Assignment 4: Experiential Learning

 

Experiential Learning 

by Caroline Everidge

Commented On:

Lauren Means

 

Project Title: Bros & Barbells

 

Goal: Improve overall physical health of men in recovery from substance use disorders.

 

Learning Objectives:

Participants will

©      Complete self-reflection of current physical activity level and experience with various physical activities

©      Participate in trial of physical activities

©      Complete self-reflection of trial physical activity experience

©      Implement new daily physical activity actions with small group

©      Complete weekly self-reflection logs

 

Rationale:

This curriculum was modified using Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). As Dewey once stated, “all genuine education comes about through experience” (Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020, p. 198). This idea is further supported by Kolb: “learning is a continuous process grounded in experience” (Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020, p.197) Kolb’s model of ELT is a four-stage, continuous process.

1.      Concrete Experience (do it and experience it)

2.      Reflective Observation (observe and reflect)

3.      Abstract Conceptualization (new ideas)

4.      Active Experimentation (apply it)

These four stages are evident in the design of Bros & Barbells.

Source: Adapted from Kolb (1984)

 

Design:

Activity	Description	Timeframe/Duration	Rationale
Initial self-reflection	Participants will complete a self-reflection of current physical activity levels and personal experiences with various types of physical activity (see attached)	Prior to first session	Reflective Observation
Engage in physical activity	Participants will engage in four forms of physical activity	Week 1 –yoga   Week 2 –weight lifting   Week 3 –cardio-fitness class   Week 4 –sport-fitness class	Concrete Experience
Group Reflection	Participants will engage in a three-part reflection each week.	Reflection 1 – Group reflection of previous week’s physical activity   Reflection 2 – Group reflection during each activity session   Reflection 3 – Final group reflection at end of week 4	Reflective Observation
Select physical activity	Participants will self-select which of the forms of physical activity they wish to focus on over the next three months.	Week 5 session	Abstract Conceptualization
Small group fitness	Participants will engage in self-selected form of physical activity with a small group three times per week over the course of three months.	Three months	Active Experimentation
Independent Reflection	Participants will reflect on their three-month small group fitness activities	Independent weekly fitness journals throughout the three months	Reflective Observation

 

Attachments:

Initial Self-Reflection

Group Reflection Prompts

Weekly Reflection Questions

 

References:

Merriam, S. B., & Baumgartner, L. (2020). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive
guide (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

 

Assignment 4: Experience and learning by Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders; Post: Thursday; Comment: Sunday

Experience and Learning  by Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders Week 4 Project

MBurns ASaunders Week 4 Project EDAC 634

Names: Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders

Molly’s Roles: Title, goal, learning objectives, rationale 

Abigail’s Roles: Title, goal, design

Project Title: Preparing to become a Registered Dietitian through Experiential Learning

Goal: The goal of this project is to help dietetic students become more confident when working with patients in order to be successful registered dietitians.

Learning Objectives: 

In this course, there will be 4 modules that reflect Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. The overall course objectives are to teach the dietetic students how to:

1. Read and interpret a case study about a patient that will need nutrition intervention due to a nutrition-related health issue.
2. Make decisions about the patient’s nutrient needs, nutrition diagnosis, and possible nutrition interventions and share ideas with other students.
3. Understand the correct course of action for the patient from the case study using the Nutrition Care Process and scientific evidence with assistance from the Registered Dietitian.
4. Students will be able to apply the information they have learned from completing a case study to an actual patient in the future.

Rationales: 

