Presentation
Experiential Learning and Changes in Students' Attitudes Towards Substance Misuse: A Mixed Methods Inquiry
2019 American Society of Criminology (ASC) Annual Meeting
(2019)
Abstract
Experiential learning is a valuable tool to improve student engagement, comprehension, and application of learned material to real-life scenarios (George, Lim, Lucas, & Meadows, 2015). The current study utilizes a mixed methods research design to explore the impact of several experiential learning tactics in an upper-division substance use course. For example, the students were asked to volunteer in a harm reduction center, attend a lecture given by an individual who overcame drug addiction, and watch a documentary on a woman struggling with heroin addiction. Reflection papers based on these experiences from 21 participating students form the qualitative portion of this study. Additionally, a survey on attitudes towards drugs and harm reduction was completed by the students at the beginning and at the end of the semester, providing quantitative data for this study. Findings from both the quantitative and qualitative data sources are integrated to provide a holistic understanding of how experiential learning in the classroom impacted students' views towards substance misuse, addiction, and harm reduction. Practical recommendations, along with limitations and suggestions for future directions, are discussed.
Disciplines
Publication Date
November 13, 2019
Location
San Francisco, CA
Citation Information
Linsey Belisle, Tereza Trejbalova and Emily Salisbury. "Experiential Learning and Changes in Students' Attitudes Towards Substance Misuse: A Mixed Methods Inquiry" 2019 American Society of Criminology (ASC) Annual Meeting (2019) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/linsey-belisle/16/