Frequently Asked Questions
Many students are unfamiliar with Experiential Learning, some professors don't fully understand it either. It is a nuanced theory and many people are misinformed or uninformed about the basics of Experiential Learning. This page will answer most of the common questions about EL at Brandeis. Contact Daniel Langenthal if you don't see your question here, or if you're not satisfied with the answer.
Is Experiential Learning just field trips for undergraduates?
Quite the opposite actually! Experiential Learning theory defined two types of experiences: "educative" and "miseducative". A field trip, even a semester abroad, can be an amazing and fun adventure, but it is easy to visit another country and come back without having learned anything or challenged your preconceptions. At the same time, an engaging professor can produce an energetic and intellectually stimulating atmosphere in the classroom. An educative experience, inside or outside of the classroom, is one of the most powerful ways to learn about your field of interest, and yourself.
We review all experiential courses to make sure that they adhere to the Experiential Learning Cycle. Whether you're learning about Ecology in the field, or reading the Iliad in a lecture hall, you're in for an educative experience.
That sounds awesome! Where do I sign up?
You can sign up for EL courses during the early and normal registration periods. A list of approved EL courses in each department is released by the registrar each semester.
You can find the list for Spring 2013, here.
Are there any other EL activities besides courses?
Any activity can be a learning experience, but internships, community service, and guided inquiry or creative work with a faculty member are the most common. The EL department doesn't directly offer any extracurricular activities besides the Experiential Learning Fellows.
However, we do maintain a fairly extensive guide to extracurricular EL opportunities at Brandeis. We have to constantly update it because there are new opportunities every semester. Make sure to check on it frequently!