Ten simple rules for running and managing virtual internships

Werner, Johannes; Jeske, Debora

doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008599

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(18 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In other words, although the interns in past summers were in-person at the state agencies, they participated in a nationwide leadership and mentoring program which connected them remotely to the other interns placed at agencies across the nation, and to the learning and support provided by the internship leadership across several universities. We were fortunate that our model also had several program elements in place that aligned with best practices for distance education and virtual internships (Kachra & Brown, 2020 ; Roddy et al, 2017 ; Werner & Jeske, 2021 ): well-developed state/agency projects carefully developed by the internship staff in conjunction with the state preceptors; synchronous engagement of interns with the internship faculty and each other before, during and after the internship; identification and continuous monitoring of learning goals; celebration of learning and project outcomes; expectations of and support for collaborative and proactive communication; and, perhaps most significantly, connecting student interns within and across state projects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning from Graduate and Undergraduate Public Health Virtual Internship Experiences with State Title V Agencies During COVID-19, Summer 2020

Handler

Greenleaf

Bozlak

et al. 2021

Matern Child Health J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Since summer 2014, the National MCH Workforce Development Center has placed students from MCH public health graduate (Centers of Excellence and Catalyst) and undergraduate (MCH Pipeline) programs, all funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, in summer internships with state and territorial Title V agencies. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Title V MCH Internship Program was offered virtually. Participants and Methods This manuscript includes quantitative and qualitative data from 2017 to 2020 generated by both Title V MCH Internship student interns (n = 76) and their preceptors (n = 40) with a focus on a comparison between the 2020 virtual year and the 2017–2019 years. Results Evaluation data from the 2017 to 2020 Title V MCH Internship Program from both students and preceptors revealed the implementation of a robust and successful internship program in which students increased their confidence in a variety of team, mentorship, and leadership skills while gaining direct exposure to the daily work of state Title V agencies. However, students and preceptors identified more challenges during 2020 compared to previous years. Conclusions The COVID-19 Pandemic was both a disruption and a catalyst for change in education. While there were clearly some challenges with the pivot to a virtual Title V MCH Internship Program in summer 2020, students were able to participate in meaningful internship experiences. This success can be attributed to the ability of the internship sponsor to engage in best practices, including extensive planning and provision of ongoing support to the students. Going forward, it is recognized that virtual internships may facilitate access to agencies in distant locales, eliminating issues related to housing and transportation. When both virtual and in-person relationships are available, those responsible for internship programs, including the Title V MCH Internship, will need to weigh these type of benefits against the potential missed opportunities students may have when not able to participate in on-site experiences.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning from Graduate and Undergraduate Public Health Virtual Internship Experiences with State Title V Agencies During COVID-19, Summer 2020

Handler

Greenleaf

Bozlak

et al. 2021

Matern Child Health J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Clarify the instructions and expectations for interns at the start of programs and provide an overview of the sponsoring company's culture, rules, and practices so that they can learn how to excel in their roles and what is expected of them (Bowen, 2020;Werner & Jeske, 2021).…”

Section: Limited Work Productivity (Weakness)mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Strategic Evaluation of Educational Continuity for Accessibility During Uncertainty in an Educational Practicum

Nicho,

Fakhry,

Bataineh

et al. 2024

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Students from economically disadvantaged nations (EDN) face significant challenges in accessing high-quality education and securing global internships due to inadequate resources, funding, and infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the potential of online platforms for providing accessible, remote education and internship opportunities, aligning with UNESCO's sustainability education objectives. Using the SWOT analysis tool within the context of the experiential learning-driven integrated reflective cycle model (IRC), the research compares onsite and online internship types in higher education to identify areas where interventions can be applied to enhance the online internship experience. The study analyzed 42 interns, both on-site (OSIs) and online (ONIs), to evaluate the constructs of 'experience,' 'action,' 'preparation,' and 'theory”. The findings suggest that OSIs have weaknesses such as poor goal planning, a lack of awareness of relevance, and low communication confidence, while ONIs include a lack of exposure to teamwork and in-person experiences.

show abstract

“…As remote work becomes more common, offering online internships acquaints interns with online communication tools, collaborative techniques, and norms associated with remote work. This will help industries to introduce the remote working culture to future employees (Perkins, & Irwin, 2023;Werner & Jeske, 2021).…”

Section: Internship Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evaluation of Internship in the Digital Information Age

Fakhry,

Nicho,

Bataineh

et al. 2023

International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study evaluates the merits and challenges associated with onsite and online internships, focusing on their impact on objective achievement, intern-industry interaction, interdisciplinary learning, and globalization through the four-I's framework: intentional, interconnected, interdisciplinary, and international. By comparing the experiences of 21 students engaged in eight-week onsite programs alongside 21 online interns, the study finds that online internships offer flexibility and global accessibility, enhancing international skills. However, they score lower in intentionality, interactivity, and interdisciplinary learning. In contrast, onsite internships excel in providing hands-on experiences, real-time observation, teamwork, and the development of interdisciplinary skills development, albeit underutilizing international dimensions. Future investigations could explore how technological advancements like augmented reality and virtual reality might enhance online internships. Additionally, it could examine how digital tools and social media platforms could facilitate interaction among online interns, mentors, and host companies within the evolving internship landscape.

show abstract

Ten simple rules for running and managing virtual internships

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Learning from Graduate and Undergraduate Public Health Virtual Internship Experiences with State Title V Agencies During COVID-19, Summer 2020

Learning from Graduate and Undergraduate Public Health Virtual Internship Experiences with State Title V Agencies During COVID-19, Summer 2020

A Strategic Evaluation of Educational Continuity for Accessibility During Uncertainty in an Educational Practicum

The Evaluation of Internship in the Digital Information Age

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About