Guest post by Marc Krell, GCC Career Services
What is ECBL? It’s learning by doing—where students take the concepts, theories, and skills they’ve explored in class and apply them to real-world challenges or genuine community needs. Whether interning with local employers, conducting fieldwork, or designing solutions to authentic problems, students move from abstract understanding to meaningful action.
Why teach with ECBL? According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AACU), ECBL is a “High-Impact Practice” or HIP which provides significant educational benefits for students. Here at GCC, we are working as a campus to promote this HIP by providing support for faculty who may want to incorporate ECBL into their courses.
How can I learn more about ECBL this semester?
- Week of Celebration & Learning Overview on Thurs. Jan. 15 at 2pm- Explore types of ECBL, benefits and impact upon students. – Google Meet – Register Here
- ECBL Learning Group FPG Series-10 FPG hours. The series will consist of 6 bi-weekly virtual workshops on Wednesdays at 2pm-3pm from January 28-April 8, concluding with 4 hours of independent planning and research ending on April 22. Email marc.krell@gccaz.edu by Jan. 21 to register!
- This series will introduce ECBL and why it is an HIP through instruction, dialogue and guest speakers sharing their experiences in facilitating this innovative type of learning for students.
- Interactive workshops will explore the different types of ECBL, methods of integrating it into courses, the role of community partners in facilitating these opportunities, a roadmap to navigate the paper trail and the importance of reflection and evaluation.
- This series will empower you to implement ECBL in your own courses to improve student learning outcomes while positively impacting the community!