IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Framing Undergraduate Perspectives on Experiential Learning
Within Soka Education Theory
Paul Sherman
University of Guelph-Humber
CanadaOlivia Boukydis
University of Guelph-Humber
Canada77

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Abstract
This article reports findings on two studies that explored undergraduate perspectives ofexperiential learning as a pedagogy that can produce impactful outcomes that align with
Makiguchi’s concept of Soka (value-creating) education. The twin studies examined
perspectives of undergraduate faculty and students by investigating how experiential learning
is viewed in terms of its impact on students’ sense of happiness and satisfaction, acquired
knowledge and skills, and potential for positively contributing to societal welfare. The article
addresses how experiential learning provides critical opportunities for students to create value
for making significant impact on the wellbeing of both the students and the wider society. Ten
instructors and twelve students from a small university in Toronto, Canada, answered a seriesof identical questions in confidential semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed forthemes related to Makiguchi’s values of beauty, gain, and good. A key finding from theanalysis suggests that instructors and students agree on the primary importance that experiential
learning holds for the value of personal gain (among other things knowledge and skill
acquisition), while the values of beauty and social good were seen to be important, but of lesser
significance. It is noted that while certain limitations to the research exist, nevertheless, it issuggested that incorporating value creating principles within undergraduate course learning
objectives may provide opportunities for encouraging more transformative reflection andaction for learners, not only in the pursuit of their own individual happiness, but also for thebroader societal context.
Keywords: experiential learning, Soka education, value-creating

78

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Experiential learning, while not a novel pedagogical platform, has recently been gaining
increased traction in higher education as an effective approach to help students learn to addresssocial, economic, and environmental challenges at the local, national, and global levels. It is apedagogical practice whereby students actively engage actively in creating knowledge andcritically reflecting on their experiences, allowing them to understand how to transfer theirknowledge and skills to future endeavors (University of Guelph Experiential Learning,n.d.).Various scholars have emphasized the need to deliver academic programming for
facilitating the transformational praxis from classroom-based knowledge to community-based
engagement (Aktas et al., 2017; Chickering & Braskamp, 2009; Hendershot & Sperandio,
2009; May, 2017; Wynveen et al., 2012). Lorenzini (2013) suggests that when students learn
about local community and global issues, they are motivated to engage in proactive initiatives
to effect social change. Shephard (2008) notes that learning outcomes in the affective domain(values, attitudes, behaviours) are typically attained through experiential learning, citing thepromotion of racial understanding and social justice as an example. To cultivate students’ socioglobal awareness and participation in prosocial action, it is critical for educators to deliver
learning platforms that provide opportunities for students to transfer acquired theoreticalknowledge into meaningful prosocial actions.
Experiential learning provides students with relevant real-life opportunities for integrating theirunderstandings of global issues with the development of strategies for effective prosocial
action. Study abroad is one particular type of experiential learning platform that has become
recognized as an effective approach for reflective learning about other cultures, and in so doing,
developing transformative cultural awareness and experiences (Earnest et al., 2015; Reade etal., 2013; Strange & Gibson, 2017). Study abroad participation has been shown to afford a
multitude of benefits for the learner. It offers potent opportunities for critical self-reflection,
analysis, and synthesis (L. Stoner et al., 2014); and enhances students’ personal and moral
development, intercultural competencies, awareness of global issues, and commitment to social
justice (K.R. Stoner et al., 2014; Tiessen & Epprecht, 2012).
Overview of Present ResearchThis article reports findings from two related research studies that explored perceptions of the valueof experiential learning in undergraduate education, framed within the Theory of Value as
formulated by Japanese educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (Gebert & Joffee, 2007). Study 1,
conducted in 2018, examined instructor perceptions, while Study 2, conducted in 2019, looked atstudent perceptions. Both studies explored perspectives of undergraduate-level experiential
learning courses by investigating how this specific teaching and learning practice is viewed interms of its impact on students’ happiness and sense of satisfaction, acquired knowledge andskill benefits, and potential for making positive contributions to societal welfare. The studies
frame both teachers’ and students’ perspectives of their experiential learning courses in termsof Makiguchi’s values of beauty, gain, and good; the underpinnings of Soka (value-creating)education.
This article addresses how experiential learning provides critical opportunities for university
and college students to create significant value in their lives that can have both immediate andsustainable impact on the wellbeing of both the students and the wider society. In the following
sections the authors provide a review of relevant scholarly literature on experiential learning
and Soka education, which will be followed by the research methodology used in the two sisterstudies, research findings, discussion, and concluding remarks.

