Analysis Of Praxis And Experiential Learning

Praxis and experiential learning provide numerous benefits for students. Being out on the field and seeing the real jobs, opportunities, and volunteer positions available expands students’ understanding of the impact of their degree. In class, we were provided with the opportunity to see the positive impact of such experiences through a presentation. In addition to the presentation, all four of the readings from Week Ten relate to experiential learning and praxis. These readings summarize the most important aspects of praxis: the call to action. These readings, combined, make a point that praxis and experiential learning teaches the need to unite, how to be the solution, and does so in a better learning environment than any regular lecture

Being in the field and seeing the solutions take place in front of you demonstrates the importance of being a solution to the problems that are taught in a lecture hall. “Living a Feminist Life” outlines the very real solutions that occur in the workplace in order to better many issues. Sara Ahmed illustrates the important work of a diversity worker. While the job comes with many challenges and not enough solutions, some solutions are still made. Solving issues of diversity never occurs all at once; rather, the process of becoming diverse occurs over a longer period of time. With patience, these diversity workers see some good results. It is interesting how Ahmed writes about the conflict one such diversity worker has. The worker explains that even when her place of occupation received a letter detailing how “good” they are at “race equality”, the feel-good moment was cut short because of the reality of inequality. While this particular workplace compares better to others, it is still in no ways “good” at race equality. Moreover, Supplement 39 describes the importance Priscilla Settee, a professor at University of Saskatchewan, places on praxis. She explains that her students learn to be the solutions while being out and experiencing experiential learning. Firsthand, the students are provided the opportunity to see how they can be the solution to

Dr. Settee describes how she requires her students to partake in at least one community project per semester. This teaches students “action education and education for social change”. Instead of simply reading books about the many issues, the students are provided with the opportunity to read the community they live in. Her students are not limited to only the lectures the Dr. offers, but they are able to understand the “claiming of our space” Priscilla Setee explains we all need to do. She describes that with all the bad news we see on TV every night, we need to continue to have hope and optimistic outlooks. This is the only way activism can be successful. Students learn this from seeing the impacts real people are making. They learn the need to stay hopeful when they see it firsthand. She teaches her students, through praxis and experiential learning, that media must be reclaimed and recreated to reflect the hope that is out there. Students are taught to be a part of that very hope. She finishes off with the very strong quote, “no one is a passenger on this Earthship; we are all crew”. Praxis reminds students just