This summer I had the opportunity to visit Athens, Greece as part of a travel studies program. I had a wonderful experience. The Greek people are gracious and ardent. Not only was my life enriched personally, but I gained something professionally as well. I went on this trip, in part, hoping to learn more about how to help professors train students to be more globally competent. I knew travel studies would be an excellent component to a strong global curriculum. I wanted to learn more about travel studies and the pedagogies that made them effective. I was not disappointed. One professor in particular used experiential methods that were extremely effective for student learning.
Philosophy Professor Provides Ideal Example of Experiential Learning
Dr. X had his students read in triplets: (1) writings of ancient Greek philosophers in parallel with (2) contemporary philosophers writing about the same topic and (3) New Testament writings of Paul to the Ephesians and Corinthians. Then, he took students to various places around the city that significantly connected to the reading. At each new location he would allow the students to explore the area, observe the people and the culture, and draw conclusions about what they were seeing, tasting, and feeling before he taught them the history of the location. A perfect example is the trip to Pnyx Hill. Dr. X assigned three readings the night before: Martha Nussbaum, Aristotle and Ephesians 2. For preparation and homework, students were asked to compare and contrast the parallel ideas of justice, citizenship and eudaimonia (full human flourishing) found in the different writings. On the given day he took them up on the hill called Pnyx where the ancient Greek democratic assembly convened. The students explored the area, and eventually stood near the old Bema seat, where the ancient Greek leader sat and brought issues to the citizens to be voted on. Professor X then provided a brief lesson on the history of democracy and explained the significance of the surroundings. He led the students to a small slope, and they sat under an olive tree. Professor X then asked the students to talk about their observations. He asked them to consider the surroundings and draw conclusions based on what they observed. He talked to them about their thinking. He challenged their assumptions. He asked them to recall their readings and relate the information. Then he led a discussion about what true democracy would look like according to Aristotle, Nussbaum, and Paul. He masterfully helped them integrate Greek culture, philosophy and faith. Through this process the students thought more deeply about the abstract philosophical ideas and their own beliefs. They discovered far more about themselves and the Greek culture than they would have otherwise. One student said of her learning experience in Greece, “I found Dr. X’s peripatetic teaching methods an extremely successful way of learning. By doing our class work on site, I was able to apply everything I learned, going beyond mere book learning of facts to tangible, applicable understanding. That really helped me to be able to connect everything we studied not only to its immediate context, but to my life and our existence today, and because of that, I have a much fuller grasp of the material.” (K. Nelson, jr. theatre major)
What this taught me as a faculty development coordinator is this: providing a learning experience truly is at the heart of teaching. Since my time in Greece this summer I have focused my thinking and reading on trying to figure out how to help every Cedarville University professor provide the kind of learning experience the philosophy professor provided in Athens. We have heard it said, ‘Experience is the best teacher’. And after what I observed in Athens, I quite agree. I believe that experiential learning is one of the best pedagogical practices. Unfortunately, while many professors would agree with me in principle, in reality, they often fall back on the old method of pouring knowledge into the brain of the student. “Teaching by pouring in refers to a medieval belief that we could teach people by drilling holes in the human head and, with a funnel, pour information into the brain. Though we now snicker at that model, we use equally absurd methods today.” (Learning from Experience by Marcia L. Conner. http://agelesslearner.com/intros/experiential.html found 9/14/10.) Many acknowledge that lecturing may not be the best way to teach, but perhaps we lack models of how to do it better. Perhaps we can explore how to use experiential methods close to home. Perhaps we can look at the process and figure out how to provide an experience right in the lecture hall.
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning: “Learners taking part in planned real-life activities that are often community based. Learning is facilitated through a combination of planning and preparation, experience, reflection and review.” (iNet Specialist Schools and Academic Trust: Glossary of Curriculum Terms. http://curriculumdesign.ssatrust.org.uk/Resources/index.php/Glossary_of_Curriculum_Terms Found 9/14/10)
