Bringing Experiential Learning to Life

Helping Students Discover Their Potential Through the Award 

At J.M. Olds Collegiate in Twillingate, NL experiential learning is part of everyday teaching. Joanne Mutford has integrated The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award into Career’s curriculum so students can connect school learning goals with real experiences they care about. The results include higher engagement, stronger ownership, and steady progress captured in the Award’s Online Record Book. This work supports Award Canada’s partnership with NLSchools, the provincial public education entity responsible for K to 12 English speaking students across Newfoundland and Labrador. Award integration shows what is possible in all curriculum areas to personalize and deepen learning in classrooms across the country. 

“Because the Award is so prestigious, students were genuinely excited to realize that their everyday efforts…are worthy of recognition. It helped reinforce that their learning is shaping them as people and supporting their personal goals. When learning feels important and relevant, students engage more deeply, and this Award has done exactly that.” – Joanne Mutford

The Award recognizes and values learning that is already happening in school and the community. Joanne uses several practical strategies to deliver the Award and uses it as an assessment tool. Students complete the class and earn their Bronze level Award at the same time. 

What’s Working 

• Curriculum and Award alignment: Joanne connects existing curricular expectations with Service, Skill, Physical Recreation, and Adventurous Journey, making experiential learning part of the routine. By tying the Award framework to the outcomes of her curriculum, Joanne is helping students prepare for life after high school and making learning feel personal and relevant across subjects and programs.
• Built in reflection: Using the Award’s Online Record Book during class helps students pause, log, and reflect. Teachers gain authentic evidence of learning and can support personalized goals.
• Supportive classroom culture: Students help one another notice achievements they might overlook and share ideas when planning, strengthening confidence and ownership. 
• Visible progress with clear tracking: The Online Record Book shows hours, section status, activities, and reflections. Impact Reports then summarize insights for school leaders. 

Learning That Sticks 

In this Careers class, students quickly saw that volunteering, hobbies, sports, and personal interests count toward a recognized achievement. This made everyday effort feel meaningful and increased engagement. Regular reflection helped them see progress, connect activities to personal goals, and recognize growth over time. Beyond engagement, these experiences help students identify their passions and interests and build transferable skills that strengthen their CV’s and inform future career or education choices. Research on the Award’s approach shows that this strengthens engagement when paired with curriculum. 

Educators can build on this by integrating the Award Framework into their teaching. Its cycle – goal-setting, action, reflection, and evidence of progress – can be mapped to curriculum outcomes and assessment. Embedding these steps gives students a clear structure for personal growth while making classroom learning feel relevant and measurable. 

Skills That Last 

Logs from Joanne’s class show growth in confidence, teamwork, follow through, and curiosity. These results align with widely used positive youth development models, including the Five C’s Model (competence, confidence, connection, character and caring/compassion) and the Self-Determination Theory known as ARC (autonomy, relatedness and competence). 

“Many students tend to overlook what they are doing well and completing the Award as a class has fostered a supportive environment where students help each other acknowledge and value their contributions.” – Joanne Mutford

One Bronze participant, Carly Rogers, explored new interests, volunteered locally, trained for sports, and helped organize an overnight ski trip. Her experience was recently highlighted in The Globe and Mail, demonstrating how the Award inspires young people across Canada.

Read the Globe & and Mail: How the Award Inspires, article here.

Proof in the Progress 

ORB gives Joanne a real time picture of each student’s journey. She can quickly see who is on pace, who needs support, and where growth is happening. Impact Reports help turn ORB data into clear insights that are easy to share with school leadership. Joanne’s class already shows multiple completed sections and a good pace of reflective entries linked to personal goals. 

Real World Connections 

Students are now applying financial literacy lessons with support from the local credit union and Chartered Professional Accountants. Real career insights help students make connections between curriculum content and their Award goals. Joanne notes that using local resources and familiar faces keeps learning relatable and engagement high. 

Leadership That Makes a Difference 

The progress at J.M. Olds Collegiate reflects Joanne Mutford’s thoughtful planning, enthusiasm, and commitment. She shows how the Award fits naturally into curriculum as a powerful tool for experiential learning. Students are more engaged and more aware of their strengths because of her leadership. 

Her class is a strong example of what becomes possible when educators integrate the Award with intention. Learning becomes more personal, reflection becomes routine, and students begin to see their potential in real time. 

J.M. Olds Collegiate’s success belongs to its students and to Joanne Mutford, whose leadership brings the Award to life. By pairing curriculum with the Award’s experiential framework, learning feels relevant and measurable. We are excited to continue partnering with, Joanne, and the J.M. Olds community and showcasing the impact co-curricular Award delivery can make. 

Want to Bring This Model to Your School? 

Administrators and educators can sign-up to learn more and access planning support for any curriculum area. Connect with the Award now. 

For Careers teachers: You can use our Careers Class resources to help students test career ideas, build transferable skills, and document real learning. Examples of Careers Class connections are available here.

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