Supervised, practice-based experience in an employment related field of study or for professional licensing/certification
At Brock, there are two types of practicums:
| Practicum | Professional Practicum |
| Supervised, practice-based experience (<400 hours) in an employment related field of study. | Supervised, practice-based experience required for professional licensing or certification. |
Practicums at Brock
Consider these examples of practicums and professional practicums designed by faculty and instructors at Brock.
Instructor: Dr. Maureen Connolly, Professor
Courses: KINE 4P02 – Programming for Disability & At-Risk Youth
Program: Kinesiology, Physical Education
PRACTICUM IN ADAPTIVE PROGRAMMING
In KINE 4P02, students engage in relevant motor learning and adaptive physical activity content supplemented by Critical Disability Studies content to situate their learning throughout the course and their practicum in a socio-political context. Students commit to a 50 hour movement-based practicum which focuses on working with populations and individuals who experience disability in a movement context. Multiple placement options are available to KINE 4P02 students with community-based organizations such as Bridges for Autism, SNAP (Supporting Neurodiversity through Adaptive Programming), ASD Summer Movement Camp, and Autism Ontario. As an example of a practicum experience, students who choose to complete their practicum at SNAP participate in training and mentoring in movement observation under the guidance of Brock’s Inclusive and Adaptive Movement Specialist and Dr. Connolly. Students are then paired with SNAP participants and work to develop and individualized program plan based on movement observations and assessments, followed by facilitating the program they designed with the participant. Through the practicum, students debrief and reflect on their experience which informs their culminating reflection at the end of the practicum. Additionally, working in groups, students conduct a audit and critical analysis of a policy, practice or site (virtual or physical) related to the placement to assess the access at a systemic level.
Instructor: Dr. Irene Blayer, Professor and Dr. Cristina Santos, Associate Professor
Courses:
- SPAN 3F80 – Im/migrant and Community Outreach Internship
- SPAN 4F80 -Im/migrant and Community Outreach Research and Internship
Program: Hispanic & Latin American Studies
Immigrant and Community Outreach PRACTICUM
According to Dr. Blayer, “the outreach course stands as a bridge to the community, and it has demonstrated that sustained university outreach in the Niagara community and beyond can have a real impact in widening student community learning in educational or non-educational settings.” In each course, students participate in a 60 hour practicum to examine im/migrant, refugee and newcomer experiences in relation to socio-political, cultural and linguistic power dynamics. The lessons students learn in their practicums are not solely academic. “I gained a lot of real-world skills, while also learning a lot about injustice in our community,” said Cassey French, who completed SPAN 3F80 in the summer of 2016 at the YWCA. “It made me more focused on social justice.”
As a graduate of a combined major in Sociology and Hispanic and Latin American Studies (2016), and having completed both SPAN 3F80 and 4F80 (im)migrant outreach courses, I have found the practical experiences of the HLAS program to be invaluable in my career after graduation. The courses integrated research components and internships with local organizations, which resulted in ongoing volunteer and work opportunities, and a broadened sense of community involvement. The experiences in the program motivated me to pursue research and work in migrant worker justice organizations, and the skills I developed led me to my current position with a non-profit organization in Nicaragua. I am grateful for having had the opportunity and support of the professors and involved organizations in the HLAS program and the outreach courses. The practical experiences combined with the research components prepared me for the responsibilities of my current position in Nicaragua.
– Rose Davies
