Nursing Education is a complex and detailed kind of training requiring holistic education and learning approaches. The authors talk about their novel and creative approach to using Escape Rooms to help learners develop clinical and decision-making skills such as professional judgement and identity, collaboration, and communication!

Tara Grier:
Tara Grier is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing, Fort Wayne. She is passionate about enhancing student engagement through creative, evidence-based teaching approaches that encourage critical thinking and strong clinical judgment.

www.linkedin.com/in/tara-grier-dnp-rn-cne-ebp-c-4b9754164

Kristin Bassett:
Kristin Bassett is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing, Fort Wayne. She is dedicated to creating interactive, student-centered learning experiences that spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire growth in future nurses.

www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-bassett-dnp-rn-cne-ebp-ch-220853170

Inclusive sport is a powerful experiential learning approach made more salient with photo elicitation methodology--which is both pedagogy and research. The authors talk about their experiences in creating, facilitating, teaching, traveling, taking photos, and reflecting on learning. 

Guests

Dr. Lindsey R. Oakes, LRT, CTRS is a tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Recreational Therapy in the Department of Recreation Sciences & Sport Management at East Carolina University. Dr. Oakes’ research has focused on advancing inclusive, evidence-based recreational therapy practices that promote health, wellness, and community inclusion for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities across community, campus, and inclusive postsecondary education settings.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lindsey-oakes/ 

Dr. David Loy, LRT, CTRS, Jerry E. McGee Distinguished Professor of Recreational Therapy, Department of Recreation Sciences & Sport Management, East Carolina University. Dr. Loy has concentrated his research and innovation in the areas of adaptive sport, sensory inclusion, and advocacy for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-p-loy/ 

Dr. Shazia Akhtarullah and Dr. Fariha Niazi, both from Nova Southeastern University talk about their newly published article titled: Balancing Wellness and Learning: Self-Care Practices for Educators available in the newest issue of the Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education journal.  

The authors synthesize wellness standards from several different organizations and discuss holistic, multifaceted, and individualized ways to approach personal and, importantly, systems of wellness.  Next, the authors talk about how experiential education is key aspect of systems wellness while taking a unique amount of effort from educators.

Dr. Shane Saunderson, Assistant Professor of Information Systems

Dr. Sarah King, the Manager, Academic Experiential Education

Both from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. 

Our guests talk about Experiential Learning, AI, and transforming institutions-- one building and one teaching method at a time.

Learn how they bridge the space between classroom and business environments

Hear how they help faculty who are transitioning to project-based methods

Explore opportunities to integrate AI in scaled up Experiential Learning

Dr. Sarah King is the Manager, Academic Experiential Learning at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, where she and her team lead large-scale, high-quality experiential learning for 4,000+ students annually. A senior leader in experiential and work-integrated learning, she holds a PhD in Educational Studies from the University of New Brunswick and has worked nationally to advance community-engaged learning and sustained investment in experiential education.

Dr. Shane Saunderson is an expert in the design and psychology of interactions with social machines. He is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University researching the social implications of increasingly humanlike technologies through the Research on Artificial Persons (RAP) Lab. Shane also lectures on digital transformation, design thinking, and emerging technologies with Schulich Executive Education at York University. He has spent over a decade consulting for Fortune 500 clients on digital strategy, disruptive innovation, and technology projects. Shane has helped found several startups, has chaired numerous industry boards, is a prolific technology writer, and frequently gives talks on robotics, AI, design thinking, and the future of technology in society. He is a former Vanier scholar who holds a PhD in robotics with a specialization in psychology from the University of Toronto, a MBA in technology and innovation from the Ted Rogers School of Management, and a B. Eng. from McGill University.

Back for a new year of podcasts with Allison Reaves and Sarah Erickson from NorQuest College in Alberta!

Listen for strategies to make friends, build coalitions, and scale up experiential and career education! 

Alison Reaves is the Vice Dean, Student and Academic Strategy (SAS) at NorQuest College. Alison loves supporting students to be successful- whatever that means to them. As Vice Dean, SAS, Alison supports 11 departments in their work to provide meaningful and holistic support for students from their start at NorQuest College until after graduation. Alison was previously the Academic Program Manager for the Work-Integrated Learning and Career Education Centre at NorQuest College and brings over 10 years of experience in career development, supporting university and college students, and engaging industry. Prior to joining NorQuest College, Alison was the Associate Director for Business Career Services at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

Sarah Erickson is the Academic Program Manager for the Work-Integrated Learning and Career Education Centre at NorQuest College in Edmonton, Alberta. After 10 years in the human services sector, Sarah joined NorQuest to champion initiatives that foster inclusive, equitable pathways to career success for learners. She leads a team advancing student career development through career services and work-integrated learning experiences, such as co-op, practicums, and community service learning. Sarah holds a Master of Education from the University of Calgary, specializing in Educational Neuroscience and Transdisciplinary Leadership.

