Student Name: Date: The last 3 pages of this agreement must be completed, signed, and returned to your PSU Internship Coordinator Learning Agreement Date Submitted: Contents of Learning Agreement Page Statement of Philosophy 2 Overview Learning Tasks 3 Learning Outcomes 3 Responsibilities: Intern 4 Site Supervisor Internship Instructor Grading 5 Agreement Participants: Student Information 6 Employer Information 6 Signatures 7 FALL 2016 Page 1
Statement of Philosophy for Internships You are about to take part in what many of your fellow students have described as the defining experience of their college education - the Internship! Congratulations and welcome to the world of Experiential Education - learning by doing. Because internships are designed and structured very differently from classroom academic experiences, we want to walk you through some of those differences so you can better appreciate the uniqueness of this kind of learning. From the employer's side Employers who take interns want to do a good job. Internship Instructors work closely with internship sites to help them "fit" the intern into the work environment and provide important advice on structuring the intern's work time with the employer. Our communication with you and your site supervisor is a distinguishing characteristic of the Plymouth State University internship experience. Not all employers can take interns. Some sites are too small and simply don't have appropriate workspace to accommodate another person. Sometimes an employer is so big that bringing on an intern creates so many administrative hurdles that it cannot be accomplished in time for the student's experience. All organizations realize when they accept an intern, it means taking time away from their job to teach the intern, to mentor their progress, and to function as an instructor would in the classroom. The time commitment required by site supervisors to do a good job at the internship is why some organizations may decline taking an intern on. They simply cannot spare the time. It's also why many employers who do take on interns do not pay them. They feel the time spent on training the intern (away from the organization s mission and goals) is an expenditure of considerable value. Internship site development can take considerable amounts of time communicating with employers about the possibilities for an internship, please plan accordingly! Nature of the Work The internship is designed to complement your major. Your placement is designed to apply in a real- world situation elements of your academic major. It is also an opportunity to test one of the many possible career opportunities available to graduates in your field. Your internship functions as an upper- level course in your major, you will also need to be aware that you are becoming part of the organization s staff and will be working on the their projects and assignments. These may or may not be the kind of work assignments you hope to take on in the future. Experiential education is about how you "fit" into the workplace, your management of interpersonal dynamics on- the- job, productivity, responsibility and quality - in any task you may be assigned. An intern will sometimes return from their experience having discovered that the career they intended to pursue after graduation was not what they had expected. Interestingly enough, these interns are happy to have learned this important lesson now before making a higher risk commitment to a full- time job after graduation. FALL 2016 Page 2
LEARNING OUTCOMES LEARNING OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, EVIDENCE OF COMPLETION The Learning Outcomes include statements of the learning objectives, specific strategies for accomplishing those objectives, and a description of the evidence of completion for each objective. Objectives are normally broader statements, while strategies describe very specific activities, projects. It is important that learning objectives, strategies, and evidence of completion, are appropriate, meaningful, and measurable. The descriptions of learning objectives, strategies, and evidence of completion provided below are written from the intern s perspective. The details of the Learning Outcomes are, however, developed and agreed to jointly by you the Intern, your site supervisor, and the PSU internship instructor. It represents the heart of the three- way agreement that is integral to the internship. This is the intern s opportunity to declare what they want to learn, how they intend to pursue it, and how they will know when they ve completed it. It is the Site Supervisor's and Internship Instructor s opportunity to document how the intern will meet their expectations. It forms the basis for academic and work assignments from which the intern will learn. It justifies getting academic credit for an internship, so it should be academically challenging. 1. Learning Objectives. Internship objectives are reasonable learning objectives to be accomplished during the course of the internship. They are to be specific and bold. These learning objectives will improve or develop skills, expand knowledge of a specific field or topic, apply or test a particular body of knowledge. They will help you validate a career interest and your own suitability for that career. Set specific objectives focused on knowledge, skills and abilities; personal/professional development; and career exploration. Add other categories you feel are relevant. 2. Strategies. Describe specific actions, processes, and work assignments that will allow you to illustrate how you plan to achieve each objective. Will you attend training sessions about the subject? Will you perform specific objectives or accomplish a specific project related to one or more of them? Will you read supplemental books, articles, and/or other materials that relate to them? Will you do a general industry and company- specific analysis? Do you plan to interview professionals in the field? 