The potential for experiential learning in the transformation of young adults

grantor: University of TorontoThe educational system often undervalues experiential learning in all its forms, relegating it to a subordinate role with respect to the mandated "essential" curriculum. While there is a current increased appreciation for what experiential learning can offer in terms of teaching practical skills for functioning in society and the workplace, its deeper transformative effects on students may still go unrecognized, be misunderstood or minimized. More study is required on the perspectives of students regarding the transformative benefits of experiential learning and the challenges they face during its process and aftermath. In this study I explore the experiences of fifteen Canadian high school students and the challenges they face during its process and aftermath. beginning in Mexico at the Cuernavaca Centre for Intercultural Dialogue on Development. Employing a qualitative inquiry mode, I describe and analyse student experiences as reporter and participant in order to discern what needs to be considered and in place for future effective experiential learning. The transformative process described in this study not only makes an argument for the inclusion of experiential learning at the core of every curriculum but extracts the qualities and understandings from this unique experience that speak to the enhancement of all educational endeavors.Ph.D