Quality Enhancement Plan

Goals, Actions and Plans

There are eight action plans for the goal to enhance student learning through EXL.

  1. Develop initial plans for the EXL Experiential Learning Scholars Program to include committees, sub-committees, a timeline, budget, and activities needed to achieve action plans II – VIII.
  2. Develop the specific components for the Experiential Learning Scholars Program and the criteria for these components.
  3. Build awareness of the Experiential Learning Scholars Program and seek buy-in from faculty, staff, community, administration, and students.
  4. Formalize the Experiential Learning Scholars Program through budgeting and the addition of experiential learning to the MTSU organization structure.
  5. Evaluate the Experiential Learning Scholars Program through a one semester pilot project.
  6. Develop assessment measures and formally assess experiential learning activities. This includes assessment of student participants, faculty participants, courses included in the program, and program assessment.
  7. Fully implement the Experiential Learning Scholars Program.
  8. Reward successes in experiential learning. This includes recognition of students, faculty, administrators, community partners, and staff.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  1. Develop an experience-based knowledge of their disciplines and demonstrate the ability to apply theories and concepts to practical problems.
  2. Engage in systematic reflection and demonstrate the ability to critically examine their experiences and to create connections between those experiences and disciplinary knowledge.
  3. Make contributions to their communities and learn the value of making these contributions (good citizenship); students will develop as individuals including understanding the needs of others, learning cultural awareness, and appreciating the differences in others.
  4. Develop and demonstrate managerial skills including planning, organizing, problem solving, and communicating.
  5. Develop and demonstrate leadership skills including interpersonal skills, ability to direct others, and teamwork.
  6. Develop and demonstrate research skills that will help them be successful in graduate programs.

EXL Program Requirements

  • 16 to 18 hours of EXL designated classes. EXL classes include co-operative education/internships, study abroad, applied learning, service-learning, creative activity, teacher education, and laboratory experiences.
  • At least one external activity. Students who do not have an external activity in their EXL coursework must either complete an external activity or must complete a formal research project. An external activity is defined as a project that requires the student to interact with people external to the university or a research project where students must interact with people outside their department or outside the campus community.
  • MTSU internal service component. Students may complete this requirement in one of three ways: participate in a leadership role in a campus sponsored charitable activity, volunteer with a campus office to assist other students, or be a campus leader.
  • Documentation of completion of EXL activities via an E-Portfolio
  • Participation in assessment activities