• For our project, we focused on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle which emphasizes the role that experience plays in the learning cycle. As Dietitians are responsible for the nutritional well-being of patients and clients, having ample experience prior to becoming professionals is crucial. 
• The four stages of experiential learning will frame our project by including the following main ideas:
• 1. Concrete Experience - the learners should be open and willing to try new experiences. The students will read and complete a case study.
• 2. Reflective Observation - the learners will observe the experience and reflect on it. The students will share their findings with the group and write a short report on what was challenging and what they think is best for the patient.
• 3. Abstract Conceptualization - the learners will form new ideas or modify the new theory based on reflection. The students will compare their findings with the findings from the registered dietitian. 
• 4. Active Experimentation - the learners will apply what they have learned and their ideas into practice. The students will be able to use the same process to complete a case study on an actual patient.
• How the main ideas will be used within the project design
• 1. Concrete Experience - the students will learn about heart failure and be given a case study for a patient who is an 85 year old male with heart failure.The students will complete the case study by answering specific questions about the health status of the patient who is suffering from a nutrition-related health issue.
• 2. Reflective observation - The students will share their ideas and conclusions with the group. After sharing their findings and asking questions on the patient, the students will reflect on what they have learned from others and write a short report on what they think is the best course of action for the patient for nutrition. In the report, the students will also reflect and write about what was most challenging for them when reading and completing the case study.
• 3. Abstract conceptualization - The students will learn about the best next steps that need to be taken for this patient by hearing from the dietitian. The students will also discuss the most appropriate nutrition diagnosis, interventions, and nutrient needs for the patient based on scientific evidence. After hearing from the registered dietitian and comparing their findings with the dietitian, the students can modify their nutrition plans for the patient.
• 4. Active experimentation - The students will work alongside a registered dietitian to determine the appropriate nutrition diagnosis, intervention, and other nutrition information for a patient the registered dietitian is currently working with. The students are able to use what they have learned from the process of completing a case study and follow the same steps to determine the best care for an actual patient.

 

                                                                     Design

Modules	Content	Activity	Rationale
Module 1  Concrete  Experience	A registered dietitian will read the case study to the dietetic students. The case study will be about an 85 year old male with heart failure. Students will also learn about heart failure	Dietetic students will start by completing a case study. This case study will be a patient who has a common nutrition-related issue, heart failure, that dietetic students will have to treat in their career.	Stage 1 of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is concrete experience. Students will learn best by implementing the knowledge they have into a real-life example.
Module 2  Reflective Observation	Students will be given time to share their case study findings with their peers. They will be able to ask questions and give feedback.	Students will share their findings, diagnosis, and intervention with classmates. Students will be able to ask each other questions and give feedback. Students will take time to write a short report on what their final thoughts on the case study are and also what parts of the case study were most challenging for them.	Stage 2 of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is reflective observation. Students are able to reflect on the work they have completed and ask questions. In this stage, students will take a step back from the case study they have been working on and receive feedback.
Module 3 Abstract  Conceptualization	A Registered Dietitian (RD) will go over the case study with students. The RD will show where to find evidenced based guidelines for treating patients and give appropriate nutrition diagnosis’ and interventions for the case study.	Students will go over the case study with a Registered Dietitian (RD) who will guide them through the Nutrition Care Process for the specific patient. The RD will give appropriate nutrition diagnosis’ and interventions for the case study using scientific evidence to support. Students will reflect on the case study they completed and be given the opportunity to gain knowledge on how to best treat the patient.	Stage 3 of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is abstract conceptualization. Students are guided by a RD at this stage in order to accurately process and interpret the case study they have been working on. The RD will use scientific evidence to explain the steps that should be taken in order to care for this patient. Students are able to compare the diagnosis’ and interventions they created with the appropriate ones given by the RD.
Module 4 Active Experimentation	Students will be presented with a real-life patient the RD is currently working with in order to put information learned through this project into practice.	Students will be presented with a patient the RD is working with currently. Students will use the knowledge learned from the previous case study to plan what information is needed from the Nutrition Care Process in order to determine appropriate nutrition diagnosis and interventions for an actual patient.	Stage 4 of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is active experimentation. At this stage, students are able to put what has been learned through the previous case study into practice. They are able to learn from previous mistakes made in order to care for a real-life patient. Students are able to plan the information they need to gather in order to make an appropriate  diagnosis and create interventions for the specific patient. This will closely resemble the work the students will do in their career as RDs.

