About Experiential Learning
The Defiance College Sport Management program is committed to providing each student with positive experiential learning opportunities. Field experiences and internships are required for all Sport Management majors. Students will feel confidence from these experiences to positively contribute to the sport industry after graduation. Defiance College graduates should feel comfortable in the company of professional persons of varied backgrounds and specializations. Experiential learning will introduce students to the target populations they will serve as Sport Management professionals and provide them with a variety of opportunities for interaction and professional networking.
It is intended that these experiences allow students to discover their strengths and weaknesses, and afford them the opportunities to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the working world. Students are encouraged to develop and refine their transferable professional skills. These professional skills include: appearance, communication, organization, competence, time management, dependability, and interpersonal skills.
Requirements
- Field Experiences (SPMT 397) are worth three (3) credit hours and require a minimum of 120 contact hours. Each credit requires a minimum of 40 hours of work on site.
- Internships (SPMT 491) are worth six (6) credit hours and require a minimum of 240 contact hours. A maximum of 12 credit hours of experiential learning may count towards graduation. Each credit requires a minimum of 40 hours of work on site.
If a field experience or internship is terminated by the host agency prior to its completion and due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, every effort will be made to make accommodations for completion of the requirement. If the termination is confirmed to be the result of the student’s failure to perform responsibly in the position, a grade of “F” will be recorded and the student will have to make arrangements to fulfill the requirement prior to graduation. A student-initiated withdrawal will be subjected to the same faculty regulations governing any other course withdrawal.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course will provide students with the ability to:
- Apply the knowledge, information, techniques, and theories from major program courses into experiential learning of sport organizations and the sport industry.
- Reflect on strengths and weaknesses in their performances.
- Demonstrate ethical decision making skills.
- Develop transferable skills to be successful in a future employment setting, such as: appearance, communication, competence, cooperation, dependability, enthusiasm, initiative, interpersonal skills, organization, and time management.
- Demonstrate time-management and self-motivated independent learning skills.
- Utilize effective verbal and written communication in all areas (interpersonal, writing, telephone, and online).
- Demonstrate networking, negotiating, learning and team building skills
What makes a good site for experiential learning?
Ultimately it is the responsibility of the student to select an appropriate site for the experiential learning program. However, each student must communicate with the Sport Management program director and faculty and staff members at Defiance College to find the appropriate site for the field experience or internship. Points to consider when selecting a site:
1. The site should provide the student with a variety of experiences in a well-balanced program.
2. The site must have a supervisor assigned and available to the student.
3. The site staff should be qualified with regard to education and experience to provide the student with quality supervision and guidance.
4. The site should be willing to provide the student with opportunities for active leadership as well as observation of programs and services.
5. The site should provide an orientation program for the student with other information as needed.
6. The site and their staff should share a sincere interest to serving their clients and others.
7. By accepting the student as a contributing member of the program, the site will demonstrate a willingness to encourage professional and personal growth in the student.
When you complete the initial meeting with your worksite supervisor, you should share these seven points with the supervisor to determine if his/her expectations are in agreement with yours. Throughout the experience, be tactfully assertive in order to be given opportunities to grow professionally. The strengths and limitations of the worksite should be addressed in communication with the Sport Management Program Director and in the final summary paper. To objectively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the experience, compare them with the seven points presented in this section.
Why reflection?
Reflection is the key ingredient for transforming field experiences and internships into learning. It is basic to the process of integrating experiential learning with the academic concepts presented in the traditional classroom setting. The key word is integrating. The experiential opportunities in which students participate should be selected so that they illustrate, affirm, extend, and challenge the material presented in classroom readings, lectures, and discussions.
The reflection should concentrate on three basic components:
- Analysis – What have I been doing?
- Critical thinking – What have I been learning? Why are my services important to the organization with whom I am working?
- Decision making – Now what? Where do I go from here and how do I best utilize what I have learned through this experience?
Below are some questions you might consider in your journal summary:
- What expectations did you have about the field experience or internship?
- What impact did you make on the people for whom you were working?
- Did anything happen during the experience that surprised you?
- Did anything make you feel uncomfortable?
- Did anything about the experience confirm your desire to continue in this field?
- Did your feelings about this line of work or profession change as a result of the field experience or internship?
- How might you educate others interested in pursuing this type of field experience or internship?
- In what ways was this experience relevant to what you learned in the classroom?
- Now what? Where do you go from here?
