Khalifa University’s annual Experiential Learning Symposium is sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to showcase KU students’ experiential learning experiences. The Symposium provides students an opportunity to reflect on and share their experiences with their peers.
Experiential learning can be a transformative experience for students. Experiential learning occurs when a student takes ideas and concepts outside the classroom, and engages with their learning in a hands-on way. Experimental learning opportunities include internships, volunteering activities, study abroad, field work, and more.
Research shows that when students are involved in experiential learning activities, they are able to better retain and understand new information. These experiences can positively shape students’ longer- term personal development as critical and creative thinkers.
The Experiential Learning Program at KU underscores KU’s commitment to produce service-oriented, ambitious and talented critical thinkers, through an environment that encourages and nurtures creative inquiry, critical thinking, and human values.
KU’s Experiential Learning Symposium aims to evoke conversations about the different experiential learning opportunities that KU students have participate in, allowing those who have had a chance to pursue experiential learning share how it has enhanced their academic journey at KU.
The goal of the symposium is to maximize the effectiveness and reach of experiential learning at KU.
The Symposium is open to all KU students who can share highlights of their experiential learning from the following programs:
Participants will get the opportunity to celebrate their experiential learning achievements, and critically reflect on their experiences. They will also support their fellow students at KU and help raise awareness about the value of experiential learning to the KU community.
Participants will present their learning gained, and the impact and effectiveness of their experiential learning activities.
Students will have the option to present their accomplishments between two tracks:
Students will be assessed using the rubric below, which is based on The Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential Learning.
2nd Place Winner, 1st ExL Symposium
"Your communication circle will grow in the industry by participating in the symposium, which is a great thing."
1st Place Winner, 1st ExL Symposium
"I learned about Kolb's cycle by participating in the Experiential Learning Symposium. It's a very useful tool that helped me reflect deeply on my experience and allowed me to share it clearly with everyone."
3rd Place Winner, 1st ExL Symposium
"I highly recommend students join the study abroad program. It will allow them to get valuable skills and experiences that will benefit them in their field of study and their work in the future as well."
1st ExL Symposium Participant
"I would recommend this opportunity to my peers. Not only do you share what you've learned, but you get to know how your 'learning by doing' experiences are very critical to your development journey."
Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi is currently a Professor of Chemical Engineering and the Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Services at Khalifa University.Dr. Al Shoaibi’s research interests focus on environmentally-friendly technologies to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste. His research group has established a laboratory facility to carry out experimental studies in areas related to environmental and energy engineering.
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The laboratory research activities focus primarily on energy extraction from unconventional materials and porous material development for gas processing applications. The research facility serves both academic and industrial projects related to the field of environmental and energy engineering.
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Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar is the CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, one of the largest privately funded philanthropic education foundations in the Arab world dedicated to promoting education for over 200,000 Arab youths. With more than 20 years of experience in the education development sector in the Middle East, Canada, Africa and Asia, Dr. Ben Jaafar banks on her wealth of experience in fostering partnerships that are designed to promote high impact sustainable solutions to educational challenges.
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As a former Managing Director of EduEval Consulting, Dr. Ben Jaafar gained significant experience in working on major educational development projects that focus primarily on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education (SDG4). She has persistently worked on cultivating partnerships with governments, international agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and multinational corporations to promote rigorous evidence-based decisions to elevate the level of positive impact on education. With both a PhD in Educational Leadership, and a master’s degree in Curriculum Studies from the University of Toronto, Dr. Ben Jaafar’s passion for education is what drives her to advocate for knowledge sharing and education for good, because as a mother herself, she personally understands the importance of education. And so, when asked, she will simply tell you, “I am a mom who is trying to make the world a better place.”
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Having international exposure is one of the most critical aspects of today’s world. As a part of the exchange program, I was selected to complete my master’s program at the University of Twente, Netherlands. I was the only candidate who was selected from the department of civil engineering at my university. Initially, I selected course work, but after arriving on campus, I approached a number of professors to inquire about projects I might participate in.
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After much effort, one of them finally accepted me, and I got a chance to work on an interdisciplinary research project. I was engaged in rigorous experimental work, all of which led to important findings. As a civil engineering student getting the chance to work with the robotics department was a great achievement for me. Above all, getting exposed to international professors and students from different departments was a wonderful experience. I would like to share my experience regarding the exchange program, approaching professors, working with different departments, and adapting to a new environment.
