Providing academic content alone may not provide the problem-solving skills necessary for practice in a complex world in which practitioners must analyze, evaluate, and revise…

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of a word study literacy approach on the spelling ability and self-efficacy of adults in a county jail. Forty-four inmates participated in the word study intervention that provided them with hands-on learning. The word study intervention was conducted in four separate sessions (September,…

The best learning results from experiential learning, the interplay between theory and experience. In experiential learning, the student is in direct touch with the realities being studied. It involves not merely undergoing the experience, but also doing something with the phenomenon. Theories of experiential learning include: (1) learning how to…

Presents a few of the ideas which teachers are using to measure learning that takes place in unsupervised contexts. (Author/PF)

A discussion of using a simulation game as the entire focus for a course. (HB)

This study helps destroy the myth that structured experiences are only "games" that are used to entertain, to fill time, or to create interest. Results indicate that structured experiences are a very worthwhile approach to reducing communication apprehension (the anxiety that precedes communication). (Author)

Learners may more readily achieve in the attitudinal dimension if mathematics teachers employ the following criteria: meaningful learning activities; interesting experiences in the school class setting; and purposeful as well as useful activities. (Author/JC)

Examines self-efficacy theory and how it can be utilized in describing participant change in adventure/challenge programs. Explores connection between personal experience and how people view ability to function in world around them. Discusses Bandura's theory and interaction of sources of information: performance accomplishment, vicarious…

Discusses major thoughts of American philosopher William James and how they can serve as a guide to the actions of experiential educators. Considers propositions concerning freedom and responsibility; truth and reflection; happiness and joy; and sacrifice, protest, and inclusive caring. (NEC)