79

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Literature Review
Experiential Learning Theory
Universities typically employ a conventional learning approach that has been a staple of higher
education (Chmielewski-Raimondo et al., 2016; Nakelet et al., 2017). This traditional
pedagogy is largely theory-based where knowledge is deepened at the expense of engagement,
and students merely absorb information (Chmielewski-Raimondo et al., 2016; A. Y. Kolb &D. A. Kolb, 2005). In contrast, Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes the continuousreformation of skills and knowledge which leads to self-development (Bonnycastle &Bonnycastle, 2010; Lewis et al., 2017; Lin et al., 2016). A. Y. Kolb and D. A. Kolb (2005)
describe experiential learning as an on-going cycle in which students participate in anexperience, reflect on that experience, and formulate new ideas which are then put into practice(Henoch et al., 2014; Lewis et al., 2017). Although there are numerous definitions ofexperiential learning, our research employed the description developed by Lachapelle andWhiteside (2017, p. 2),
Experiential learning opportunities are grounded in an intentional learning cycle and clearly
defined learning outcomes. They engage students actively in creating knowledge and criticallyreflecting on their experiences, allowing them to understand how to transfer their knowledge
and skills to future endeavours.
Experiential learning allows students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers in various
fields and disciplines such as psychology, business, social work, and nursing (Chavan, 2011;
Greenfield et al., 2012; Roholt & Fisher, 2013). McGuire et al. (2017) found that nurses who
participated in specific political experiential learning activities became motivated to takepurposeful advocacy in the healthcare field. De Groot et al., (2015) examined the learning
outcomes of kinesiology students who participated in experiential learning courses. The study
found that these courses helped students gain real life experience, promoted independence, andshifted perspectives to a place of increased empathy and understanding.
Research has highlighted that teaching and learning does not need to be situated solely in theclassroom, as often seen in traditional pedagogy. Lin et al. (2016) found that students inNorthern Taiwan had increases in self-actualization, as well as improved communication skills
and relationships because of their involvement in experiential learning activities on and off
campus. Chen (2012) reports that university students who participated in local community
earthquake relief initiatives felt empowered to work together for the sake of cultural identity.
Furthermore, both preceding studies found that the experiences encountered by students
produced outcomes that formed new goals for positive societal change.
Experiential learning can be utilized beyond geographical borders through study abroad field
trips. These excursions bring a level of dynamism where the curriculum is infused with theexcitement of traveling to another country (Earnest et al., 2016; Greenfield et al., 2012).
Students can interact with an unfamiliar cultural environment and apply their knowledge to thecourse work (Greenfield et al., 2012). Philips et al. (2017) studied students who travelled to
Ghana on study abroad. Their research show that the students’ pre-trip preconceptions of the
Ghanaian peoples were inaccurate and biased, however, post-trip the students gained a
newfound respect for the local culture and developed a better understanding of the population’ssocial issues. Wynveen et al. (2012) came to a similar conclusion in their research on how
study abroad promotes a broader worldview for students. They found that study abroad
provides the opportunity to incorporate new knowledge into existing values and beliefs – an80

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

experience that fosters global citizenship. Numerous other studies report that study abroad trips
serve as a unique platform for reflection, social development and personal growth (Earnest etal., 2016; McPhee & Przedpelska, 2018; Philip et al., 2017).
Value Creation Theory
Soka (value creating) education is a humanistic-based approach to wellbeing formulated by theJapanese educators Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944) and Josei Toda (1900-1958) in theearly part of the 20th century. Daisaku Ikeda (1928-), a leading Buddhist philosopher, educator,
and international peacebuilder, has further advanced Soka education over the past 50 years.
Makiguchi was convinced that education was the key to securing individual and societal
wellbeing, or as he believed, happiness. He felt that happiness was discovered through atransformational process of creating value in one’s life through everyday interpersonal
interactions. The term soka was born of discussions between Makiguchi and Toda that centeredon the concept of value creation (Ikeda, 2009). Ikeda (2010a) states, “Our daily lives are filledwith opportunities to develop ourselves and those around us. Each of our interactions withothers – dialogue, exchange and participation – is an invaluable chance to create value” (p.117).
Hefron (2014) suggests that Soka education might be better understood as a philosophy of life
rather than a philosophy of education, as it “describes neither a specific school nor a generalschool of thought…[but] a way of being in the world [and] a process of becoming” (p.3). Ikeda(2010b) notes that, according to Makiguchi, what ultimately defines value, “is whether
something adds to or detracts from, advances or hinders, the human condition” (p. 246).
Makiguchi’s integrated system of values, consisting of beauty, gain, and (social) good, form
the most essential components of his Theory of Value (Bethel, 1989; Brannen, 1964).
According to Makiguchi, beauty is a sensory response that brings temporary fulfillment to theaesthetic awareness of the individual, and indirectly affects the life of the individual. Gain isviewed as a measure of personal outcome that directly maintains and advances the individual’slife. In contrast, good represents a level of social relevance that contributes to the wellbeing ofsociety (Bethel, 1989; Brannen, 1964; Gebert & Joffee, 2007; Goulah, 2010). In essence, value
is generated and sustained when humans seek to create beauty, personal benefit, and social
good, either together or independent of one another. However, Makiguchi theorized that a life
based primarily upon the pursuit of beauty, or sensory fulfillment, is unstable, as beauty alone
cannot sustain individual and societal wellbeing. Similarly, a life that only focuses on individual
gain cannot produce fulfillment on a holistic level. However, when contributing to the welfare
of society forms the foundation of one’s life, individual wellbeing and attainment of beauty arestrengthened, leading to the highest degree of value creation in one’s life.
Makiguchi believed that the essential role of education lies in enabling the creation of value
for both the individual and society. He wrote, “Human life is a process of creating value, andeducation should guide us toward that end. Thus, educational practices should serve to promotevalue creation” (Bethel, 1989, p. 54).
Methodology
Research Ethics Approval
Both studies received research ethics approval from the Humber College Research Ethics
Board.

