Learning Application Essay (LAE) Guidelines
The Learning Application Essay (LAE) is an evaluative document spanning 10-14 pages, designed to potentially grant college credits. The core principle guiding this essay is its focus on showcasing your existing college-level knowledge, rather than conducting new research. This is a reflective piece, predominantly written in the first person, illustrating through various examples how you’ve acquired knowledge from your experiences.
While crafting your essay, it’s crucial to continuously engage with the Kolb Model Writing Guide, as detailed in the ‘Analyzing Learning’ readings. This material offers both examples and explanations of the model, serving as a foundational element for your essay. Although your essay should maintain a standard paragraph structure, it must encapsulate the four stages of the Kolb Model—Concrete Experience, Observation and Reflection, Formation of Abstract Concepts and Generalizations, and Testing Implications of Concepts in New Situations—through corresponding sections A, B, C, and D.
The Kolb Model Writing Guide will pose questions aimed at eliciting responses reflective of the Kolb Model’s four aspects. A practical approach involves reflecting on a specific experience related to your essay’s topic, sequentially addressing questions from each category of the model.
Before submitting your Learning Application Essay (LAE), it is essential to familiarize yourself with the rubric criteria that will be used for its evaluation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your submission meets the necessary standards:
1. PrerequisiteCourse:ConfirmyouhavesuccessfullycompletedtheUNIV2503 Professional Development Review course.
2. CourseMatching:IdentifytheMid-AmericaChristianUniversity(MACU)course that aligns best with your experiential learning. For this purpose, contact the PLA Director, Lisa Bell, via email at lisa.************* to request the syllabus for the relevant MACU course.
3. EssayRequirements:YourLAEmustnotonlydemonstratecollege-level understanding of the course learning objectives but also adhere to the detailed criteria outlined in the rubric. This includes:
Section A: Mastery of Outcomes (60% of total score, 60 points):
Achieving credit requires demonstrating comprehensive mastery across all dimensions: Connecting Learning to Experiences, Application and Transfer of Learning, Reflection and Self-assessment, and Evidence of Learning/Documentation.
Section B: Communication and Presentation (40% of total score, 40 points): A variable scale is used for grading, with a minimum of 10 points needed in this section for credit consideration. This section assesses written/oral communication skills and the style/overall presentation of your work.
4. ScoringandCreditRecommendation:Atotalscoreof70points(70%)isrequired for a credit recommendation, with no partial credits awarded. Full credit for the course is contingent upon meeting all Section A dimensions and securing at least 10 points in Section B; otherwise, no credit is given.
5. SubmissionProcess:TosubmityourLAE,visitthefollowinglink: https://forms.gle/shP7r79kvJj3xBK37. Complete the form, upload your LAE, the syllabus, and any other documents of evidence.
6. EvaluationandNotification:Theevaluatorwillassessifyouressayreflectsthe comprehensive knowledge expected from completing the course. You will be informed of the decision regarding your credit recommendation.
This streamlined approach ensures that both you and the evaluator have a clear understanding of the expectations and standards for the LAE, facilitating a fair assessment of your experiential learning for college credit.
Rubric Criteria for LAE
DEFINITION
CRITERION
Abstract Concepts & Generalizations
Synthesis of Learning Connections: The student effectively integrates academic knowledge with experiences both within and beyond the formal classroom setting, directly linking this synthesis to all specified course outcomes/objectives. The relevance and importance of these connections to the course outcomes are clearly articulated.
Detailing of Informal Learning: The student provides detailed descriptions of informal learning experiences, ensuring these are directly relevant to the course content.
Concrete Experience
Application of Learned Skills to New Situations: The student clearly describes the process of adapting and applying skills, theories, abilities, and methodologies learned in one context to new, diverse situations. This adaptation is aimed at solving challenging problems or investigating complex issues in innovative ways.
Integration of Academic Theory and Diverse Sources:
The student incorporates a wide range of high- quality sources into their narrative, seamlessly blending an appropriate level of academic theory or broader concepts. This ensures the student’s learning experiences are firmly rooted in the academic foundations relevant to the topic.
Evidence-Supported Conclusions: The student forms conclusions about their learning journey in relation to academic theories. These conclusions are substantiated with evidence and thorough analysis.
Observation/Reflection
Self-Awareness as a Learner: The student shows an evolving understanding of themselves as a learner, leveraging previous experiences to adapt to new and challenging situations.
Detailed Reflections on Achievements: The student’s reflections thoroughly detail their accomplishments and the integration of course learning outcomes. Throughout, illustrative examples are provided to substantiate claims of achieving these outcomes.
