For my second blog post, I chose to write about experiential learning. Experiential learning is centred around learning by doing. It engages students in hands-on learning opportunities which can allow them to connect theory with real-world applications. Some examples of experiential learning include cooperative work terms (co-ops), community service, field trips, etc. I have been fortunate to participate in many experiential learning opportunities. One of the main factors for deciding to study engineering at the University of Victoria was their mandatory co-op program for engineering students. I knew that this would ensure that I graduated with experiential learning opportunities to not only apply the technical skills learned in courses but develop a deeper understanding of how the theory connects with real-world applications. This goes to show the power of experiential learning.

In the context of our chosen learning design topic, ChatGPT, I think that experiential learning abysmally aligns. There are opportunities to integrate experiential learning into our chosen learning design topic. One example would be to have students solve a problem and as part of the process prompt them to engage with ChatGPT to obtain additional starting points for where to direct their research, resources that they can utilize to solve the problem, etc. that they should consider. However, one major flaw with ChatGPT is that it does not always present correct information. Since experiential learning assigns students a level of autonomy in their learning, it could work to confuse students rather than engage them. Furthermore, I don’t believe that experiential learning would be the best approach in this context since the main form of engagement with ChatGPT is online. I believe that one of the benefits of experiential learning is that it often takes students outside of the classroom and provides learning opportunities in a variety of settings. In my opinion, that is part of the excitement that engages students and makes them excited to learn. If experiential learning was integrated into the exploration of ChatGPT, the learning setting wouldn’t change, and I think it would be harder for students to connect their learning outside of the classroom to the real world.