A CENTER FOR SKILLS-BASED LEARNING
Fletcher provides a diverse array of coursework, workshops, and other learning opportunities for students to develop competencies in such skills as: public speaking, opinion writing, user design, video, and podcasting.
Public Speaking
- Fletcher Ideas Exchange – Modeled as a “TED-type” event, the Ideas Exchange features engaging talks by students, faculty, and alumni on timely, thought-provoking themes.
- Faces of Our Community – Star alums from the Arts of Communication course recreate some of their most memorable 5-minute speeches to date for the Fletcher community twice per year.
Opinion Writing
- Influencing Policy and the Global Debate – Murrow Center Director Edward Schumacher-Matos annually offers this course on writing news-style analysis and opinion for policy leaders. Students develop their abilities over a semester-long series of articles, and some place their pieces with national and international publications.
- Writing Successful Op-Eds – Director Schumacher-Matos also offers an interactive workshop for Fletcher PhD students to examine and improve their own opinion writing.
User Experience (UX) Design
- Workshop with Dan Maccarone – In an interactive session, participants gain a solid grounding in the philosophy and principles behind user experience from one of the industry’s leading practitioners, including tips on applying UX in an international context.
Video & On-Camera Interviews
- Capstone Video Forum – A new initiative to help students incorporate audio, visual, and digital storytelling in their research capstone projects. The offering includes small group and one-on-one coaching for students, provided in partnership with the Tufts Film & Media Studies Program.
- Tufts Television Studio – Fletcher is pleased to house a world-class TV studio for both live packages and recorded video. Murrow Deputy Director Mankad, himself a former news anchor, has also offered “in front of the camera” workshops for faculty.
- Arts of Communication – As part of the well-attended course, students produce short videos on topics of their choosing, after learning best practices for public speaking on camera.
- Career Center Interview Preparation – The Fletcher Office of Career Services offers students the option to practice job and internship interviews on camera, reviewing the results for learning opportunities.
Podcasting
- Expanding Audio Coverage – Building on a tradition at Tufts and the greater Boston area, several students are beginning to explore the possibilities of podcasts for their research and activities. One student, for example, is incorporating this in a capstone project.