The Power of Hands-On Learning: Why ‘Learn by Doing’ is the Key to Success

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Film Production

In today’s fast-paced world, the way we learn is just as important as what we learn. Traditional education often emphasizes lectures, textbooks, and theory-heavy coursework, but for many students, this approach can be disengaging and ineffective. That’s where hands-on learning comes in—a method that emphasizes practical, real-world experience over passive instruction.

The Benefits of Hands-On, Learn-by-Doing Training

1. Faster Skill Development

One of the biggest advantages of hands-on training is that it accelerates the learning process. Instead of spending years studying theories before applying them, students immediately immerse themselves in real-world scenarios. This allows them to build skills faster and with greater confidence. Whether it’s video production, broadcasting, social media marketing, or coding, hands-on practice ensures that students develop industry-relevant expertise quickly.

2. Increased Retention and Engagement

Studies show that people retain information better when they actively participate in the learning process. Traditional lecture-based education often results in passive learning, where students absorb only a fraction of the material presented. In contrast, hands-on learning keeps students engaged and involved, making the lessons more memorable and impactful.

3. Real-World Problem Solving

The best way to prepare for a career is to experience what the job entails. Hands-on training allows students to face real-world challenges, troubleshoot issues, and develop critical thinking skills in a practical setting. This type of learning helps bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that graduates are job-ready from day one.

4. Learning Without the Burden of Student Debt

Traditional four-year degrees can come with a hefty price tag and often leave students saddled with debt. Many hands-on training programs, like those offered at CSB Media Arts Center, provide an affordable and efficient alternative. Students gain career-ready skills in months, not years, allowing them to enter the workforce faster and without the financial strain of student loans.

5. Tailored for Hands-On Learners

Not everyone thrives in a lecture hall. Many students learn best by doing rather than by listening. Hands-on training is especially beneficial for those who struggle with traditional education methods, providing an interactive and immersive environment that caters to different learning styles.

6. Direct Industry Experience and Networking

Hands-on training often includes working with industry-standard equipment, collaborating on real projects, and receiving mentorship from professionals. This not only builds confidence but also creates networking opportunities that can lead to job placements and career advancement.

The Future of Learning is Hands-On

As industries continue to evolve, the need for skilled professionals who can apply their knowledge in real-world settings is growing. Hands-on learning ensures that students are not just knowledgeable, but competent and prepared for the demands of their chosen fields.

At CSB Media Arts Center, we believe in the power of experiential learning. Our programs in broadcasting, filmmaking, social media marketing, and coding are designed to provide students with the hands-on training they need to succeed.

If you or your child is passionate about media and looking for an alternative to traditional college, our programs could be the perfect fit.

Want to learn more about how hands-on training can launch your career?

Visit us today and take the first step toward a future built on real experience!

To learn more about CSB Media Arts Center’s programs visit: gocsb.com

We have campus locations in:

Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA area
New Haven, CT/Westchester, NY area
Philadelphia area
West Palm Beach, FL area

Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame Induction of Dick Robinson, CSB Founder

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Congratulations, CSB Media Arts Center Founder, Dick Robinson, on your induction into The Connecticut Broadcasters Association (CBA) Hall of Fame! We are all so proud of you for all you’ve accomplished in the fields of broadcasting, philanthropy, education, and beyond!

Dick’s nearly seventy years in radio began in Ware, MA and included stops in Holyoke, Springfield, and Providence, RI before landing at WDRC in Hartford. He was a DJ, hosted record hops, and perhaps most notably founded the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, where thousands of Connecticut broadcasters got their training in the industry. 

Dick’s love for broadcasting has continued with his international radio show “Dick Robinson’s American Standards by the Sea.” Dick is also involved with philanthropic work through his non-profit, The Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook.

To learn more about the CSB Media Arts Center Broadcast Media Program visit: https://gocsb.com/broadcast-media/

We have campus locations in:

Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA area
New Haven, CT/Westchester, NY area
Philadelphia area
West Palm Beach, FL area

Meet Chelsea Sherrod, SNY’s UConn women’s basketball sideline reporter with deep Connecticut roots – Graduate of CSB Media Arts Center

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Graduate Chelsea Sherrod

Eight years removed from her own time as a college basketball player, Chelsea Sherrod still feels a pregame rush.

“Live games, live TV, there’s nothing like it,” said Sherrod, the UConn women’s basketball sideline reporter for SNY. “You can write and you can prepare. Sometimes you just have to know what is happening and go with the flow.”

Sherrod will be an increasingly present figure — inquisitor, informer, entertainer, generally a conduit from program to fan — on TV screens across Connecticut as the Huskies get deeper into Big East play.

Hired in December 2023, she is just over a year into her role as a reporter/host at SportsNet New York (SNY), which has telecast UConn games since 2006. Sherrod, who went to Stratford High and played basketball at Albertus Magnus before graduating in 2016, was named the Huskies’ sideline reporter shortly before the 2023-24 postseason.

The network was done carrying games by that point. But with conference play forming the bulk of UConn’s remaining schedule, Sherrod’s think-on-your-feet role will explore for viewers the how-and-why of Geno Auriemma and his team.

“The story lines can change so quickly,” Sherrod said. “It’s like playing a game. That’s how I prepare. Ahead of my hits, it feels like I’m getting ready for a game. You have little butterflies, you hype yourself up and you’ve got to lock in. It’s so loud in the arena. There’s the music, the bands, the fans, the producers in your ears. And it’s like, OK, let’s do this.”

