PhD student

BA in International studies, Political sciences, Communication and media, 1^st year students, Mandatory, in Hungarian

Since the project was a pilot that was only introduced in my class it wasn’t involved in the official curriculum.

Students learned focus group methodology and critical evaluation of media products as a learning outcome. After the first few introductory classes, students had to write their own research questions, hypothesis and summarize the findings. They also organized, facilitated and analysed the focus group discussion about a selected film from the Karmas series. In the final class, students showed a short presentation to the community partner that was later discussed in detail.

1.      number of students

2.      student groupwork or individual,

3.      how they worked with the partner,

4.      how the project proceeded,

5.      any reflection done with students,

6.      evaluation or formal assessment of their learning,

7.      Could or should we follow up with students?

8.      tech used

9.      Anything else interesting?

10.   For how long has this course been thought, and since when there is a community partner involved?

2.      they worked together as a group

3.      The partner joined the course and met all students, and a group of 5 students chose to work with the partner as part of their course assignment. The students and the partner met regularly to discuss which topic to cover from the course and which short film to test.

4.      The students then conducted a focus group about one of the association’s short films highlighting the work of Bagázs a non-profit organization working with and for roma people, connected to the topic of education and inequalities. Students tested how the audience reacted to the film and how it influenced their opinion on the topic.

5.      After the focus group they had a discussion together with the partner about their experience. The students from the group and the community partner both filled the feedback form as the Spring semester group work ended. This project was also introduced in the Researcher’s Week of Corvinus, where the lecturer, one of the students and the community partner shared their experiences of the process.

6.      The group got a formal evaluation and points for their work from the lecturer, based on the process and the quality of the output. These points amounted with the points of class participation in the case of those students in class not involved in the project.

7.      Students already gave feedback on the project; I don’t think that any further follow up is necessary. A video discussion with one of the students was recorded by Reka Matolay.

8.      Teams, MS Office

9.      One of the students was offered a job by the foundation.

10.   I’ve been teaching this class for three years and this was the first semester to involve a community partner.

2. In previous years I gave a research question to the students during each class, and they had to write a draft research plan in teams of 4-5 students. This semester I decided to keep the project work voluntary because of the difficulties of online teaching.

3. Student involved in the civil partner project didn’t have to attend the basic seminar, they got evaluated by their work with the civil partner.

Making sure students understand that working with the partner is not extra work but part of their course work.

Motivating the students that when they add things to their CV a project like this with a community partner counts just as much as a project with a for-profit or a paid job. And a project with a community partner shapes their worldview and character just as much and that is also very important and useful.

I am a helicopter parent for the students in the project.

The partner’s response in the science shop feedback form:

“We are thankful for the project and with that all the time and effort put into getting to know Northern Point and other organisations better. Also thank you for the work students put into conducting the focus group.”

2. Keep in touch with the civil partner, the goal is to help them and it’s OK to make changes as the project evolves.

3. Keep on talking with your students about the importance of what they will deliver and ask about their experience and questions.