On Wednesday 11th December, Dr Ger Coffey (Course Director LLM/MA in Human Rights in Criminal Justice and member of the Centre for Crime, Justice & Victim Studies) delivered an invited seminar as part of the Teaching and Learning Seminar on Field Trips as Experiential Learning at NUI Maynooth. The seminar, based on a recently completed MA in TLHE dissertation, outlined the benefits and limitations of experiential learning opportunities for criminal justice and sentencing students with reference to a recent field trip to Limerick Prison. These active experiential learning opportunities facilitate students to observe how the theory they learn in the classroom can be put into practice in a real-world setting. Active learning events play an important role in the education of criminal justice students through bridging the pedagogical gap between theory and the practice. The benefits and limitations of field trips to criminal justice institutions highlighted how teachers and students might engage with these active learning activities to enhance student knowledge and understanding. There was a very good attendance by staff and students with a great exchange of ideas and valuable insights into the benefits and limitations of experiential learning opportunities to enhance student learning and understanding.
The seminar was organised by Dr Noelle Higgins, Senior Lecturer in Law, NUI Maynooth.
