Design Experiential Learning Activities for MIS Introductory Courses

Experiential learning activities (ELAs) that are industry-partnered and real-world problem-based can provide undergraduate students with concrete experiences of using information technologies in the field. Flow theory provides a theoretical basis to guide the design of ELAs, ensuring that the goals are clear, feedback is explicit, and the challenges and skills are balanced. Based on this theory, we developed two ELAs, implemented them in two different introductory MIS classes and surveyed students’ perceptions of their experiences. The results confirmed that flow theory provides an appropriate theoretical basis for effective ELAs. Based on these results, new guidelines for designing ELAs are presented.