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Learning on Location
Click here to download the Learning on Location Brochure (PDF - 742k)
Most instruction at universities happens in classrooms and laboratories. That’s because academic programs need to present information consistently and use resources efficiently. Classroom and laboratory-based education works very well, especially for beginning students who are mastering basic information and skills. But advanced students often find that they learn more effectively when allowed to explore subjects at their own pace, guided by a professor and maybe other experts. In fact, some kinds of learning just can’t be had anywhere except in “real-life settings” -- in real organizations with real people solving real problems. So, Learning on Location refers to these out-of-classroom course opportunities available in Telecommunication Studies:
Practicum (TCOM 3787)
Lots of academic projects fall under the Practicum rubric, such as:
- Market research projects for clients such as radio/TV stations
- Special audio or video productions
- Library research projects, like how the telegraph served as the 19th Century’s internet
- Field research projects, like how new communication technologies might be adopted by a target group
- Preliminary field experiences in organizational settings
Students often discover interesting projects that don’t fit within traditional courses. They also realize Practicum can be a good introduction to non-classroom study, giving them an advantage for later applying for Residency or Internship. Further, companies often have unique opportunities that don’t fit the “Residency” or “Internship” model.
Practicum projects are proposal-based. That means a student writes a 2-page proposal which summarizes:
- The project’s academic purpose
- Methods which will be used
- Outcomes to be expected
- The amount of credit to be earned
Sometimes faculty announce specific projects, for which proposals aren’t required.
Contact Dr. Mathews (wtmathew AT cc.ysu DOT edu) for more information.
Residency (TCOM 3788)
A Professional Residency is similar to Practicum in that students work on assignments in field settings such as media companies, university offices, or law firms. But students in residence commit an amount of time, whether weeks or months, to their relationship with the sponsor:
- They participate as legitimate short-term members (or employees). Hence, they are expected to create value the way a regular employee would.
- They observe as students. So they are able to move around, to ask questions, and to make the normal mistakes of serious-minded students.
Individual students normally find their own residency opportunities. Some companies offer “corporate internships” which could qualify as a Professional Residency. Others offer an opportunity for students to volunteer or to hang out. It’s up to the student to show how such activities represent academic value.
Students must submit a Professional Residency proposal with a letter from the field supervisor summarizing:
- The resident’s proposed schedule
- Duties to be performed
- Outcomes to be expected
- Methods used to oversee progress
Students may not serve residencies in their places of employment.
Contact Dr. Owens (fowens AT ysu DOT edu) for more information.
Internship (TCOM 4888)
Like Professional Residency, Internship in Telecommunication involves committing to a working/learning relationship with a sponsoring organization. Interns are expected to contribute value through their expertise, sophistication and high personal standards.
Internship is unique in these ways:
- Available for specific 6-month periods in specific settings
- 20-hour weekly obligation
- Credit and pay (stipend)
- Interns meet monthly as a class
- Competitive selection
- Close faculty supervision
Organizations wanting to participate in the program negotiate duties and responsibilities with the YSU Director of Internships, Jim Donnan. They are then listed in the Internship Brochure (which is published bi-annually and contains all relevant guidelines). Students may apply for the opportunities of their choice by submitting a letter and resume. Applicants are screened for academic qualifications and then interviewed by field supervisors. Successful applicants must then register for TCOM 4888 for the two consecutive semesters which correspond to their internship. Students may not find and propose their own internships, nor may they intern in their places of employment.
Contact: Jim Donnan (jldonnan AT cc.ysu DOT edu) for more information.
Homework Express
Homework Express is a live TV show which airs on Time Warner and Armstrong cable channels throughout the region on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30. The show is crewed -- and produced and directed -- entirely by student majors in Telecommunications, and it originates from our Bliss Hall TV studio. Middle-school students who have homework trouble are invited to call the show's host, Kelly Stevens from Hot-101, and two in-studio math and science teachers. These calls are put on-air, live, and students get help directly via TV. Extra segments also include the "Science Lab," featuring science experiments, and extensive field production at area schools.
Check out...
Tuesdays & Thursdays - 4:30 to 5:00
www.homeworkexpress.org
330-941-1855 (Office)
330-941-2030 (Studio Line)
1-866-941-2030 (Toll Free)
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Programs