Rewriting an Internship Program Peter Fenton Kennesaw State University Michael B. Shapiro Georgia State University

Staffing of Prior Program Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: 1 Internship Coordinator who served as a member of 3-faculty panel, one of whom was from outside SCJ AFTER: 1 Internship Coordinator who also is the sole course instructor BEFORE: 1 Internship Coordinator who occasionally also served as course instructor, plus 1 CTW consultant AFTER: 1 Internship Coordinator who occasionally serves as course instructor, 2 additional faculty (1 full-time, 1 part-time) serving as instructors, plus 1 WAC Consultant per section

Kennesaw State University Georgia State University Assignments Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: 12-15 page research paper containing “learning objectives” from each panel member, 20-30 minute presentation at semester’s end made only to the faculty panel AFTER: 12-15 page paper on key features of the host agency, 15 minute presentation to faculty internship coordinator and small group of fellow interns BEFORE: Program Plan, draft of Issue Essay with required topic, Oral & PowerPoint presentation, final Issue Essay, Reflective Essay, Poster Presentation AFTER: Program Plan, Descriptive Essay, 2 Roundtable Discussion sessions, Oral & PowerPoint presentation, Resolution Essay, Reflective Essay, Poster Presentation

Kennesaw State University Georgia State University Class Size Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: No cap on enrollment; 25 to 50+ spring, summer and fall AFTER: No cap on enrollment; 25 to 50+ spring, summer and fall BEFORE: 45 to > 50 spring, summer and fall AFTER: 45 to > 50 spring, summer and fall split into sections of 30 or less

Student (Dis)Satisfaction Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: The only major concern was recruiting faculty committee members and scheduling their presence at pre-and post-internship meetings AFTER: 3 semesters after the process was revised, student feedback has been almost universally favorable BEFORE: “The internship class should be based around our internship experience…eliminate the poster board presentation” “The issue paper should not be the center of the class…our experience in the internship is much more valuable” “The coursework is sort of irrelevant to the internship goals…the work actually distracts from the internship experience” AFTER: First semester of changes, so no student feedback to date

Faculty (Dis)Satisfaction Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: As class sizes increased, it became increasingly difficult to secure faculty committee members. Final papers were disjointed due to multiple “learning objectives” AFTER: New format makes for more efficient time management, student papers and presentations are more meaningful and relevant BEFORE: As class sizes increased from low teens to more than 50, there was little time to teach; significant number of graded assignments combined with ever increasing class size reduced faculty involvement to that of a grading machine AFTER: Significant faculty satisfaction at revising course curriculum, plus making curriculum match expected professional work

Kennesaw State University Georgia State University Refocus of Coursework Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: N/A AFTER: Student papers and presentations are more focused on each intern’s agency, its mission and function; students interact with peers at seminars and learn from one another’s experiences BEFORE: N/A AFTER: Scaffolded assignments include Descriptive Essay, 2 Roundtable Discussions, Oral & PowerPoint presentation, Resolution Essay

Kennesaw State University Georgia State University Evaluations Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: N/A AFTER: Virtually no negative responses in evaluations to date BEFORE: N/A AFTER: Need to evaluate both student and faculty satisfaction during and after Fall Semester, 2015; feedback from future internship students during orientation has been entirely positive

Kennesaw State University Georgia State University Tracking Kennesaw State University Georgia State University BEFORE: N/A AFTER: A 2011 survey of recent graduates revealed 50% were working in CJ, 20% with the host agency; time for another survey of graduates 2012-2015 BEFORE: N/A AFTER: Anecdotal only; need to more accurately survey student placement within discipline after internship and graduation