A blueprint created for and by McMaster staff, students, and educators to advance accessible, inclusive and transformative learning experiences
McMaster’s Experiential Learning Strategic Framework outlines strategies and activities to support and scale experiential learning at McMaster between 2024 and 2029 in alignment with other institutional priorities, including McMaster’s Strategic Mandate Agreement 3 (SMA3) and Partnered in Teaching & Learning Strategy. The Framework was developed collaboratively in 2023, in consultation with hundreds of students, staff, and faculty at McMaster and with a deep recognition of and appreciation for the existing EL knowledge, experience, and expertise they hold. The vision and mission of the Framework are outlined below:
McMaster graduates have the skills, experience, and confidence to lead lives guided by both a sense of self and a sense of purpose to make a positive impact in the world.
By 2029, 84% of McMaster undergraduate students will have participated in an accessible and supportive Faculty-based or campus-wide experiential learning opportunity that is transformative and lasting beyond their time at McMaster.
Staff and faculty across Faculties and central units should be connected, coordinated, and working together to identify and address areas for EL improvement, building institutional capacity for transformative EL experiences.
Let’s foster a community where students, staff, faculty, and external stakeholders have an increased awareness of the benefits of EL, and EL opportunities and supports available at McMaster.
We strive towards ensuring that transformative EL opportunities are adequately resourced and available to a target number of students in each Faculty and across McMaster.
We aim to develop a culture of experimentation, ongoing learning, and continuous improvement for EL that enables staff, faculty, and students to recognize, reflect, celebrate, and enable quality EL at McMaster and beyond.
We aim to work towards an environment where students: a) have flexible opportunities for participation; b) feel supported before, during, and after their experience; and c) are recognized and celebrated.
Faculty and staff should be supported in their delivery of quality EL via adequate resources (people, tools, technologies, etc.), subject-matter experts, and coordination of activities that advance EL at McMaster.
We aim to ensure partners are supported in their partnerships. In doing so, they will better understand how to engage, see a benefit from partnering, and will be eager to maintain partnerships.