3. Evidence of Completion. Describe how your progress regarding each objective will be measured. How will you know and show others that you have achieved your learning objectives? Will you compile records of your activities or the outcomes of your activities throughout the internship (e.g. reports on activities performed, summaries of statistics collected and analyzed, tests from training sessions, other people s comments on your approach to work and/or your achievement of agreed- to objectives). Will the project you re working on be implemented or incorporated in something larger? Describe your final activities/projects for each objective. What are the deliverables (e.g. final reports, project briefings, project implementations, samples etc.)? FALL 2016 Page 3
Responsibilities of the Intern The intern's primary responsibility is to fulfill the agreed to expectations of the on- site supervisor and the internship instructor, respectively. Internship site expectations include (but are not limited to); professional language and behavior, appropriate dress for the work site environment, punctuality in arrival, department breaks, lunch hours and appropriate use of site materials and resources. Academic activities include those items outlined by the Internship Instructor which may include (but are not limited to) timely submission of an approved Learning Agreement and objectives, journal entries, supervisor evaluation, exit interview and final project. Additional responsibilities may include on- campus meetings, weekly contacts with Internship Instructor, portfolios, reading assignments, and completion of a post- internship evaluation. Responsibilities of the Site Supervisor The employer's responsibilities include designing and implementing an internship experience that will provide hands- on and reflective experiences related to the student's major. Additionally, the employer will provide ongoing feedback to the student, a mid- term evaluation, and provide for the safety and welfare of the student while engaged in this off- campus experience. The employer will be responsible for assigning the intern challenging tasks whenever possible (limit clerical and/or administrative tasks) allowing the student the maximum opportunity to use skills acquired, and providing the opportunity to exercise judgment in making decisions. Responsibilities of the Internship Instructor The PSU Internship Coordinator will provide site screening, assistance with program design and learning objectives, contact with both student intern and employer representatives during the internship, and in some cases, an on- site visitation. The Internship Instructor will monitor the progress of the student throughout the internship and act as a resource as required. The Internship Coordinator will debrief interns at the close of their experience, arrange for final project/presentation, exit interview, evaluation, and grading. FALL 2016 Page 4
GRADING ELEMENTS The Agreement 20 % WEIGHT CONSIDERATIONS Timely submission of completed agreement and learning goals Minimum of five learning objectives with each containing the following elements: objective, strategies and evidence of completion Specific, detailed and measurable Reflective Activity 30 % Requirements are fully delineated on the Journal Entry Scoring Rubric Mid- Visit Evaluation 15 % Final Presentation 15 % Exit Interview 20 % Demonstrate progress towards learning objectives Depth and degree of understanding of the organization Site Supervisor s assessment sent via on- line survey evaluative tool Organization of material, appropriate examples of your work, and level of detail Present the audience with a good sense of your work within the internship Overall quality of presentation Performance, including appearance, pace and timing, use of technology, entertain questions, eye contact, vocal quality and appropriate movement Ability to integrate academic and internship experience(s) and provide feedback to department faculty Acquire necessary equipment to visually record presentation Discuss final presentation Discuss final grade This meeting is required Grading Scale 94-100 = A 90-93 = A- 87-89 = B+ 83-86 = B 80-82 = B- 77-79 = C+ 73-76 = C 70-72 = C- 67-69 = D+ 63-66 = D 60-62 = D- Below 60 = F FALL 2016 Page 5
Student Contact Information Name PSU ID# Semester enrolled in internship Graduation month/year Local Address City State Zip Code Local Phone (or mobile) PSU e- mail Permanent Address City State Zip Code Permanent Phone Cell Phone Student address & phone while Interning (if different from above) If any of the above information changes, it is the student's responsibility to notify their PSU instructor. Employer Contact Information Site Supervisor's Name Title Organization Name Organization Address City State Zip Code Tel. number Fax number e- mail address FALL 2016 Page 6
It is the policy of Plymouth State University and the Center for Business & Community Partnerships that the student intern not be engaged in full- time career employment discussions with their Site Supervisor or representatives of the employer during the period in which they are enrolled in the internship course. This represents a potential serious conflict of interest and can create significant ethical and potential legal problems. Hours/Weekly Schedule: AGREEMENT Begin Date: Average Hours/ week: Mon.: Tues.: Wed.: Thurs.: Fri.: Sat.: Sun.: SIGNATURES The signatures of the parties appearing below agree to the conditions of this Learning Agreement as set forth in the previous pages. Student's signature: Site Supervisor: PSU Internship Instructor: Date: Date: Date: FALL 2016 Page 7