Virtual Internships Research Articles

Virtual Experiential Learning: A Description of an Internship Framework That Engages Students to Build Public Health Competencies

As technology for remote learning advances, it is critical to understand how public health internship preceptors or faculty can provide engaging virtual experiential learning experiences for pre-professionals. We aimed to examine whether a virtual internship offered through a breastfeeding education company engaged learners to develop public health skills resulting in products beneficial for the internship site and learner. We provided a menu of tools to consider when developing virtual experiential opportunities. Master of Public Health students seeking dual-degrees in dietetics, nursing, and social work participated. Value of the interprofessional team, engagement, knowledge attainment, and translational skills were assessed through diverse modalities including surveys, oral communication, and products relevant to the internship site and interns’ academic program. Interns indicated that they valued the internship team and felt the team valued each intern’s opinion. Interns developed products useful to the internship site, suggesting active engagement in the virtual experience. Interns’ breastfeeding knowledge developed as the internship progressed demonstrated through oral communication as the content conveyed and discussed by interns advanced in cognitive level. The most frequently practiced translational skills reported by interns were research and communication. Virtual experiential learning can be hands-on resulting in professional skill development. This work aides in the understanding of how to feasibly implement an engaging remote internship.

ANALYSIS OF ICT COMPANIES’ NEEDS FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF ICT HIGHER EDUCATION AT MASTER LEVEL: THE CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

The correspondence between ICT master programmes and requirements of ICT companies is shaped via needs analysis. The research aim: The aim of the present article is to analyse the empirical results of the study of needs of ICT companies, underpinning the elaboration of implications on ICT master programmes. The primary methods used: Exploratory research has been implemented within the present work. The representatives of four ICT companies, namely CISCO, KAIB, Kaspersky Lab and Soft Com, took part in the focus group interview organised at International Information Technology University, Almaty, Kazakhstan, in October 2019. A brief description of the main research results: The theoretical findings of the present research allow concluding that ICT companies and the universities belong to the local or regional community. The structuring content analysis allows identifying the areas of universities-companies cooperation, namely academic staff training, students’ training, provision of universities with modern equipment, joint elaboration of the content of ICT master programmes, organisation of joint laboratories including virtual laboratories, ensuring practice and internships for students, etc. The summarising content analysis highlights the need in cooperation between universities and companies to strengthen the sustainable development of the digital economy in the region. The novelty of the present work is formulated in the implications on ICT master programmes. Directions of further research are formulated.

A virtual internship to prepare high school students for civic and political action

We explored the impact of participating in a Virtual Internship (VI) computer-supported collaborative learning simulation, on high school students’ (n = 43) development of knowledge and skills for critiquing the political media with which they engage. Second, we evaluated the effect of this intervention on students’ self-efficacy for using specific media strategies to take political action. Finally, we explored the epistemic (knowledge-seeking) and non-epistemic aims that students set for themselves while participating within our VI, which was designed specifically to address students’ epistemic cognition. Analyses of both the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that students: (1) evinced gains in knowledge about what “fracking” is and also knowledge about why it is a controversial topic; (2) evinced gains in self-efficacy for civic engagement—a key indicator to students’ likelihood for acting; and (3) were able to understand the politicized nature of a social media post, and therefore reported wanting to pursue knowledge-seeking goals to understand both sides of the argument and the trustworthiness of the information sources. We discuss these results vis-a-vis the literature on epistemic games, which can help students develop the knowledge, skills, identity, and values of a profession.

Mentorship at a distance.

