Student Internships and Learning Outcomes Assessment By Harpal S. Dhillon, AGSB University Helmut Pusterer, AGSB University Manpreet K. Dhillon, Hult International Business School Annual Conference of The International Alliance for Collegiate Business Education March 2011

2 Overview Assessment and continuous improvement Internship and Learning Assessment Overview of AGSB University Student Internship Program Methodology for monitoring & evaluating internship activities IACBE accreditation and Student Internship Conclusions

3 Assessment and Continuous Improvement Three levels of assessment  Institutional; Program; Course Focus of Assessment  Institution/Unit Performance Operational Parameters Financial Parameters Image (Vision-Mission)  Learning Assessment Assessment of Learning by Student Assessment of Development of Students

4 Assessment output influences Strategic Planning (Institution/Program) Budgeting (Institution/Program) Curriculum (Program/Course) Course Content Assessment and Continuous Improvement (Continued)

5 UMES: Institutional Effectiveness Management Model Source: University of Maryland – Eastern Shore

6 Assessment and Student Success Learning outcomes assessment can be:  Internal (Program/Course level)  External (Graduate Employability, Job Performance of Graduate)  Combination of Internal and External Student internship activity is appropriate for assessing learning outcomes through direct and indirect measures

7 For a student to benefit, the internship must:  Be planned and implemented properly  Involve appropriate host organization and task/responsibility for intern  Designate qualified and enthusiastic faculty and worksite mentors  Implement well designed oversight and mentoring procedures  Require production of internship activity documentation  Conduct evaluation of learning outcomes & internship experience Student Internship and Outcomes Assessment

8 For effective learning outcomes assessment:  Internship activities must be an extension of coursework  Internship activities must be designed to facilitate internal and external assessment of learning outcomes  Internship documentation must facilitate direct and indirect measurement of learning outcomes at program level  Internship activities and measurement of student performance must provide a valid indication of professional readiness of graduates Student Internship and Outcomes Assessment (continued)

9 Important program attributes:  Internship is a mandatory requirement for MBA program  Academic credit awarded for internship (6 credit hours)  Formal agreement is negotiated between host organization and AGSB University  Faculty sponsor facilitates and monitors internship activities  Host organization designates a “host mentor”  Learning outcomes are assessed in the internship program  Pass/Fail grade is determined based on Internship project report and oral examination for student intern Overview of AGSB Student Internship Program

10 Success Measures:  High level of satisfaction among students, faculty mentors, and host mentors  Internships generally result in full time or part time employment with host organization Overview of AGSB Student Internship Program (continued)

11 The formal internship agreement defines the parameters of internship activity Student intern prepares weekly activity log & monthly progress report Faculty and host mentors involved in monitoring internship activity Final Project Report and Self-Evaluation Report submitted by intern prior to oral examination Pass/Fail grade based on Final report and oral examination Intern required to submit statement of lifelong learning AGSB pursues continuous improvement in the student internship program Methodology for Monitoring and Evaluating Internship Program

IACBE Accreditation and Student Internship IACBE Specified CompetenciesAGSB Internship Learning Objectives Problem recognitionAbility to identify, analyze and solve business problems Strategic Analysis and IntegrationAbility to identify, analyze and solve business problems Application of quantitative methods to real-world business situations Mastery of knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of business and management disciplines Communication to relevant publics: (a) Effective in written materials (b) Effective in oral communication Ability to communicate effectively, including effective utilization of graphical and written communication skills Teamwork SkillsAbility to work in various roles as a member of diverse project teams Project Management SkillsCommitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement when managing assigned tasks/projects Professional EthicsCommitment to ethical business practices Commitment to lifelong learning 12

13 Conclusions The graduate student internship program at AGSB University Is an effective and beneficial extension of on-campus academic activities Is a valid option for assessment of learning outcomes Provides two objects for direct learning outcomes measurement (Student Project Report and Student Portfolio) and one indirect measure (feedback provided by Host mentor and other supervisors) Facilitates professional development of graduates Involves industry and public sector in graduate education Generally facilitates employment of graduates in their chosen areas of learning

Thank you! Questions?