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The Faculty of Health's initiatives supporting empirical learning will take an exciting leap forward with the launch of a new reflective experiential education(EE) lab, known in the Faculty as the REEL Health Studio. 

A modest workspace on the fourth floor of the Health, Nursing and Environmental Studies building is being transformed into a state-of-the-art digital media facility, designed to showcase and enhance the diverse experiential learning opportunities across the Faculty's five academic units. 

This creative reimagining of an existing space represents a significant advancement in how the Faculty of Health captures and shares its dynamic EE initiatives. 

Spearheaded by the Office of the Dean in the Faculty of Health, the REEL Health Studio responds to growing demands from students, faculty members and staff for sophisticated media production capabilities in experiential education.

Julie Hard, director of global and community partnerships, works closely with organizations that host Faculty of Health students in community-based placements and other EE opportunities. She understands the importance of telling compelling stories about the impact of experiential learning. 

“This dedicated media space opens exciting possibilities for how we document and share experiential learning,” says Hard. “Whether it's capturing international field experiences or creating innovative teaching materials, the REEL Health Studio will give our faculty members and students the tools they need to tell their educational stories in meaningful and impactful ways."   

It positions the Faculty of Health to strengthen and independently support its EE initiatives. 

The REEL Health Studio, which will open during the summer term, will reflect York’s overall commitment to expanding immersive learning opportunities by increasing capacity for active and collaborative learning, enhancing teaching supports and building digital fluency.   

The studio will play a crucial role in showcasing domestic and international placement opportunities in health, raising awareness of these valuable learning experiences and contributing to the Faculty’s recruitment efforts.   

“This really is a transformative project, and one that aligns with the Faculty of Health’s Strategic Plan directives,” says Karin Page-Cutrara, vice-dean of learning, teaching and academic programs in the Faculty of Health. “The studio will help our students’ showcase their successes in meaningful community engagement and experiential and work-integrated learning.” 

The Faculty is expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students, along with increasing efforts to create digital content that documents and shares their educational experiences. 

Maria Jose Pernas Rodriguez, a fourth-year psychology student, participated in the �첥��Ƶ Abroad program at York’s Las Nubes EcoCampus in Costa Rica during the summer term in her third year.

“After returning from my placement in Costa Rica, I wished I had access to something like the REEL Health Studio,” says Pernas Rodriguez. “While I wrote about my experiences in a final paper, there were so many meaningful moments I wanted to share with other students in a more engaging way. Having professional equipment and a dedicated space to create visual content would have allowed me to better capture the true impact of my experiences with others who may wish to pursue similar opportunities."  

The studio will offer students the tools and environment to create engaging short-form videos and podcasts that capture the essence of their experiential learning. Whether documenting fieldwork, presenting capstone projects or reflecting on group experiences, students can produce compelling digital narratives that demonstrate their learning outcomes while developing valuable digital media skills. This approach aims to enrich students’ academic experiences and build the professional competencies valued in health-care and workplace settings. 

The REEL Health Studio will also support the growing trend of student-generated content in higher education. Using the production equipment in the studio, students will be able to craft authentic stories about their educational experiences, contributing to a more dynamic and engaging representation of health programs at �첥��Ƶ. 

Faculty members will also be able to leverage the REEL Health Studio. From developing interactive simulations and case studies, to documenting international experiences, the studio will enable faculty to produce high-quality video materials that make experiential learning more accessible, such as for students who cannot travel. 

Hard says the space also supports faculty in creating materials to prepare students for experiential education opportunities, such as cultural competency training and professional skills development.  

Instructors from units across the Faculty are keen to access the media space and requests to use the studio have already been registered. According to Hard, students in Enacting the Human Right to Health & Health Equity, a study abroad course in Cuba, will be required to create a digital/media asset reflecting what they learned as part of the course.  

“Access to the studio and orientation to the use of the equipment will ensure that students are supported in this creative process,” says Hard. 

Those interested in learning more about the space should email eeHealth@yorku.ca.����

With files from Julie Hard

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