The year is 2022. It is a warm summer day in Boston, and Naomi, an incoming graduate student, sits in a cafe waiting for two colleagues who have greatly influenced her career—although they've never met in person. It was back in 2020 when Naomi, then an undergraduate at Howard University, spent a summer working virtually with Matthias, a postdoc, and Maha, the lab principal investigator, through a Harvard University internship program. Now that the world has managed COVID-19, they are excited to finally meet face-to-face and reflect on that summer experience. > “With a little work, we formed a lasting bond.” NAOMI: I remember that day in March 2020 when everything seemed to unravel. I was told to evacuate my campus and that classes would be virtual for the indefinite future. While many of my peers' summer research opportunities were canceled, I was lucky that the Harvard summer internship was scheduled to continue virtually. But I wondered how I would learn a completely new topic and research style from 3000 kilometers and two time zones away. How would I form a relationship with my mentors? MATTHIAS: Both Maha and I had doubts about the virtual internship format. I had never mentored a student completely remotely, and I knew you had never done this type of research before. I counted on Maha's experience mentoring students and her optimism that we would make it work. NAOMI: The biggest challenge for me was not knowing whether I was on track. If we had been working together in person, it would have been easy to casually touch base and get gentle nudges in the right direction when I needed them. But I was too nervous to ask basic questions over video calls and chat, so I relied on trial and error and online tutorials. Then, when I presented my work to you, I was disappointed to learn that the model I had worked on for 2 weeks was completely wrong. MAHA: I remember that moment well. It became clear then that we needed to reset our expectations and how we communicated. I urged you to use chat liberally and reach out for more frequent short check-ins. As the days rolled on, you seemed to become more at ease asking for help. NAOMI: It certainly helped that you were present and responsive via telephone calls and chat. I also learned the importance of making my concerns heard. And when we began to speak more often, I got to see another side of your lives. I never expected to have video calls with Matthias while he was at the playground with his kids! MATTHIAS: Me neither! Do you remember when my daughter poured water on my laptop? It delayed me terribly in sending over a key figure for your final presentation. I was balancing so much at the time and yet desperately wanted to be there when you needed me. NAOMI: Yes, that wasn't the smoothest moment—but ultimately it only strengthened our relationship. Seeing your struggles with working from home helped me realize that we are all human, navigating through a difficult time together. MATTHIAS: I enjoyed connecting with you informally; it felt very genuine. It also offered an opportunity to reflect on what kind of mentor I want to be in the “real” world. I hope to carry that forward with me. MAHA: Losing the connection with mentees was among the hardest aspects of the quarantine for me professionally. Shifting to a more relaxed communication style really helped. It also reinforced my belief that science and scientists should be less aloof and more welcoming, especially to aspiring scientists early in their careers. NAOMI: The virtual environment made it hard to connect at times—but with a little work, we formed a lasting bond.

Insights Gained into Marginalized Students Access Challenges During the COVID-19 Academic Response

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA) endeavors to support all chemistry faculty and staff as they educate all of our students during this pandemic. While the chemistry education community and the ACS have both provided resources as most institutions transitioned to virtual platforms, this pandemic disproportionally affects our students of color, lower socio-economic and rural backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Specifically, these students must overcome hurdles of technology access, environmental disruptions, and cultural pressures in order to be successful. Therefore, CMA has formulated partnerships with both academic and industrial institutions to highlight some best practices to improve future virtual learning experiences of these oftentimes marginalized students. Specifically, the work presented here examines programs and policies at three academic institutions with very different student body demographics and surrounding learning environments (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), and Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)) with an attempt to identify variables that enhance marginalized student success in chemistry courses. The combination of their results suggests elements such as access to technology, home responsibility, and impostor syndrome, that other learning programs should consider to increase virtual learning success. Furthermore, other stopgap measures implemented at industrial partners give insight as to how these considerations can be implemented during virtual internship programs to meet their learning objectives associated with entering their institutional pipeline.

Pivoting from Face-to-Face Internships to Virtual Internships: Lessons Learned by Two Family Life Educators

Pivoting from Face-to-Face Internships to Virtual Internships: Lessons Learned by Two Family Life Educators

