The Experiential Learning Center

The Experiential Learning Center, located at De Anza College in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, houses projects within the Foothill-De Anza Community College District that are focused on contextual learning and improvement of workforce education.

Adding Scenario-Based Learning to Your Classroom - A hybrid (online and onsite) workshop for Faculty interested in using our scenarios in their classes will be offered at Foothill College, May 30-June 27, 2008. download flyer (pdf)

Our course materials are available for adaptation at your college. Please contact Jane Ostrander for additional information. To preview the material, visit the Faculty Resources section of this website.

Scenario-Based Learning in Technical Education

Preparing students for rapid technological change and complex problems in today's workplace

The Scenario-based Learning in Technical Education project is funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. The three-year project builds on the work begun in the Experiential Learning Model for Technician Education Project.

The scenario-based learning model takes a "learn by doing" approach, providing a simulated professional environment that tasks students to work on day-to-day operations, conflicts, problems and long-term objectives. The Learning Model fosters successful transitions to the workplace through:

- Problem solving
- Independent learning
- Teamwork
- Authentic industry work products
- Web-based materials and resources

The project team provides training and support to STEM faculty seeking to develop and/or implement scenario-based tasks. Project partner SRI International's Center for Learning in Technology is designing an Assessment Toolkit that will be used by faculty to create principled assessments for the evaluation of student learning within the scenario tasks.

Learning Scenarios are completed or underway in:

Enterprise Security, Computer Programming, Biotechnology, Engineering, and Environmental Science.