Educator spotlight: Jason Bird, Lecturer and Program Coordinator, First Nations University of Canada.
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Jason Bird, a lecturer and program coordinator for Indigenous Business and Public Administration at the First Nations University of Canada, is a passionate advocate for experiential learning. Below, he shares insights into his recent experience with Riipen and how it has transformed his ADMN 250 course into a platform for real-world application of HR principles.
Why does experiential learning matter?
I am a firm believer in the power of experiential learning to accelerate students’ growth and understanding. These kinds of projects take students from the course material to applying those principles in real-world situations. It’s a combination of mental and kinesthetic learning that helps students understand business processes in a way that’s both foundational and applied.
By engaging in projects with real companies, students not only grasp the relevance of their coursework but also build their resumes and begin to develop career plans. This experiential approach ensures that learners are better equipped to tackle workforce challenges, gaining confidence and clarity about their professional paths before they graduate.
What is your course about?
I teach ADMN 250—Introduction to Human Resources and Industrial Relations, a second-year course in the Indigenous Business & Public Administration program. This program emphasizes a unique Indigenous perspective on business management and governance.
The course is designed to provide students with foundational HR concepts, including orientation, onboarding, recruitment, and retention theories. What sets this course apart is its integration of Indigenous values and approaches to business management, giving students a broader perspective that bridges mainstream and Indigenous governance. It integrates technical knowledge with conceptual thinking, offering students a holistic understanding of business practices grounded in Indigenous values. This dual focus ensures students are equipped with both the skills and cultural competency to navigate diverse workplace settings.
How do you bridge classroom learning with real-world challenges?
In my recent semester, I collaborated with four employers through Riipen to deliver an enriching experiential learning opportunity for my students. Thirty-four students participated in these projects, working on real-world challenges faced by organizations such as Plus Company, Takoda Consulting, Focus Forward, and Indigenous & Community Engagement (ICE). The projects ranged from improving onboarding processes to recruiting Indigenous talent and addressing recruitment and retention challenges for diverse employees.
How did Riipen facilitate those connections?
Riipen provided the platform for meeting companies from quite a distance that matched up with human resources projects. I was quite pleased with the matches I had and how diverse they were, including some Indigenous-owned companies. The platform’s search functionality allowed me to find companies that aligned with the learning objectives for my course, ensuring the projects were relevant and impactful for the students. Likewise, Riipen enabled companies to approach me directly with tailored project opportunities. This two-way connection ensured a seamless match between student needs and employer expectations, creating a mutually beneficial experience.
How do students build employability skills through practical application?
The students submitted seven projects and learned quite a bit from this experience. They had to apply human resources concepts to real-life business problems, which allowed them to step into HR roles and contribute meaningfully to their projects.
The hands-on nature of these projects encouraged students to refine critical skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. For instance, some groups rewrote emails and job descriptions, enhancing their ability to understand and implement professional communication standards. Through these tasks, they gained invaluable insights into how academic theories translate into practical applications in the workforce.
Were there any standout moments or achievements?
I think the projects and completed assignments were done very well, and employers were happy to provide feedback about what they received. While there may not have been a single defining moment, seeing the students meet the employers and engage with them was impactful. It helped students recognize that this was not just an academic exercise but a real-world scenario where their contributions had tangible value. The positive feedback from employers reinforced the students’ confidence and validated the skills they brought to the table.
What advice do you have for educators considering experiential learning?
For educators considering integrating experiential learning into their courses, my advice is clear: The most important thing a classroom can do is have experiential learning built into the course outcomes. Students gain a lot of knowledge in classrooms but often lack opportunities to apply it. Experiential learning provides that chance, allowing them to develop essential skills and career readiness while still in school.
Initiatives like these prepare students to transition seamlessly from academia to the workforce, fostering their growth and ensuring they are well-prepared to contribute effectively to their chosen fields.
Book a chat with our team to discover how Riipen can help you integrate real-world projects into your classrooms today.