81

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Study 1The purpose of this study is to examine undergraduate instructor perspectives on experiential
learning through the lens of Soka (value creating) education theory. Working within theframework of Makiguchi’s Theory of Value, the concepts of beauty, gain, and good are
explored in relation to teachers’ perceived value and outcomes of the experiential learning
courses that they deliver.
Research questions. The main research inquiry addressed in this study is: How doundergraduate instructors perceive the value of experiential learning for their students? In orderto frame the instructors’ responses within Makiguchi’s Theory of Value, three sub-ordinate
research questions were posed:
1. How do instructors perceive the impact of experiential learning on their students’ ability
to experience enjoyment or pleasure through learning? (Related to Beauty)
2. How do instructors perceive the impact of experiential learning on their students’knowledge acquisition, skill building, and personal growth? (Related to Gain)
3. How do instructors perceive the impact of experiential learning on their students’ ability
to positively impact society? (Related to Good)
Participants and procedure. Undergraduate instructors from a university within a large urban
area in Ontario, Canada comprised the population sample for this study. Teaching at least one
experiential learning course as classified by the University of Guelph (University of Guelph,n.d., Curricular…) was a necessary condition for our population sample. Forty potential
participants teaching an experiential learning course in the Fall 2018 semester were identified
and contacted by research assistants via email with an invitation to voluntarily participate in
the research study. Of the twelve teachers responding to the initial invite for an interview, two
individuals subsequently withdrew their involvement, leaving ten interviews that weresuccessfully completed.
Measures. Interview questions created by the research team were based on Makiguchi’s
principles of beauty, gain, and good within his Theory of Value (Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, n.d.,Life’s Values). All interviews were conducted by the research assistants using a nine-question
prepared script within a structured interview format (Appendix A). Interviews were audio
recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and then imported into MAXQDA (ver. 2018.1) computerassisted data analysis software for subsequent text segment coding into the four categories ofbeauty, gain, good, and value.
Data analysis. On a purely numerical basis, 77 distinct coded text segments were identified
for analysis that related to RQ1 (beauty), 140 distinct coded text segments related to RQ2(individual gain), and 76 distinct coded text segments related to RQ3 (social good). The
discrepancy with the significantly higher number of coded segments found for gain isaddressed in the ensuing Findings section.
The thematic network technique outlined by Attride-Stirling (2001) was adapted for use as theprincipal analytic tool for thematic development of the data set. In this method, thematic
analysis is conducted by systematically extracting the text data at three levels of increasing
abstraction—Basic themes, Organizing themes, and Global themes. Five steps were followedin undertaking the thematic network analysis, which consisted of coding the material,
identifying themes, constructing the thematic networks, describing and exploring the thematic
networks, and summarizing the thematic networks (Attride-Stirling, 2001, p. 391).

82

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Study 2The purpose of this sister study is to examine undergraduate student perspectives on
experiential learning through the lens of Soka (value creating) education theory. As with Study
1, Makiguchi’s concepts of beauty, gain, and good were explored in relation to the participants’
perceived value and outcomes of their experiential learning courses.
Research questions. The main research inquiry addressed in this study is: How doundergraduate students perceive the value of their experiential learning? In order to frame thestudents’ responses within Makiguchi’s Theory of Value, three sub-ordinate research questions
were posed:
1. How do students perceive the impact of their experiential learning on their ability toexperience enjoyment or pleasure through learning? (Related to Beauty)
2. How do students perceive the impact of their experiential learning on their knowledge
acquisition, skill building, and personal growth? (Related to Gain)
3. How do students perceive the impact of their experiential learning on their ability topositively impact society? (Related to Good)
Participants and procedure. Undergraduate students from a university within a large urban
area in Ontario, Canada were participants for this study. Taking at least one prior experiential
learning course as classified by the University of Guelph (University of Guelph, n.d.,Curricular…) was a necessary condition for our population sample. Fourteen senior-level
experiential learning classes that occurred in the Fall 2019 semester were selected at random
to be visited by the research assistants and presented with details of the study, including
information on opportunities for voluntary student involvement. The research team further
promoted the study through informational materials that were placed around the university
campus and on social media. Twelve students were subsequently interviewed for the study by
the research assistants.
Measures. Interview questions were adapted from the previous study’s interview questions,and as in the first study, all interviews were conducted by the research assistants using a ninequestion prepared script using a structured interview format (Appendix B), and were audio
recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and then text segment coded for subsequent thematic
analysis into the four categories of beauty, gain, good, and value.
Data analysis. On a purely numerical basis, 80 distinct coded text segments were identified
that related to RQ1 (beauty), 82 distinct coded text segments related to RQ2 (individual gain),and 60 distinct coded text segments related to RQ3 (social good). The discrepancy with thesignificantly lower number of coded segments found for social good is addressed in the ensuing
Findings section. The data analysis process mirrored the process used in Study 1, i.e., AttrideStirling’s (2001) thematic network technique (See Study 1 Data Analysis description).
Findings
Given the comparative affinity of each corresponding sub-ordinate research question in Studies
1 and 2, the findings for each research question will be reported in composite form below.
Minor phrasing edits are made to the research questions to reflect the similarity of thecorresponding questions from each study.

