Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop a teaching model that combined Kolb's experiential learning theory and Wolf and Bryne's four feedback stages and to explore the learning experiences and outcomes of students through pre-learning, field learning, and post-learning. Methods Data was collected through focus group interviews with students enrolled in the ‘Social Service Field Research’ course at a university located in Seoul. Text mining techniques were employed to analyze the qualitative data. Results First, during the pre-learning phase, students experienced the enhancement of professional knowledge and a broader understanding of the field. It also allows students to recognize their own preconception and the areas they need to know more. Second, direct experiences gained through field visits and interactions with experts were recognized as valuable opportunities to gain vivid, firsthand insights into welfare programs. Third, post-learning activities helped expand students' perspectives on the organizations they visited and fostered an increased awareness of the necessity of volunteer work. Lastly, the experiential learning curriculum contributed to strengthening students' competencies, including problem-solving skills, communication and collaboration abilities, professional knowledge, and complex thinking skills. Conclusions Findings of this study suggest that when field-based courses are structured in the form of pre-learning, field learning, post-learning, and evaluation, it not only enhances learning outcomes but also facilitates meaningful changes in students.
Kim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.