Community-Connected

Experiential Learning

CESBA Conference

December 1, 2017

Together, we will ...

• Consider the contribution made by Adult Education

programs to learners’ education and career/life

planning.

• Deepen our understanding of community-connected

experiential learning, specifically in the context of

adult education.

• Provide an opportunity for sharing ideas on how we

might employ community-connected experiential

learning in the future.

Mission Statement

Ontario is committed to the success and well-being of every student and child. Learners in the province’s education system will develop the knowledge, skills and characteristics that will lead them to become personally successful, economically productive and actively engaged citizens.

2.4 The Guidance and Career Education Program

Under the direction of the principal, each school will develop and implement a guidance and career education program. The program has three areas of learning:

● student development ● interpersonal development● career development

Career development is discussed in Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario Schools -Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013).

What is learned

The Framework: Areas of Learning and Inquiry Questions∙ Knowing yourself

∙ Exploring Opportunities

∙ Making Decisions and

Setting Goals

∙ Achieving Goals and Making Transitions

Encourage students to ask themselves:- Who am I?

- What are my opportunities?

- Who do I want to become?

- What is my plan for achieving my goals?

Where it is learned

Learning Opportunities

∙ Curriculum-related, in and outside the classroom

∙ School-wide

∙ In the community

Provide learning opportunities in the classroom, school, and

community to support students in developing

education and career/life planning knowledge and skills.

How the learning is documented and

demonstrated

Evidence of Learning∙ “All About Me” Portfolio,

Kindergarten to Grade 6

∙ Individual Pathways Plan, Grades 7 to 12

Encourage students to reflect on the following:● What insight did I gain?

Through which experiences?

● What evidence can I gather to show what I’ve learned? 4

Structure of the Education and Career/Life Planning Program

VISION: All students leave secondary school with a

clear plan for their initial postsecondary destination

(apprenticeship training, college, community living,

university, the workplace) and confidence in their

ability to implement and revise their plans throughout

their lives. (p. 8)

Alignment and Coherence COMPONENT 5

Pathways Planning

and Programming

5.1 Comprehensive education and

career/life planning programs meet

the learning needs, interests and

aspirations of all students.

5.2 Opportunities for authentic

learning experiences and experiential

learning exist in all classrooms and

programs.

5.3 Students, parents, families, and

educators understand the full range of

pathways, programs, options and

supports that are available.

5.4 Students build on in-school and out-

of-school experiences to further explore

and reflect upon their interests,

strengths, skills and education and

career/life aspirations.

A Comprehensive Education and Career/Life

Planning Program for Adult Learners

VISION

Beliefs

Discovering The

Workplace

Designing Your

Future

Individual Pathways Plan (IPP)

Student Success Teams

Dual Credit

Courses

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship

Program

Career Development

in All Classes

Cooperative Education

Pathways Planning:

Life After High School

Guidance Counsellors

School-Work Transition Program

Goals

Learning Strategies

Advisory Committee

Career Cruising

My Blueprint

Guiding Principles

Pathways Fairs

Skills Competitions

Industry Recognized

Certifications

Clubs

Board / Regional Programs

Workshops Course Selection

Labour Market

Information (LMI)

Student Voice

Navigating The

Workplace

Skills Training Centers

Employment Centers and

Agencies

Job Shadowing/

Twinning

Field Trips

Conferences, Workshops and Clinics

Vision and Direction

Tools and Resources

Courses

Transition Planning

Educators in an Advisory Role

Community-Connected Experiential Learning

School/Board Programs

School-based Activities and Workshops

How do you and your colleagues in the adult

education program contribute to students’

education and career/life planning?

VISION: All students leave secondary school

with a clear plan for their initial postsecondary

destination (apprenticeship training, college,

community living, university, the workplace)

and confidence in their ability to implement

and revise their plans throughout their lives.

(p. 8)

Community-Connected

Experiential Learning

Community-connected experiential learning is

an inquiry-based, pedagogical approach that

provides opportunities for students to co-

construct their learning by:

• participating in rich experiences

connected to a community outside of

school;

• reflecting on those experiences to derive

meaning; and then,

• applying their learning to influence their

decisions and actions in various aspects

of their lives.

The community can be local, national, or

global, and the connection can involve being

physically present (an on-site experience),

being present through the use of digital tools

and technologies (a virtual experience), or a

combination of the two (a blended experience).

• Thinking:

– from an event to an effective approach to teaching and learning in all classes,

grades and programs

– from community-based (i.e., location) to community-connected (i.e., nature

and relationship)

– from teacher created to co-creation by teachers, students, parents and

community members

– from helping deepen students’ understanding of the curriculum or education

and career/life planning to the seamless integration of both

– from good for some students to beneficial for all students

• Practice:

– early, often, developmentally- and age-appropriate

– multiple and varied approaches and forms

– emphasis on developing the habits of reflecting, questioning, wondering and

deliberating to inform action (i.e., participate, reflect, apply)

The policy is intended to provide guidance to foster

expansion with intentionality by encouraging shifts in:

Every student in Ontario will engage in multiple and

varied community-connected learning experiences that

develop their capacity to become personally successful

and compassionate citizens who meet the challenges

of a fast-paced and globally-connected world.

● Every student from Kindergarten through PSE can benefit from active

participation in authentic, community-connected experiential learning

opportunities that are age- and developmentally-appropriate.

● Every student should have ample opportunities to engage in community-

connected experiential learning - early and often.

● Each community-connected experience prepares students for success in

future experiences of higher intensity, sharper focus and longer duration.

Core Beliefs

Learner groups that have been shown to benefit from experiential

learning include:

• The mature learner who has been long removed from the

traditional classroom and needs the motivation of contextual

learning to get them back into the swing of academia.

