Abstract

Experiential learning, described as learning through participation in experiences, is often cited as a foundational tenant of teaching agriculture, food, and natural resources content. In this manuscript, the historical foundations and future potential of experiential learning within colleges of agriculture were explored. The foundational origins of experiential learning were analyzed through the works of Dewey, Lewin, Joplin, and Kolb, with specific recommendations for applying experiential learning within the context of postsecondary education. Additionally, current applications of experiential learning within colleges of agriculture were investigated, highlighting specific hurdles to widespread adoption of experiential learning. In the final section, the future of experiential learning within colleges of agriculture was considered. First, authors considered the need to educate individuals prepared to identify and implement sustainable solutions to ecological challenges as a motivation to broadly apply experiential learning. Addition-ally, authors described an innovative extension to experiential learning, called interdisciplinary experiential learning, as a mechanism to address the growing need for interdisciplinarity within colleges of agriculture.

Keywords: experiential learning; interdisciplinary; postsecondary education; ecological problems; interdisciplinary experiential learning