Office of Experiential Learning (OEL)

The diverse programs and learning opportunities offered by the Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) are joined by a common theme: mens et manus or mind and hand. Hands-on educational experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, expose students to different ways of thinking and solving problems, broaden their communications skills, and help them develop a better sense of self.

(*) As part of D-Lab, students work with local communities in developing countries to improve the quality of life of low-income households through the adaptation of low cost and sustainable technologies.
(*) Students take classes in the MIT Edgerton Center in which the focus is not on simply understanding concepts and theories but applying them.
(*) Through the Edgerton Center’s K-12 Education outreach, younger students participate in activities that raise their interest and curiosity in science and math and open a window into MIT.
(*) OEL’s three alternative freshman learning communities emphasize small classes and offer an environment where opportunities for faculty-student interaction, peer discussions, and learning are pervasive both inside and outside the classroom.