Creating Outcomes through Experiential Education: The Challenge of Confounding Variables

Abstract

There is an increasing interest in the field of experiential education to move beyond simply documenting the value of experiential education programs and, instead, develop more evidence-based models for experiential education practice (cf., Gass, 2005; Henderson, 2004). Due in part to the diversity of experiential education programs, participants, goals, designs, and specific program experiences, there exists a broad constellation of variables that can impact the results of studies using an evidence-based approach. While many of these variables are accounted for through effective research designs, others are largely uncontrollable, yet remain influential. These uncontrollable variables can often distort or confound the results from research and evaluation efforts. This paper categorizes some of the most common confounding variables into three temporally based categories: Precursor, Concomitant, and Postexperience. Following this, suggestions for researchers and evaluators in addressing these variables are provided.

The Effects of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model on Successful Intelligence in Secondary Agriculture Students

“…Kirschner et al (2006) contended, "none of the arguments [against experiential approaches] and theorizing would be important if there was a clear body of research using controlled experiments indicating unguided or minimally guided instruction was more effective than guided instruction" (Kirschner et al, 2006, p. 79). Even advocates of experiential learning (Gass, 2005;Henderson, 2004) have conceded the need to develop more evidence-based models for experiential learning, noting confounding variables as a major barrier to the empirical validation of the theory of experiential learning (Ewert & Sibthorp, 2009).…”

Dewey’s Yardstick

“…If there is to be meaningful discussion of experience in education, researchers and practitioners must identify some common inputs and outputs that can be detected. Certainly, the having of an experience with an educational goal is a common input, but the diversity of learning outcomes has defied meaningful and measurable outputs that are common across the spectrum (Ewert & Sibthorp, 2009).…”

In Search of the Citizen Scholar: Modern Pedagogical Approaches Compared

“…Although there are challenges dissecting the effectiveness of learning from the variables that might confound the analysis, such variables apply to the three different approaches to learning discussed in this chapter (Ewert and Sibthorp, 2009).…”