Much but doing nothing? – Of quality assurance in higher education undergraduate internships

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
QUALITY ASSURANCE UNIT
“Much but doing nothing? – Of quality assurance
in higher education undergraduate internships”
1CANQATE Web KThompson 15 03

We explore…
• the context of work-based learning (defined), specifically
internships in university programmes
• associated perils and opportunities linked to internships in
tertiary/higher education
• comparisons to best practice tenets for tertiary/higher education
internships
• Matching quality indicators – measuring up
CANQATE Web KThompson 15 03 2

Defining work-based learning in HE
• Learning, not just being (e.g. 3-6 week attachment)
• Workplace centered – nature, scope and outcomes
• School centered – integration of theory and practice
• Student centered – developmental

Workshop Objectives

Two Main Sources of Primary Information
• A Community College study of a Computer Studies
internship process in 2003 then comparatively in 2010
• A desk-study of University Quality Assurance Review
process Self-assessment Reports and Final Review
Reports between 2011 and 2017

First Main Sources of Primary Information
A Community College study of a Computer Studies internship
process in 2003 then comparatively in 2010
• Qualitative
• Constructs of efficiency and effectiveness as functions of
stakeholder satisfaction
• Participant-oriented evaluation – college students (28);
teachers (3); employers (11)
• Questionnaire and interview schedules

Second Main Sources of Primary Information
• A desk-study of University academic Quality Assurance Review process
Self-assessment Reports and Final Review Reports (one draft included)
between 2011 and 2017
• 12 reports purposely selected for reference to “internships”, “work-
based learning”, “work experience”; “work attachment”, “placement”,
“apprenticeship”
• Text analysis of the nature of the references – need for; value of; call
for; process noted; reference to quality, e.g. “best practice” or “good
practice”
• Comparison to/with tenets for “enhancing quality”

The current context…
1. QAU conducts Quality Evaluations (internal
operational) and Quality Assurance Reviews.
2. QA Reviews involve an International Academic,
a Local Professional, a UWI Regional Academic.
3. QA Review centres on investigating/examining
fitness for purpose and fitness of purpose.

QA Reviews are predicated on Quality as:
Fitness for
purpose
Fitness of
Purpose

QA Reviews are predicated on Quality as:
Fitness for
purpose
Fitness of
Purpose
He said he would be dancing, as agreed!
BUT… Should he really be dancing? Now?
That dance? That costume?

Fitness for/of Purpose
KEY ATTRIBUTES OF THE UWI GRADUATE
1. A critical and creative thinker
2. An effective communicator with good interpersonal skills
3. IT-skilled and information literate
4. Innovative and entrepreneurial
5. Globally aware and well-grounded in his/her regional
identity
6. Socially, culturally and environmentally responsible
7. Guided by strong ethical values

CURRICULUM QUALITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST
INDIES
CANQATE Web KThompson 15 03
FITNESS FOR
PURPOSE
FITNESS OF
PURPOSE
14

According to a recent survey done by Internships.com
and reported in Forbes Magazine, "69% of companies
with 100 or more employees offered full-time jobs to
their interns in 2012" and even better news, "Fifty-three
percent of the surveyed employers said they expect to
hire more interns in 2013 than they did in 2012."
Companies often treat internships as extended
interviews. Even if you are not ultimately hired, the "real
world" experience is invaluable, adding to your resume.
Cleveland State University. Retrieved from webpage 12-03-2017
https://www.csuohio.edu/business/internships/why-internships

Quality Assurance Reviews 2011-2017
Recommendations:
• Support introducing and/or
strengthening Internships
• Make internships meaningful, i.e.
constructive and productive

Review Teams recommend
quality assured internships…
using best-practice benchmarks

Definition of Best Practice:
The UWI has adopted the following definition of “best practice”:
… an intervention, process or approach, which has contextual relevance for the
University of the West Indies; is exemplary in its ability to produce superior
results when assessed against the goals set and/or against similar practice in
the relevant core area; engages internal and external stakeholders; is efficient
in terms of resources (human, time, financial); is well documented; has utility
and is recognized beyond the practice site. (Harvey, 2012, p.17)

Definition of Best Practice:
The UWI has adopted the following definition of “best practice”:
• an intervention, process or approach,
• which has contextual relevance for the University of the West Indies;
• is exemplary in its ability to produce superior results
• when assessed against the goals set and/or against similar practice in the
relevant core area;
• engages internal and external stakeholders;
• is efficient in terms of resources (human, time, financial);
• is well documented;
• has utility
• and is recognized beyond the practice site. (Harvey, 2012, p.17)

Best Practice: National Association of Colleges
and Employers
• Established in 1956 (see website)
• Linked to over 7500 college career services professionals
• Linked to almost 2000 US colleges and universities
• Strong ties to business and industry
• Large service staff
• Standards cited and referenced by US Universities and employers

Some Best Practices: National Association of
Colleges and Employers
• Hold orientations for all
involved.
• Provide (paid) interns with
real work assignments.
• Provide interns with a
handbook and/or website.
• Offer scholarships.
• Offer flex-time and/or other
unusual work
arrangements.
• Have an intern manager.
• Encourage team
involvement.
Courtesy of the website National Association of
Colleges and Employers. Extracted from: “Building a
Premium Internship Programme – A practical Guide
for employers”.
Retrieved 10-03-2017

Best Practice: National Association of Colleges and
Employers
• Invite career center staff
and faculty to visit interns
on site.
• Hold new-hire panels.
• Bring in speakers from your
company’s executive ranks.
• Offer training/encourage
outside classes.
• Conduct focus
groups/surveys.
• Showcase intern work
through presentations/
expo.
• Conduct exit interviews.
Courtesy of the website National Association of
Colleges and Employers. Extracted from:
“Building a Premier Internship Programme – A
practical Guide for employers”.
Retrieved 10-03-2017

Fitness-for-purpose in internships must consider the
logistics, the fit, the consistency, the rigour, the integrity:
Simulation Sample A – A Community College
The Computer Science students at that company felt that they were
given mostly “busy work” such as filing for two weeks straight, then
helping the department to do spring cleaning on old files for most of
the remaining three weeks. They advised the college to vet the
organizations better to ensure that employers really had something
worthwhile for the students to do when they are on internship.
Students were glad, however, that they received high grades from the
employer, even better grades than other students who they thought
had better internships.