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Six years ago, I was curious about learning how to code simple software. I used to read programming books and watch online tutorials looking forward to finding an answer. I struggled until I landed my first internship at Google, sponsored by Udacity, which lasted for three months, where I learned Android development. This internship was the first step to knowing Udacity as a global education platform for technology, and then joining international scholarships afterward.
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Next, I volunteered as an Android tutor in the “One Million Arab Coders initiative,” sponsored by Udacity. Eventually, I became a Udacity mentor in 2020.
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I was fortunate to take a range of courses in high school that helped me decide early on that majoring in computer science would be a good choice. When I learned about KU’s study abroad program, I knew that participating in this program would be a wonderful opportunity. As a second-year student, I ended up studying abroad at for a semester at UCLA.
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Spending a couple of months away from my family, friends, and classmates was challenging, yet rewarding at the same time. I learned how to succeed outside of my comfort zone, rely on myself, make new friends, and network with others. Studying abroad enhanced my leadership skills and allowed me to proudly represent KU and my culture at UCLA. My academic and social life were enhanced through the new knowledge I gained from this unique learning experience, and I am confident that I will benefit professionally as a result. I want to share my study abroad experience with the KU community so others might learn about this wonderful opportunity.
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I am currently in my third year of medical school, and I have been rotating in different medical specialties to apply and further enhance my medical knowledge to become a competent medical doctor responsible for patients’ lives. One notable experience I recall occurred during the second day of my pediatrics rotation.
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I was on-call with one of the residents in the hospital, and we attended to 6 different patients within an hour. As the emergency department was hectic and seeing the patients was time-sensitive, the resident entrusted me with the responsibility of visiting a patient alone. Although it seemed like a daunting task, the hard work and dedication to my studies over the previous two years prepared me for this moment. We ended up admitting the patient into the hospital, and they were discharged a couple of days after they completed their treatment.As I was leaving the hospital the following week, the patient’s father approached me by chance in the parking lot, where he expressed his gratitude for the attention of care the medical team and I provided his child. This was one of the most fulfilling moments I have experienced, and it reminded me of why I decided to become a medical doctor.
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Khalifa University established the College of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2019 with the main mission of preparing future physicians who will improve the nation’s health. With that mission in mind, I joined the medical school in 2020, and I am now in my third year focused on clinical practice, where most of our learning occurs in clinical settings such as hospitals and clinics.
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This year, most of our studying is independent, purposefully engaged in direct experience with an emphasis on reflection, increasing my ability to develop clinical skills.
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There are ten times as many males in Ghana as female engineering students. In order to increase the enrollment of female students in engineering, a week-long camp was designed to unlock the creative and critical thinking abilities of female senior high school students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. I registered for the camp to mentor young students and to improve my teaching skills.
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I had the opportunity to learn from other engineering disciplines, gained hands-on experience through coding, and participated in project-based learning activities. I want to share my experience with others at KU in order to offer insight into some of the meaningful learning that awaits individuals looking to intern. Read less
Following my passion for learning more about the SDGs, I was part of Tsinghua Global Summer School 2022. It was an online course that gathered around 1,160 participants from more than 90 countries. I was one of only 4 representatives from the UAE. This year, it was held under the theme “A Planet for Sustainable Development.” We had masterclasses and workshops given by professors from Tsinghua University.
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I was part of a team that was given 11 topics to choose from, including a hackathon. We used a hackathon in order come up with a sustainable solution to a problem. I am proud that my team was awarded the most investable team based on our research.
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In recent years there have been discussions of incorporating such practices of quality in the education sector (HOW?). This presentation will focus on how we have integrated quality (HOW) across CTL tutoring programs, including a new tutoring program initiated this semester by the IISE Student Chapter at Khalifa University for Industrial and Systems Engineering courses.
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The use of quality tools, techniques, and methodologies is a core part of top manufacturing and service companies. Large corporations have benefited significantly from these approaches.
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Internships are a great opportunity to apply all the theoretical knowledge one gains during their studies. Knowing that we were most likely going to become teachers once we graduated prompted us to intern in schools. But then we faced a number of challenges. For example, interning in the summer meant that we would not be able to observe much teaching, so we decided to join the CTL Summer Internship Program instead.
