Development of the Experiential Learning Strategic Framework

McMaster’s Experiential Learning Strategic Framework was developed in consultation with 200+ staff, students, faculty, and administrators between March 2023 and April 2024 as part of work within the Strategic Alignment Fund (SAF) to Integrate and Scale McMaster’s Capacity for Experiential and Interdisciplinary Learning.

The Framework was developed collaboratively with hundreds of staff, faculty and students from all faculties and central units with a mandate to support teaching and learning. The depth of their knowledge, expertise and experience informed and shaped the EL Strategic Framework. The Framework is not intended to reinvent any existing work or resources, but rather build upon existing knowledge, infrastructure, and expertise in a manner that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and experimentation and contributes to transformative and supportive experiences for students.

In the future, achieving the goals outlined in the Strategic Framework will continue to require meaningful collaboration with faculty, staff and students across all faculties and central units with a mandate to support teaching and learning, including career and experiential education offices, departments, and programs.

Key EL Milestones at McMaster

2014	First Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) is created
2019	McMaster develops 12 EL Typologies
2020	McMaster formally signs SMA3 with the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, confirming that EL will shape 10% of McMaster’s Performance Based Funding between 2021 and 2025. EL tagging as part of SMA3 begins
2021	McMaster’s Partnered in Teaching & Learning Strategy is launched with goals to “define experience-based learning” and “enhance and expand experienced-based learning
2021	McMaster’s 2021-2024 Institutional Priorities and Strategic Framework is launched, including goals to “support and scale experiential learning
December 2021	Advisor on Special Projects Report to the provost identifies need to invest in experiential learning infrastructure
March 2022	Strategic Alignment Fund (SAF) is approved to Integrate and Scale McMaster’s Capacity for Experiential and Interdisciplinary Learning between 2022 and 2024
August 2022	EXPLORE webpage is launched in partnership with the Student Success Centre to help improve undergraduate student navigation of experiential opportunities that are also intentionally interdisciplinary
September 2022	A review of the EL landscape at McMaster is completed, leading to the development of a “staffing snapshot” for EL at McMaster that highlights existing stakeholder groups and the complexity of this work
October 2022	A working group to coordinate experiential learning across all Faculties is launched, in alignment with SAF Objective 2.4
March 2023	100+ staff, students, and faculty patriciate in an Experiential Learning Retreat hosted by the Vice Provost (Teaching & Learning) to co-develop a vision and mission for experiential learning at McMaster to inform a future EL Strategic Framework
April 2023	Environmental scan of experiential and interdisciplinary programs that fall outside of McMaster’s formal institutional review processes is completed, including 21 recommendations to better support experiential and interdisciplinary opportunities
2023	EL Strategic Framework developed by ad hoc experiential learning working group
May 2024	EL Strategic Framework for McMaster launched