83

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Research Question 1: How do instructors and students perceive the impact of experiential
learning on the students’ ability to experience enjoyment, satisfaction, or pleasurethrough learning? Instructors and students were asked to describe opportunities in theircourses that offered students a sense of satisfaction or gratification, and how students
experienced enjoyment through their course. This part of the interview is related to
Makiguchi’s concept of beauty.
Instructor Global Theme 1: Enjoyment, satisfaction and self-confidence are cultivatedthrough peer and community engagement. This global theme was created from twoorganizing themes that ostensibly identified experiential learning as a pedagogy that provides
students with enjoyment through engaging both with their peers and with the course content,
and satisfaction by building self-confidence in overcoming challenges faced through direct
application of practical skills.
Instructors commented that students especially experience enjoyment and a sense ofgratification from their course when they connect with each other and provide peer support inthe classroom environment. They also felt that facing real world challenges in the community(e.g., via field practicums, internships) offered students opportunities to grow and create asense of happiness and wellbeing. The suggestion that experiential learning is both a satisfying
and gratifying educational activity is reflected in this observation from an instructor,
There’s that layer of the satisfaction and gratification that comes with doing a job
well done, getting good feedback, maybe getting experience that they know will help
them in their next steps towards their career.
Other instructors commented that students obtain enjoyment from experiential learning bygoing out of their comfort zone, by expressing joy that shows they are fully engaged with thecourse material, and by appreciating that the challenges they face can make them stronger.
Student Global Theme 1: Interacting with others fosters empathy and a sense ofcommunity by enhancing perspective-taking. This global theme was created from fourorganizing themes that ostensibly identified experiential learning as a pedagogy that affords
students the ability to connect with others through interaction, collaboration andcommunication, foster a sense of community through individual contributions, broaden andcreate new perspectives, and gain empathy for others.
Students reflected on the satisfaction, gratification and happiness they experienced whencollaborating with others. Whether, for example, through interactive classroom learning,practicum placements, or study abroad, the practice of connecting with others enhances
perspective, fosters empathy, and encourages a sense of community. The students’ responses
below reflect on how they achieve a sense of satisfaction and gratification by interacting withothers beyond their everyday environment,
Putting myself out of my comfort zone was definitely the most gratifying, getting to
see the world and getting to share that experience with people.
Learning about other people’s culture and their society makes you have anappreciation for yours, but also be respectful towards others.

84

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

One student reflected on how the positive emotion of happiness can spread from experiential
learning when she linked her study abroad trip to a “chain reaction”,
I think if we bring that [happiness] home with us … and spread it to others…I thinkthat’s how happiness spreads, it’s contagious.
Research Question 2: How do instructors and students perceive the impact of experiential
learning on the students’ knowledge acquisition, skill building, and personal growth?
Instructors and students were asked to describe how the students derive individual benefits andpersonal growth from experiential learning. This part of the interview related to Makiguchi’s
concept of gain.
Instructor Global Theme 2: Students develop transferable skills for personal andprofessional growth. This global theme emerged from three organizing themes that identified
the experiential learning experience as one that affords students opportunities to developtransferable skills for personal and professional development, appreciate one’s place in theworld and how to contribute to society, and foster student wellbeing and academic
achievement.
As noted previously, instructors’ responses for this segment (i.e., experiential learning related
to gain) outnumbered their responses for the other two segments (i.e., experiential learning
related to beauty or good) by nearly 2:1. This is a significant finding in that it might suggestthat teachers perceive that the value of experiential learning for attaining skills, knowledge,
and personal/professional growth outweighs its usefulness for providing aesthetic value orsocietal good. This distinction may be indicative of instructors’ understanding of how they
view the purpose of their course. For example, when asked to explain the value of their coursein terms of contributing to their students’ happiness, which Makiguchi believed was the chief
purpose of education (Ikeda, 2010a), one instructor quite genuinely remarked,
That is an interesting one, because we really don’t think about their happiness. And
I’ll be honest, I never thought, “Are my students happy”?
Nevertheless, the instructors offered various views on how experiential learning helps students
to acquire skills, knowledge, and personal growth. The following comments by instructors
aptly describe elements of the student growth process applicable to experiential learning,
I think they’re seeing themselves in a different light, not as a student, but as a
student entering a profession versus just doing classroom learning. So, I think that
adds a certain measure of growth.
You go out in the field and you act, and then you come back in the class and you
reflect on your actions, and then you go back into the field and use those learnings
to act differently.
So, it’s not just building specific skills, but it’s also becoming wiser about yourself
and about the world around you.
There were also considerable comments from instructors related to specific soft skills thatexperiential learning gave students, such as critical thinking, troubleshooting, creativity,

