Experiential Learning Framework
Experiential learning can take many forms across Moorhead. Our goal is for every student to engage in transformational experiential learning, experiences intentionally designed to help students connect classroom learning to real-world practice. The framework below defines the criteria and tiers that guide the design and classification of these experiences.
Definition & Criteria
Experiential learning is a purposefully guided, real-world experience that is connected to students’ career goals and includes structured reflection that helps students understand and grow from the experience.
A transformational experiential learning experience must be:
Purposefully Guided
The experience is intentionally framed to help students understand that they are engaging in learning through experience. Students know the purpose of the experience, the learning outcomes they are working toward, and what is expected of them. Faculty, staff, employers, and/or community partners share clear roles and expectations that support learning. The experience may be planned or spontaneous, but the purpose is made explicit and revisited throughout the process.
Clearly connected to career pathways and long-term development
The experience is authentic and situated in a real or applied setting. It addresses genuine problems, audiences, or professional contexts, making learning meaningful beyond the classroom. By connecting directly to professional skills, roles, and expectations, students can see how their learning translates into career pathways and long-term development.
Includes structured reflection
Reflection turns activity into learning. Students are guided to critically examine their decisions, assumptions, and outcomes throughout the experience. Structured reflection, built into multiple stages of the process, helps learners integrate new knowledge, deepen self-awareness, and connect the experience to future action. Reflection is also essential in measuring outcomes.
Tiers of Experiences
The purpose of the tiers is to celebrate all forms of experiential learning, while defining and identifying transformational experiences.
0 of 3 criteria met
These experiences meaningfully engage students in learning, development, or participation. They may be interactive, community-oriented, or skill-building. However, they do not purposefully guide participants to understand experiential learning outcomes, have a clear career connection, or include structured reflection.
Example:
A guest speaker visit where students listen and ask questions, but the event is not tied to specific learning outcomes, and no reflection is present.
1 of 3 criteria met
These experiences are often experiential in feel (learn-by-doing) but limited in structure or integration.
They provide meaningful learning and may serve as strong foundations for future experiential design.
Common patterns include:
Clear connection to career pathways or long-term development, but not purposefully guided, and no reflection
Purposefully guided, but no clear connection to career pathways or long-term development, and no reflection
Example:
Students volunteer for a single afternoon at a local food bank arranged informally by a staff member. The work is authentic and community-based, but the outcomes and goals are not known, and no reflection is present.
2 of 3 criteria met
These experiences demonstrate strong experiential elements and are well-positioned for growth.
Common patterns may include:
Purposefully guided + clear career connection, but little or no reflection throughout Purposefully guided + reflection, but no connection to career or long-term development
Example:
A marketing class partners with a local nonprofit to create promotional materials. The project is intentionally designed to involve authentic client work, but students submit only the final product and are not guided through structured reflection on their learning.
3 of 3 criteria met
An experience is transformational when it is:
Purposefully guided
Clearly connected to career pathways and long-term development
Includes structured reflection
Example:
An environmental science course embeds a community-based consulting project with a local organization. The experience includes clearly defined learning outcomes, authentic client work, and multiple reflection assignments throughout the project.
3 of 3 criteria met + sustained depth through time and/or mentorship
These experiences typically provide repeated practice, professional feedback, and meaningful immersion over time.
Example:
An education major completes a full-semester student teaching placement with a trained mentor teacher. The experience includes intentional learning goals, sustained classroom immersion, formal observations, and structured reflective journals across the term.