Replicating Out-of-Class Experiences in Class

Author: Beth Baunoch, Community College of Baltimore County

Snapchat. Reddit. Dropbox. The Onion. What do these successful business ventures have in common? The founders met, became friends, and developed these ideas in college. The success of these companies (and many more not named) suggests that networking in college is sometimes more important than attending class. Studies show that student involvement in out-of-class experiences (student clubs, internships, networking, etc.) is linked to student success (Center for the Study of Student Life). Moreover, the relationships formed outside of class can last a lifetime, leading to long-term career growth and social mobility.

Students who attend four-year schools and live on campus have an advantage over their two-year commuting peers. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Inside Higher Ed, more than half of students at two-year schools do not spend time with extracurricular activities compared to one-quarter at traditional four-year schools (Flaherty). This survey also found that the numbers are even lower for first-generation, Hispanic, and female students. The most significant barrier to out-of-class involvement is, of course, money. Thirty-two percent of Hispanic students and twenty-two percent of the whole group surveyed said they must work full time. This survey points out critical issues of equity in terms of student success. Furthermore, according to a survey by the Center for Community College Student Engagement, not only do most community college students work while going to school, twenty-nine percent work at least thirty hours a week. Respondents noted that working so many hours makes going to school a struggle, but if they did not work, a “lack of finances could cause them to withdraw from college” (3).

When students must make time for class, homework, family, and full-time work, when would they have time for a student club or an unpaid or low-paid internship? Because of these essential issues, discussions are beginning about how to support students with life situations that preclude them from engaging in activities outside of class. These discussions and my own experiences with students have inspired me to find ways to replicate out-of-class activities in the classroom without losing academic rigor. Assignments that can be added to a résumé and portfolio, publishing student work, group work that facilitates networking in class, and bringing industry professionals to consult on student projects are a few ideas that will be discussed.

Assignments in the classroom that can add to a student’s résumé are one of the easiest ways to replicate outside classroom experiences. This will vary among disciplines, but there are some simple ways we can help students build their résumés, even in 100-level courses. For example, in my Digital and Social Media Marketing course, students are assigned to earn three free certifications. The certifications take the place of midterm and final exams, so when they earn the certification, they earn points for the class. Students listen to and watch several educational videos and then take the test to assess their learning. This is one of the easiest ways to ensure students learn and build their résumés simultaneously. It may take some time to find free certifications that will be relevant for some classes, but it is worth researching. Class Central(www.classcentral.com/report/free-certificates/) is an excellent place to begin your search.

Creating a final project where students must build a portfolio of their work is another excellent way to give students the tools they will need outside of the class. Assignments completed throughout the semester can serve as portfolio work. I find that giving students time to revise and refine each assignment that becomes part of the portfolio is helpful. The incentive to raise grades on individual projects throughout the semester, enhance mastery, and build confidence are all benefits of this project. By the end of the semester, students have a document they can continue to build on throughout their college career and beyond. Moreover, they are ready when they need a portfolio to get a job.

Fig. 1. Published student infographics for the New Media Project.

Another idea to help students add to their portfolio and résumé is to assign work that has the potential to be published. One way to publish student projects is to collaborate with the school’s student newspaper. The assignment for publication can be written, visual, or even audio/video if the newspaper is digital. One assignment I use for publishing student work is called the New Media Project. For this assignment, students explore our school’s online newspaper to find an article that piques their interest. Once they find an article, read it, and understand it, they create a work of “new media” that can supplement and add value to the article (see fig. 1). Students decide what type of new media they would like to create. Most students create infographics, but some also create podcasts or video supplements. This assignment has many benefits: it encourages civic engagement through simply reading a news article; it encourages critical thought, as students must analyze and decide how they will add value; lastly, they must be creative in their delivery. Only projects that earn an A will be published, and the students know this when they begin the assignment. However, published or not, the work put into this project is beneficial. Students will have the opportunity to revise their projects if they wish to be published. Of course, once it is published, students can add this to their résumé and portfolio as a piece of published work.

Much of my recent work with students has revolved around podcasting. I have worked with students both in and out of the class on projects for national publication and distribution. In March 2023, I launched a podcast with a group of students called Good School (see fig. 2), a long-form journalistic podcast series investigating higher education. In my Podcast Production and Journalism course, students worked on one of the five episodes; however, most were produced in collaboration with student interns outside the class. Through this experience, students were published as researchers, writers, editors, and producers and could add this professional work to their résumés. I realize this is not a realistic project for most classes; I only mention this project because it led me to a new podcast called Know-It-All that can include many more students and classes across any discipline, described in detail below.

Fig. 2. Good School podcast cover art.

If you like to know it all, this podcast is for you! Learn something new in FIVE minutes from the smarties at CCBC! Everything from the French New Wave to marketing, philosophy, theoretical physics, and more!

Fig. 3. Know-It-All cover art.

Pick ONE topic from class that has most interested you this semester and that you believe will make an exciting episode for CCBC’s new podcast, Know-It-All.