85

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

initiative-taking, appreciation for research, working independently and collaboratively,
accepting critical feedback, effective communication, and interpersonal proficiencies.
Student Global Theme 2: Applying knowledge gained through new meaningfulexperiences creates lasting personal growth. This global theme emerged from threeorganizing themes that identified experiential learning as offering students’ opportunities tolearn through new and different experiences, create lasting experiences, and acquire andimplement knowledge gained by virtue of experiences.
As mentioned previously, the number of student responses related to gain is the highest (82),followed by beauty (80) and good (60). While the difference in the data is very slight between
beauty and gain, the discrepancy with the number of responses related to good may suggestthat students see the value of experiential learning more in terms of how it contributes to theirpersonal and professional growth and sense of gratification, as opposed to its value for helping
them to contribute to societal wellbeing.
Following are students’ reflections on how experiential learning not only fosters opportunities
for skill and knowledge acquisition, but also gives opportunities for personal growth andfulfillment.
I felt after or during placement – I reflect a lot about what I do or what I can
improve on in order to grow and learn from it.
Yes, my confidence, definitely my confidence…before I would be very passive…but
I felt confident in sharing my ideas.
Doing more hands-on experiences and …having to put yourself out of what you areused to, definitely benefits you…it’s personal growth”
Students also commented on the specific soft skills that experiential learning affords them,such as skills in leadership, time management, and organization, the ability to work
independently as well as collaboratively, and improved communication skills.
Research Question 3: How do instructors and students perceive the impact of theirexperiential learning on the students’ ability to positively impact society? Instructors andstudents were asked to describe how knowledge and skills acquired in experiential learning areapplied for the benefit of society. This part of the interview related to Makiguchi’s concept ofgood.
Instructors Global Theme 3: Local and global communities are benefitted by students’increased prosocial and professional competencies. This global theme was developed fromtwo organizing themes that identified the experiential learning experience as one that affords
students opportunities to gain empathy and inter-cultural understanding, which encourages
students to help others, and benefit local and global communities by developing professional
competence.
Instructors commented that their experiential learning courses helped students gain empathy
for others through developing an understanding of themselves in the world, and furthermorethat reflective learning increases students’ happiness and inspires them to look for opportunities

86

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

to positively benefit others. Following are instructors’ comments related to how they perceive
experiential learning helping students to make a positive impact on society,
Some of them are doing placements that are more directly global, like with
newcomers or other kinds of populations that are coming from different parts of theworld and so there may be some opportunity to make a positive effect with thoseclients and then ultimately with other countries.
They are learning about intercultural competence, diversity, equity and inclusion,
which I think will make them better workers, but also better collaborators andleaders and managers. I think that could benefit society, whereby they’re thinkingof their work not only just for personal gain.
Instructors also commented on how experiential learning helps students prepare for exercising
their citizenship, understand their obligation to care for and stand up for the rights of others,
and look for opportunities to create positive experiences for themselves and others to create abetter society.
Students Global Theme 3: The sense of fulfillment through positive experiences andaccomplishments contributes to the betterment of society. This global theme was developed
from two organizing themes that identified the experiential learning experience as one thataffords students opportunities to gain a sense of fulfillment through happiness, enjoyment,
gratification, satisfaction, and pride in accomplishment, and understand how their personalhappiness can have a positive impact on society.
Students reflected on how experiential learning helped them to develop a broader awareness of
issues that impact communities at the local and global level. It is through this process thatstudents gain an appreciation and understanding of others, an experience which may influence
their role in society and motivate them to take action to improve it. Furthermore, the positive
emotions students experienced through experiential learning leads to a sense of fulfillment andaccomplishment, which fuels their motivation and offers them an impetus to contribute
positively to society.
Following are student comments related to how experiential learning positively benefitssociety,
The connections [that experiential learning courses] make for students and learning
is so important because we are the future…in order for this course to help society,people have to go, experience it, and then tell everybody about it.
It contributes to society in a way because you’re taking people and you’re opening
their mind a little bit…we are able to go and see other cultures and we are able tobring those ideas back into our society and that’s a big contribution.
Students also commented on how experiential learning contributes to personal fulfillment andgrowth, including how it encourages students to “think together”, “welcome new ideas”, “bemore empathetic” and “more kind”, and how to “project love and happiness”.

