Experiential Learning is the application of classroom taught theories, concepts, and skills in the real world. It forces students to not only take their learnings beyond the classroom and find ways to apply them in practical situations, but also to find the shortcomings in these learnings and seek ways to fulfill them. It focuses on giving students the opportunity to try using the skill on their own first, and then reflect on their level of success and create a plan for their next experience with professors, mentors, peers and in industry.
Co-Founder: Malik Mandeep
ELITESEAT was designed to offer an exclusive opportunity to first and second-year commerce students who seek challenge, creativity, and community. What sets ELITESEAT apart is its focus on introducing experiential learning so early in a students undergraduate degree. Through partnerships with industry professionals and companies, this program embodies the experiential learning philosophy of pairing theory learned in the classroom with real and relevant business challenges to build a foundation for whatever challenge Delegates chase next.
Business students too need labs where they can apply classroom learning, experiment, work collaboratively in teams and gain confidence to prepare for their futures. ELITESEAT was created to develop students into collaborative problem solvers, persuasive story tellers and evidence based decision makers. The program fosters an environment through industry partnerships where the motivation to learn thrives and is rewarded. It offers first and second-year students an early introduction to problem-based learning and cultivates skills that are difficult to teach in large lecture settings.
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Experiential Learning at DeGroote
Experiential Learning is a core part of DeGroote's teaching philosophy, and can be seen in the course structure and opportunities from the beginning of first year all the way through your degree. From the first year 24-hour business case to courses like INNOVATE 3ZZ3 Imagining and Navigating the Future. Educational opportunities like this, along with the numerous experiential learning based clubs at DeGroote allow students to take their learnings from the classroom and put them to test in real-world scenarios. This promotes true learning of not just theory but the application of that theory and better prepares students for the work place.
MARS Apprentice is an intensive experiential learning case-competition program for upper year students who are in the pursuit of better. It is for students with a desire to learn about how some of the biggest businesses really work—an accelerator that takes you beyond your degree and into the real world. For eight weeks, two teams work together to solve numerous real-world case challenges that are relevant to innovative industry leaders. Now in its 16th season, MARS Apprentice has proven to be not only a career launch pad but also an incubator for knowledge and an opportunity for students to discover their potential.
Canadian Marketing League (CML, formerly known as Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec) is a new kind of experiential education where students are allowed the freedom, challenge and curiosity offered by playgrounds. They choose and participate in activities important to them, set their own priorities and see the result of their efforts and motivation. They also develop habits valued by employers – learning and operating effectively in teams, dealing with ambiguity, overcoming adversity and thriving in situations with limited resources and direction. In effect students change their traditionally held views of teaching and learning.