Project Bridging Theory and Practice: Developing a Cross-Disciplinary Experiential Learning Framework in STEM Education Program Polytechnic Institute Term Academic Year 2026 Status Accepted Research Area Experiential Learning, Cross-disciplinary Education Description Project description: This project aims to design and test a cross-disciplinary experiential learning framework in STEM education. The framework will specify core components (e.g., mentorship, reflective scaffolding, assessment design, and industry/community partnerships), alignment criteria (linking learning outcomes with experiential activities), and assessment metrics that enable institutions to evaluate and scale experiential learning across multiple departments. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study will integrate a literature review of exemplary experiential models with case studies at Purdue, including surveys and interviews with faculty and students engaged in experiential learning. The goal is to provide a structured, scalable framework that strengthens critical thinking, engagement, and retention among STEM students while aligning with accreditation standards such as ABET. Despite the recognized value of active and experiential learning in fostering problem-solving, engagement, and retention, most existing approaches remain fragmented and discipline-specific. Few studies offer a validated, cross-disciplinary operational framework that defines transferable components and alignment criteria (Borda et al., 2022; Sircar and Orr, 2024). Research also highlights inconsistent outcome measures and a lack of commonly adopted tools for assessing the impact of experiential learning across departments (Santhosh et al., 2023). In addition, institutional barriers (such as faculty workload, resource constraints, and limited coordination structures) remain underexplored, leaving gaps in understanding how to implement and scale experiential learning effectively (Naseer et al., 2025). Approach: This study will employ a mixed-methods design: - First, a comprehensive literature review will identify exemplary experiential-learning models across disciplines in STEM fields. - Second, case studies at Purdue will be conducted through surveys and interviews with faculty and students engaged in STEM experiential learning activities. - Finally, the project will synthesize findings into a cross-disciplinary framework synthesizing best practices, highlighting transferable strategies that support effective implementation across diverse STEM contexts. Comparative analysis will reveal commonalities and outcomes across departments to identify transferable components of effective experiential learning. Expected Contribution: The result will be a structured, evidence-based framework in STEM education enabling institutions to design, implement, assess, and scale experiential learning initiatives across academic departments. It addresses fragmented, discipline-specific approaches by offering systemic strategies to enhance engagement, persistence, and transferable skills. The outcomes have the potential to enhance student persistence in STEM, foster industry readiness, and improve the overall quality of higher education. This project is innovative in three ways: 1.Clarity of transfer: It explicitly defines transfer at both the framework level (institutional practices across departments) and the student level (knowledge and skills gained in one context applied in others). 2.Cross-disciplinary integration: It moves beyond fragmented, discipline-specific approaches by offering a system-wide framework aligned with accreditation and workforce readiness outcomes (Borda et al., 2022). 3.Implementation focus: It systematically examines institutional barriers and mechanisms of transfer, providing practical guidance for sustainable adoption (Sircar and Orr, 2024). The expected impact is a validated framework that higher education institutions can adopt to design, implement, and assess cross-disciplinary experiential learning initiatives. This will contribute to improving student persistence in STEM, enhancing workforce readiness, and advancing the overall quality of higher education. References: - Borda, E., Haskell, T., Boudreaux, A. (2022). Cross-disciplinary learning: A framework for assessing application of concepts across science disciplines. Journal of College Science Teaching, 52(1). - Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall. - Naseer, F., Tariq, R., Alshahrani, H. M., et al. (2025). Project-based learning framework integrating industry collaboration to enhance student future readiness in higher education. Scientific Reports, 15, 24985. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10385-4 - Santhosh, M., Farooqi, H., Ammar, M., et al. (2023). A meta-analysis to gauge the effectiveness of STEM informal project-based learning: Investigating the potential moderator variables. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 32(4), 671–685. - Sircar, M., Orr, S. (2024). Conceptualizing an initial framework to support discipline-rich project-based learning in STEM. Education Sciences, 14(7), 793. Supervisor Esra Tepeli Mentor Esra Tepeli Type of work required Undergraduate research assistants will engage in:
- Conducting targeted literature reviews of experiential learning frameworks and assessment practices.
- Designing and piloting student/faculty surveys and interview protocols.
- Assisting with data collection, coding, and analysis.
- Supporting the development of the cross-disciplinary logic model that illustrates inputs, activities, outputs, and impacts of experiential learning.
- Collaborating in drafting sections of the framework and dissemination materials (conference posters, brief reports).
Websites Qualifications Students from any STEM major with interest in education research, project-based learning, or cross-disciplinary collaboration will be eligible. Preferred qualifications include: - Strong written and oral communication skills. - Familiarity with experiential or project-based learning (through coursework, internships, or capstone projects). - Interest in educational research and/or STEM teaching and learning. - Basic skills in data organization, qualitative and quantitative methods, literature review strategies, and research ethics (IRB compliance). Credit Hours 1 Weekly Hours 5 (estimated)