87

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Additional Theme
A fourth global theme developed from the thematic analysis was largely related to questions
that specifically queried how experiential learning benefitted students and society andcontributed to their happiness.
Instructor Global Theme 4: Experiencing challenges builds a sense of purpose that cancontribute to personal and societal happiness. Instructors’ comments reflected an overall
agreement that experiential learning indirectly contributes to both students’ and societal
happiness. Some of the ways they envisioned this occurring were by improving opportunities
for employment, building self-confidence and sense of purpose through real-world challenges,
and developing citizens who are willing to challenge themselves to grow personally and forthe betterment of society.
Instructors emphasized how experiential learning offered students’ opportunities to become
happier and to make a positive contribution,
I think that it has the potential to help them see themselves as a more rounded individual anda more contributing individual.
Happy people treat other people better. If you have happy people that are learning andgrowing, that are considering the needs of other people, the environment, feeling good about
themselves, creating accomplishments, putting themselves in a position where they feel goodabout this; that’s what builds a great society and a great world.
When you have challenges or things to do that you overcome, and it makes you feel
good and accomplished, that definitely contributes to your happiness because it
isn’t a superficial thing.
Students Global Theme 4: Experiential learning leads to the development and applicationof practical and interpersonal skills. Students’ comments reflected a consensus view thatexperiential learning leads to the development of practical and interpersonal skills, which canbe applied in ways that create personal and societal benefit. Students’ interactions inexperiential learning can lead to the development and application of interpersonal and practicalskills, which fosters learning and growth, and contributes to the broadening of one’s
perspective. This view is reflected in comments such as,
It’s not just to get marks and move on, its actually to learn, to actually apply and tosee if this is actually what you want to do with the rest of your life.
You can apply what you’ve learned in class…it also gives you perspective of what
it would be like in the real world…you can gain different experiences…it gives you
a different perspective on what you can do and opens your eyes to see what’s out
there.
Discussion
In this section we will explore the major themes that evolved from the research, framed within
the three essential values that comprises Makiguchi’s Theory of Value. The discourse will
specifically focus on comparing and contrasting the corresponding perspectives of instructors
and students.

88

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

BeautyParallels were drawn from both studies when participants were asked how courses offeredsatisfaction, gratification or enjoyment. Instructors and students gave very similar reflections,with instructors noting that students are afforded the opportunity to connect with peers throughdiscussion and collaboration, and students commenting on the value of connection ostensibly
through interaction and collaboration. This finding may not be surprising given the known
benefits of experiential learning; however, it is worth noting because both instructors andstudents assigned satisfaction and gratification to opportunities for connection andcollaboration in experiential learning. Our research suggests that experiential learning createsa learning environment that moves beyond traditional teaching and learning as it provides
students with interactive opportunities that bring a sense of enjoyment to their learning.
Instructors and students also reflected on the community interaction aspect of experiential
learning, albeit with different meanings. Instructors reflected more on the value of community
engagement, as well as remarking on the happiness, satisfaction and gratification that is
experienced when facing challenges in the community. Facing challenges not only provides amore authentic learning experience but it can also lead to increased confidence when dealing
with adversity, an experience one may not get with traditional pedagogy. Furthermore,
instructors reflected on the benefits of learning in the community because students can apply
newly developed skills and become actively engaged in their learning. From the instructor’s
perspective, it is the act of community engagement that allows students to experience thebeauty of learning.
Students reflected more on the sense of community identity, with one student remarking that“banding together” with unfamiliar people brought feelings of satisfaction, while anotherstudent reflected on feelings of gratification by seeing the world and of sharing experienceswith others. The benefits of learning in through community engagement has been noted in priorresearch, for example, Seed (2008) asserts that socialization within a cohort increases
motivation to learn, improves skill development, and fosters reflection and the opportunity tolearn from peers. Our study suggests that in addition to establishing a sense of community andproviding opportunities for skill development, experiential learning also evokes feelings ofhappiness for the learner (with respect to satisfaction and gratification).
Gain
As noted in the findings section, instructors may see personal gain as a more significant value
in experiential learning than beauty or good, given that the number of responses for thiscategory outnumbered the others. This is supported by the themes drawn from the data, whichsuggest that experiential learning mainly helps students appreciate their role in a broader social
context, develop skills, and achieve academic success. In particular, the theme “Developtransferable skills for personal and professional growth” seems to overshadow concerns forstudent happiness, as reflected by the instructor who remarked, “I’ll be honest, I never thought,‘are my students happy’?”. This highlights an important contrast from value-creating
education. Makiguchi believed that the fundamental purpose of education was for students toexperience a “realization of happiness” and losing sight of this is one of the problems withmodern education (Ikeda, 2010, p. xi). This is not to suggest that instructors do not consider
the happiness of their students, however, it may give merit to exploring pedagogy through thelens of value-creating theory because it encourages educators and students to look at teaching
and learning in a way they haven’t before, that is not fundamentally for the purpose ofachieving personal gain.

