Experiential Learning and Leisure, Sport, and Physical Activity: Opportunities, Challenges and Lessons Learned

BackgroundExperiential learning is recognized for the knowledge, skills and insight students acquire through learning by doing (Kolb 1984). It emphasizes students’ confidence to learn in different settings like local communities, and to build greater self-efficacy and awareness through critical thinking, experimentation and reflection (Kolb 1984). Experiential learning offers the potential for simultaneous engagement between students, community participants, partners, staff and faculty in the learning process (Morris 2020). In research and teaching on sport, physical activity and leisure, experiential learning is often developed in structured work-integrated learning placements such as internships, clinical placements and CO-OP programs. It is also developed in collaboration with community-based non-profit organizations for short-term community service placements, as well as faculty-developed experiential learning opportunities that take place in the classroom, research lab, field site or online.Yet not all students in leisure, sport, or physical education studies are able to participate in EL placements and gain from these valuable learning experiences. This may be due to a lack of institutional resources to support students or the development of sufficient community and industry partnerships, the time commitment and scheduling constraints of students who are varsity athletes, or the knowledge and experience needed to create and implement faculty-led experiential learning directly in classrooms or with research partners.This topic will provide a forum for discussion on experiential learning, sharing different perspectives, experiences and lessons learned to help generate new insight, opportunities and ideas. This could inform best practices for experiential learning in sport, physical education and leisure that strives to be equitable, accessible and inclusive.ScopeThis Research Topic welcomes investigations into a broad array of topics including the transferable skills acquired by students through participation in sport, leisure or physical activity related experiential learning, and training and support for students, partners, staff and faculty. We invite submissions that address the effectiveness of experiential learning for students; explore community-based participatory approaches to enhance community outcomes; identify and discuss the benefits and challenges of integrating flexible experiential learning placements in the classroom, field site or lab; propose strategies for scaling experiential learning in large classrooms with one community partner or multiple partners; and examine the integration of new technologies and digital experiential learning in courses within the fields of sport, physical education and leisure. Topic editors: Eileen O'Connor, Patricia Orozco, Cinthia Lopes da Silva, Nicole Peel Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85011/experiential-learning-and-leisure-sport-and-physical-activity-opportunities-challenges-and-lessons-learned