Experiential Learning at UD
Experiential Learning Innovation Fund for Faculty (ELIFF) Review
By Christopher Miller
The Experiential Learning Innovation Fund for Faculty (ELIFF) supports Experiential Learning (EL) innovation across the curriculum at the University of Dayton. The fund supports all faculty in the implementation and integration of creative, high-impact EL programs and activities in University courses. The Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) is pleased to announce that it has awarded over $11,000 to 36 faculty since the grant program’s inception in Spring 2017. The award has been distributed across 14 distinct departments and units; as a result, hundreds of students from diverse disciplines have benefitted from EL activities and programs sponsored by the mini-grants.
ELIFF mini-grants have been used for supplies, event fees, and student transportation costs associated with the EL activity or program designed by the faculty member(s). The program has also strengthened ties with community partners who work with students. 18 community partners have participated in ELIFF projects including St.Vincent De Paul, Gem City Market, Dayton Police Department and many more. The ELIFF grant has also helped advance UD’s seven institutional learning goals (ILG’s), as faculty discover innovative ways of tying the ILG’s with EL in their courses. For example, engineering professor and ELIFF grant recipient Dr. Jacob Cress has linked his EL project to practical wisdom and scholarship ILG’s; he notes, “the students will gain a better understanding of mechanism analyses by comparing abstract calculations to a physical model. They will also gain practical wisdom in manufacturing through the act of building a mechanism in the School of Engineering Makerspace area from a set of 2D prints.”
Students and faculty have expressed an appreciation for the value EL brings to their UD education. Faculty have said it provides a holistic, hands-on learning experience which allows students to touch and feel what they are learning and discover practical applications of course concepts and materials. Students have noted that EL challenges and takes them out of their comfort zone, which contributes to their learning and growth. The OEL enjoys collaborating with diverse faculty and departments to deepen students development and enhance their education experiences through EL. The next round of ELIFF applications will open by mid-March; please visit https://udayton.edu/el/faculty-staff-resources/eliff/index.php for updates on the application process or feel free to email kvelasquez1@udayton.edu with any questions about the mini-grants.
