Teaching Beyond the Curriculum
Abstract
Considerable debate exists on the value-add provided by higher education in the face of rising costs. As Universities look for new ways to attract, retain, and prepare students for future success through enhanced student engagement and higher graduation rates, experiential learning and interdisciplinary studies are essential contributors to student success. Using survey data from students pursuing their undergraduate degrees from four-year universities in the United States, we develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the impact of interdisciplinary studies, participating in experiential learning, and the mitigating role of student demographics on student learning outcomes. Interdisciplinary studies refer to studies between two or more fields of study and involve students working in an environment transcending disciplinary boundaries. Experiential learning refers to learning through hands-on experiences, where students apply the theories learnt in the classroom to real-life situations using higher-order thinking (DiCecco et al, 2004; Krane, 2005; Gilbert et al, 2014). Factors affecting student learning outcomes in higher education have been identified as lacking knowledge in other disciplines (Fruchter and Emery, 1999), working with an actual client (Coker et al., 2017), effective team collaborations (Machemer and Crawford, 2007), student engagement (Kuh et al., 2008; Letterman and Dugan, 2004), motivation (Pintrich and DeGroot, 1990; Deci et al, 1999), amongst others. The proposed research will support the critical role of interdisciplinary studies and experiential learning in achieving favorable student learning outcomes, providing empirical direction to Universities in offering students more interdisciplinary courses and experiential learning opportunities.
Dr. Shweta Singh is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Kean University, New Jersey. She received her Ph.D. in Management Science with a concentration in Marketing from The University of Texas at Dallas. Her research interests and publications are in the areas of customer relationship management, efficiency analysis, direct marketing, credit card marketing, customer acquisition and retention, and trends in higher education. She has published in peer-reviewed journals like European Journal of Operations Research, and the Journal of Financial Services, to name a few.
Assistant Professor Denise Anderson’s career as a design educator is rooted in extensive experience creating corporate brand strategies and identities. Since joining the Michael Graves College in 2013, she has focused her research and teaching on bridging the gap between design education and professional practice. Two of her focal points include graphic design portfolio development—developing projects that reflect the skills and passions of students, and interdisciplinary, experiential learning—creating experiences that resemble what students will encounter in the professional world.
Suzanne Schwab is a lecturer in the School of Communication, Media and Journalism at Kean University. She earned her Master of Arts in Corporate and Public Communication from Seton Hall University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Monmouth University. She has over 30 years of experience in public relations, including her position at the National Basketball Association Entertainment Division. Schwab served as the Director of Communications for Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno of NJ. Schwab teaches various communication classes, including public relations, sports, and political communication.