MODULE 6

Learning Experiences using

Contextual Learning

3rd

2nd

1st
How to use Contextual Learning?
Engaging students in a real situation!
Service Learning Place-Based Learning

Lab-Based Learning Work-Based Learning

How to use Contextual Learning?
Learning is constructed by having a relationship
with:

Physical Locality and

People and Community
Local Experts
Learning as a
Group
Service Learning Place-Based Learning
Part of course
curriculum
Mostly one-way benefit:
Two-way benefit:
Students will learn from
Students & Others
the place

Build human, social,

Build deeper technical
cultural and physical
and understanding of a
capital through volunteer
specific locality
community service
How to use Contextual Learning?
Learning is constructed by having a relationship
with:

Physical Locality and Local Experts

(Apprenticeship + Mentoring)

Learning as an
Individual
On-Campus Lab-Based
Work-Based Learning
Out of course Learning
curriculum

Build Professional
Build Academic Expertise Expertise (develop
(develop ability to study application skills and
and research) interpersonal
relationships)
Examples of Contextual Learning:

Service Learning Place-Based Learning

• Growing corn: from planting the

• Science class about pollution seeds until harvesting
complemented with an activity of • Study-abroad programs
collecting trash in an urban area • Field study trips: learn history,
nature and environment

On-Campus Lab-Based
Work-Based Learning
Learning

• Research Assistant • Internships or Co-ops

• Individual Research Projects • Job Shadowing
• Lab Assistant • School-Based Enterprise
SERVICE LEARNING
 What is it?
Community Service + Curriculum

Service learning is a teaching approach that engages students to learn and

develop through thoughtfully organized community service (Brown, 1998;
Swick, 2001).

It applies knowledge in real-world ,

addressing community needs and
turning students into responsible
citizens
 How it works?

Application at Community
C
Collecting trash O
N
C
Building community gardens
Class L
U
Repairing and painting damage areas
Instruction S
I
Organizing charity events
O
N
Teaching basic professional skills to community S

Performing your professional work to community

REFLECTION
 How to create one?
Ten Steps for Bringing Service to Your Classroom !

1 Define Specific Learning Objectives for your course

2 Assess the Needs and Resources of Your Community and School

3 Form Community Partnerships

4 Select a Project and Begin Preliminary Planning

Learning Community
PROJECT
Objectives Need

Identify your needs to implement the project:

Resources? People? Time?...
 How to create one?
Ten Steps for Bringing Service to Your Classroom !

5 Plan Your Project in Detail

Timeline and schedules, budget, roles, assessment tools etc.

6 Acquire Necessary Funding and Resources

7 Implement and Manage Project

8 Organize Reflection Activities

9 Assess and Evaluate Your Service Program. Use Rubrics!

10 Achievements

http://www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org/guidebook/classroom.html
 How to create one?
Some tips!

Plan for a minimum of 40 hours activity over a school year

Work with students in order to draw the connections between what the students are
doing and what they should be learning

Give time to reflect on their service. That may involve asking students to keep a
journal, or having teachers and organizers lead discussions or coordinate activities that
get participants to analyze and think critically about their service.

Give students leadership roles in all phases of the project. Students should have
a role not only in executing the service project, but also in making decisions about its
development.

Grade students based on what they learned.

http://www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org/guidebook/classroom.html
PLACE-BASED LEARNING
 What is it?
It is a concrete way of learning abstract concepts!

It assumes that learning is rooted in the uniqueness of a place - history,

environment, culture, economy, literature, art etc. Students learn through real
interaction by investigating, exploring and taking action in their local area.

Students will

be there, see it,

touch it, feel it

and internalize it!

 How it works?
The real context brings learning to life! (Yeager, 2003)

Application at a place
C
O
Exploring a watershed N
C
Visiting a museum to learn about a specific L
Class
historical issue U
Instruction S
I
Learn about the implications of different soil O
types by visiting different geographical locations N
S
and exploring the differences among them

REFLECTION
 How to create one?
1 Define Specific Learning Objectives for your course

2 Select the objectives that:

- Are based on abstract concepts
- Would be better achieved by having a closer contact with the subject
(students would understand better by seeing, feeling, touching ….)

3 Search for places that would help achieve the learning objectives

4 Develop learning activities to be done at such place

5 Plan and execute the trip

6 Discuss and summarize conclusions

7 Celebrate Achievements!
 How to get started with
Service Learning and
Place-Based Learning?

Opportunities can already exist or be created!

There are identified communities’ Start with the desired

needs or places of interest! outcomes

Next Slide

Analyze what students will gain

through this activity and see if it
applies to the course curriculum
 How to get started with
Service Learning and
Place-Based Learning?
Start with the end in mind!
Objectives Nature
Learning LESSON
& Learning of the
experiences PLAN
Goals Content

Communicate
Communication Students will teach
with Service Learning
needs interaction elderly to use internet
community

Students will visit

Explain the Soil erosion is one
Place-Based natural and eroded
implications of form of soil
Learning areas and observe the
soil erosion degradation
impacts of erosion
 On-Campus
Lab-Based Learning
 What is it?

