The College of Arts Experiential Learning Fellowship | College of Arts

The College of Arts Experiential Learning Fellowship

The COA ELF supports the development and continuation of experiential learning opportunities within the College of Arts.
 

The COA ELF provides up to $7,000 for field schools  and up to $5,000 for other experiential initiatives or innovative pedagogies. The fellowship may be used for travel, accommodation, support personnel , experiential learning and teaching conference presentations or participation, and other cost associated with EL initiatives. Students’ costs (e.g. travel to a field school or workplace) and teaching costs (e.g. course buyouts, paid overload) are not eligible. Grant must be expended by April 2023 or the funds will be rescinded. The application process is competitive, and new proposals may be given priority. Eligible applicants: COA faculty members and, in exceptional cases, sessional instructors. 

College of Arts Experiential Learning Fellowship  Application (Qualtrics)

Discover Past ELF Winners & Projects 

The University of Guelph defines experiential learning as a pedagogical practice whereby students gain new knowledge, skills and abilities by intentionally applying their classroom learning in a workplace or simulated workplace setting. Experiential learning opportunities are grounded in an intentional learning cycle with clearly defined learning outcomes. They engage students actively in creating knowledge and critically reflecting on their experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of how they can utilize what they have learned and the skills they have developed in future endeavours. For more details on experiential learning at Guelph, consult Experience for Life: Experiential Learning at the University of Guelph.

The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) has identified six criteria that must be met in order for an activity to be considered EL[1]:

  1.  The student must be in a workplace or a simulated workplace[2].
  2. The student must be exposed to authentic demands[3] that improve their employability, interpersonal skills, and transition to the workforce.
  3. The experience should be structured with purposeful and meaningful activities.
  4. The student must apply university or college program knowledge and/or essential employability skills[4].
  5. The experience should include student self‐assessment and evaluation of the students’ performance and learning outcomes by the employer and/or university/college.
  6. The experience should count towards course credit or credential completion or be formally recognized by the college or university as meeting the five criteria above.
[1] Alongside the above-mentioned criteria, the (EL) environment must be accessible and in compliance with all laws and regulations.
[2] “Simulated workplace” is defined as a learning environment that models or emulates a professional workplace in function, equipment or operation, wherein a student engages in activities reflecting real work experience.
[3] “Authentic demands” are defined as work contexts, processes or practical experiences, with real-world application.
[4] The Skill Development Through Experiential Learning working group is currently aligning University of Guelph Learning Outcomes with essential employability skills, to which all experiential learning activities will be mapped

Application requirements:
 

  1. Project description: Provide a summary of your project. Indicate how it will enhance student learning through its experiential aspects and/or how you will share what you have learned with other COA stakeholders. Explain how this provides for students’ experiential learning, as defined above. (400-word maximum)
  2. Learning Outcomes: Provide expected learning outcomes of the project, for students and/or faculty.
  3. Course Grades: Provide grade breakdown, if offered as a for-credit course.
  4. Benefit: Beyond benefit to student participants, indicate who and how others will benefit from the project. Include an outline of plans for knowledge dissemination by students or faculty. (250-word maximum)
  5. Budget: Include a detailed budget of planned expenses (adhering to the university’s rules and regulations). Please itemize costs (e.g., accommodation, travel, personnel, professional services, materials, honoraria, etc.) and include a justification for each item. Preference will be given to proposals with specific, well-justified budgets.
  6. Additional Financial Support: Statement from director/chair of financial support from the applicant’s units. Applicants should seek additional funding sources, incl. from CIP for international projects. Please include funding commitments or list of all sources to which you’ve applied.
  7. Successful applicants are expected to disseminate their experiences within and outside of the COA. Venues for such sharing might be COA working groups and brown bag lunch meetings, one-on-one meetings with colleagues interested in creating EL opportunities for students. The U of G’s Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference, April/May each year, might be an appropriate local venue.
  8. Submission: Submit your completed application using the above link