Application to New Situations & Evidence of Learning/ Documentation
Learning Conceptualization and Application: The student demonstrates a deep understanding of their learning, showcasing the ability to apply this learning effectively in new contexts.
Utilization of Learning in External Contexts: Examples are provided
where the student has applied the learned concepts
outside of the original learning environment.
Presentation of Artifacts and Relevant Information: The
student includes formal artifacts or compelling information that is directly and explicitly connected to the course outcomes/objectives and the narrative’s purpose.
Organization and Reference of Documentation: All provided documentation is referred to appropriately within the submission and is organized in a clear and logical manner.
Mechanics
Sentence Structure and Variety: The writing is free from significant patterns of sentence-level errors, featuring effectively structured sentences with a well-chosen variety of styles and lengths.
Word Choice and Vocabulary: The use of language is precise and effective, showcasing a broad and impressive range of vocabulary used accurately. Language choices are imaginative, memorable, and compelling, enhancing the impact of the interview or written narrative. These choices are tailored to suit the audience appropriately.
Editing and Error-Free Writing: The written work has been thoroughly edited, ensuring it is free from errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.
APA Formatting: The student consistently applies proper and complete APA formatting style, including accurate in-text citations, reference pages, and bibliographies.
Citation of Sources: Any research or ideas not originally from the author are appropriately and accurately cited throughout the document, maintaining academic integrity.
Format and Overall Presentation
Logical Structure and Organization:
Ideas are organized thoughtfully, with content arranged in a logical sequence. Paragraphs are coherent and unified, ensuring that main points and supporting details flow smoothly.
Clear Organizational Pattern: A clear and consistent organizational structure is evident, featuring a defined introduction and conclusion, well- sequenced material within the body, and effective transitions. This structure enhances the cohesion of the presentation’s content.
Focus on Learning Outcomes: The presentation or written work is tightly aligned with the learning outcomes and the portfolio’s purpose, with any irrelevant information removed for clarity and focus.
Effective Rhetorical Techniques: Rhetorical strategies and techniques are appropriately employed, serving the narrative’s purpose and enhancing the overall effectiveness of communication.
Advanced Level of Analysis: The content demonstrates a college-level depth of analysis, showcasing critical thinking and insightful examination of topics.
Logical Progression with Adequate Subheadings: The use of subheadings corresponds with the course outcomes, organizing the content into a logical and persuasive order that facilitates understanding and engagement.
Kolb Model Writing Guide
These questions are designed to support you through the writing process of your Learning Application Essay (LAE), guiding you to deeply analyze and articulate your learning experiences according to Kolb’s stages: (A) Concrete Experience, (B) Observation and Reflection, (C) Abstract Concepts and Generalizations, and (D) Application to New Situations. Structure your essay with these stages as headings, providing detailed answers to the prompts under each.
A. Concrete Experience (1-2 pages)
Focus on articulating what you learned, rather than just listing your achievements.
1. Describe the specific nature of your learning experience, including dates.
2. Detail your actions: where, what, duration, and purpose.
3. Explain any techniques, methods, or procedures used and the reasoning behind
them.
4. State your goals and objectives and how they shaped your approach.
5. List resources utilized, such as books, seminars, or advisors. B. Observations and Reflection (1-2 pages)
Reflect deeply to organize and categorize the learning you’ve acquired, identifying key learning principles relevant to the topic.
1. Share your thought processes, decision-making, and preconceptions.
2. Note any trends, patterns, differences, or similarities observed.
3. Highlight what was significant, unique, or different.
4. Reflect on your experience, considering any aspects you’d relive or alter.
5. Discuss any relationships or connections made.
6. Address challenges, concerns, and newfound appreciations.
7. Describe the most and least enjoyable aspects of your learning.
C. Abstract Concepts and Generalizations (6-10 pages)
Articulate the real learning through key concepts and principles, forming the bulk of your paper.
1. Present ideas and insights gained.
2. Define hypotheses, rules, laws, theories, or principles explaining your
observations and experiences.
3. Discuss the general applicability of your learning, including responsibilities,
rewards, hazards, and results.
4. Cite information or experts that support your generalizations.
D. Application to New Situations (2-4 pages)
Demonstrate how you’ve applied your learning to new contexts, showing a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
1. Explain how your knowledge is applicable to other situations, specifying its utility and reasons.
2. Describe actions taken or hypothetical approaches for similar future experiences.
3. Make predictions based on your knowledge.
4. Discuss the relevance of your knowledge to others’ situations.
Writing Skills:
Ensure your LAE is well-written, paying close attention to sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and editing to avoid errors and enhance clarity.
By addressing these points, your LAE will comprehensively showcase your learning experiences, reflections, conceptual understanding, and application to new situations, fulfilling the objectives of the assignment.
