Theme 1, Session 6:

Experiential Learning

Chairs:

Alexandre Guével, PhD, Assistant Prof. BME at Wake Forest University

Rob MacLeod, PhD, Prof. BME at University of Utah

Plan

1. Background (5 min)

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1. Survey results (5 min)

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1. Group discussions (15 min)

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1. Debrief (25 min)

Background

Kolb’s Learning Cycle (1984)

The Basics of Experiential Learning (EL)

Kolb & Kolb, 2017

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/elthe/vol1/iss1/7

Experience Becomes the Shared Education Driver

Standard discourse learning model

Experiential learning model

Kolb & Kolb, 2017

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/elthe/vol1/iss1/7

Examples

Not just hands-on experience (but also reflection, conceptualization, experimentation)

Four subtopics

1. Digital-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (wearables, virtual reality…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility…)

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1. Clinical-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (clinical rotations, clinical environment reproduced in class…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility…)

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1. Career-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (internships, co-op, interview simulation…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility, cost for students…)

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1. Community-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (service learning, capstone projects, humanitarian organizations, charities…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility, health equity, create BME solutions in line with social justice…)

Survey Results

Demographics

Demographics

Demographics

Demographics

Demographics

How is experiential learning integrated in your institutions?

Examples of experiential learning opportunities in your institutions

Challenges to implement experiential learning strategies

Group Discussions

Any other subtopic you’d like to discuss, apart from these four subtopics?

1. Digital-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (wearables, virtual reality…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility…)

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1. Clinical-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (clinical rotations, clinical environment reproduced in class…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility…)

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1. Career-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (internships, co-op, interview simulation…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility, cost for students…)

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1. Community-based learning
1. Examples of existing initiatives (service learning, capstone projects, humanitarian organizations, charities…)
2. Challenges
3. DEI (accessibility, health equity, create BME solutions in line with social justice…)

Icebreaker (2 min)

1. Pick a subtopic and stand near the corresponding poster (try to spread evenly).

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1. Pair with another attendee near your poster.

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1. Introduce yourself and share your answer to the following question:

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If you had a magic wand, how would you use it to improve BME education?

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Small group brainstorming (13 min)

1. Form groups of maximum 6 people per subtopic (form several groups per subtopics if necessary)

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1. Discuss the suggested points (examples, challenges, DEI). These points are just suggestions, feel free to discuss other aspects of your subtopic.

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1. Context: gathering ideas and feedback that will inform guidelines to be published in a journal article but also our respective institutions.

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1. Summarize your talking points on sticky notes that you then place onto your subtopic poster.

Group report and debrief (25 min)

1. Summarize the talking points gathered on your respective posters.

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1. Q&A, discussion with participants from other groups to expand on talking points, bring up complementary points.

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1. Repeat for each of the four subtopics.

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1. Co-chairs moderate discussions and capture discussions in writing.

Supplementary talking points

• While experiential learning garners significant and growing interest from both learners and educators, its implementation remains largely under-resourced and reliant on the initiatives and efforts of the educators. Does this mean that we should rethink more in depth the structure of learning institutions?

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• Could we use the experiential learning paradigm to genuinely anchor our teaching into today’s pressing problematics like the climate / social justice crisis? And thereby align our teaching with a growing students demand. See also the increase of technical colleges enrolment at the expense of general colleges.

Resources

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• Kolb system Learningfromexperience.com
• Participatory Community-Based Research framework
• Chronicle of Higher Education Background Articles
• How Colleges Can Open Powerful Educational Experiences to Everyone
• No Textbooks, No Lectures, and No Right Answers. Is This What Higher Education Needs?
• Does ‘High-Impact’ Teaching Cause High-Impact Fatigue? How do we deal with the cost of EL programs?

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• University of Georgia EL Program website
• James Madison University X-Lab program

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• Link to Chronicle of Higher Education Webinar:

Resources

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• Kolb system Learningfromexperience.com

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• Chronicle of Higher Education Background Articles
• How Colleges Can Open Powerful Educational Experiences to Everyone
• No Textbooks, No Lectures, and No Right Answers. Is This What Higher Education Needs?
• Does ‘High-Impact’ Teaching Cause High-Impact Fatigue? How do we deal with the cost of EL programs?

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• Experience Based Learning Systems, LLC

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• University of Georgia EL Program website

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• James Madison University X-Lab program

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• Link to Chronicle of Higher Education Webinar

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• Participatory Community-Based Research framework

More Resources

Relevant literature

Kolb, D.A. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (1984)

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Experiential Learning in Biomedical Engineering Education Using Wearable Devices: A Case Study in a Biomedical Signals and Systems Analysis Course, Montesinos et al. (2022)

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Using Virtual Reality in Biomedical Engineering Education, Singh et al. (2020)

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Experiential Learning Theory as a Guide for Experiential Educators in Higher Education

Alice Y. Kolb and David A. Kolb, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. (2017)

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Subtopic 1: Digital-Based Learning

Subtopic 2: Clinical-Based Learning

Subtopic 3: Career-Based Learning

Subtopic 4: Community-Based Learning

Subtopic 5: Challenges