Fitness-for-purpose in internships must consider
consistency /harmonization:
Simulation Sample B – A university programme
…However, the internship requirements and practicum
experiences are areas of concern. Not all sites provide
the same level of exposure for students, and there
must be a mechanism to remedy any deficiencies that
led to the appearance of inequitable standards in
assessing the interns.

Strongly Agree (SA – 5), Agree (A – 4), Undecided (U – 3), Disagree (D - 2), or Strongly
Disagree (SD – 1)
The Intern…
SA A U D SD
1 Displays a positive work ethic.
2 Is technically competent for the demands of the internship.
3 Shows leadership potential in managing and completing tasks.
4 Displays adequate computer skills.
5 Displays a laid-back attitude to his/her work.
6 Is receptive to new ideas and changes within the department/ organization.
7 Is able to work as part of a team when appropriate.
8 Takes adequate responsibility for own learning and development at the workplace.
9 Uses his/her creativity when faced with work-related challenges.
10 Is punctual.
11 Displays good deportment.
12 Works well with colleagues in the workplace.
13 Uses his/her initiative appropriately.
Sample C – Examples of questions included in internship evaluation forms

Sample D - UWI Best Practice
The MSc programs in Financial & Business Economics and Banking &
Finance have internship and practicum opportunities where student
can get the necessary work experience and network opportunities.
Discussion with many of the current and former students, review of the
grade distributions, and of many of the procedures followed by the
department helped the Team to conclude that the department is very
well positioned to accomplish its objectives.
http://cartac.org/internships/

UWI Best Practice Simulation Sample A
High impact internship, meaning…???
http://cartac.org/internships/

Sample E - UWI Best Practice
The Review Team for Chemistry commended the department for having a
highly engaging internship programme, and urged that it be expanded to
include more students. The team referred to the Department’s careful
attention to nurturing strong relationships with industry partners, including
assigning a departmental liaison to facilitate the expansion of internships.
The Team also commended the department on the orientation meetings
with business and industry partners.

Your summary
• How do we maximize benefits and minimize perils?

What factors are most associated with
maximizing benefits and minimizing perils (1)
• Clear aims and objective shared by partners
• Partnership among student/institution/employer
• Outcomes specified but not necessarily rigid
• Time on task recognition and accommodation is clear
• Preceptorship orientation/training is aligned to needs
• Focused relationship between the tertiary institute and the
employer
• Theory – Practice links made explicit
• Assessment criteria explicit and treated as mutual responsibility

What factors are most associated with
maximizing benefits and minimizing perils (2)
• Assessment plan and activities are authentic and aligned to needs
• Assessment approach is developmental rather than punitive
• Assessment mechanism promotes consistency across sites
• Student interns are engaged and participate in problem solving
• Employer feeds back on the process, apart from helping with the
assessment
• Students feedback on the process

Related Readings:
Bailey, T., Hughes, K., & Barr, T. (1998). Achieving scale and quality in school-to-work internships: Findings from an employer survey (MDS-902). Berkeley:
National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.
Bailey, Thomas, Katherine Hughes, and Tavis Barr. (2000). "Achieving Scale and Quality in School-to-Work Internships: Findings from Two Employer
Surveys." Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 22:41-64.
Bailey, T, Hughes, K., Moore, D. 2004. Working Knowledge. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Hamilton, M. A., & Hamilton, S. F. (1997). Learning well at work: Choices for quality. New York, NY: Cornell University Press.
Harvey, Claudia. (2012). in The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus (The UWI, STA) (2012): Framework for Analysis of Best Practices in
Higher Education
Hughes, Katherine L. 1998. "Employer Recruitment is Not the Problem: A Study of School-to-Work Transition Programs." Teachers College, Columbia
University, New York.
Hughes, K. L. (1998). Employer recruitment is not the problem: A study of school-to-work transition programs. (IEE Working Paper No. 5). New York, NY:
Institute on Education and the Economy.
Reilly, Michael Chavez. (2013). Inequality and opportunity In work-based learning. Dissertation. New York: Program in the Sociology of Education,
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Professions, New York University
Stasz, C., & Brewer, D. (1998). Work-based learning: Student perspectives on quality and links to school. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 20(1),
31-46.
The University of the West Indies. (2012). Strategic Plan 2012-2017. Mona: The UWI Press

The foregoing discussion also referenced confidential Self-assessment and/or Quality Assurance Review Reports for the following disciplines: Chemistry,
French, Spanish, Theology, Psychology, Clinical Medicine, Economics and Banking and Finance
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2011). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Spanish. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Chemistry. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Theology. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Psychology. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2015). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Clinical Medicine. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2015). Self-Assessment Report for the Discipline of Economics and Banking & Finance. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2011). Review Report for the Discipline of Spanish. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Review Report for the Discipline of Chemistry. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Review Report for the Discipline of Theology. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2014). Review Report for the Discipline of Psychology. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2015). Review Report for the Discipline of Discipline of Clinical Medicine. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2015). Review Report for the Discipline of Economics and Banking & Finance. Cave Hill Campus, UWI
UWI Quality Assurance Unit. (2016). Review Report for the Discipline of Literatures in English. Cave Hill Campus, UWI

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