Mentoring and skill development in e-Internships

PurposeMany employers experiment with virtual working modes for project-based work. Virtual internships are one such mode that is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, particularly e-internships that require remote working with employers. However, little is known about the extent to which e-internships present learning opportunities to such e-interns.Design/methodology/approachThe current study examined mentoring experiences among a cross-sectional sample of 158 e-interns working for different companies. Data were collected using an online survey in two data collection rounds.FindingsThe length of the e-internships did not increase mentoring satisfaction, but the likelihood of e-interns having a mentor was higher the longer the e-internships. Mentoring was offered irrespective of working hours per week. Mentoring increased reported skill development, particularly in relation to their communication skills and their ability to think strategically about problems. In addition, mentored e-interns were more likely to have opportunities to cooperate with and help others. They likewise had opportunities to share information, knowledge and experiences.Research limitations/implicationsThe study recruited interns from various countries. Potentially relevant cultural differences were not explored as part of this study.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that the benefits of mentoring observed in relation to traditional internships can be fostered in e-internships. E-internships represent an opportunity for managers and employees, regardless of company size, to become mentors. E-internships thus represent another work-integrated as well as work-applied learning and skill development opportunity that creates additional options for many interns and organisations alike.Originality/valueThe evidence suggests that mentoring is becoming a regularly available feature for virtual and temporary workers such as e-interns, many of which are hired for short-term projects. As remote working has become a standard practice, e-internships are on the rise – and worthy of further study in order to promote best practices.

A virtual internship for developing technological pedagogical content knowledge

This study examines the use of a virtual internship (an epistemic game) for developing preservice teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). TPACK aims to capture the essential qualities of teacher knowledge that are needed for integrating technology into teaching. Virtual internships are computer-based professional practicum simulation games where participants assume the role of a professional, work collaboratively on authentic tasks, and engage in complex professional thinking. The online collaborative chat records of 33 preservice teachers who played the game over the course of 8 weeks were analysed using epistemic network analysis (ENA), which made it possible to examine the dynamic connections between various TPACK domains over time. The analysis showed that participants’ TPACK representations gradually became more complex in terms of the number of pedagogical considerations and the strength of connections between pedagogical considerations, technology, and content. Suggestions are made for designing learning environments that aim to develop preservice teachers’ TPACK.

Filling OpenStreetMap data gaps in rural Nepal: a digital youth internship and leadership Programme

Crowdsourced, open geospatial data such as the data compiled through OpenStreetMap have proven useful in addressing humanitarian, disaster and development needs. However, the existing ways in which volunteers engage in OpenStreetMap have inherent limitations that lead to critical data gaps in economically underdeveloped countries and regions. Various initiatives that target specific geospatial data gaps and engage volunteers for longer periods have emerged to overcome these limitations, yet there has been limited in-depth study of such targeted mapping initiatives. This article reports the findings from Digital Internship and Leadership (DIAL), a programme designed to fill data gaps in rural Nepal by engaging young people in mapping rural Nepal by integrating targeted mapping, a virtual internship strategy and youth leadership development. The findings suggest the potential benefits of targeted mapping initiatives embedded in youth leadership internship programmes to address those critical data gaps.

Seeking diversity? Consider virtual internships

PurposeThe present paper aims to outline the case for diversity gains for employers via virtual internships, while recognizing the role of government and educational support.Design/methodology/approachIn the context of Australian employment statistics about people with disabilities, the actors, key issues and barriers to utilizing virtual internships are explored.FindingsThe results of an online survey with 24 career, access and inclusion service officers at Australian universities suggested that the large majority were unfamiliar with virtual internships, as many shared concerns about what kind of learning and mentoring opportunities such computer-mediated internships may provide to their students.Practical implicationsEmployers embracing new e-HR developments may be particularly well situated to adopt virtual internships and combine these effectively with existing diversity initiatives, many of which already include mentoring and learning opportunities. A closer dialogue with career, access and inclusion services may further support a fruitful knowledge exchange and reduce the concerns of educational representatives about virtual internships and their usefulness to increase the employment prospects of people with disabilities.Originality/valueAt present, virtual internship programs remain the exception, and are often not connected with diversity initiatives, nor are virtual internships well known among student services. However, virtual internships represent a promising opportunity for employers who wish to access untapped national (or even international) talent pools and thus candidates that would benefit from and contribute to their diversity initiatives.

