Track
Track 2: Leadership, Organizational Culture & Systems Change
Publication Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026
Start Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026 11:30 AM
End Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026 12:00 PM
Presentation Type
Poster
Description
From Experience to Persistence: Using Experiential Learning Theory to Support At-Risk College Students At-risk college students—those facing academic underpreparedness, financial strain, first-generation barriers, competing work/family responsibilities, or limited sense of belonging—often disengage when learning feels disconnected from real life. This presentation explores how experiential learning theory (ELT) can be intentionally applied to increase engagement, self-efficacy, and persistence among at-risk learners. Grounded in ELT’s cycle (concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation), the session demonstrates how faculty and student-support professionals can redesign assignments and learning routines to create meaningful “learning-by-doing” experiences that are structured, supportive, and measurable. Participants will examine practical strategies such as scaffolded micro-experiences, guided reflection prompts, feedback loops, low-stakes rehearsal opportunities, and real-world problem scenarios aligned to course outcomes. The presentation also addresses common implementation challenges (time, variability in student readiness, cognitive overload, and inconsistent participation) and offers simple tools for monitoring progress and strengthening learning analytics to identify early warning signals and improve targeted supports. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-use set of experiential lesson structures, reflection templates, and engagement checkpoints that can be adapted across disciplines and modalities (in-person, hybrid, and online).
Recommended Citation
(2026). POSTER: Experiential learning for at-risk students. Retrieved from https://fuse.franklin.edu/dsa-conf/2026/presentations/4
POSTER: Experiential learning for at-risk students
From Experience to Persistence: Using Experiential Learning Theory to Support At-Risk College Students At-risk college students—those facing academic underpreparedness, financial strain, first-generation barriers, competing work/family responsibilities, or limited sense of belonging—often disengage when learning feels disconnected from real life. This presentation explores how experiential learning theory (ELT) can be intentionally applied to increase engagement, self-efficacy, and persistence among at-risk learners. Grounded in ELT’s cycle (concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation), the session demonstrates how faculty and student-support professionals can redesign assignments and learning routines to create meaningful “learning-by-doing” experiences that are structured, supportive, and measurable. Participants will examine practical strategies such as scaffolded micro-experiences, guided reflection prompts, feedback loops, low-stakes rehearsal opportunities, and real-world problem scenarios aligned to course outcomes. The presentation also addresses common implementation challenges (time, variability in student readiness, cognitive overload, and inconsistent participation) and offers simple tools for monitoring progress and strengthening learning analytics to identify early warning signals and improve targeted supports. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-use set of experiential lesson structures, reflection templates, and engagement checkpoints that can be adapted across disciplines and modalities (in-person, hybrid, and online).
