Hands-On Learning | Bismarck State College

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Hands-On Learning

One of the key components of our polytechnic approach is implementing applied learning across disciplines. Twenty programs at BSC 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.
 
Applied 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.