A photo of a younger student with split-dyed hair observing an older faculty member.
Students exploring the city
A Kent State University nursing student administers IV medication to a manikin during a simulation while two classmates observe. (Photo credit: Bob Christy)

Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR)

All KSU students must fulfill the ELR in order to graduate.  This degree requirement provides students with learning experiences that promote academic relevance, meaning and an understanding of real-word issues.

Experiential Learning and Its Importance
Completing the ELR and Examples
Information for Faculty
Reflective Assignment Guide

Experiential Learning and Its Importance

Experiential Learning is the process of learning by doing. By engaging students in hands-on experiences and reflection, they are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations.

Experiential learning opportunities exist in a variety of course- and non-course-based forms and may include community service, service-learning, undergraduate research, study abroad/away, and culminating experiences such as internships, student teaching, and capstone projects, to name a few.

When students participate in experiential education opportunities, they gain:

  • A better understanding of course material
  • A broader view of the world and an appreciation of community
  • Insight into their own skills, interests, passions, and values
  • Opportunities to collaborate with diverse organizations and people
  • Positive professional practices and skill sets
  • The gratification of assisting in meeting community needs
  • Self-confidence and leadership skills

Students have the opportunity to fulfill the ELR through a variety of options. Click the tabs below to learn more about how to fulfill the ELR through each method.

Designated Course

Many majors at KSU already have an ELR-designated course as part of its course requirements. Some students select an ELR-designated course as an elective. To find out if your major includes a designated course, review the major roadmap or speak to your academic advisor.

Search for ELR-designated courses through FlashLine:

  1. Visit the link below
  2. Click on “Search by Term” dropdown at the bottom of the page
  3. Select the term that applies to you
  4. Select your campus and course level
  5. Under Attribute Type select “Experiential Learning Requirement”
  6. Click “Class Search”

ELR Course Search

Plus-1 Credit Course

The Plus-1 option allows students the opportunity to receive course credit by attaching a 1 credit-hour addition onto another course. The faculty member for the co-registered course must approve and work with the student to develop an additional class project or research assignment.

To create a Plus-1 Credit Course, complete the application at the link below. The faculty supervisor will automatically receive an email prompting them to approve the project. Once approved, Student Success Programs will create the course section, and send the CRN to the student to register for the course.

Plus-1 Course Application

Non-Course Activity

The Non-Course Activity allows non-credit experiences to satisfy the requirement. The student must be a KSU student at the time of completing the non-course activity.

Possible Non-Course Activities include:

Requirements for the Non-Course Activity

  • Approval of a faculty supervisor
  • Reflective assignment
  • A minimum time commitment of 45 hours, which includes travel time and completion of Reflective Assignment

Non-Course Activities Application

ELR Project Examples

Non-Course Activity Examples:

  • A biological sciences student shadowed a pathologist and pathologist assistant at a local hospital.
  • A business student created a computer applications system for a non-profit animal rescue, which allowed the organization to discontinue their paper-based filing system.
  • A student who participates in the US Army Reserves completed a 2-week construction project in the Dominican Republic, building a schoolhouse and medical clinic for the local community.
  • A School of Art student completed an Alternative Spring Break trip to Baltimore to provide direct service and participate in cultural excursions while also learning about social issues affecting the community.

Plus-1 Credit Course Examples:

  • Students in a Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology course provided services to international students at Kent through the International Conversation Partner program.
  • A biological sciences student participated in research on the presence of tracheal pores in the proboscises of butterflies and moths.

Information for Faculty

An ELR designated course is one that meets ELR standards after review and approval. Faculty can apply for course or section designation through the following process:

Faculty Role in Acting as a Faculty Supervisor

When a student chooses to complete the ELR through the Non-Course Activity or Plus-1 Credit Course options, they must secure a faculty supervisor. Their role is to do the following:

  • Approve the experiential learning activity and/or assignment through the electronic application system
  • Assist the student in developing learning outcomes for their activity/assignment
  • Monitor their progress to completion
  • Collect their Reflective Assignment
  • Sign the completion form through the electronic application system

Reflective Assignment Guide

The purpose of the reflective assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to critically examine their ELR experience and connect it to the learning objectives of their major, their future career plans, as well as their personal values, goals, and skill sets.

Completion of the reflective assignment can occur in a variety of ways, however faculty supervisors should provide guidance on the preferred format. The following list offers suggestions for how to reflect on the ELR experience and complete the reflective assignment:

  • 4-6 page reflection paper
  • PowerPoint or other digital presentation
  • Video documentary
  • Journal
  • Narrated photo album
  • Portfolio
  • Short film

Students should aim to answer the following questions in their reflection:

OBJECTIVE

This part of your analysis will include descriptions of your concrete experience.

What did you do? Whom did you work with? Where did you work? What is the purpose of the organization? What did you observe? What did you hope to learn?

REFLECTIVE

This part of your analysis will focus on how you felt or interpreted your experience.

How did you feel at the beginning of your experience? What was the first day like? A month later? Did you feel more confident? More confused? Did you feel successful? What was the most enjoyable and challenging parts of the experience?

INTERPRETIVE

This part of your analysis will focus on what you learned from your experience.

What did you learn? Did you accomplish your learning goals and objectives? Why or why not? Did your experience change the way you thought about a particular issue or your career field? Why was this experience important? How does your coursework or career field connect to this experience? Can you use what you learned in other ways?

DECISIONAL

This part of your analysis will explore how you will incorporate your new knowledge into your current state of mind.

What decisions have you made based on your experience? Have you changed any of your beliefs, opinions, and truths? What would you do differently next time? How has this experience affected your career path, your personal life choices, or your use of new information, skills or technology? How are you going to use this new knowledge in the future?

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