In 2015, Texas A&M University developed an online learning platform (www.exploresae.com) to provide a resources for experiential learning. The primary focus of this educational session is to share the development this online learning system and lessons learned. Also, to share the results of the over 60,000 students and their use.
Experiential learning is a pedagogical approach where students learn by doing or observing others. Schindehutte and Morris (2016) identified that experiential learning needs a framework to follow in order for students to make decisions and see the outcome of those decisions. According to Thomas (2000), experiential learning projects involve students in a constructive investigation. An investigation is a goal directed process that involves inquiry, knowledge building, and resolution. Investigations may be design, decision-making, problem-finding, problem-solving, discovery, or model-building processes.
In agricultural education, experiential learning projects are identified as Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE). These projects are historically tied to agricultural education and considered a crucial component of the school-based agricultural education model (Croom,2008; Phipps, Osborne, Dyer, & Ball, 2008). The structure of SAE projects are first their level of involvement (individual, school or service learning), second the type of project (Entrepreneurship, Job, Research and Exploratory) and third their connection of national agricultural content standards (AFNR).
In 2015, Texas A&M University and other partners developed an online learning platform (www.exploresae.com) to provide a resource for secondary agricultural teachers and students with SAE educational resources. A particular aspect of this site, “Explore Your SAE” was to provide students a self-directed opportunity to improve their inquiry, knowledge building, decision-making, discovery and project plan. Since the launch of this site in July 2015, over 60,000 students have completed self-directed project plans and at the same time have documented their perceived value of the experience. Results to date include Google Analytics analysis of use, percent gain in self-perceived knowledge and related demographics such as results by age, classification and location, which are all planned topics for this educational session.
The primary focus of this educational session is to share the development of a student self-directed online learning system that is designed to provide students an inquiry based system to explore their level of engagement, allotment of time, possible financial needs and connection to national content standards. This session will provide a review of the entire online educational system and related educational resources, but the primary focus is the student online self-directed system (Explore Your SAE) and the related framework. This unique platform provides a methodology that could be used in other educational areas or professional development to improve user engagement, assist in developing experiential learning frameworks and how to embed assessment tools that can help track use.