Learning By Doing: The Long-Term Impact of Experiential Learning Programs on Student Success

Abstract

As the advisers for the Model United Nations and Judicial Internship programs at our university, we have witnessed first-hand the benefits of simulations and experiential learning. Specifically, students are able to apply knowledge from other classes to real-world situations, all while honing their writing skills and communication skills, as well as their ability to analyze and synthesize information—skills that are critical to success in a wide variety of careers. This practical experience also gives students confidence as they prepare for and make decisions about their future career paths. While we have anecdotal evidence suggesting that these programs contribute to student success, we use survey data from former students to assess formally the longer-term impact of participating in these programs. We find that experiential learning programs contribute to student success by improving time to graduation and increasing the likelihood of attending graduate school or law school and/or finding employment after graduation. In addition, the students’ own assessments indicate that these programs instill numerous practical skills and provide insights that help prepare students for success in their future careers.

KEYWORDS:

• Experiential learning
• Model United Nations
• internships
• student success
• law school

Notes

Notes

1 The definition of experiential learning comes from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education and by the National Society for Experiential Education as cited in: Minnesota State University. 2017. “Experiential Education: Internships and Work-Based Learning. A Handbook for Practitioners and Administrators.” Available at (https://www.minnstate.edu/system/asa/workforce/docs/experiential_learningv4.pdf).

2 For more information on college-level Model United Nations simulation programs, see McIntosh, D. 2001. “The Uses and Limits of the Model United Nations in an International Relations Classroom.” International Studies Perspectives 2 (3):269–280; Haack, K. 2008. “UN Studies and the Curriculum as Active Learning Tool.” International Studies Perspectives 9 (4):395–410; Obendorf, S., and Randerson, C. 2013. “Evaluating The Model United Nations: Diplomatic Simulation as Assessed Undergraduate Coursework.” European Political Science 12 (3):350–364; and Hazleton, W. A. and Mahurin, R.P. 1986. “External Simulations as Teaching Devices: The Model United Nations.” Simulation & Gaming 17 (2):149–171.

3 Some students participate in the MUN program for three or four semesters, though they only receive credit toward their degree for two semesters.

4 The Model UN program has a university-sponsored budget that is used to support conference participation and travel expenses. Students attending conferences have their airfare, hotel accommodations, and registration fees paid for by the program.

5 The conference costs are covered by CSUN through Instructional Related Activities funds and Associated Students funds.

6 Calculations performed by the authors based on the Urban Institute’s analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Current Population Survey.

7 Graduation statistics come from publicly available online data of the most recent cohorts from CSUN’s Office of Istitutional Research.

8 All figures, of course, present statistics for our MUN and JIP survey respondents, not for the entire universe of students who have ever participated in MUN or the JIP.

9 Because the law school application process and studying for the LSAT are so time consuming, some students choose to not work during the year that they are applying for law school. For example, four of the six students not currently employed were applying to law school during the academic year the survey was conducted (2016–2017), so it is possible they were not actively looking for employment.

10 Paraphrased for sentence structure and clarity.

11 All data come from CSUN Institutional Research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leigh A. Bradberry

Leigh A. Bradberry is an Associate Professor of Political Science at California State University, Northridge. She received her PhD from the University of California, San Diego, and her JD from Vanderbilt University School of Law. Her research and teaching focuses on religion and politics and on voting and elections in the American context, as well as on First Amendment free speech law and privacy law.

Jennifer De Maio

Jennifer De Maio is a Professor of Political Science at California State University, Northridge. She has a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is the author of Confronting Ethnic Conflict: The Role of Third Parties in Managing Africa’s Civil Wars. Her research focuses on ethnic politics, civil wars, and conflict management in Africa. She has also published and presented papers on assessment and student learning outcomes.