Writing students in the Public Relations Certificate Program and the
Bachelor of Commerce Programs at McGill often have a "real-world" writing
component in their courses, weighted at about 1/3 of the course. The
students find their own opportunities with community organizations, local
businesses or their own entrepreneurship projects; they carry them out with
client and instructor guidance. Over the years these projects have developed
a reputation; we often get requests for assistance from organizations such
as refugee shelters, internet startups, environmental groups, industry,
hospitals, and daycares.
The experience starts at the beginning of the term: the students have to
make
cold calls; send their credentials (resume and letter of intent); describe
the project in detail in consutation with the client (needs assessment);
create the documents needed (news releases, brochures, media kits, letters
to employees, grant applications, business plans...). The materials are
workshopped with peers and are reviewed by the instructor before submission
to the client.
The main constraint is the length of the term; the assignment boils down to
about one month in contact with the client. Some of
the students get published; some go on to find work as a result. Everyone in
the class benefits from working on genuine projects that have an impact on
the community beyond the classroom.
Instructors teach what the assignments dredge up, allowing the instructor
to "review" everything from basic sentence structure to detailed editing for
impact.
I would like to know of other such experiential modules, particularly in
Canada.
Sharron Wall
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