Applied Practicum in Communication Studies Prepared by Communication Intern Brian Sayre, 2014

!Professor Lisa Waite Email: lawaite@kent.edu Campus Phone: (330)499-9600

Office: Main Hall 410 Office Phone: (330)244-3410 Office Hours: by appointment

Comm 46092

Applied Practicum Prerequisites

❑ For Applied Communication majors only ❑ Senior Standing with 60 credit hours complete. Contact Professor Lisa Waite for signed

permission to enroll (lawaite@kent.edu). Cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better and 2.25 in the major; COMM 20000 (Foundations) with a grade of C (2.0) or better and successful completion of the grammar requirement.

!❑ You should also have completed more than half of the 45 hours required in the

Communication Studies major. The following courses must be completed at the time of registration or two of the three completed with the third in progress: COMM 35864; and JMC 20005; and VCD 37000

Note: If you have certain prerequisite classes in progress, exceptions may be granted.

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Applied Practicum Description

❑ Applied Practicum is for Applied Communication majors only! There is no class to attend or text book to buy. You get to ‘test drive’ a career path!

!❑ Applied Practicum is a formal, cooperative field experience with a designated

organization or agency.

!❑ You are responsible for finding your own organizational partnerships. (Please

submit a list of your workplace duties to Professor Waite (lawaite@kent.edu) on organizational letterhead signed by the site supervisor.

❑ Letter grades serve as evaluation for Applied Practicum.

Applied Practicum Purpose

❑ All students in the Applied Communication concentration are required to complete a professional Practicum.

❑ Applied Practicum prepares students for careers as communication specialists in non-profit organizations, small businesses, and government offices.

❑ This course is intended to provide you with the opportunity to apply communication theories and principles to the workplace.

❑ It is also designed so you will gain professional experience by taking on career-related responsibilities (not a parking valet, fast food attendant, lifeguard, etc.)

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Applied Practicum Benefits

❑ It will provide you with the marketable skills necessary to compete in the ever-changing workplace.

!❑ It will provide you with a professional experience and

responsibilities.

!❑ It will give you an awareness of career possibilities in

communication and/or related fields.

And so the work begins…

❑ You will “work” at an organization or agency a minimum of 150 hours for 3 semester hours of credit.

!❑ Keep in mind certain requirements for Applied Practicum cannot apply towards

the hours worked with the organization. This includes the work done on the course portfolio.

Practicum Portfolio (200 Points)

❑ You will submit a portfolio at the end of the semester. This is a formal collection of material from your coursework related to Applied Practicum field experiences.

!❑ The Applied Practicum Portfolio is worth 200 points.

!❑ There are many sample portfolios readily available to review. Simply ask Professor

Waite to see one.

The Portfolio will include a(n):

❑ Theme

❑ APA style Title Page & Table of Contents

❑ Introduction of 1-2 pages ❑ Updated Cover Letter ❑ Updated Resume ❑ Collection of 3 Visual/Graphic Design Projects ❑ Collection of 3 Writing Samples ❑ Collection of 3 Organizational Communication Tasks ❑ Reflective Journal (Electronic) ❑ Time Log (Calendar of hours) ❑ Reflective Self Analysis (Journey paper)

❑ Experiential Research Paper

Themes

“Take pride in selecting a theme. Develop

the cover and illustrate the theme throughout. Your portfolio can serve to boost any job

interview by demonstrating the variety of skills you bring to an organization.”

—Professor Waite

APA Style (Don’t Forget)

❑ All portfolios must be completed in APA style.

!❑ The Purdue Owl website is always a great reference if

you are struggling with APA format.

!❑ More information on formatting the Practicum portfolio

can be found near the end of this PowerPoint.

Introduction

❑ Offer a 1-2 page introduction for the portfolio.

❑ Describe where you spent your field experience. How did you come to find the organization you partnered with? What type of business is it (health care, education, non-profit, etc.)? Who was your site supervisor?