It is an opportunity to practice science much in the way

professionals do

Students will learn to be a researcher by developing their own experiments or

assisting a professor

It is provides a clear idea

of the academic career!

http://www.queensu.ca/ctl/goodpractice/lab/why.html
 How it works?

It is a learning experience outside of the course curriculum!

Can be done in the summer or during the semester

Student can be member of a research group

Student can be assisting a professor (assistantship)

Student can be developing an independent project (Honors project)

 How it works?
Students will:
Define the problem and formulate hypothesis / theories

Make observations,
Design their own Execute the
measure results &
experiments experiments
analyze data

Confirm conclusions
by repeating the Discuss results &
Communicate results
experiments or make conclusions
designing new ones
 How to create one?

1 Define the field of study

2 Develop a project proposal

• Project's objectives and activities

• Principal Investigator
• Students to be recruited and their role in the research
• Other organizations involved in the project's operation
• Timeline: summer activity? academic year?
• Project evaluation and reporting, etc.

3 Submit to a funding organization

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07569/nsf07569.htm#prep
 What professors should do to
create opportunities?

Professor’s role is to:

Indentify university job positions that could be occupied by students

Include students in your projects

Advise, mentor or guide students while they are developing and implementing their
research projects
 Ten Time-Saving Tips for
Undergraduate Research
1 Design a simple project with clear goals

2 Provide hands-on supervision

3 Ensure good communication and explanations

4 Involve students early

5 Sign a student-mentor contract (clarify expectations)

6 Maintain well-written protocols

7 Establish student research communities

8 Capitalize on inexperience

9 Create a template file for student posters

10 Increase retention
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ756062&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&acc
no=EJ756062
 Tips for Research Mentors
1 Assess your student’s interests, knowledge, and abilities

2 Explain the project at the outset and students’ contribution

3 Clearly define your expectations for the student

4 Develop a schedule of regular meetings with the student (Review the

student’s research products and give feedback)

5 Keep and share notebooks and other lab records

Outline your student’s daily tasks and responsibilities in the lab (if
6
possible, in writing)

7 Communicate about overall project progress

Make an effort to get to know your student on an informal basis (it will
8
encourage a comfortable relationship)
http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/learning/undergrad-research/tips-mentors.cfm
Work-Based Learning
 What is it?
It improves school-to-work transition!
Work-based learning occurs when a youth acquires knowledge, skills, attitudes, and
habits needed for a particular occupation in a workplace environment

Interning at a workplace provides a firsthand look at

what skills are needed, how knowledge learned
in school is put into action in the workplace, and
informs the student about career choice

It provides a clear connection between

future career and class work!
http://dpi.wi.gov/cte/workbase.html
 How it works?

School and/or professor will provide opportunities

to student interact with future employers:

There are many types of work-based activities:

Internships or Co-op Job Shadowing

School-Based Enterprises
 How it works?

Internship or Co-op

It is an workplace experience in which students complete a series of

activities or project(s) and achieve a set of learning objectives designed to
give a broad understanding of a business or occupational area

It may be highly structured or not

It may be paid or not

It may be for credit or not

It may be done in the summer or during the semester

Wisconsin Work-based Learning Guide

 How it works?

Job Shadowing or Practicum

It is a workplace experience (typically three to six hours per week) during

which a student spends time, one-on-one, with an employee observing
daily activities and asking questions about the job and the industry. Students
are also given the opportunity to do hands-on activities at the workplace.

It can also be an activity in which students will interview a professional and

learn about his routine and work activities

It is usually done within a course and for credit

http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ATE/wbl/Manual/Apprenticeships.htm Wisconsin Work-based Learning Guide

 How it works?

School-Based Enterprises

School-based enterprises allow students to put into practice what they learn in
the classroom by running an actual small businesses. While participating in
these activities, students learn overall business operations such as managing
costs, ordering supplies, working under pressure, conserving supplies and
maintaining facilities
It is an extracurricular activity in which students will provide services to
companies, like a consulting company, and use the proceeds to fund the
group activities

Clubs can also be considered a School-Based Enterprise

http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ATE/wbl/Manual/Apprenticeships.htm Wisconsin Work-based Learning Guide

 What professors should do to
create opportunities?

Professors’ role:

Be a networker:

- Be in contact with companies, promote partnerships and connect students to work

opportunities

Be an advisor or counselor:

- Help students to understand what would be the benefits of each opportunity; help
them to choose

- Support students during work experience by clarifying concepts, giving behavioral

orientation….
 How to get started with
Lab-Based and
Work-Based Learning?
The decision to do it is usually up to the students!
At Campus:
Professors and School Administration will work Lab-Based Learning
together to create work opportunities: At Companies:
Work-Based Learning

Professors and School Administration will guide students in their decision and give
support throughout the experience

Students will choose according to their learning goals!

 Summary
Contextual Learning bring knowledge to life!
It engages students in real-life and outside-of-the-classroom experiences,
which prepare students to face professional and civic life

Service Learning Place-Based Learning

Contextual
learning

Lab-Based Learning Work-Based Learning