89

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020Students offered considerable reflections on the positive emotions experienced throughexperiential learning courses. Themes drawn from the data identified the fulfillment gained
from positive emotions (e.g., happiness, enjoyment and pride). and an understanding that
personal happiness can have a positive impact on society. This perception aligns with the third
Makiguchian value of social good.
Good
Students remarked on the power of connection in terms of empowering others by sharing
experiences, which as one student noted, creates a “chain reaction” for change. Althoughstudents genuinely emphasized their motivations to contribute to society, their specificreflections, such as, fulfillment and pride seem to suggest that they place a higher degree ofvalue on the personal benefits received, as opposed to the good they provide for others. This
seems to accord with the instructors’ focus on personal gain as a primary value in experiential
learning.
Instructors, on the other hand, assigned greater value than students for the benefits to society
from experiential learning because experiential learning broadens the perspective of the learnerby developing an intercultural understanding and an awareness of social issues. Despite thisdifference in focus, it is evident that students and instructors agree that experiential learning
creates opportunities for students to learn about and appreciate the world around them.
Conclusion
The purpose of this research was to study how instructors and students perceive the value of
their experiential learning courses framed within Makiguchi’s Theory of Value. In exploring
the aims of experiential learning in terms of its benefits to students and society, we have notedsome interesting findings, which should be couched within a particular limitation of thisresearch, namely its relatively small sample size. Had a larger sample of instructors andstudents been used, it might have added more depth to participant perspectives and greater
diversity in the experiences shared.
Nevertheless, the research suggests that instructors placed a higher degree of value forexperiential learning on the acquisition of knowledge and skill (gain), and perceived
satisfaction in learning (beauty) and societal benefit (good) to a lesser degree of importance,
but fairly equally with each other. Comparatively, students assigned experiential learning’svalue for satisfaction in learning and the acquisition of knowledge and skill on an equal footing,and to a lesser degree ascribed value to the impact their learning might have on society. Whilenoting some differences between instructors and students between the respective weightings
assigned to the value of experiential learning, the research supports an alignment between theperceived value of experiential learning and Makiguchi’s principal values of Soka education.
There was agreement that the value of personal gain is of primary importance in experiential
learning, while the values of beauty and social good were important, but of lesser significance.
According to Ikeda (2010, p. 20) value creation encourages self-reflection, which thenmotivates students to think and act with a broader sense of purpose in their lives. Experiential
learning is also intended to motivate the learner toward reflexivity in a way that enhances
continued self-development. Incorporating value creating principles within undergraduate
course learning objectives may provide opportunities for the application of enhanced teaching
and learning practices. Regardless of the educational platform, this could take the form of90

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020encouraging more transformative reflection and action for learners, not only in the pursuit of
their own individual happiness, but also for the broader societal context.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the Makiguchi Foundation for Education for their generous funding
support of this project, as well as the following individuals for their invaluable contributions
to the research: Afifa Abbaszadeh, Alice-Simone Balter, Sarah Belyk, Neve Connolly, Heba
Elgharbawy, Kathryn Johnson, Sophie Martin, Amy Piercey, and Denny Tran.

91

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

References
Attride-Stirling, J. (2001). Thematic networks: An analytic tool for qualitative research.
Qualitative Research, 1(3), 385–405. https://doi.org/10.1177/146879410100100307
Bethel, D.M., (Ed.). (1989). Education for creative living: Ideas and proposals of
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (A. Birnbaum, Trans.). Iowa State University Press / Ames.
(Original work published 1930)
Bonnycastle, M.M., & Bonnycastle, C. R. (2010). Photographs generate knowledge:
Reflections on experiential learning in/outside the social work classroom. Journal of
Teaching in Social Work, 104(4), 233–250.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2015.1027031
Brannen, N. (1964). Soka Gakkai’s theory of value: An analysis. Contemporary Religions inJapan, 5(2), 143–154. https://doi.org/ 10.2307/30232923
Chavan, M. (2011). Higher education students’ attitudes towards experiential learning ininternational business. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 22(2), 126–143.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2011.615677
Chen, P. (2012). Empowering identity reconstruction of indigenous college students throughtransformative learning. Educational Review, 64(2), 161–180.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911. 2011.592574
Chickering, A., & Braskamp, L.A. (2009). Developing a global perspective for personal andsocial responsibility. Peer Review, AAC&U, Fall, 27–30.
Chmielewski-Raimondo, D. A., McKeown, W., Brooks, A. (2016). The field as ourclassroom: Applications in a business-related setting. Journal of Accounting
Education, 34, 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/.jaccedu.2015.11.002
de Groot, M., Alexander, K., Culp, B., & Keith, N. (2015). Experiential learning inkinesiology: A student perspective. Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 1(3), 123–133.
https://doi.org/10.1177/2373379915594391
Earnest, D. R., Rosenbusch, K., Wallace-William, D., & Keim, A.C. (2016). Study abroad in
psychology: increasing cultural competencies through experiential learning. Teachingof Psychology, 43(1), 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628315620889
Gebert, A., & Joffee, M. (2007). Value Creation as the aim of education: Tsunesaburo
Makiguchi and Soka education. In D. T. Hansen (Ed.), Ethical visions of education:
Philosophies in practice, (pp. 65–82). Teachers College Press.
Goulah, J. (2010). (Harmonious) community life as the goal of education: A bilingual
dialogue between Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Francis W. Parker. Studies in Education,
7(1), 64–85. https://doi.org/10.1086/651295
Greenfield, E. A., Davis, R. T., & Fedor, J. P. (2012). The effect of international social work
education: Study abroad versus on-campus courses. Journal of Social Work
Education, 48(4), 739–761. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2012.201100147
Hefron, J.M. (2014, March). “To be or not to be”: The question of incommensurability in Soka orvalue-creating education. Paper presented at the 2014 Comparative and International
Education Society Conference, Toronto, Canada.

