Connect Arts’ disciplinary learning to students’ futures and help students see how classroom learning can be applied in other contexts, including workplaces and the community.
Experiential and practical learning emphasizes direct, hands-on engagement with real-world challenges to deepen understanding and skill development. Approaches like fieldwork, service learning, simulations and labs connect academic concepts to lived experience, while preparing students to apply their knowledge in professional and community contexts.
By integrating practical learning and connections with alumni in the classroom, you connect course concepts and professional skills, helping your students build toward their futures.
Featured Arts resources
Bridging the gap between academic theory and professional practice with Arts ePortfolios
Discover how four Arts instructors integrated Arts ePortfolios into the classroom.
Support for integrating practical learning and connections with alumni in the classroom
Connect Arts’ disciplinary learning to students’ futures—help students see how classroom learning can be applied in other contexts, including workplaces and the community.
Practical Learning: Sharing Alumni Career Journeys
Learn how Dr. Stewart Prest brings alumni into the classroom to broaden students' understanding of career possibilities.
Subtopics
Case-based learning
Case-based learning immerses students in authentic situations, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge, experiment with decision-making, and reflect on outcomes. These approaches promote active engagement, critical thinking, and practical problem-solving in a safe, controlled environment.
Community-engaged projects
Community-engaged projects connect students with local organizations or communities to collaboratively address real-world issues. Through direct engagement, students develop a variety of practical skills, deepen their understanding of social contexts surrounding their disciplines, and contribute meaningfully to community-driven goals.
Practical skill development
Practical skill development provides students with the opportunity to grow essential skills that may not be explicitly mentioned in the learning objectives in class. These skills benefit students beyond the classroom and are transferable to most job opportunities regardless of the industry.
Interdisciplinary learning
Interdisciplinary learning allows students to develop a more holistic view of real-world applications by encouraging students to explore questions and problems through multiple disciplines.
