Discusses the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Founded in 1889, it is Europe's largest voluntary conservation organization with some 965,000 members. One of the organization's main goals is environmental education in schools and colleges and the society's junior membership. Another main thrust is its reserves in England for…

After a brief critique of behaviorist pedagogical assumptions that learning is something done to learners, constructivist learning theory is presented as a framework for understanding experiential education, in that learning is a process involving the active engagement of learners, who adapt the educative event to fit, and expand, their individual…

Two day-long college events--wilderness orienteering and a role-playing canoe trip into the past--illustrate ingredients critical for experiential learning: active learning, student focus, clear purpose, emotional investment and risk, holistic engagement, mixture of content and process, stepping outside one's comfort zone, meaningful…

This study identified factors associated with support for service learning (SL) among institutions of higher education. Surveys of SL programs in North Carolina indicated that institutionalization of SL was closely associated with such institutional characteristics as degree of faculty involvement and emphasis on academic goals in SL courses.…

Using data from a study of the work experience of 12 pre-16-year-old students, argues that work experience has expanded rapidly without proper debate about its purposes, potential or structure. As experience-based learning, it relies heavily upon debriefing to maximize its learning potential. Although difficult to accomplish, and surrounded by…

Create Your Own is a month-long artist residency that introduces children to opera as a method of spinning a tale rather than as elitist, high-brow art. Students create their own opera company and are involved in every stage of the process from writing the story and music to building the set and making the costumes. (TD)

Describes an activity that demonstrates among the following: diffusion; cohesion and adhesion; properties of surface tension which include wicking, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic molecular behaviors; and break up of fat clusters by liquid dishwashing detergent. (DDR)

Describes the initial implementation and evaluation of an online environment designed to support a collaborative programming task among undergraduate students and provide them with experiential learning. Explains a holistic, context-based approach to evaluating the success of the innovation, together with the framework used for conducting the…

Describes the problem-based learning (PBL) format adopted by the communications program at Samford University in Alabama. Consists of two semester classes, the first being an introduction to speaking and writing, and the second emphasizing research and argumentation. States that the PBL approach to the course connects service learning to writing…

Empowerment evaluation helps people improve their programs using self-evaluation. Empowerment evaluation has three steps: establishing a mission; taking stock of the most significant activities; and planning for the future by establishing goals, strategies, and criteria for evidence. A NASA experiential program for small, distributed groups of…

Discusses results from a study of nearly 60 teachers of American Indian students. Describes four main learning styles based on teachers' responses and the literature: holistic, creative learners; visual learners; oral learners; and learners preferring concrete applications, as opposed to abstractions. Argues against overgeneralizing findings to…

Assesses the extent to which students' attitudes toward international understanding are effected by an intensive two-year service-learning program. Research results generally supported the hypothesis that students who are involved in service learning show larger increases in international understanding than students involved in volunteerism or no…

Describes an activity in which geometry and trigonometry are studied using pyramids. Identical model pyramids are constructed from card stock, along with pyramids of different proportions and cuboids to use as controls. Also includes an investigation of some apparently non-scientific claims. (DDR)

The Magic Suitcase provides workshops for young children and teachers across Ontario, using their own schoolyards to explore the wonders of nature and science. Literature is used to explain concepts and make the experience memorable. Workshops are also train teachers to integrate the outdoors into their regular program. Nine picture books used in…

Training effective camp staff starts with reviewing last year's schedule. Desired competencies can be determined by examining existing documents, asking former staff, consulting industry materials, and projecting the future. Specific skills can be taught in orientation and through guided informal experiential learning during the season. A climate…