Creating an Experiential Course

The Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) helps faculty design and use experiential pedagogies -especially community-engaged scholarship- in semester and Winter Study courses.  We help faculty create new courses and redesign pre-existing ones via periodic workshops and 1-1 assistance.  We provide training, design assistance, financial support (including budget preparation), and logistical help (including transportation). Here we provide small and large-scale examples of how to use ‘learning-by-doing’ techniques within an academic course, as well as local organization observation options.

For help with these ideas or applying experiential education teaching principles and cooperative learning techniques, or if you need or have a community-engaged learning course idea or information on an organization or program which you think would be a good partner for a course, please complete this short google form or contact CLiA Director Paula Consolini via email or phone (413-597-5039).

Advising Student Course Proposals

Under the guidance of a faculty sponsor, students may develop Winter Study Independent Study Courses (referred to as WSP 99s) or a fall or spring semester independent or group course involving experiential learning. Students interested in incorporating an internship or fieldwork into their learning should consult the Winter Study 99 proposal guidelines for more information. Below we offer sample proposals, including a fictitious “bad” proposal.