Â鶹´«Ã½

Hands-On Learning | Â鶹´«Ã½

to the top of the page
Home Page

Hands-On Learning

One of the key components of our polytechnic approach is implementing applied learning across disciplines. Twenty programs at Â鶹´«Ã½ have students learn by doing via internships, integrated labs, cooperative experiences with our industry partners and job shadowing – all as part of the credit requirements of their degrees. Additional options ranging from research to internships to cooperative education are being added as we integrate hands-on, immersive learning to more disciplines.
 
Wheeling Spinning IconApplied learning is achieved through a number of approaches:

  • Cooperative Education: An applied learning experience that alternates classroom learning and productive paid work experiences in a field related to a student’s academic and career goals.
     
  • Internship—credit/non-credit: Students may earn academic credit in a full or part-time, short-term, supervised work activity, which may be related to a student’s major field or area of interest.
     
  • Clinical placement: Often found in healthcare, students rotate through departments focusing on the healthcare field process with faculty supervision. Emphasis is on mastering theory, improving skills, and developing clinical reasoning skills.
     
  • Practicum: A period of practical experience undertaken in academic, professional or community settings/agencies/organizations as part of an academic course.
     
  • Service-learning: An experience that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience and strengthen communities.
     
  • Community service: Volunteerism and community service performed by students for community benefit. This service can be, but is not necessarily integrated with a program of study.
     
  • Civic engagement: A teaching and learning focus on educating students as global citizens. Classes or programs include meaningful civic education and activities for social good.
     
  • Research: Mentored, self-directed work that enables students to make an original, intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline by exploring an issue of interest to them and communicating the results to others.
     
  • Field study: Collection of information outside of an experimental or lab setting. This type of data collection is most often conducted in natural settings or environments and can be designed in a variety of ways for various disciplines.
Â鶹´«Ã½ North Dakota's Polytechnic