ATD Blog
Extracurricular Activity 2: Recommend Students Participate in Professional Organizations
Thu Aug 23 2012
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This is post 2 in the series "Essential Informal Learning for Any Degree Program" by Saul Carliner which offers several concrete suggestions for extracurricular activities to recommend and to students and details how to direct students to the choices most appropriate for them.
This is post 2 in the series "Essential Informal Learning for Any Degree Program" by Saul Carliner which offers several concrete suggestions for extracurricular activities to recommend and to students and details how to direct students to the choices most appropriate for them.
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One of the most significant pieces of advice that faculty members can offer to students is that they check out one or more professional organizations. Through their publications, events, and networking opportunities, these organizations provide students with windows into professional practice and link them to people who might be able help them find jobs.
One of the most significant pieces of advice that faculty members can offer to students is that they check out one or more professional organizations. Through their publications, events, and networking opportunities, these organizations provide students with windows into professional practice and link them to people who might be able help them find jobs.
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But so many professional organizations serve the people working in our field; different organizations meet the needs of different students. Some organizations are more appropriate for academic-focused students—ones who hope to complete a PhD and perhaps become faculty members. (That’s what most of us promote, because it’s where our interests are met.)
But so many professional organizations serve the people working in our field; different organizations meet the needs of different students. Some organizations are more appropriate for academic-focused students—ones who hope to complete a PhD and perhaps become faculty members. (That’s what most of us promote, because it’s where our interests are met.)
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However, most of our students plan to become practicing professionals; other organizations typically meet their needs. And some of our students want hybrid careers, spanning both academe and industry—and some organizations meet their needs.
However, most of our students plan to become practicing professionals; other organizations typically meet their needs. And some of our students want hybrid careers, spanning both academe and industry—and some organizations meet their needs.
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Even within those broad categories, some students eventually find their professional “homes” in large organizations serving the entire swath of the profession; others feel more comfortable in smaller organizations that focus on one or two specialty areas. Table 1 lists categories and organizations to recommend to students.
Even within those broad categories, some students eventually find their professional “homes” in large organizations serving the entire swath of the profession; others feel more comfortable in smaller organizations that focus on one or two specialty areas. Table 1 lists categories and organizations to recommend to students.
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**Table 1: Professional Organizations to Consider Recommending to Students
**Table 1: Professional Organizations to Consider Recommending to Students
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Content | Content | Content |
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| Content Practitioner-focused Practitioner-focused Content (even if the members practice in academic institutions) (even if the members practice in academic institutions) | Content Academic-focused Academic-focused Content (that is, on researchers and people who teach in the field) (that is, on researchers and people who teach in the field) |
Content Essentials Essentials | Content American Society for Training & Development ( American Society for Training & Development ( Content www.astd.org Content ) ) | Content Academy of Human Resource Development ( Academy of Human Resource Development ( Content www.ahrd.org Content ) ) |
Content Comprehensive organizations Comprehensive organizations | Content Society for Human Resource Management ( Society for Human Resource Management ( Content www.shrm.org Content ) ) Content
Content Your additional suggestion(s) Your additional suggestion(s) Content
| Content Academy of Management ( Academy of Management ( Content http://aom.org/ Content ) (Specifically consider its HR division) ) (Specifically consider its HR division) Content American Educational Research Association ( American Educational Research Association ( Content www.aera.org Content ) ) Content Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologists ( Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologists ( Content www.siop.org Content ) ) Content Your additional suggestion(s) Your additional suggestion(s) |
Content Specialized organizations Specialized organizations | Content eLearning Guild ( eLearning Guild ( Content www.elearningguild.com Content ) (for profit, though basic membership is free) ) (for profit, though basic membership is free) Content International Society for Performance Improvement ( International Society for Performance Improvement ( Content www.ispi.org Content ) ) Content Society for Technical Communication ( Society for Technical Communication ( Content www.stc.org Content ) ) Content Your additional suggestion(s) Your additional suggestion(s) | Content Association for Educational Communications and Technology ( Association for Educational Communications and Technology ( Content www.aect.org Content ) ) Content Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education ( Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education ( Content www.aace.org Content ) ) Content American Evaluation Association ( American Evaluation Association ( Content www.eval.org Content ) ) Content International Council for Adult Education International Council for Adult Education Content Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group (SIG) on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) ( Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group (SIG) on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) ( Content www.acm.org/sigchi Content ) ) Content Your additional suggestion(s) Your additional suggestion(s) |
Content Additional Considerations: Additional Considerations: | Content | Content |
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Although memberships are rarely free, most organizations offer special rates to encourage students to join. Make sure you inform your students of these benefits.
Although memberships are rarely free, most organizations offer special rates to encourage students to join. Make sure you inform your students of these benefits.
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Many students feel that joining a LinkedIn or similar group in a social networking space provides the same experience as joining a “real” group. Although such groups are beneficial, they lack opportunities for one-to-one networking, much less the proprietary information offered by professional organizations.
Many students feel that joining a LinkedIn or similar group in a social networking space provides the same experience as joining a “real” group. Although such groups are beneficial, they lack opportunities for one-to-one networking, much less the proprietary information offered by professional organizations.
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Even the most gregarious of students typically demonstrate a reluctance to attend meetings of these groups because they feel uncomfortable in a group of strangers. So whenever possible, organize a group to go to one or two of these meetings so students have people to share the experience with.
Even the most gregarious of students typically demonstrate a reluctance to attend meetings of these groups because they feel uncomfortable in a group of strangers. So whenever possible, organize a group to go to one or two of these meetings so students have people to share the experience with.
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Final Tip: To learn more about different types of informal learning activities, check out chapters 5 and 6 of the new book, Informal Learning Basics from ASTD Press.
Final Tip: To learn more about different types of informal learning activities, check out chapters 5 and 6 of the new book, Informal Learning Basics from ASTD Press.