Mentoring is a combination of collaboration in your org with empathetic interaction that help socialize leaners to your field and organization.

Not all scientists know how they became good at their fields, so they may not know how to help a student in their early career.

Balancing structure and autonomy for mentors is a key feature of the mentoring program.

Alignment with high impact practices keeps this program accountable to teaching standards

Dr. Kawana Johnson serves as the Mentoring Director at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) at Florida State University, where she holds a Research Faculty appointment. In this capacity, Dr. Johnson brings extensive expertise in the development, implementation, and oversight of mentoring programs and initiatives. She also brings extensive knowledge in program design and management, with a particular emphasis on experiential learning and its role in career and workforce development. Dr. Johnson earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction, with a specialization in Career and Workforce Education, from the University of South Florida. 

Kevin Wenger is a recent graduate from the Higher Education program at Indiana University and was a Project Associate for the National Survey of Student Engagement. In this article he explores first-year students’ experiences with high-impact practices, stemming from his doctoral dissertation which focused on the first-year experience as a foundation for student success. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-wenger-67819860/ 

Mentions 

Alsarhan, A. (2024). High-Impact Practices: Evaluating Impact on Adult Learners’ Retention. Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 7(4 - December). https://doi.org/10.46787/elthe.v7i4 - December.4059 

https://journals.calstate.edu/elthe/article/view/4059 

The authors talk about their study where they find that when students take more than one experiential learning courses, their odds of graduation increase!

Dr. Anita Carol Swayze is the Director of Experiential Learning and a faculty member in the Experiential Learning (EXL) Scholars Program at MTSU. She has served more than thirty years in higher education as both administrator and educator developing and sharing best practices for incorporating experiential learning into the academic curriculum.

Dr. Jim Rost is the lead faculty member for the Ed.D. in Assessment, Learning, and Student Success Higher Education concentration at MTSU. His areas of research include doctoral student self-efficacy towards program completion, online andragogy and quantitative research methods.

Dr. Janet McCormick is Professor of Communication and Director of the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA) program at Middle Tennessee State University. Since 1987, she has engaged students worldwide through award-winning, experiential teaching practices—both online and on-ground—and is widely recognized for her contributions to faculty mentoring, curriculum innovation, and the advancement of experiential learning in higher education.

Read the article: https://journals.calstate.edu/elthe/article/view/3561

Rost, J., Swayze, A. C., & Janet McCormick. (2023). Increased Graduation Rates in Students Who Take One or More Experiential Learning Classes during Their Undergraduate Program of Study. Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 6(2 - September). https://doi.org/10.46787/elthe.v6i2.3561 

 Show Notes

The Assessment institute (Annual Conference) https://assessmentinstitute.indianapolis.iu.edu/index.html 

This paper follows a previous publication: https://journals.calstate.edu/elthe/article/view/3561

(This episode was recorded in front of a live Zoom audience on Nov. 5th, 2025!  Enjoy the recording!)

From the rise of alternative credentials and AI integration to evolving career preparation strategies, this interactive discussion unpacks the trends that are redefining what it means to teach, learn, and succeed in today's educational landscape.

Dr. Marianna Savoca, the Associate Vice President for Career Readiness and Experiential Education at Stony Brook University

Dr. Melanie Booth, the Principal at Nectary Solutions and a consultant with the HLC Credential Lab where she’s running the new Innovation Center Design Camp, one of many initiatives in her portfolio

Grow your EL from the faculty and other educators

Secure top-down support, make it a both/and process

Focus on student access and equity

Build connections and maintain strong networks and relationships

Tell good stories!

Let feedback among networks drive toward an ecosystem of Experiential Learning

Emily Carpenter is the Associate Vice President for Experiential Impact at Nazareth University. In this role, she oversees the Center for Life’s Work (which includes career design, academic internships, community engagement, and international education/study abroad offices), and the Office of Research, Scholarship & Innovation.  Prior to launching the Center for Life’s Work, she led Nazareth’s internship program and was an assistant professor in the School of Management. She has a doctorate from Northeastern University where her research was focused on rural college student career development. 

Mike Stefancic, M.Ed. is Director of Academic Success in Boise State University’s School of Public Service, leading efforts to integrate advising, experiential and career learning across student degrees. With over a decade in service-learning, faculty development, and partnerships, he has facilitated workshops on reflection, course design, community engagement, and risk management. Formerly an environmental educator nationwide, he continues to consult on experiential program design for higher education. Recognized for civic engagement and volunteerism at the university and state levels, Mike is committed to bridging academia and experiential learning to prepare students for impactful public service careers.