Integrating Experiential Learning and Applied Sociology to Promote Student Learning and Faculty Research

Abstract

Although the benefits of experiential learning for students are well documented, such courses are sometimes seen as a professional burden for faculty because they are very labor- and time-intensive endeavors. This paper suggests, however, that the time investment in experiential learning courses can be made more efficient if faculty members treat these courses not as discrete teaching moments but as long-term applied research projects that simultaneously advance students' research skills and faculty research agendas. We discuss our experiences using applied research and experiential learning as an example.