❑ Also, offer a short summary of your primary tasks, such as social media, human resources, public relations, copy writing, etc. This should frame the experience for the reader.

Updated Cover Letter

❑ The cover letter is extremely important in acquiring a selection interview, yet many applicants fail to give the necessary time and attention to this essential document. ❑ Cover letters offer the job seeker the opportunity to personalize and target the resume to a

particular reader and position. ❑ They allow the writer to direct attention to specific skills that may be important to the reader. ❑ They enable the applicant to clearly state why the organization is of interest. ❑ They open doors for further communication and follow-through.

❑ Your cover letter should be addressed to a specific job listing and person, whether you locate the job on-line or in print.

❑ Letters will include your signature, a signature line and ‘enclosure’ statement.

Updated Resume

❑ Essentially, a resume is a sales message to prospective employers. It should be prepared with care.

❑ This distinguishes you from other candidates in the job market and promotes your most desirable qualities.

❑ Pay close attention to readability, ‘eye’ appeal, and a total impression. ❑ Unless experience warrants more; one page is preferable. ❑ The resume is evaluated on spelling, format, style, readability, and effectiveness. ❑ Look on-line for sample templates or visit our career center and writing center for

assistance! Professor Waite also has samples.

VCD, JMC, & ORG COMM Projects

❑ You must have 3 samples of work from each section—9 all together! !❑ VCD examples:

❑ Create or modify a webpage/website, design a letterhead or company logo, etc. ❑ JMC examples:

❑ Writing, newsletters, press releases, some public relation duties

❑ ORG COMM examples: ❑ Training, needs assessment, speech writing, event planning, giving guided tours, assisting with a

fundraiser, human resources !

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Reflective Journal

❑ You will maintain a reflective journal and time log of your field experience. You should make two journal entries a week that are insightful and discuss how theory is demonstrated in your daily activities.

!❑ Entries should reflect observations of organizational events with relevant

comments. In a few sentences, make a connection back to the classroom for each entry. Please put these connections in bold font for easy identification.

Reflective Journal (Continued)

❑ The journal MUST be typed and also include: ❑ a synopsis of your activities

❑ a listing of all organizational meetings with annotations

❑ a summary of the information covered in meetings with your course advisor, including date and time

❑ any other relevant information

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Time Log

❑ Your typed time log must contain a summary of the contact hours completed daily with the organization or agency as well as a monthly subtotal of hours. It may be part of your journal or a separate calendar (Excel or a calendar format work great for this).

!❑ The time log is signed by your site supervisor for final submission.

Reflective Self-Analysis (Journey Paper)

❑ Write a carefully constructed essay that reflects upon your individual learning experience and establishes connections between course work and any combination of: internships, life experiences, growth as a communicator, extra-curricular activities, and career choice.

❑ This tells a story about your development rather than writing a paper. Your self-analysis requires you to consider your career path, reflect on your journey and the ways Kent State University and the Communication program have supported this transition.

❑ Your paper is double-spaced and typewritten in APA format. The paper is evaluated on content and form. This includes analysis, explanations, synthesis, organization, language precision, grammar, and spelling.

❑ The paper is 5-6 pages in length.

Experiential Research Paper

❑ Your research paper is based on your field experience. The notations in your journal serve as the foundation for your experiential paper. It should reflect how organizational theory is demonstrated in daily practice and how the skills and knowledge you gained from the Practicum will align with a communication career.

!❑ Your paper is double-spaced and typewritten in APA format (don’t forget in-text

citations). The paper is evaluated on content and form. This includes analysis, explanations, synthesis, organization, language precision, grammar, and spelling.

❑ The paper is to be 5-6 pages in length and include references.

Portfolio Formatting

❑ Your portfolio must: ❑ Be submitted in a three-ring notebook/binder ❑ NOT HAVE PLASTIC PAGE PROTECTORS! ❑ Be copy ready (proofread: no spelling or grammar errors) ❑ Have items printed on 8 ½ by 11 white paper, unless items are published products

(brochures, flyers, newsletters, videos, etc.). Resume and cover letter on ‘bond’ paper.

