Experiential learning—such as labs, field schools and practicums—provides powerful learning opportunities. But not all students have an equal chance to succeed. Our research examines student experiences across diverse settings and aims to remove barriers, helping every learner thrive in real-world environments.

Our focus

We explore how hands-on learning works across disciplines—and how it doesn’t—for equity-deserving students. By collaborating with researchers, students and community partners, we identify barriers and test strategies to make experiential learning more inclusive.

The goal: better learning for everyone, in every setting.

We aim to improve student learning at MacEwan University and impact the International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning discourse on experiential learning and inclusion by:

  • exploring student experiences across a wide range of hands-on learning environments
  • identifying and reducing barriers to inclusion in real-world learning settings
  • engaging students as partners in the research process
  • building a network of scholars and stakeholders who care about inclusive education
  • sharing our findings to improve teaching and learning practices
  • contributing to international research on experiential learning and inclusion
Meet Melissa Hills, research group lead
Melissa Hills, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, leads the Research Group for Inclusive Experiential Learning. Her areas of expertise include molecular biology, universal design for learning and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Melissa HIlls

Our researchers

Meet the faculty who make up our research group. Together, we work to reduce barriers to learning.

External partners

Our partners collaborate with us and provide support to help further our research.

Candor Diversity Group is working with us to find out how hands-on learning can be more welcoming and supportive for neurodivergent students. Together, we’re identifying barriers and co-creating strategies to promote greater inclusion.

Candor Diversity Group

Darla Benton Kearney, a Teaching & Learning Consultant at Mohawk College, is bringing her expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to our research group. She’s working with us to explore learning barriers and solutions in the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship programs at Mohawk College.

Darla Benton Kearney on LinkedIn

UDL for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) guide