Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Course focuses on professional network building; reviewing career, educational, and training goals; creating a portfolio, website, and other job tools; developing a new class, training, or workshop; applying knowledge to basic fitness/wellness marketing, branding, and other business development tools; enhancing research and writing skills.

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Design and deliver a fitness or wellness-related class, lecture, demonstration, workshop, event, research paper, resources list, or other educational materials.
2. Advance communication, coaching, mentoring, and/or promotional skills through project work and professional networking.
3. Meet learning outcomes specific to this project as mutually agreed upon by the student and instructor in advance through a written learning contract.

Students will demonstrate and be evaluated on learning outcomes by:

• Evaluation by instructor via observations, written/verbal feedback, bi-weekly conferences, and a teaching/leadership skills observation checklist, if applicable.
• Project deliverables evaluated by instructor using a method appropriate to the project.
• A written project notebook of the experience and hours by student, which shows consistent work toward the identified goals, objectives, and project deliverables. This project notebook will include a final summary paper describing and evaluating the degree to which the student has demonstrated completion and competency for each agreed-upon FT 240A goal. The project notebook will also include resources, references, and reflections throughout the project and in the final summary.

Course content is defined by individual student goals and objectives and fulfilled in the exercise science professional project experience. Examples of possible themes, concepts, and skills listed are below:

• Identify areas for skill or professional development
• Professional interviews for future education and/or career goals
• Creating and presenting a researched project, paper, or workshop
• Design and perform educational lectures, labs, or activities for groups and/or individuals
• Demonstrate communication, cooperation, and teamwork skills
• Exhibit professional appearance, attitude, and behavior
• Demonstrate knowledge and skill in marketing and program promotion
• Synthesize and organize information related to on-the-job topics
• Problem solve when unexpected situations arise
• Gain on-the-job knowledge and experience in exercise science
• Analyze self and reflect on own learning process
• Develop work portfolios that highlight industry-related skills