It’s no surprise that Sherrod, 29, is in a role and a career that is part performative and part investigative and rooted in the sport of her youth. She is the oldest daughter in a Connecticut family well known for its pursuits in athletics and music.

“We’re fortunate to have two really loving parents and they’ve really been our biggest advocates and always allowed us to explore different avenues and pushed us to pursue what we’re most passionate about,” said Brandon Sherrod, Chelsea’s older brother, who is an assistant coach under James Jones with the Yale men’s basketball team. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t give them all the credit.”

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CSB Media Arts Center – “Around The Campus Podcast” featuring our Broadcast Media Program student Anthony.

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“When you learn in college you learn with a book through reading. When you learn at CSB, you learn by doing!”….follow your passion for the Sports Broadcast Media Industry like student, Anthony and how he worked his way up to CBS Sports Network. Anthony shares his experience about why he came to @Gocsb . Did our Broadcast Media Program meet his expectations? Listen as Anthony shares his story and hear what he’s doing now, after his media training at CSB.

To learn more about the CSB Media Arts Center Broadcast Media Program visit: https://gocsb.com/broadcast-media/

We have campus locations in:

Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA area
New Haven, CT/Westchester, NY area
Philadelphia area
West Palm Beach, FL area

Watch Julie Lythcott-Haims’ TED talk to learn how you can help your children thrive — on their own

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Here’s what the checklisted childhood looks like. We keep them safe and sound, and then we want to be sure they go to the right schools, but not just that, that they’re in the right classes at the right schools, and that they get the right grades in the right classes in the right schools. But not just the grades, the scores, and not just the grades and scores, but the accolades and the awards, and the sports, and the activities, and the leadership.

We tell our kids don’t just join a club, start a club, because colleges want to see that. There’s no time for free play. There’s no room in the afternoons, because everything has to be enriching, we think, and we even absolve them of getting enough sleep as long as they’re checking off the items on their checklist. We spend so much time nudging, cajoling, hinting, helping, haggling, nagging as the case may be, to be sure they’re not screwing up, not closing doors, not ruining their future, some hoped-for admission to a tiny handful of colleges. And all of this is done to some hoped-for degree of perfection. We expect our kids to perform at a level of perfection we were never asked to perform at ourselves. With our overhelp, our overprotection, overdirection and hand-holding, we deprive our kids of the chance to build self-efficacy. 

If our children are to develop self-efficacy – and they must – then they have to do a whole lot more of the thinking, planning, deciding, doing, hoping, coping, trial and error, dreaming and experiencing of life for themselves. And if we could widen our blinders and be willing to look at a few more colleges, maybe remove our own egos from the equation, we could accept and embrace this truth and then realize, it is hardly the end of the world if our kids don’t go to one of those big brand-name schools. And more importantly if their childhood has not been lived according to a tyrannical checklist, then when they get to college, whichever one it is, well they’ll have gone there on their own volition, fueled by their own desire, capable and ready to thrive there.

CSB Media Arts Center – Around The Campus Podcast talks to CSB Grad Mikey V – Radio 104 and 102.9

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Mikey V talks to Jim Robinson from The CSB Media Arts Center. Mike graduated from The CSB Media Arts Broadcast Media Program “Connecticut School of Broadcasting” and works at Radio 104 and The Whale 102.9.

Around The Campus Podcast with Amanda, A Web Developer and App Development Student at CSB!

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Amanda Talks about her experience at the Palm Beach Code School in the Palm Beach Campus of the CSB Media Arts Center.

Amanda was a student in our Web Development Program and our App Development Program.

gocsb.com/web-developer

CSB Media Arts Filmmaking Student Katherine Talks About Her Experiences at the Film School

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Don’t settle on just a degree…do something that you love, like Katherine, our Filmmaking Program student.

After enrolling into one college and transferring to another – listen to how Katherine found out about @Gocsb and why our Film School was the right Film Production school for her.

gocsb.com/filmmaking

Behind-the-scenes with CSB Media Arts Center Filmmaking Students

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Get a glimpse behind-the-scenes with CSB Media Arts Center filmmaking students as they write, develop, shoot, and edit their film projects.

CSB Media Arts Center provides top level instruction in Digital Filmmaking.  Our new Digital Filmmaking Program provides the training on how to write, shoot, direct, & edit your own short, character-driven drama, comedy, or horror films. Each student will create their own short film and have the opportunity to submit it into film festivals.

Our film program has classes that cover all aspects of the movie making process, including screenwriting, casting & directing, and pre- and post-production.

At the CSB film school students learn the skills of cinematography on HD cameras, learn industry standard lighting techniques, and how to edit film and video on Adobe Premiere Pro.  Students train in small group classes and are taught by industry professionals.  The CSB film school focuses on helping you bring your creative visions to life.

To learn more about the CSB Filmmaking program visit: gocsb.com/filmmaking

We have campus locations in:

Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA area
New Haven, CT/Westchester, NY area
Philadelphia area
West Palm Beach, FL area

CSB Media Arts Film Program Student Nathan talks about his experiences at the Film School

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Film School student Nathan Talks about The CSB Media Arts Center Film Program and starting his Career in the Film Industry

Join Jim Robinson, President of CSB Media Arts Center as he interviews Nathan of the Filmmaking Program at the Farmington, Connecticut campus.

gocsb.com/filmmaking