The Economics of Experience-Based Higher Education

This article examines the relative costs and benefits associated with experience-based higher education in comparison to traditional lecture-based courses. The spreading of fixed costs that has been heavily relied upon in recent years to slow the accelerating cost of a college education is more difficult to accomplish with experience-based courses. In addition, certain intellectual capital costs must be invested in the transition to a curriculum balanced by adequate opportunities for experiential learning. The benefits of the latter, however, are also high, perhaps disproportionately so. After reviewing the evidence regarding the benefits that accrue to students, colleges, and communities, it is concluded that economic analysis supports the inclusion of experiential education in most baccalaureate programs. Further empirical work is needed to educate decision-makers and the public about the tradeoffs involved. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2007applied learning, business education, economics of higher education, experiential education, A20, A22, I21, I23,

Service-Learning in Developing Nations

As I-O psychology expands its boundaries to deal with world problems and the vulnerable people in our world, our educational preparation must change as well. Future professionals must have the skills and knowledge to pursue the expanded activities that will be open to them. Minnesota State University is a leader in this new education by developing experiential learning courses in developing nations for their graduate students. The students learn that their set of I-O skills can be beneficial to people working their way out of poverty. For individuals, they can help them with job searches, resume writing, and interviewing skills. They can help local organizations with organizational development, problem solving, managerial skills, and program evaluations

Learning to Neighbor? Service-learning in Context

Service-learning has received a great deal of attention in the management education literature over the past decade, as a method by which students can acquire moral and civic values as well as gain academic knowledge and practice real-world skills. Scholars focus on student and community impact, curricular design, and rationale. However, the educational environment ( context ) in which service-learning occurs has been given less attention, although experienced educators know that the classroom is hardly a vacuum and that students learn a great deal from the non-curricular aspects of their educational experience. Moral values in particular are conveyed by what is not said. Given this, I argue that the contexts in which service-learning takes place are as important as the activity itself. Three perspectives on context will be described and assessed: the hidden curriculum, the educational atmosphere, and the university\u27s orientation towards social responsibility. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V