Students’ virtual internship helps build network and boost confidence

Students’ virtual internship helps build network and boost confidence

InciSioN: Developing the Future Generation of Global Surgeons

By 2030, an additional 1.27 million surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and obstetricians (SAO) are needed by 2030 to reach the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery's target of 20 SAO providers per 100,000 population. Inclusion of future generations of health workers early in global surgery discussions and interventions is critical to scale-up access to surgical and anaesthesia care and ensure lasting change. InciSioN, the International Student Surgical Network, is an innovative nonprofit organization by and for students, residents, and young doctors around the world. Through advocacy efforts, capacity building, educational events, international research collaboratives, and unique virtual internships, InciSioN contributes to the development of future generations of global SAO across the globe. Since the formal establishment of the organization in 2016, InciSioN has grown to unite over 5000 members in over 75 countries and 31 formally established National Working Groups across all world regions. Through a system of virtual internships, members of the network have contributed to the World Development Indicators surgical data collection 2016 for the World Bank. InciSioN has created the standardized capacity-building curriculum Training Global Surgery Advocates, and established the annual Global Surgery Day on May, 25th as a global awareness day on surgical care around the world. The rapid global expansion of the organization and its increasingly loud voice in the worldwide global surgery discourse highlight the importance of including the future of the OR in global health discussions and shifting existing short-term paradigms to more sustainable, long-term thinking.

Virtual internships in blended environments to prepare preservice teachers for the professional teaching context

AbstractThis study investigated to what extent virtual internships in teacher education were able to reduce Preservice Teachers’ (PSTs) professional anxiety. Simultaneously, this study investigated how virtual internships in blended learning environments were evaluated by PSTs in terms of technological, social and educational affordances. PSTs followed virtual internships during two different Educational Pedagogy Master’s courses (27 and 16 participants) in a teacher education programme. A mixed methods design was employed, consisting of pre‐ and post‐test questionnaires, a focus group interview and individual interviews. A significant decrease was found in PSTs’ professional anxiety after having followed Virtual Internship 2. PSTs reported they obtained a more realistic image of teaching and felt better prepared for teaching in practice. Furthermore, regarding technological affordances, system usability was considered between acceptable and good. Concerning social affordances, PSTs appreciated collaboration within the virtual internships. As an educational affordance, it appeared that learning from videos with authentic classroom events is a good preparation for the professional teaching context. According to the PSTs, the scenarios within virtual internships could be improved in terms of authenticity and personalisation by offering more details and background information. The results of this study imply that virtual internships can be useful assets for teacher education.

Supporting Project-Based Learning Through the Virtual Internship Author (VIA)

Researchers suggest that solving ill-structured problems using project-based learning approaches is one way to engender STEM learning outcomes. However, project based learning poses unique challenges in practice, including the translation of technical information, design of scenarios, facilitation of instruction, and management of student collaborations. This process is often time-consuming and inefficient for teachers. To address this issue, virtual internship author is a learning environment designed to support the design, development, and facilitation of STEM based project-based implementations. Specifically, the software is designed to scaffold (a) the instructional design process and (b) the facilitation of project-based learning. The software thus supports multiple stakeholders required for a successful project-based learning initiative, such as subject-matter experts, teachers, and students. Furthermore, the software employs unique strategies, including pre-scripted feedback, conversational agents, and latent semantic analysis to scaffold open-ended discourse during collaborative problem solving. Implications for practice are also discussed.

The Nature of Relationships in e-Internships: A Matter of the Psychological Contract, Communication and Relational Investment

Virtual internships (or e-internships) represent unique transitional and temporary learning experiences that have not been studied widely. Using 18 interviews conducted with interns and internship providers, the authors explored the extent to which psychological contracts appear to emerge and operate within this computer-mediated context. The results were d using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that while e-internships are temporary and hence transitional, they are not inevitably transactional. Relational and balanced contract characteristics are not necessarily uncommon in e-internships when these feature supervisory engagement and commitment to the e-internship as well as the customized use of technology to interact, monitor, and engage with interns.

