ERIC Number: EJ1134724
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-3667
EISSN: N/A
Student Motivations and Perception across and within Five Forms of Experiential Learning
Coker, Jeffrey Scott; Porter, Desiree Jasmine
Journal of General Education, v65 n2 p138-156 2016
Understanding student motivations for participating in high-impact educational practices is important for improving learning experiences. This article explores student motivations across and within five forms of experiential learning at Elon University: study abroad, research, internships, service-learning, and leadership experiences. Surveys and interviews were used at the end of students' senior year to understand what drives choices, the obstacles hindering student decisions, and the perceived value of each experience. A complex web of motivations arose related to majors and career goals, the perceived value of different opportunities, learning goals, financial need, minority status, and other factors. Students perceived many benefits from experiential learning related to worldview (93 percent of students), career development (87 percent), and academic learning (84 percent), though students varied widely in reporting which experiences they valued most and least. Findings suggest four implications for practice: making experiential learning a more substantial part of curricula, having a diverse set of experiential learning opportunities available to meet diverse student needs, being attentive to the socioeconomic situations of students, and promoting the benefits of each experiential learning opportunity in a balanced way that promotes multiple facets of a liberal education.
Descriptors: Student Motivation, Experiential Learning, College Students, Study Abroad, Student Research, Internship Programs, Service Learning, Student Leadership, Student Surveys, Interviews, Decision Making, Barriers, Majors (Students), Occupational Aspiration, Goal Orientation, Financial Needs, Minority Group Students, Educational Benefits, World Views, Career Development, Learning, Student Needs, Educational Opportunities, Socioeconomic Status
Pennsylvania State University Press. 820 North University Drive, USB 1 Suite C, University Park, PA 16802. Tel: 800-326-9180; Tel: 814-865-1327; Fax: 814-863-1408; e-mail: info@psupress.org; Web site: http://www.psupress.org/journals/jnls_jge.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A