Whether you have incorporated Experiential Learning (EL) into your class before, or this is the first time, this guide can help offer some pedagogical and logistical suggestions for your activity.
Step 1: Questions to consider | Step 2: Designing EL Activity | Step 3: Working with an Industry or Community Partner
Step 1: Questions to consider before planning your EL activity
Pedagogical value
- What course learning objectives will be met by having students engage with hands-on learning?
- What content and/or skills specifically will students learn by completing the EL activity?
Time Commitment
- How much time do you want students to dedicate to the EL activity?
- Will this be in-class time, or are students expected to do most of the work outside of class hours?
- What readings or homework will you replace by the EL activity so that students are not overwhelmed with work?
- How much time do you as the instructor have for planning, managing, and assessing the activity?
Industry or Community Partners
- Will you work with an industry or community partner?
- Do you already know who you will work with, or are you open to new partnerships?
Step 2: Designing the EL Activity
Break down the activity
Think about the following questions to break the activity down:
- What will students need to know going into the activity?
- What should students learn by the end of the activity?
- What tasks will students actually do?
- What deliverables will students produce?
Type of activity
Think about what type of activity will allow your students to best meet learning objectives. Not every project or activity meets every objective. Then think about the tasks and skills you want students working on. This will help narrow down the actual activity.
Timing
Think about where the activity best fits in the semester. Consider what content knowledge students will need to complete it, how much time it will take students to complete the activity, and how that corresponds to other course activities or assessments. For example, be mindful of assigning a major deliverable the same week students also have a midterm.
Deliverables
What artifacts or activities should students produce to show a successful completion of the activity? Make sure those artifacts and activities are aligned with learning objectives.
Consider using this alignment chart to help structure your activity and assessments
Step 3: Working with an Industry or Community Partner
If you are planning to work with an outside partner
Option 1: You invite guest speakers
You will invite guest speakers to class who will help students complete their projects.
- Finding Guest Speakers
- In many cases you may find guest speakers from your own personal connections or from colleagues.
- Our Desautels Global Experts are top level executives & practitioners in the industry from around the world who have the highest standing and expertise in their field. Contact lynn.mark [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Desautels%20Global%20Experts) (Lynn Mark) of the Alumni Relations team regarding Desautels Global Experts.
- Pedagogical suggestions:
- Describe the projects students will be working on to the guest speaker so they may tailor their talk.
- Consider asking students to prepare questions in advance so they can get the most out of the talk.
- If a guest speaker is not local, you may opt to invite them virtually. You may wish to hold the entire class virtually as well, if the entire session will be dedicated to the guest lecture.
- Offer time for students to debrief after the talk, either in teams, as an entire class, or in writing.
- Keep in mind
- You do not need to sign a service agreement or NDA for this type of interaction.
- The Faculty does not provide honoraria to guest speakers; however, you may contact rita.mcadam [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Desautels%20Gifts) (Rita McAdam) about offering Desautels gifts.
- You do not need to inform the Lewtas Office of Experiential Learning (LOEL) about guest speakers.
Option 2: Students find a company/organization
Students are expected to find a company or organization on their own (or with their team) and reach out directly to someone at the organization.
- Pedagogical Suggestions
- Although students are expected to make contact, consider speaking to your students about email and “cold calling” etiquette.
- You may consider having a list of options for students, either with specific organizations, or with qualities that will make a good organization for students to contact.
- Remind students it may take them more time than they anticipate to find a contact.
- Keep in mind
- Students do not need to sign a service agreement NDA for this type of interaction.
- If the company or organization suggests an NDA, consult the NDA template and recommendations.
- You do not need to inform the Lewtas Office of Experiential Learning (LOEL) about outside partners that students find directly.
Option 3: You find a partner to "sponsor" project
You will find a partner to “sponsor” a project. i.e. the partner will provide the “problem” or data and will be involved throughout the process in some capacity. All students will work on the same project (although perhaps they will work on different aspects of it).
- Finding a partner
- You may wish to use Riipen to find projects.
- Pedagogical Suggestions
- Set expectations with the partner from the get-go around the timeline, deliverables and scope of project.
- Be clear with partner about their involvement. Decide together whether they will meet with the whole class, with each team, how much feedback they will be able to provide.
- If students are working on different aspects of the same project, make sure the assessment method is clear to students.
- Keep in mind
- You may want to sign a service agreement. This will help facilitate the conversation around expectations with the partner.
- The partner may also want you to sign an NDA.
- The Faculty does not provide honoraria to partners; however, you may contact rita.mcadam [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Desautels%20Gifts) (Rita McAdam) about offering Desautels gifts.
- Please inform the el.mgmt [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Setting%20up%20an%20EL%20component%20-%20%22sponsor%22%20for%20a%20project) (Lewtas Office of Experiential Learning (LOEL)) who you are working with for your project.
Option 4: You find multiple sponsored projects
You will find multiple projects from outside partners, such that each team of students works on a different project.
- Finding a partner
- You may wish to use Riipen to find projects.
- Pedagogical Suggestions
- Make sure the different projects are similar in scope, so each team has roughly the same amount of work and similar deliverables.
- Set expectations with the partner from the get-go around the timeline, deliverables and scope of project.
- Be clear with partner about their involvement. Decide together whether they will meet with the whole class, with each team, how much feedback they will be able to provide.
- Since students work will look different depending on their project, consider setting learning objectives that focus on specific skills or competencies that all groups will employ when completing their project.
- Keep in mind
- You may want to sign a service agreement. This will help facilitate the conversation around expectations with the partner.
- The partner may also want you to sign an NDA.
- The Faculty does not provide honoraria to partners; however, you may contact rita.mcadam [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Desautels%20Gifts) (Rita McAdam) about offering Desautels gifts.
- Please inform the el.mgmt [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Setting%20up%20an%20EL%20component%20-%20multiple%20sponsored%20projects) (Lewtas Office of Experiential Learning (LOEL)) who you are working with for your project.
