Experiential Learning in Nonprofit Management Education and The Live-Case Method: A Case Study from Nepal

• In Event: Third Sector Teaching and Learning Strategies

Abstract

In its simplest terms, experiential learning can be defined as learning by doing. Comprehensively, it is a form of learning from life experiences whereby learners get directly connected to the realities they are studying, rather than only reading, hearing, talking, or writing about them (Keeton & Tate, 1978, cited in Kolb, 2014, p. xviii). In other words, experiential learning believes that learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (Kolb, 1984). It engages learners as active participants as they do things and reflect on what they are doing, thereby, shifting higher education’s focus from teaching to learning (Smart & Csapo, 2007).

Considering that the practical fields of (nonprofit) management education aim to develop appropriate knowledge, competencies, and mindsets required for administrative, organizational, and leadership careers; they demand hands-on and community-centered approaches to teaching and learning (Tavanti & Wilp, 2018). The implementation of experiential learning not only makes nonprofit management education practical but also addresses students’ diverse learning styles while they learn with and around real-world scenarios (Tavanti & Wilp, 2018). Nonprofit management educators have implemented diverse sets of approaches to integrate experiential learning into their teaching methodology. These approaches range from one-time activities like guest lectures, case studies, and simulations to continuously engaging activities like service learning, practicum, or consulting projects.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of using one of such approaches - the live-case method - in teaching nonprofit management courses like managing nonprofit organizations, fundraising, and grants management online. The research defines the live-case method as a pedagogical approach where the learners serve as pro-bono consultants to analyze a current and real-world issue to provide managerial insights to nonprofit managers while learning about nonprofit management.

The research setting is a business school in Nepal that started its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program with a specialization in nonprofit management in 2018. Since its inception, the program has offered three cycles of courses related to nonprofit management, fundraising, and grants management. These courses and their syllabi integrate the live-case study method as the students are required to collaborate with a nonprofit organization to develop strategic analyses and recommend solutions.

The research aims to answer four questions: 1) How does the live-case study method affect student learning outcomes? 2) Does the live-case study method support faculty members in teaching nonprofit management courses more effectively? 3) What were the challenges that the faculty members faced during the implementation of the live-case study method? 4) How did the collaboration impact the nonprofit partner’s work? These questions will be answered through focus group discussions with students (including extended interviews), interviews with industry partners, reflection notes from the teaching team, and a collective brainstorming exercise between the faculty and the teaching assistant (who are also the authors of this study).

This qualitative study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge related to experiential learning in nonprofit management education while providing insights to faculty members teaching similar courses by integrating experiential learning into their pedagogy.

References

Keeton, M. T., & Tate, P. J. (1978). The boom in experiential learning. In Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT press.

Kolb David, A. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Cell, E. (1984). Learning to learn from experience. SUNY Press.

Smart, K. L., & Csapo, N. (2007). Learning by doing: Engaging students through learner-centered activities. Business Communication Quarterly, 70(4), 451-457.

Tavanti, M., & Wilp, E. A. (2018). Experiential by design: Integrating experiential learning strategies into nonprofit management education. The Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership, 8(4).

Authors

• Kaushal R Sapkota

• Medha Shrestha, King's College