Inquiry About Experiential Learning Course Assignments
Hi everyone,
I’m currently in my final semester of college and preparing to graduate with my associate degree. One of the required courses I’m taking is an Internship Course focused on Experiential Learning. Fortunately, I secured an internship before the semester began, so that’s not the issue. However, I’m struggling with one of the assignments called Assignment Portfolio Artifacts + Reflections. I understand the reflections part, but I’m confused about what is meant by “artifacts.” Each student in the class is paired with a mentor, and while mine is fantastic, he’s having difficulty clarifying what artifacts are and what I’m expected to include. If anyone has experience with this assignment, I would greatly appreciate any insights you can offer. Thank you!
Hi! It’s great to hear that you’ve secured an internship and are nearing the completion of your degree. I understand how the term “Artifacts” can be a bit confusing in this context.
In the realm of experiential learning, “artifacts” typically refer to any tangible items or pieces of evidence that showcase your work, skills, and experiences gained during your internship. These can be anything from completed projects, reports, presentations, or even notes and materials you’ve used or created in your role. Here are a few examples of what you might consider including as artifacts:
Project Reports: Any reports or summaries of projects you worked on can serve as great artifacts.
Presentations: If you gave any presentations during your internship, including your slides or outlines can be useful.
Work Samples: If your internship involved creating content (like writing, designs, or programs), including samples of that work would be relevant.
Emails or Communication: Relevant email threads or communications that showcase your contributions and engagement can be useful.
Feedback or Evaluations: Any feedback you’ve received from supervisors or peers can also serve as artifacts to demonstrate your growth and learning.
Photos or Videos: If permissible, photos or videos of you engaged in your internship tasks can add a personal touch to your portfolio.
After compiling your artifacts, you’ll likely want to write reflections for each that explain their significance, what you learned from them, and how they relate to the overall experience of your internship.
I recommend discussing this with your mentor again, as they may have specific expectations or examples from previous students that could help clarify what your professor is looking for. Good luck, and enjoy your last semester!