You will create a Solo Commentary Podcast on this topic. This means you will be sharing your unique point of view on a topic that you are interested in and want to share. You will write, produce, and be the host of this episode.

To help you decide on a topic, brainstorm what has stood out to you most in class. What have you talked to your friends and family about? What has left you wanting to know more?

Your episode will be only 3–5 minutes long, so you must spend time planning exactly what you want to cover. The point of your episode is to teach the listeners what interests you about the topic and inspire them to want to learn more on their own.

Your episode will be fully scripted (meaning written beforehand and read on the recording); nothing “off the cuff” or improvised will be accepted. A template is also provided at the end of the packet to help you script the episode.

Details on how to script, record, and deliver your episode are found on the following pages.

I keep this assignment as simple as possible. It is designed so that students only need to focus on writing their script. I clarify that the script is the most critical part of this project. One perceived challenge to creating a podcast is recording, which also holds faculty members back from assigning a project like this. I ask students to record the audio in a quiet space. Any faculty member who would like to use this assignment in their classes is provided with a script template with the introduction and closing already written. Because they are reading from a script, no editing is needed. Of course, some students add sound effects and music and do some editing, but this is not required.

I piloted this assignment in spring 2024 in four classes (Movies: History and Art, Digital and Social Media Marketing, Introduction to Mass Media, and Fundamentals of Media Production) as a final project. I was thrilled with the projects that were turned in. Topics ranged from Italian neorealism and Steven Spielberg’s Jaws to the impact of social media influencers, the decline of local news, and more.

There are many benefits to a project like this. First, it is an excellent assessment for the students. The assignment, first and foremost, allows students to reflect on the course and what they have learned. One student noted in their podcast episode, the film history class has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the history and art of motion pictures. I learned about the evolution of film techniques, the development of popular movie genres, and the unique ability of films to reflect and shape public attitudes and social values. By studying the historical context in which films are created, analyzing various genres, and exploring how films record and reshape history, I have come to appreciate the power of film in society to inspire, educate, and entertain audiences. The course has broadened my perspective on the role of film in shaping cultural norms and beliefs, sparking my interest in further exploring the world of cinema.

In every episode, students come across as experts, giving them confidence that they did learn and can articulate that learning as they teach others. Furthermore, as a nationally distributed podcast show, Know-It-All aims to challenge the stigma around community college and amplify the unheard voices of community college students. My hope is to spread this assignment throughout Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) as well as to community colleges across the country. Know-It-All will launch in spring 2025 and can be found and subscribed to on any podcast-listening app. Published students can add this accomplishment to their résumés and portfolios.

While we can create assignments that will give students items to add to their résumés and portfolios, we must realize that one of the most crucial benefits of extracurricular activities is networking and relationship building with peers. When students do not have the time to engage in these activities, they miss out on this vital part of the college experience. I believe the classroom can facilitate networking and relationship building. When students come to class face-to-face, they are with their peers for sixteen weeks; this is plenty of time for students to get to know each other and work together. Even late-start classes that meet for fewer weeks can facilitate networking. Faculty members can foster a classroom culture that promotes students’ engagement with each other from the first day of class.

The first step in fostering a culture of networking in the classroom is a simple one—students need to learn the names of their classmates. This may seem basic, but it only happens in some classrooms. Students at community colleges usually focus on listening to the professor and moving on to the next class, then to work or other responsibilities. Faculty members only sometimes make it a priority for classmates to get to know each other, or they may assume students are getting to know each other on their own. However, Ashley Mowreader of Inside Higher Ed says, “Often, students do not know their classmates’ names.”

Ensuring students know each other’s preferred names and pronouns from the beginning of the semester helps create a classroom culture where students feel valued, respected, and included. When students feel this way, they are more likely to feel comfortable in the classroom, which allows networking. From the very first class, I prioritize learning students’ preferred names, using correct pronunciation, and learning pronouns. When a student raises their hand, I ask for their name until I know it, and by the second week of class I will know all the names and use them often. During the second week, I challenge the students to learn their classmates’ names. Because I have been repeating their names so much in the first week, many students will already know many of their classmates’ names. In a class with about twenty or fewer students, this works well. At the end of class, I take about ten minutes to play the “name game.” In this game, we sit in a circle to see everyone, and each student must try to say everyone’s name. Almost everyone knows all the names by the time we get to the fifth or sixth student. Another idea in classes with over twenty students is to have table tents with student names. It is necessary to explain to students why we are playing this game, why it is my goal to learn names, and so on. Students are more inclined to engage when they know why we are doing it. I explain the importance of names and what I want them to gain from this experience. When students know each other’s names, the hesitancy they feel when asked to work in groups dissipates, and for networking and relationship building to occur, group work is necessary.

