Course Embedded Practical Experiences: A Reflection on Innovation
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Abstract
Adding a course-embedded practical experience into a class is not a simple venture. It requires the willingness to take a risk, motivation by key players (students, faculty, and community partners), along with financial and administrative backing to remain sustainable. I believe the willingness to take risks is a part of all innovative pedagogies. Risks for course-embedded practical experiences include: giving up some of your class time traditionally allocated for direct instruction, offering hands-on learning experiences that sometimes precede direct instruction, and putting yourself in an unplanned/unpredictable context where students directly witness your actions or how you respond to challenging moments. Those risks can be counteracted by the powerful learning environments that these experiences offer.