Title: Bridging Theory and Practice: Experiential Learning in Measurement and Evaluation Background: Experiential learning is an important component of student development because it allows students t..
Title: Bridging Theory and Practice: Experiential Learning in Measurement and Evaluation Background: Experiential learning is an important component of student development because it allows students to apply classroom knowledge in authentic settings. In the HHP 340 Measurement and Evaluation course at Fort Hays State University, students are introduced to testing protocols and performance assessment procedures; however, less is known about how hands-on combined experiences influence students’ confidence, anxiety, motivation, and readiness to administer testing. This project was designed to examine whether participation in a structured experiential learning opportunity improves student outcomes across the training process. Methods: A repeated-measures design was used with students enrolled in HHP 340. Participants completed surveys at three time points: prior to training, after the practice combine, and following participation in a live combine event with high school athletes. Students first received classroom instruction on testing procedures and then engaged in a mock combine to practice assessment skills before assisting with live event administration. Measures included a Custom Practitioner Self-Efficacy Scale, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, and feasibility and acceptability metrics. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analyses of variance, multiple regression, and Pearson correlation analyses. Results: ANOVA analysis yielded significant changes over time (from pre-training, post-training, to post-combine) in student Self-Efficacy (p
