Student learning opportunities in traditional and computer-mediated internships

Abstract

Access to the full text of the published version may require a subscription. Rights Student learning opportunities in traditional and computer-mediated internshipsLeopold Bayerlein & Debora Jeske AbstractPurpose: This paper provides a student learning outcome focused assessment of the benefits and limitations of traditional internships, e-internships, and simulated internships to evaluate the potential of computer mediated internships (e-internships and simulated internships) within higher education from a student perspective. Design:The paper undertakes a systematic conceptually based assessment of the extent to which computer mediated internships are able to replicate the cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes of traditional internships. In addition, the key limitations of traditional internships from a student perspective are identified, and the potential ability of computer mediated internships to address these limitations is assessed. Findings:The findings of this paper highlight that computer mediated internships are able to replicate most of the benefits of traditional internships, whilst concurrently addressing many of their limitations. However, the current paper also identifies a number of important limitations for student learning in computer mediated internships, and provides advice that aims to assist students in maximising their learning outcomes in these situations. Originality/value:The paper is the first to provide a systematic student learning outcome focused comparison of traditional internships and computer mediated internships. In addition, the paper establishes the high potential of simulated internships for student learning in higher education, and provides students, higher education providers and researcher with learning outcome focused criteria sets that enable the empirical evaluation of computer mediated internships in future research.

Developing skills in higher education for post-pandemic work

“…While these challenges are similar to those experienced by employees in distributed work arrangements (Buffer Inc. 2020), digital WIL places the additional responsibility of learning on participants (Anderson 2020). Before the pandemic, these requirements were regarded as a limiting factor for the largescale adoption of digital WIL (Bayerlein and Jeske 2018b). It has now become clear that post-pandemic white-collar workplaces are likely to require similar skills (Buffer Inc. 2020).…”

“…The pandemic's impact on this knowledge area is likely to be relatively small because the basic attitudes and values that underpin a workplace, occupation or industry, such as ethical behaviour and client-centric problem-solving, are unlikely to have changed. However, the pandemic has created additional barriers for new workplace entrants because affective knowledge is normally developed through the opportunistic and/or incidental learning opportunities (Candy and Crebert 1991) that arise from interacting with experienced members of a workplace (Bayerlein and Jeske 2018b). Within the digitally based post-pandemic white-collar workplace, the extensive peerinteractions that are necessary to negotiate, implement and develop positive workplace culture and behaviours are likely to be largely absent.…”

“…If used well, the integration of digital WIL into higher education curricula has the potential to be transformative for students, employers and higher education providers. Even in the unlikely event that post-pandemic whitecollar workplaces will -over time -return to their pre-pandemic form, digital WIL is highly effective in developing numerous critical workplace skills in traditional work environments (Bayerlein and Jeske 2018b).…”

The impacts and success factors of a work-from-home service-learning internship during COVID-19

“…public or private organisations in which students work for the most part off-site and on flexible hours, herewith utilising generic and/or specific information and communication technology" (van Dorp, 2008, p. 4). Although the terms "remote internship" and "virtual/e-internship" have been used interchangeably, virtual/e-internships are mainly partially or fully computermediated internships that are provided by an employer or institution to candidates (Bayerlein and Jeske, 2018), and some virtual/e-internships in fact involve some in-person or on-site contact. In this paper, we emphasise the "remote" or "off-site" component of remote WFH internships as a differentiating characteristic in highlighting the requirement of forced social distancing measures in the current pandemic situation imposed by COVID-19.…”

Seeking diversity? Consider virtual internships

“…A particularly interesting e-HR-derived opportunity includes virtual internships. These usually computer-mediated internships initially appeared 10 years ago, and have since become more popular and widespread Axtell, 2013, 2016;Bayerlein and Jeske, 2018a). Virtual internships (or e-internships) are one form of computer-mediated internships (Jeske and Axtell, 2018).…”