Multimedia: Example Case Study 

Case Study: 

References:

Kolb’s learning cycle. RSS. (n.d.). https://www.structural-learning.com/post/kolbs-learning-cycle 

YouTube. (2017, January 23). Teaching tips | experiential learning model. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDchcHORheM  

LM Assignment 2: Andragogy & Self-Directed Learning

Assignment 2: Andragogy & Self-Directed Learning

 

Project Title: Bankers for Better Accounts

Goal: Improve the new account opening process by lessening errors and expanding representatives’ knowledge on accounts

Learning Objectives:

Employees will:

1)     Create and utilize a checklist for usage during and after account opening

2)     Learn the guidelines of every style of account: consumer, business, guardianship, POA, trust, and minor

3)     Partner with a colleague to review accounts for errors

Rationale: 

 

This project was inspired by the lack of account review process at my place of work for New Account Representatives. While representatives are provided with a manual and a week of training, the act of account opening, once an employee is customer-facing, can become overbearing and intense. Representatives also, for the most part, complete this process individually; as a result, mistakes may occur and create the need for corrections of documents or within our online platform. A basic checklist for representatives to use while opening, for both the documents and online, is a proactive approach to minimize errors. Additionally, partnering with a coworker creates educational opportunities and provides a second form of observation that was not previously utilized.

The need for a follow-up process is based within the second assumption of adult learners as resources outlined by Knowles. The amount of information New Accounts Representatives are expected to understand and follow, including the knowledge formed through hands-on practice, makes them a “growing reservoir of experience, which is a rich resource for learning” (Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020, p. 118). This project shows there is an understanding that we have a wealth of information necessary for us to memorize, and while we may attempt our best performance, accounts are sometimes overwhelming. In this position, adults must have a readiness to learn, but assistance can be provided as well. My colleagues, especially those in the field for longer, hold experience that is important to explore. Or, assistance can be in a written form as well. Accounts becoming more complicated throughout each year showcases how “learning in adulthood is often a function of changing roles and responsibilities and physical and mental development” (Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020, p. 132). As the process requires more details, our responsibility to the job and our customer increases.

Design:

Checklist link here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qDbIBQPfwcD36uJ_P6Dpq7GlFg9m_DZGJ9YjIU5o94g/edit?usp=sharing

 

References

Merriam, S.B., & Baumgartner, L. (2020). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Andragogy by Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders Week 2 Project

 Andragogy by Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders Week 2 Project

MBurns ASaunders Week 2 Project EDAC 634

Names: Molly Burns and Abigail Saunders

Molly’s Roles: Title, goal, learning objectives, design 

Abigail’s Roles: Title, goal, rationales, design

Project Title: Understanding the Importance of Eating Breakfast through Andragogy 

Goal: The goal of this project is to emphasize the importance of eating breakfast for the overall health and well-being of adults.

Learning Objectives: This course includes 5 modules. Three of the five modules are designated for the learning objectives. The first learning objective is understanding the benefits of breakfast. The second learning objective is making informed breakfast choices. The third learning objective is to develop strategies to implement breakfast and setting breakfast goals.

 

Rationales: 

·       Main Ideas

• Andragogy - We are using the principles of experience, need to know, task oriented learning, and self-concept to frame our project. 
• Experience: Adults have vast life experience that serve as a source of learning. This experience allows adults to understand concepts that children cannot. Participants will reflect on their own experiences with breakfast.
• Need to know: In order to want to undergo the learning process, adults need to understand the importance of the topic they are learning. Adults will not invest time and resources into learning about a topic that they do not believe will benefit their lives. Participants will learn about why breakfast is important.
• Orientation to learning: Adults are task-oriented learners with learning applications needing to be immediate and problem-centered. Participants will be involved in actually making a breakfast meal.
• Self-concept: Adults view themselves as being responsible for their lives. Adults prefer autonomy and taking ownership of their learning by participating in planning, goal setting, activities, etc. Participants will set their own attainable goals for eating breakfast.
• How the Main Ideas will be used

§  Experience: We are going to have participants share their experience with breakfast at the beginning of the lesson. We will ask who eats breakfast each morning and have them share their favorite go-to breakfast and why they choose to eat breakfast each morning. We will ask those who don’t eat breakfast to share why they choose not to eat breakfast or why they are unable to eat breakfast. This will give the adults the opportunity to share their experiences on the topic with the group and give a basis for the lesson. 

