Tracking Experiential Learning Courses
Tuesday, 9/19/2017

Charles Brendan Cooper (Cooper)Adrian Hall

Institutional Research AnalystAcademic Data Steward

Experiential Learning Courses

UC identifies several types of experiential learning (EL) in its curriculum of course offerings. Each student’s major will require at least one EL course or experience. It is also possible for students to find other courses of different EL types outside their major. You might help a student make a selection based on their particular goals, interests, or scheduling needs.

The definitions used at UC are printed on the back of this handout.

The Numbers

We have been tracking EL courses since 2012/13.

  • Nearly half of UC’s undergraduate students take at least 1 EL course per year.
  • Retention among non-honors uptown first year students from 2015 to 2016 was 92.4% (compared to 78.9% among those who had not taken an EL course).

Viewing the Numbers

All UC faculty and staff have access to view the Experiential Learning dashboard. This gives you the total number of EL enrollments, or number of unique students who completed an EL course, with filters by type, year, student college, and course offering college.

Use your central login to view the dashboard here: dataanalytics.uc.edu

Reporting the Classes

There is a 2-step process to report EL courses.

  1. In eCurriculum the course number must be approved as supporting that type of EL.
  2. In Catalyst, class sections are ordered by the departments teaching each class. Those with transcripted attributes must be individually identified each semester (i.e. section 001 is Service Learning, 002 is not).

If a faculty or staff member has knowledge of a transcripted attribute missing from the class section, but is not sure which person should address the attribute, they can report the class section. The instructor will be notified, and the class will be reviewed for follow-up.

Go to this website and fill out our form to report a class: tinyurl.com/uc-attribute

UC’s Experiential Learning Course Definitions

Honors – Transcripted Attribute

Honors seminars incorporate experiential learning. Students should be challenged with creative activities/projects that take learning beyond the typical classroom, integrate theory to practice, provide contextual complexity, and provide opportunity for reflection. Reflection should be ongoing throughout the semester and have a summative component at the end of the course.

Experiential components vary widely but can include hands-on activities such as site visits, fieldwork, service-learning, integration of lab work, performances, study tours, and more. Methods of reflection can vary as well and include writing, critical discussion, creative works such as art or videos, journals, blogs, etc.

International – Transcripted Attribute

A course that receives the International/Education Abroad designation is one in which all or part of the instruction (or experience) is undertaken outside of the United States. Examples include: a course that travels during or immediately after a semester (generally for less than 2 weeks); or a full study abroad program where all instruction and coursework is done abroad (generally 3 weeks or longer).

Internship – Transcripted Attribute and Course Section Type

A specially designed learning experience in which students investigate the applicability of their studies in a domestic or international field experience. The course is reflective in nature, relies on communication with an on-site mentor, as well as communication with a UC faculty member. Through ongoing student reflection the course reinforces prior learning through contextual learning and is designed to more effectively prepare students for additional coursework in their area of study.

Peer Education – Transcripted Attribute

A specially designed learning experience in which students actively engaged in peer educator roles learn, apply, and reflect on skills, knowledge, and theory related to the practice of instructing and/or mentoring other students.

Service Learning – Transcripted Attribute

A specially designed learning experience in which students combine reflection with structured participation in community-based projects to achieve specified learning outcomes as part of an academic course and/or program requirement. By participating in academic community partnerships at the local, national or international level, students gain a richer mastery of course content, enhance their sense of civic responsibility, and ultimately develop a more integrated approach to understanding the relationship between theory, practice, ideas, values, and community.

UC Forward, Transformational – Transcripted Attribute

Transformation courses are specially designed learning experience where students develop the disposition to work across disciplines. Students are encouraged to become transdisciplinary team members who create new ways of thinking and doing.

Undergraduate Research – Transcripted Attribute

A specially designed learning experience in which all or part of the instruction includes student participation in supervised research with a faculty member. Supervised research can be: 1) independent research undertaken by the student (thesis, independent study), or 2) assistance on a faculty member’s research project.

Clinical – Course Section Type

A clinical laboratory applies only to health technology programs. A clinical is a laboratory section which meets at a health-related agency facility in lieu of on-campus laboratory facilities. Clinical laboratory sessions provide a realistic environment for student learning. During a clinical laboratory session, a regular faculty member directly supervises the class. The instructor assigned to teach clinical laboratory sessions will be a full- or part-time faculty member.

Performance or Exhibit – Internally identified course numbers

Musical or theatrical experience in student productions and professional shows, or artistic exhibition of your work.