Teaching for Experiential Learning - by Scott D Wurdinger & Julie a Carlson (Paperback)

About the Book

This book describes how to change the way in which educators conduct business in the classroom. Our current educational systems lack ways to reach today's learners in relevant, meaningful ways. The five approaches in this book inspire and motivate students to learn.

Book Synopsis

This book describes how to change the way in which educators conduct business in the classroom. Our current educational systems lack ways to reach today's learners in relevant, meaningful ways. The five approaches in this book inspire and motivate students to learn. The authors provide in-depth descriptions into these overlapping approaches for experiential learning: active learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, service learning, and place-based education. Each of these five approaches includes an element of student involvement and attempts to engage students in solving problems. The chapters are presented in a consistent, easy-to-read format that provides descriptions, history, research, ways to use the approach, and resources. This book will help educators transform their classrooms into dynamic learning environments.

Review Quotes

After reading the book I find the approaches unassailable. The author's of this book have discovered five major themes of importance if the education system in America wants to get it right: 1. Motivation and interest is always the key to learning 2. Learning is much more complex than regurgitating facts 3. Applying, doing and producing enhances long-term memory and productivity 4. Schools and teachers that use the experiential methods discussed in this book produce a different and superior set of skills than do schools that are using traditional delivery methods 5. This superior set of skills is not measured by NCLB and AYP measurements. Research and experience as discussed in this book prove that experiential forms of learning are superior in many ways. And the author's also point out that schools as presently structured can move in this direction. Or, if not, there are ways to create schools that restructure to accommodate experiential learning. What are you waiting for?--Ronald Newell, evaluation director, EdVisions Schools

The book provides conceptual understanding and is nonprescriptive in the delivery of theory and knowledge about this growing field that is crossing different academic content borders.... Written in a user-friendly style, this book is quite easy to read and is useful for different audiences.... Recommended.-- "Choice Reviews"

This is an excellent book that broadens the concept of experiential learning methodologies, situating them within developmental pedagogies.--Walter Enloe, coauthor of Project Circles and Learning Circles and former lead teacher and principal of the Paideia School and Hiroshima International School

Wurdinger and Carlson clearly understand that experiential education is a broad concept that is not narrowly defined to a specific methodology or programmatic manifestation. This is a commendable effort to develop language that experiential educators from very different perspectives can use to talk with one another and to the broader world of educational policy making in general.--Jasper Hunt, coordinator, Experiential Education Graduate Program, Minnesota State University-Mankato

About the Author

Scott Wurdinger is a professor of experiential education and leadership studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and works with schools to integrate more