Guiding principles for REAL classification
LEVEL 1
A course or non-course activity that engages students in a clearly defined experiential learning activity but does not incorporate reflection. These activities engage students in "hands-on" learning which is defined as activities where students apply or explore disciplinary knowledge in real-world or simulated real-world contexts.
LEVEL 2
A course or non-course activity that engages students in a clearly defined experiential learning activity and incorporates either guided reflection or mentoring. Guided reflection is defined as an intentional metacognitive practice where students articulate personal, civic/social, or academic learning; identify values and attitudes developed through the activity; and/or explore and clarify career goals. Mentored experiences are defined as those wherein the faculty/staff member or activity supervisor responds regularly to student work, supports student reflection and integration of learning throughout the activity, and encourages goal-setting for future learning.
LEVEL 3
A course or non-course activity that engages students in a clearly defined experiential learning activity and incorporates guided reflection and mentoring.
LEVEL 4
A course or non-course activity that engages students in a clearly defined experiential learning activity that incorporates reflection and a mentoring model and that incorporates integrative learning as both a pedagogy and a learning outcome. Integrative learning is defined as both a pedagogy and a measure of a student’s capacity to connect, synthesize and transfer learning to new, complex sit
REAL Classification Pillars
The following definitions are used in assessing the REAL levels described above:
Hands-on
Hands-on is an approach to how students’ learn by doing, through the use of active strategies rather than lecture alone (Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Sullivan, 2009). The process of hands-on learning is grounded in Kolb’s model of experiential learning (1984) that incorporates concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Guided Reflection
Guided reflection is a learning process specifically structured to deepen understanding of lived experiences, and is most effective when it is continuous, connected, challenging, and contextualized. (Eyler, Giles, and Schmiede, 1996). See REAL Reflection Handbook for additional context.
Mentoring
Mentoring is a learning strategy to develop the mentee’s ability to acquire knowledge, skills, and self-confidence that will assist them in setting and achieving goals. (Hastings and Kane, 2018) It works best when it is a time bound, developmental, and reciprocal relationship between a more experienced mentor and a less experienced mentee or protege. (Eby & Allen, 2002)
Integrative Learning
Integrative learning is the capacity to make connections and synthesize knowledge across the curriculum, co-curriculum, and one’s own lived experiences. (AAC&U Integrative Learning VALUE Rubric)
Guidance for review of curricular and co-curricular learning plans
Select a header below to see additional specific criteria used for leveling REAL activities within that pillar:
Assessing the presence of hands-on learning at any REAL Level
To qualify as hands-on, the course or co-curricular activity offers:
- Evidence of students engaging in an experience that promotes learning by doing through the use of active strategies such as but not limited to:
- Simulated learning
- Use of material/equipment
- Real-world experience/knowledge/content
- Expert guided activity
- Evidence that the experience reinforces one or more specific learning goals of the course/activity
Assessing the presence of reflection at Level 2
To qualify as guided reflection, the course or co-curricular activity offers reflection activities that:
- Are purposefully embedded throughout the course/activity [continuous]
- Clearly reinforce one or more specific learning goals of the course/activity [connected & contextualized]
- Are used to evaluate student learning (graded and ungraded)
- Describe the form of reflection used
Assessing the presence of reflection at Levels 3 and 4
To qualify as guided reflection, the course or co-curricular activity offers reflection activities that:
- Are purposefully embedded throughout the course/activity [continuous]
- Clearly reinforce one or more specific learning goals of the course/activity [connected & contextualized]
- Are used to evaluate student learning (graded and ungraded)
- Describe the form of reflection used
- Challenge learners to think deeply and critically. [challenging]
Assessing the presence of Mentoring at Level 2
To qualify as mentoring, the course or co-curricular activity offers mentored activities that:
- Articulate the guidelines/parameters of mentorship between mentor and mentee
- Specify the format of mentoring which can vary depending on the context but should be stated (in person, over technology, etc)
- Provide at least three points of reciprocated exchange between mentee and mentor
Assessing the presence of Mentoring at Levels 3 and 4
To qualify as mentoring, the course or co-curricular activity offers mentored activities that:
- Articulate the guidelines/parameters of mentorship between mentor and mentee
- Specify the format of mentoring which can vary depending on the context but should be stated (in person, over technology, etc)
- Provide consistent, ongoing points of reciprocated exchange between mentee and mentor
- Assess and verify the mentoring encounters, reflection of learning, training, and intentionality
Assessing the presence of Mentoring at Level 4
To qualify as integrative learning, the course or co-curricular activity offers:
- Evidence of incorporating all of the preceding level requirements
- Evidence of requiring students to produce an artifact of learning (such as an e-portfolio, oral presentation, juried creative performance, or capstone project) that demonstrates how the student has integrated their hands-on experience with academic/disciplinary knowledge and can be assessed using a common rubric
- Specific assignments and exercises that promote critical thinking, synthesis, and transfer for the student