92

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Hendershot, K., & Sperandio, J. (2009). Study abroad and development of global citizen
identity and cosmopolitan ideals in undergraduates. Current Issues in Comparative
Education, 12(1), 45–55.
Henoch, I., Ung, E. J., Ozanne, A., Falk, H., Falk, K., Sarenmalm, E. K., Ohlen, J., & Fridh,
I. (2014). Nursing students’ experiences of involvement in clinical research: an
exploratory study. Nursing Experience in Practice, 14(2), 188–194.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2013.07.009
Ikeda, D. (2009). Foreword: Special Issue: Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871–1944):
Educational philosophy in context. Educational Studies, 45, 111–114.
Ikeda, D. (2010a). Soka education: For the happiness of the individual. Middleway Press.
Ikeda, D. (2010b). A new humanism: The university addresses of Daisaku Ikeda. I.B. Tauris& Co. Ltd.
Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing
experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning &Education, 4(2), 193–212. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2005.17268566
Lachapelle, S., & Whiteside, B. (2017). Experiential learning: A framework for impact [PDF
document]. Retrieved from https://www.uoguelph.ca/experientiallearning/about/experiential-learning-university-guelph
Lewis, M. L., Rappe, P. T., Albury, J. D., & Edler, L. D. (2017). Creative teaching andreflection in nontraditional settings: Regional, national, and international experiences.
Social Development Issues, 39(1), 29–40.
Lin, Y., Lai, P., Chiu, Y.C., & Chen, Y. (2016). Taiwanese university students’ perspectives
on experiential learning and psychosocial development. College Student Journal, 50(4),603–613.
Lorenzini, M. (2013). From global knowledge to global civic engagement, Journal of
Political Science Education, 9(4), 417–435.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2013.835559
May, D. (2017). Student perceived value of intensive experiential learning. International
Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social
Entrepreneurship, 12(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.24908/ijsle.v12i1.6662
McGuire, M., Goldstein, C., Claywell, L., & Patton, R. (2017). Analysis of student
reflections of experiential learning in nursing health policy courses. Nurse Educator,
42(2), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000000321
McPhee, S., & Przedpelska, S. (2018). Experiential learning, community engagement, andstudent experience: Undergraduate field school course in rural British Columbia. The
Canadian Geographer, 62(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12436
Nakelet, O.H., Prossy, I., Bernard, O.B., Peter, E., & Dorothy, O. (2017). Assessment ofexperiential learning and teaching approaches in undergraduate programmes at the
School of Agricultural Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. International Journalof Higher Education, 6(5), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n5p155
Philips, L., Bloom, T., Gainey, T., & Chiocca, E. (2017). Influence of short-term study
abroad experiences on community health baccalaureate students. Journal of Nursing
Education, 56(9), 528–533. https://doi.org/10.3925/01484834- 20170817-03

93

IAFOR Journal of Education: Undergraduate Education

Volume 8 – Issue 3 – 2020

Reade, C., Reckmeyer, W. J., Cabot, M., Jaehne, D., & Novak, M. (2013). Educating global
citizens for the 21st century: The SJSU Salzburg program. Journal of Corporate
Citizenship, 49,100–116. https://doi.org/10.2307/jcorpciti.49.100
Roholt, R. V., & Fisher, C. (2013). Expect the unexpected: International short-term study
course pedagogies and practices. Journal of Social Work Education, 49(1), 48–65.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2013.755416
Seed, A. H. (2008) Cohort building through experiential learning. Journal of Experiential
Education, 31(2), 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382590803100207
Strange, H., & Gibson, H.J. (2017). An investigation of experiential and transformative
learning in study abroad programs. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study
Abroad, 29(1), 85–100. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v29i1.387
Stoner, L., Perry, L., Wadsworth, D., Stoner, K.R., & Tarrant, M.A. (2014). Global
citizenship is key to securing global health: The role of higher education. Preventive
Medicine, 64, 126–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.05.006
Tiessen, R., & Epprecht, M. (2012). Introduction: Global citizenship education for learning/
volunteering abroad. Journal of Global Citizenship & Equity Education, 2(1), 1–12.
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. (n.d.) Life’s Values. Retrieved fromhttps://www.tmakiguchi.org/educator/educationalreformer/lifesvalues.html
University of Guelph Experiential Learning. (n.d.). Experiential Learning Definition andCriteria. Retrieved from https://www.uoguelph.ca/experientiallearning/projects/pastprojects/inventory-2017-2018/experiential-learning-definition-and-criteria.
University of Guelph. (n.d.). Curricular Experiential Learning Categories. Retrieved fromhttps://www.uoguelph.ca/experientiallearning/faculty-staff/what-experientiallearning/curricular-experiential-learning-categories
Wynveen, C. J., Kyle, G. T., & Tarrant, M.A. (2012). Study abroad experiences and global
citizenship: Fostering proenvironmental behavior. Journal of Studies in International
Education, 16(4), 334–352. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315311426782
Corresponding author: Paul Sherman
Contact email: paul.sherman@guelphhumber.ca

94