Transferable skills
Transferable skills are those general skills necessary for one to succeed in any profession. These are the skills and abilities that any prospective employer expects one to possess before being hired. When a student graduates from Defiance College with a degree in Sport Management, it is expected that the student will have developed and refined these skills to the point that they are personal strengths. Examples of these skills are:
- Appearance – You are aware of what is expected as far as dress is concerned and follow the protocol as outlined by the company. You understand that you are representing the organization for which you are interning and abide by the dress and appearance codes in a professional manner
- Attitude/Enthusiasm – You display an excellent attitude toward your work and the people with whom you are working. You are a positive influence during the internship experience and do not grumble about not being paid or about being given seemingly menial tasks. You are excited about the challenges and realize that you are starting at the bottom and everyone else has been there, too. It is all part of the process.
- Communication – The key to successful communication is the ability to listen. You have refined your listening, verbal, and written communication skills in both formal and informal settings. You understand what others want from you and you clearly present what you expect from them. Take advantage of opportunities to speak in front of groups, especially if this setting makes you nervous. The feeling is normal and a necessary precondition of learning. The more often you can face these challenges, the better communicator and public speaker you will become.
- Competence – You know what you are doing and will ask questions if you do not. You may make mistakes but they will not be the result of a lack of effort or attention to detail. You have developed a solid knowledge base in the classroom and know how to apply what you have learned to the workplace.
- Cooperation – You work well with supervisors, colleagues, and clients in your daily tasks. They value your ability and look forward to working with you. You have developed excellent interpersonal skills because you are in a service oriented profession. You are a team player.
- Dependability – When you are assigned duties you show up on time (early) every time and take charge of your tasks. If a due date is given, you meet or exceed the deadline. You consistently display good work habits and can be counted on to put forth a quality effort.
- Initiative – When you are assigned a task and you have given your word, you complete the assignment. You take charge of the task. You make the project a positive experience and are excited about the challenge. You know that, in the end, these assignments will lead to bigger and better opportunities.
- Interpersonal skills – You are able to work with and/or for people you do not necessarily agree with because you know it is in the best interest of the program or company. You have developed patience, empathy, and compassion for others because you are aware that someday you may appreciate the same regards from them.
- Organization – You are an organized person who develops a routine for daily tasks but are flexible enough to adjust the routine when necessary. With regard to your assigned tasks, you do not accept tasks your schedule will not allow you to accomplish. You communicate with your supervisor to accept an efficient workload that will maximize your productivity.
- Time management – You effectively manage your schedule and keep a daily planner or other device to plan your daily activities. You never use “I overslept,” “I ran out of time,” “I forgot,” or “I didn’t know that,” to excuse away your shortcomings. You are where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there.
Field Experience (SPMT 397) and Internship (SPMT 491) Process
Field experiences (SPMT 397) are intended to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity in the sport industry. These experiences usually begin in the sophomore or junior year and can be completed more than once if desired.
The internship program (SMPT 491) is intended to provide students with a final professional experience prior to graduation. The internship is usually completed during, or after, the second semester of the junior year. The internship is considered the Sport Management capstone. The purpose of the internship is to provide initial experiential skills and knowledge in the sport industry. This experience allows for the development of personal styles, values, and beliefs which ultimately contribute to the greater good of the community.
The two programs differ in how to return information from their worksite back to Defiance College. This is mentioned below.
REGISTRATION
Before registering for a field experience or internship, students must discuss their proposed plans with the Sport Management Program Director during the semester prior to the intended field experience. The Program Director will provide a syllabus to the student which includes learning objectives, expectations and evaluation criteria. Students are encouraged to pursue field experience and internship contacts on their own. It will be determined by the Program Director if the proposed experience is appropriate. The student must then work with the experience worksite supervisor to complete the Application for Experiential Learning Program form.
For internships only (SPMT 491), upon the approval from the Program Director, the student will then meet with the Defiance College Internship Director in the Career Development Office and complete the appropriate paperwork.
After all paperwork is completed and approved by the appropriate individuals (for Field Studies/SPMT 397, only by the Program Director; for Internships/SPMT 491, by both the Program Director and Internship Director), the student will be registered by Defiance College.
EVALUATION
- Field Study/SPMT 397: Students must provide the worksite supervisor with the MidTerm and Final Student Performance Evaluation Forms from the Program Director and notify the supervisor of the dates each one should be sent to the Program Director.
- Internship/SPMT 491: Students must provide the worksite supervisor with the MidTerm and Final Student Performance Evaluation Forms from the Defiance College Internship Director and notify the worksite supervisor of the dates each one should be returned to the Internship Director. Note - these evaluations are DIFFERENT from the Field Study.
GRADING
Grading based on evaluation of each student is provided in the syllabus for each course. A grade of incomplete may be assigned if written materials are missing, or if the student failed to complete the minimum number of hours required. A failing grade may be assigned if written materials are missing and/or student performance was not deemed to be acceptable. It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to ensure that all steps are completed. If any questions or concerns arise during the field experience, the student should contact the Program Director as soon as possible.
