Saint-Louis University - Bruxelles
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COMU2116 - Integrated work placement and placement support seminar



Credits : 13

Lecturer :
Mode of delivery :
Face-to-face , first and second term, 15 hours of theory.

Language of instruction :
French

Learning outcomes :
Skill 1 - The ability to manage an organisation's presence in social and collaborative media
Learning Outcomes (students will be able to):
1. Perform prospective analysis of an organisation's interactive & collaborative communication activities, taking into account the market in which it operates, as well as social, cultural, technological, commercial, political and legal contexts.
2. Design the objectives and strategy for an organisation's interactive and collaborative communication plan, as part of its overall communication effort.
3. Design and implement interactive and collaborative communication tools and activities - harnessing an organisation's human, financial, material and legal resources, and taking constraints into account.
4. Design and implement a methodology for evaluating communication tools and activities including demonstrating good judgement in the interpretation of data and in taking appropriate corrective measures.
6. Ensure that the organisation's interactive & collaborative communication practices comply with the law, as well as with deontological and ethical norms.

Skill 2 - Possess an excellent command of and ability to apply the methods, tools and channels of interactive and collaborative communication
Learning Outcomes (students will have/be able to):
1. An excellent command of and ability to apply the main principles of the architecture, operation and security of an organisation's computer-based, telecommunications and digital social networks.
2. An excellent command of and ability to apply the languages and techniques used in communication (spoken word, written, photography, video, sound, graphic design and multimedia).
3. An excellent command of and ability to apply the methods and techniques used in the design, drafting, editing, referencing and sharing of content on social media and collaboration platforms.
4. An excellent command of and ability to apply the principal methods and techniques for gathering, processing and visualising data from the web environment.
5. Create, maintain and exploit internal and external communication networks in practice.
6. Optimise the facilitation and moderation of online communities.

Skill 3 - The ability to mobilise an organisations' management team, staff and partners around interactive and collaborative communication projects.
Learning Outcomes (students will be to):
1. Advise an organisation's decision-making bodies on interactive and collaborative communication topics (the objectives and strategies of communication, crisis resolution scenarios, the digital social revolution affecting organisations, etc.).
2. Present, explain and defend an interactive and collaborative communication project (notably to decision-making bodies) from its development phase through to the final evaluation and reporting phase, in a clear, coherent and structured manner, in written and spoken forms, and in compliance with the organisation's communication requirements.
3. Identify, unite and mobilise the individual and collective skills present in the organisation with a view to implementing interactive and collaborative communication projects.
4. Identify relevant potential partners for an organisation; catalyse and support the creation of partnerships, including for action research activities.
5. Facilitate the sharing of information, experimental results and innovation in the field of interactive and collaborative communication; ensure that information from strategic intelligence gathering, audits, research and from an organisation's staff and operations is communicated to its decision making bodies.
6. Develop interdisciplinary practices and integrate culturally diverse approaches in an organisation's internal and outward-facing activities, including internationally.



Prerequisites :
None

Co-requisites :
None

Course contents :
The support seminar (15 hours) covers:
-identification of a work placement opportunity ;
-practical aspects of the placement as specified in the placement agreement ;
-progress monitoring and support ;
-the oral and written presentation of a good practice(s) and the written production of the final report which reviews the experience from an analytical and critical point of view (function, project(s) carried out, skills).
It also covers recommended methods, including the sharing of experience (sharing between students on placement), field observation, justified critical analysis, report writing and , assessment (mid-term and end of the internship period)

The Integrated work placement (internship) (min. 270h.) :
The student carries out an internship of at least 270 hours (equivalent to 7 weeks full-time) in an organisation of his/her choice (company, association, administration, consultancy agency, social mobilisation space, etc.).

The internship must take place during the period of teaching activities at the establishment (from +/- mid-September to +/- mid-May). It is governed by an agreement issued by the institution and approved by the teacher in charge of the activity.
In order to be assessed in session 1, it cannot start after 12 April 2021.
To be assessed in session 2, it must end no later than 16 July 2021.

This internship offers the student an opportunity to actively participate in the work of the host organisation, to compare the theory he/she has studied with workplace practice and to reflect on the skills he/she has have learnt.
During the internship, the student actively collaborates in activities that are specific to the master's programme. He/she will play a leading role in an interactive and collaborative communication project or activity. This role must be specified in the agreement.
Moreover, while actively participating in the activities of the place of work placement, the student will progressively collect the information and observation datas that will be the basis of the realisations of the project:
-the guide to good practices discovered during the internship inherent to the specificities of the master's programme (oral presentation and written production).
-a final report on this professional immersion carried out in an analytical and critical manner (written production).

The integrated work placement may be linked with the dissertation project and may also be supported through the ‘Interdisciplinary technical workshop in interactive and collaborative communication', which offers a collaboration-based venue in which the student can test the communication solutions he/she envisages working on during the placement.
Specific measures related to the health crisis
During the internship: the applicable rules will be those of the sector, company or association hosting the student.

During teaching activities and other pedagogical appointments: according to official recommandations, teaching activities such as the seminar and/or pedagogical appointments such as the internship visit and/or oral presentations will take place online.


Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Field work, individual follow-up (meetings and interviews), sub-group seminar.

Assessment methods and criteria :
The grade is set by the teacher on the basis of :
-the student's professional practice (internship visit and formative evaluation by the internship superviser 20%)
-the guide to good practice (oral presentation and written production: 30%)
-the final assessment (written production: 50%)

The written productions to be evaluated are confidential. Only the teacher and, in the event of an appeal, the bodies that should deal with it will have access to them.
Oral and written productions are evaluated on substance and form.

Criteria for success
The EU is worth 13 credits. Success is 10/20.

The internship only starts once the agreement has been signed and validated by the teacher supervising the activity within the school.

Attendance must be in accordance with the agreement. Non-delivery of the expected written productions, absence from presentations or 41 hours of absence during internship, whether justified or not, may give rise to a score of 0/20.




Recommended or required reading :
N/A

Other information :
Specific supports available online :
-Internship agreement
-Fiches relating to the expected productions (guide to questions and instructions)
-Evaluation form for the internship supervisor