Experiential Education grows deeper roots in academia

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Vajoczki_Sue.jpg” caption=”Susan Vajoczki joins the Experiential Education office May 1. Photo credit: Deborah McIvor”]An increasing number of social sciences students can look forward to more of a hands-on learning experience when they return to class this fall. Social Sciences is now incorporating experiential learning as a core concept in the delivery of courses and the evaluation of educational quality. To fully integrate the changes into the curriculum, a new manager of Experiential Education with expertise in higher education has been hired.

Susan Vajoczki will become manager of the Experiential Education office in Social Sciences on May 1.

Currently a lecturer with the School of Geography and Geology, Vajoczki brings more than 15 years of university experience and a keen interest in experiential education to the role. Since 1992, she has organized a variety of annual geological field trips locally and as far flung as Northern Ontario and Costa Rica.

“Incorporating experiential learning into a course is one of the most rewarding ways to teach as you get to participate in the students' active learning,” says Vajoczki. “I am really looking forward to the new challenges this position offers.”

“We're laying down our roots,” says Susan Watt, associate dean. “Every department in the Faculty currently offers at least one course that is enhanced by the Experiential Education program, however, students will soon begin to notice a larger impact as our new manager will be working with faculty and students to integrate experiential education into the curriculum, where appropriate, that will enhance the academic environment with 'hands-on' learning.”

Along with her lecturing responsibilities, Vajoczki has co-chaired the 2005-06 Science curriculum committee, is a member of the School of Geography and Geology curriculum committee and a member of two Refining Directions undergraduate committees. Since 2001, she has contributed to and presented at 58 annual meetings or workshops and has co-authored a lab manual with Carolyn Eyles on earth and environmental sciences.

Experiential Education offers a whole range of opportunities for students, says Watt. It can involve internships, experiences in the classroom, job shadowing or other observational experiences, laboratory or research placements. This approach educates through hands-on application and will meet the needs of people who learn best by doing. For example, a labour studies student could spend time job shadowing a steelworker at Stelco, and gain insight into that type of unionized, labour environment. Recently, a fourth year class of anthropology students published their final papers as a book, Anatomy of a Pandemic: The 1918 Influenza in Hamilton, which stirred up enough interest in the community to demand a second print run within it's first month, so that it can be purchased through Titles bookstore.

“We need to incorporate a variety of options to meet the needs of students with different learning styles,” says Watt “and bringing Susan into the role of manager will help us to incorporate strategies into courses and then academically evaluate, or research, the educational value of these strategies.”