• The learner who needs to personally experience the value of a

subject in order to be motivated to learn.

• The learner who has trouble learning within the formal

classroom, and needs an alternate learning method in order to

succeed.

Best Practices in Experiential Learning, Ryerson

University Learning and Teaching Office

Who benefits from

community-connected experiential learning?

The Relevance of Community-Connected

Experiential Learning to Adult Learners

• Experiential learning can provide adult learners with an opportunity

to gain valuable real-world skills and help them to develop a

network of potential employers in a variety of ways.

• Community-connected experiential learning provides opportunities

to help students become personally successful and compassionate

citizens who meet the challenges of a fast-paced and globally-

connected world.

Community-connected experiential learning

helps children, youth and adult learners develop:

• a deeper understanding of expectations from the Ontario curriculum

and the ability to make connections to life experiences outside of

school; and

• personally meaningful

answers to the questions

that frame education and

career/life planning:

Community-connected experiential learning helps children, youth and

adult learners develop:

• a heightened awareness of the opportunities to discover, develop and

contribute their talents in a technology-driven, globally-connected world;

• insights into their identity (e.g., personal strengths, interests, needs and

aspirations) and their relationships to others in their community and

around the world;

• the habit of reflection, which promotes metacognition, learning to

learn/self-awareness and self-direction.

Community-connected experiential learning can lead to

transformational changes by helping learners develop a sense

of identity, purpose and belonging and by raising awareness of

a wide range of postsecondary pathways.

Approaches to Community-Connected

Experiential Learning for Adult

Learners:

● Problem-Based Learning

● Project-Based Learning

● Civic Engagement Focus

Service Learning

Activist Education

● Reach Ahead Focus

● Outdoor Education

What types of experiential learning activities could we offer?

Common Forms of Community-

Connected Experiential Learning with a

Career/Life Focus:

● Job Shadowing / Job Twinning

● Work Experience

● Cooperative Education (For Credit)

● Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program

Common Forms of Community-

Connected Experiential Learning for

Adult Learners :

● Field Trip

● Overnight Excursion

● Field Study

● Workshop / Clinic

● Conference

● Mentorship

● Hospitality and Career Studies students learn about

career/life possibilities through industry tours and

mentorship opportunities.

● Students deepen their appreciation of the history and

culture of the Indigenous people through museum trips and

visits to local elders/cultural organizations (e.g., Friendship

Centers)

● Experiential learning at a local kitchen that incorporates

culinary skills, food handling and safety certificate, healthy

eating, finance and life skills.

● Students create art installations in their community in

partnership with local organizations.

Examples of Community-Connected

Experiential Learning for Adult Learners

VIdeo Clip - Crypto Escape Rooms

Students Challenge:

Given a design space with set

dimensions, work in teams to

design an escape room.

In groups, students will work with the

client to create:

• a 2D floor plan,

• 3D computer generated model and

• a 1:1 scale model.

... for presentation to the client.

The client will choose a winning design.

Global competencies

necessary to thrive in a

technology-driven, globally-

connected world:

● Critical Thinking and

Problem Solving

● Innovation, Creativity and

Entrepreneurship

● Communication

● Collaboration

● Global Citizenship and

Sustainability

● Learning to Learn / Self-

Awareness and Self-

Direction

Experiential Storytelling

Guest speakers from different nations (i.e.,

Oneida, Métis and Canadian) spoke about identity

and relationships as well as creation stories and

culture. Students had opportunities to participate

in workshops and learn from key speakers and

make connections with Indigenous community

members. They explored the four questions that

frame education and career/life planning:

Who Am I? Students were invited to explore their own identity.

What are my opportunities? Students were provided with opportunities to understand relationships and community connections through guest speakers and written material.

Who do I want to become? Students reflected on who they want to become based on their current experiences and aspirations.

What is my plan? Students developed an appreciation of the importance of personal identity and communication as key drivers of planning for success.

Global Competency:

Learning to Learn / Self-Awareness

and Self-Direction

● Learns the process of learning (metacognition)

● Believes in the ability to learn and grow (growth mindset)

● Perseveres and overcomes challenges to reach a goal

● Self-regulates in order to become a lifelong learner

● Reflects on experience to enhance learning

● Cultivates emotional intelligence to understand self and others

● Adapts to change and shows resilience to adversity

● Manages various aspects of life – physical, emotional (relationships, self-awareness), spiritual, and mental well-being

How does each of the following contribute to the

development of an effective community-connected

experience:

● Students Are Co-Designers and Co-Planners

● Community Member(s) is “Invested” Throughout the

Process

● The Experiential Learning Cycle Frames the Entire

Experience

● Students Develop Their Education and Career/Life

Planning Competencies

How might you and your colleagues

use community-connected experiential

learning in the future?

VISION: All students leave secondary school with a

clear plan for their initial postsecondary destination

(apprenticeship training, college, community living,

university, the workplace) and confidence in their

ability to implement and revise their plans

throughout their lives. (p. 8)

Call for Proposals: Community-Connected Experiential

Learning For Adult Learners 2017-18Fall 2017

Community-Connected Experiential Learning Policy, K-12 Spring 2018

Cooperative Education Curriculum and Policy Document Spring 2018

Online Curriculum Resource to Support Cooperative

Education ImplementationSpring 2018

Regional Implementation Training Sessions

(CCEL / Cooperative Education)Spring 2018

Full Implementation Fall 2018

Nancy Britton

Education Officer

Program Implementation Branch

nancy.britton@ontario.ca

Carlos Sousa

Education Officer

Program Implementation Branch

carlos.sousa@ontario.ca