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While interning at KU made all of us feel very comfortable because we knew most of the staff with whom we worked with, this comfort, in a way, was also a disadvantage because we weren’t necessarily pushed out of our comfort zone. Nonetheless, if we were to evaluate our experience, learning, and presenting Expanding SEL in Learning was wonderful and very educational. In addition, co-leading the Ro’ya program was the most engaging hands-on experience we had because it mimicked an actual classroom. We assumed interning in a traditional school setting would have provided us additional experiences not possible through the CTL, but what we concluded from our internship is that our experience was invaluable in helping us gain practical knowledge, skills, and the confidence to teach in a non-traditional context. We feel better prepared to engage with learners as a result and know that our new-found knowledge will serve us well moving forward. Ultimately, one of the biggest lessons is that we shouldn’t give up on a goal (in this case teaching) just because our first laid out plans hit a road block. Being creative and looking for alternatives is a lesson learned well.
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While classroom learning is extremely important in understanding the basics and fundamentals of every discipline, obtaining practical experience outside of the classroom is equally important. When the two sides of the coin are well-balanced, important learning can happen. As the class valedictorian, I focused more on my classroom experience at the undergraduate level.
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However, during my senior year, I had the opportunity to do an internship in the oil and gas industry where I was placed on a team of motivated and talented experts. The experience completely changed my perspective. I developed my understanding of engineering design, while building my network. After the internship, I got the chance to organize an oil and gas career conference at my university. Collaborating with other colleagues allowed me to host one of the largest oil and gas industry interactions tied to academia. This laid the foundation for the establishment of a deeper cooperation between my colleagues that eventually led to opportunities for students at my university to get annual internships in the companies that participated in the conference. I would love to share my experience in the symposium and inspire KU students to take advantage of opportunities outside of the classroom to benefit themselves, the university, and the larger community.
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I was honored to join DEWA for my internship in the summer of 2022. The experience enriched my knowledge in electrical engineering and enhanced my confidence in the field. I was able to make new contacts and benefit from the senior engineers I worked with. They encouraged me to do my best and pushed me to reach my full potential. This experience has propelled me forward.
Transitioning from high school to university is often perceived as a rite of passage that to many might seem exciting. However, it is usually a stressful period that poses many challenges to students. The CTL at KU designed the Lead Peer Mentoring Program to make the experiences of new students less challenging and more welcoming. We have always been eager to help our peers navigate this transition to university life.
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This program offers individuals like us who have good academic standing and communication skills the opportunity to support students in an organized manner. The program allowed us to offer freshmen students support, guidance, and practical help and encourage them to participate in social activities and make new friends. It also enhanced our leadership, communication, and networking abilities and enabled us to serve as positive role models for younger individuals. We will share our experience as Lead Peer Mentors to encourage KU students to participate in the program as mentees and mentors.
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Completing a summer 2022 internship at KAIST University in Daejeon, South Korea changed my personality for the better. I learned to take responsibility for my learning and depend on myself. During the Internship I participated in a number of exciting and meaningful events. I worked in a lab and this experience helped me in making my decision on which career path to take.
To get the most out of our college experience, we decided to apply to KU’s summer study abroad program. Out of 4 possible universities in the US to attend, we chose Boston University because it was the most suitable university from many different perspectives. During the semester, we met many international students and we shared many aspects of our culture with each other.
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We gained invaluable experience during our time at BU, and we would like to share some of these experiences with students and faculty.
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In my presentation, I will highlight my 10 year journey helping students and how this journey has also helped me to be a more successful student. I have had many opportunities, experiences and different roles over this period, all of which have helped me positively impact my community in significant ways. I have also experienced mixed feelings through this journey that has changed my way of thinking.
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Ultimately, the positive feedback I have received from others when serving them has empowered me to want to give more.
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Different types of peer tutoring are implemented depending on the student’s abilities, academic competencies, organizational goals, materials, and personal resources. Traditionally, the most academically competent students have served as tutors, while the least academically capable students received the services as tutees. However, things have changed recently.
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The benefits of peer tutoring have been documented for different subjects and educational levels, from high-achieving students to students who struggle with learning disabilities or are considered at-risk. Through the Peer Tutoring Program at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), I had the opportunity to practice my teaching skills and develop the confidence to teach. As a math student who plans to become a math teacher, I feel fortunate to have been involved with this program because I was inspired by other tutors and learned a lot from my tutees. I also became friends with my tutees, which has helped me develop my social and leadership skills. I want to share my experience of learning and growing through this experience with others.
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