❑ Include clearly labeled section cover pages with brief descriptions of the assignment that follows (e.g. journal, log, research paper).

❑ Use 12-point font for essays, reports and letters.

!!!

The Final Portfolio

❑ You will submit a hard copy of your portfolio for grading. Professor Waite will return this to you for necessary revisions. You will resubmit the tidied-up version in PDF Format. You may need to scan pamphlets, brochures, etc. Important note: Your grade does not change, so make certain that you turn in your best work!

❑ The conscientiously prepared portfolio not only showcases your competencies to others by providing a panoramic view of your professional development, but also serves as a personal reminder of what you have already accomplished.

Point System (Remember, this is for a letter grade)

Applied Practicum point values

!❑ Portfolio = 200 points ❑ Meetings = 30 points (15 points for each meeting) ❑ Evaluation Form =20 points (10 points for each evaluation)

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Required Meetings (30 Points)

❑ You will have one mandatory performance meeting (in person or telephone) with Professor Waite (15 points)

❑ There will also be one required practicum meeting (15 points) ❑ Email Professor Waite (lawaite@kent.edu) to schedule the practicum

meeting. ❑ Draft documents should be available at the scheduled meeting

❑ Any problems or concerns that you have should be noted during this meeting.

❑ More meetings may be required at Professor Waite’s discretion.

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Evaluation Form (20 points)

❑ The site supervisor will submit an evaluation of your performance. The evaluation is intended to reflect your progress during the Practicum experience and will be used, in part, to evaluate performance in the course.

!❑ You will be evaluated twice during practicum; mid-way through (10 points) and at

the end (10 points). The evaluation forms are to be sent directly to Professor Waite.

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Plagiarism & Attribution

❑ Work submitted under your name must be your work.

!❑ Any material taken from other sources must be properly attributed throughout the

portfolio. If you include collaborative projects in your portfolio, be sure that you credit the other writers and explain your contribution to the piece in the project introduction.

Accessibility

❑ In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented accessibility need and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact Professor Waite at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Students requiring accessibility must verify their eligibility through the Office of Student Accessibility Services located in the lower level of the Stark Campus Center.

!❑ This policy can be found at:

http://www.kent.edu/sas/policies-and-procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find an organization for Applied Practicum? Check out the Communication department bulletin board on the second floor in main hall for postings, the Comm Studies @ KSU Stark Facebook page, ask any of your communication professors, see the Career Center, or do your own research.

How do I register for Applied Practicum once I’ve met all the requirements and have been hired? Complete the Controlled Course Request Form (available on the Comm web page), write a one page prospectus (a brief description of your goals and purposes in undertaking this project), and make sure Professor Waite signs permission form. Then, just find the course on Flashline and register.

Is Applied Practicum the same as an Internship? No. Internship and Practicum have many similarities, but they are not looked at the same way. Practicum is a requirement for Applied Communication majors; an internship is not. Check out the Venn Diagram on the last slide of this Powerpoint.

Who do I contact if I have any questions? Professor Lisa Waite — Email: lawaite@kent.edu or call her office phone: (330)244-3410 or stop by her office: 410 in Main Hall.

Check List

� Registration forms complete � Organizational partnership formed � Internship duties submitted to Professor Waite on agency letterhead and signed by the site

supervisor � Special ‘permission to enroll’ form signed by Professor Waite � It is the student’s responsibility to web register for the course—don’t forget!!

!� I have thoroughly reviewed this slideshow content, completed the appropriate forms,

secured agency letterhead and I am ready to finalize registration with Professor Waite which includes review of a sample portfolio. Sign here, print this slide and bring to professor Waite with all of your completed forms indicating that you understand these requirements. X____________________________________

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Venn Diagram Alison Pendelton

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Reach out to me or Dr. Hollenbaugh with

questions: !

lawaite@kent.edu ehollen2@kent.edu Dr. Hollenbaugh