There are many ways to include group work that will facilitate networking in class. It can be as simple as having them work together to discuss a posed question and then challenging them, as a group, to present their answer to the class. They can work together on a math problem, a group presentation, a field shoot, or a library scavenger hunt; the possibilities are endless, as are the benefits. It is important that group members have designated roles. For example, when I send students in the Fundamentals of Media Production class out on a field shoot, they take on the roles one would on a professional shoot. There will be a producer, director, camera operator, and audio recorder, and if there are enough students we add an assistant director and a production assistant. Through this experience, students understand what it means to work together as a crew, how to work together, and how each role is critical to the group’s success. These roles must switch throughout the semester. This idea can also be simulated in other disciplines, especially since most careers involve working in teams.

An essential part of group work in a community college is that it is done in class. When group work is required but no class time is allotted, students will encounter the same issues with extracurriculars. There are many benefits to allowing class time for group work. It allows students to ask the professor questions as they work, and the professor can observe group dynamics and help when needed. Many groups will try to find time to meet outside of class, but when this decision is made by the group and not required, it lifts a burden, and groups usually find ways to meet that work for all (Zoom, chats, texts, Google Docs, etc.).

Additionally, I spend the last ten to fifteen minutes of class discussing how things went in the groups. We discuss challenges they are facing, questions they have about the assignment, positive outcomes they are having, and so on. This discussion becomes invaluable to the whole class. In one student’s reflection, he said,

Working with a crew was an enlightening experience, particularly because of the significant differences between them and myself. This opportunity provided me with a clearer understanding of the specific responsibilities of each crew member and highlighted the importance of every role in ensuring a successful production. Despite facing less than ideal circumstances such as cold weather, limited equipment, and tight time constraints, I viewed it as a valuable learning experience akin to a “mini boot camp” for on-location filming. While I believe I might have been more creatively and technically adept working alone, I recognize the importance of collaboration and teamwork in the filmmaking process.

Group work improves as the semester progresses, even as groups change. It is critical not to allow groups to stay the same all semester so students do not get stuck only getting to know two or three of their classmates. Students not only gain mastery of the material, which is the ultimate goal of the class, but are making connections that can last a lifetime. Moreover, the sense of community in the class stays with students throughout their time in school and beyond. I know of several former students who do stay in touch and work on professional projects together, proving that one of the most important reasons to go to college, as stated earlier, can be accomplished in class. A student from my Fundamentals of Digital Production class reflected,

I really enjoyed working with my crew for this assignment! During pre-production, it was great bouncing off ideas among many different people. Production, as director, went very well. I got to express my creativity to my fellow crew as they made it happen, along with some suggestions from other crewmates. My crew was very excited to work on this project which made this assignment 10 times better! I hope to stay in touch and work with my classmates in the future.

As previously stated, students who attend a four-year university residential program often have an advantage over two-year community college commuting students in terms of internships that can help students with networking and gaining employment after graduation. First, many internships are only for juniors and seniors, leaving community college students out altogether. It is also challenging to take on an unpaid internship for many students who cannot afford that option, even though it might be financially beneficial in the long run. Because networking is the most crucial benefit of an internship, I like bringing guest speakers from the industry to class. Students, of course, gain insight into the industry through a short lecture, but I like to structure the visit from the guests to make the most out of the time they have with us. I bring the guests in more like consultants, and their job is to help student groups with a project. In this way, the students learn from the guests and build relationships. Every industry professional I have brought to the class, from journalists to social media managers, has offered their contact information, consultation, expertise, and genuine offers of help to the students. This contact opens the door to possibilities like mentorship, internships, and hiring after graduation.

In conclusion, if equity and social mobility are more than mere buzzwords we like to throw around in higher education, we must find actionable ways to bring them to life. We must rethink how we structure our classes and provide opportunities for students in class that more privileged students can have outside the class. Students in a community college are already at a disadvantage because they commute to school and likely must work full-time to support themselves and their families. If the goal of college is to help people gain employment once they earn their diploma, we need to face the reality of how people get jobs in the “real world.” A diploma alone does not always cut it. There are no drawbacks to making the classroom a place that can fundamentally help students, like adding experiences to their résumé, work to portfolios, and, most importantly, offering networking and relationship building.

Works Cited

Center for Community College Student Engagement. The Working Learner: Understanding Student Experiences. The University of Texas at Austin, 2020, https://cccse.org/sites/default/files/WorkingLearner.pdf. Accessed 24 February 2025.

Center for the Study of Student Life. The Student Involvement Study. The Ohio State University, https://cssl.osu.edu/research-projects/involvement-study. Accessed 1 March 2025.

Flaherty, Colleen. “Survey: Inequities in Student Involvement.” Inside Higher Ed, 22 Sept. 2023, www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2023/09/22/survey-barriers-college-students-campus

Center for Community College Student Engagement. The Working Learner: Understanding Student Experiences. The University of Texas at Austin, 2020, https://cccse.org/sites/default/files/WorkingLearner.pdf. Accessed 25 February 2025.

Mowreader, Ashley. "Six Tips to Help Remember and Use Students’ Names in Class." Inside Higher Ed, 19 Mar. 2024, www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/academic-life/2024/03/19/six-tips-help-remember-and-use-students-names-class. Accessed 24 February 2025.