§  Need to know: The importance and health benefits of eating breakfast will be shared at the beginning of the lesson. This is a strategic move to demonstrate to the adult learners the value participating in this lesson will have for them personally. By sharing how breakfast can improve focus and work performance, they will be more likely to want to engage in the presentation. 

§  Orientation to learning: A food-demo and following a recipe will be incorporated into this project in order to show immediate application of the information learned. It is expected that barriers to eating breakfast will include not knowing what to make/how to cook and also not having enough time. To address this, we will have participants complete a food-demo that will show them a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast option that they can adjust to their liking. 

§  Self-concept: We will have participants use the information learned in the project to create their own goals for eating breakfast. Rather than giving participants the goal of eating breakfast 5 times a week, for example, participants can set their own goal that is attainable for them specifically as they are responsible for their own lives/actions. 

Design 

Modules	Content	Activity	Rationale
Module 1 Introduction	Introduce the educators and their credentials to build credibility.  Participants will reflect on their own experiences and knowledge around eating breakfast.	Short group discussion: ask how many people eat breakfast each morning For those that said they do, ask what their favorite/go to breakfast is For those that said no ask what is holding them back from eating breakfast	Experience  It is important to understand the adults’ experience with breakfast and reasons for not eating breakfast each day. By individually establishing what the learner knows and does when it comes to breakfast, can help the learners identify what they feel they need the most from this course.
Module 2  Understanding the Benefits of Breakfast	Participants will gain a better understanding of the benefits of breakfast. Participants will learn that eating breakfast can enhance their lives/well being: Increased energy and focus for work/kids	After discussing the many of the benefits of breakfast, the participants will write down on a piece of paper, three benefits of breakfast that stood out to them the most. This paper can be taken home and put on the fridge as a gentle reminder of why eating breakfast is important to them.	Need to know By learning and understanding the many benefits of eating breakfast, the participants can determine if they want to make eating breakfast a part of their daily
Module 3 Making Informed Choices	Participants will learn about healthy food choices for breakfast. Participants will be able to write down breakfast meals that they would enjoy that are also nutritious and easy to make.	Food Demonstration: The participants will watch and learn how the instructors make a nutritious and easy breakfast from following a recipe.  The participants will discuss other breakfast ideas that are healthy and quick to make.	Task oriented learning  Following a quick and easy recipe and watching a food demonstration can solve common barriers to eating breakfast. For example, not knowing what to make, how to cook and not having time are common barriers to not eating breakfast. After applying what they have learned to a task, the participants will be more ready to establish their own breakfast goals.
Module 4 Strategies to Implementing Breakfast and Goal Setting	Participants will develop individual strategies to help implement breakfast into their daily routine. Participants will set attainable goals for eating breakfast.	Develop strategies: Meal prep On the go breakfast items Set goal of eating breakfast X amount of times per week based on their own situation: Think about what steps they will take to achieve this goal If comfortable, participants can discuss and share their goals.	Self concept Adults are self directed learners and are responsible for setting goals for their own life.
Module 5 Conclusion	Participants will summarize the information they learned in the modules of this course.  Participants will identify their ability and comfort level with the information shared about eating breakfast.	Survey: Participants will complete a survey that reflects on what they learned throughout the modules. The survey will address what they already knew, what they learned, and what stuck out to them the most from all the information learned.	Self-reflection is important for participants to engage in after learning about a topic. Self-reflection can allow the participants to take what they have learned and decide how to apply it to their everyday life.

Brochure - given as a take home resource

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/johns-hopkins-childrens-center/documents/_documents/eating-right-wake-up-benefits-breakfast2.pdf 

 

 

References:

Chris.drew.98031506. (2023, October 12). The six principles of Andragogy (Malcolm Knowles). Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/principles-of-andragogy/  

A simple, easy to understand guide to andragogy. Cornerstone University. (2021, December 15). https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/a-simple-easy-to-understand-guide-to-andragogy/  

(Brochure) International Food Information Council Foundation. (2012). Wake Up to the Benefits of Breakfast. Washington, DC; 2 Texas Department of State Health Services.