I traded in textbooks for novels in three of my advanced public relations classes. Even though the stories are fiction, the characters and plot can reinforce theories, ethics and the realities of working in a career such as public relations. |
Students learned about crisis management and how to address the media when something goes wrong, as well as how these fictional public relations professionals handled ethical problems. Instead of just talking about ethical standards or spin theory during class, we had real examples of professionals working with different kinds of news media, such as 'Larry King Live' and the 'Today Show.' |
The novels put advanced students in the shoes of a fictional professional. |
This was a great way for students to learn, to at least some extent, what it's like to work in the field, and that is valuable for those who may have little internship experience, |