RETRACTED: Project-based learning in a virtual internship programme: A study of the interrelated roles between intern, mentor and client

The purpose of this study was to analyse how the interrelationships of interns, clients and mentors lead to success in a project-based learning design virtual internship program. Interns from eleven different university programmes were asked to apply their academic experiences in constructing real projects for clients using a virtual environment while under the supervision of mentors. Data included completed intern projects, intern journals, and mentor and client evaluations. Data were collected over five cohorts, from forty-two cases, six of which are highlighted in this study. Programme design, mentor and client training, and intern performance, are considered. Findings demonstrate that interrelated roles evolve during the virtual internship and project success is related to the co-construction of knowledge between the intern, mentor and client. The study of the functions of these roles leads to implications for the design, development and implementation of a successful virtual internship programme. PBL virtual internships support interrelated roles between intern, mentor and client.Project success is related to the connection between the roles.Co-construction of knowledge is supported through interrelationships.Attributes of related roles are found in successful project teams.

Design and Development of a Learning Design Virtual Internship Program

<p class="1">Incorporation of practical experience in learning design and technology education has long been accepted as an important step in the developmental process of future learning designers. The proliferation of adult online education has increased the number of graduate students who are in need of a practical internship placement but have limited options due to work and family obligations. An international virtual internship program provides opportunity for non-traditional students to participate in a practical experience regardless of their physical location and other obstacles.</p>

Virtually Ready? Pre-service teachers' perceptions of a virtual internship experience

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of six secondary pre-service teachers that completed a semester long internship with a supervising mentor at a virtual school in the Southeastern United States. The secondary pre-service teachers in this study voluntarily chose a placement in the virtual school over a traditional classroom placement for completion of their initial licensure field experience. This study sought to examine why secondary pre-service teachers chose a virtual internship and what their experiences were like as online instructors. A total of six participants completed a sixty-minute semi-structured interview at the completion of the semester long virtual school internship. Results of the study indicated that secondary pre-service teachers' primary motivation for entering a virtual internship experience was "œconvenience". Additionally, participants felt prepared for future employment in virtual schools, but had some reservations about their prospects in a traditional classroom setting.

How to run successful e-internships: a case for organizational learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline unique learning experience that virtual/e-internships can offer small and medium-sized enterprises and start-up organizations. Design/methodology/approach The authors interviewed 18 experts on e-internships (interns and managers of internships) across several countries to learn more about the learning experiences for both organizations and interns. The information from these interviews was also used to formulate a number of recommendations. Findings The interviews outlined the various development opportunities that e-internships may produce for interns, managers and staff within these organizations. One important benefit pertains to the skill development of both interns and managers. The interns get unique working experiences that also benefit the organizations in terms of their creativity, input and feedback. In return, managers get a unique learning experience that helps them expand their project management skills, interpersonal skills and mentoring. Practical implications The authors outline a number of recommendations that consider skill development, the benefit of diversity in numerous forms as well as mutual benefits for enterprises and start-ups. Originality/value The discussion of the various benefits and conditions under which virtual internships will succeed in organizations provides practitioners an insight into the organizational opportunities available to them given the right investment into e-interns and internship schemes.

Going global in small steps: E-internships in SMEs

Technological developments over the last thirty years increasingly shaped the means by which we recruit, select and appraise employees. Today, technology supports more flexible and geographically dispersed working modes: From teleworkers, to virtual workers, to e-interns (also known as virtual interns). The current article describes how developments in e-HRM and changes in employment forms contribute to the development and increasing popularity of e-internships (better known as virtual internships) amongst small and medium-sized enterprises. In this paper, we reflect on the rise of e-internships across different countries and relate this to e-HRM and technological advances. We explore the opportunities and challenges. These include developing effective global talent and knowledge management practices, managing diversity as well as intellectual and social capital. We furthermore link the employment of e-internship practices to strategic organizational goals and learning. In the final section, we also critically reflect on the high investment required for e-internships to succeed. The discussion on e-internships is set in the literature on e-HRM, virtual teams and knowledge management, which is furthermore supported by interviews conducted with e-interns or internship managers. Keywords: e-internships, virtual internships, computer-mediated communication