Alex Agostinho may not have kids, but he knows a lot about toilet training.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old Interactive Arts and Science student recently completed an experiential education internship at the Niagara Region alongside nursing student Alexandria Vandyk. Their assignment was to create an e-learning prototype course for new parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a bit surprised when they narrowed it down to toilet training,\u201d Agostinho said. \u201cI knew it would be a great story to tell my kids when I am older.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though the subject matter might have seemed a little bit removed from his current studies, Agostinho quickly realized that he was qualified to contribute to the final product.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was given design templates and materials and I used Adobe Captivate to build digital courses,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery time I finished a module, I would submit it for evaluation and get it back for improvements.\u201d<\/p>\n
The experiential opportunity also helped Agostinho discover he enjoyed working in an office more than he thought he would.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very creative, but I learned that office environments can be fun and friendly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The most significant discovery for Agostinho was the importance of experiential education in creating opportunities for students, and in showing them career avenues that they may not have considered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe course gave me a lot of experience that you can\u2019t learn in a classroom,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to understand what it\u2019s like to be in a workplace, and I will use those skills for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Agostinho\u2019s toilet training knowledge might not help his University peers, he does have some advice to students who were thinking of taking a course that includes an experiential education component.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a student has a chance to take a course like this, it\u2019s something they should try,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if they\u2019re not interested in the subject matter, learning professionalism alone is a skill that will help them in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Agostinho continues to volunteer at the Niagara Region and says that the toilet training e-learning course should be available soon on the Niagara Region website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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