ABSTRACT
Planning programs rely on a variety of techniques to introduce students to the actualities of planning practice. Broadly defined, experiential learning is one such pedagogical technique, ranging from simulated projects to working directly with clients. Planning educators engage students with neighborhood residents, business owners, and government officials. These experiences create an important foundation for novice planners as well as opportunities to gain skills and knowledge not easily acquired from readings, lectures, and lab work. Freestone, Thompson, and Williams (2006) emphasize how such work-based learning (for example, internships) taught students about planning issues and processes, developed their technical skills, and fostered their personal growth; however, those skills did not necessarily include fostering a sense of civic duty or techniques for working in diverse communities.
