4.1 Online internships: a successful model  (Page 2/5)

This paper will discuss one component of the administrative certification program: the administrative internship. “As much as 15 years ago, internship experiences in leadership preparation were the focus of significant research on competency development, supervision, and mentoring. In recent years, internships and field experiences have become a more extensive part of many programs…” (Orr, 2006, p. 496). The internship has specifically come under criticism for its lack of relevance and connection to the rest of the administrative preparation program. “At most institutions, internships are disconnected from course work and do not provide ongoing, in-school translation of key concepts and strategies or opportunities to apply new knowledge to solving real-world problems and improving school and classroom practice” (Fry&O'Neill, 2006, p. 58).

Background

Capella University, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is an online postsecondary institution that serves over 28,000 undergraduate and graduate learners. Founded in 1993, Capella is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). Capella is comprised of eight schools: business, information technology, education, human services, public health, public safety, and psychology, as well as bachelor's degree programs in the fields of business, information technology, and public safety. Over 80% of Capella’s learners are in a graduate program.

The Capella School of Education offers programs leading to a Masters, Education Specialist, Doctorate of Education, or Doctorate of Philosophy in Education. The Leadership in Educational Administration (LEA) specialization, the largest program in the School of Education, serves graduate learners striving for administrative licensure. The Capella administrative certification programs are approved in Arizona and Minnesota (Arizona State Board of Education, 2008;&State of Minnesota Statutes, 2006), with licensure offered for superintendents, principals, and directors of special education. The School of Education is currently preparing for its initial visit from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Program

The administrative internship is a two quarter experience modeled most closely after the requirements for the State of Minnesota. The internship serves as a demonstration of what was learned in the course work and provides the opportunity to apply academic learning to real-world situations in the form of field experiences. It also allows the candidate to sharpen and refine the professional skills that they acquired as a result of the knowledge and experiences gained from completing course discussions and assignments.

Candidates are enrolled in a course and participate in an online course room (WebCT/Blackboard format) with an instructor and an average of 15 participants. Candidates in the specialist and doctorate programs are required to log a minimum of 320 field experience hours over a six month period and/or two quarters, and masters degree programs are required to log a total of 250 over the same period of time. Further, per the requirements in the state of Minnesota (State of Minnesota Statutes, 2006), candidates must prepare a portfolio demonstrating entry level competency in a variety of areas. The internship reflects Capella University's seven specialization outcomes and corresponding sub-competencies for principals. These outcomes and sub-competencies represent the best nationally recognized and respected professional standards for school administrators, including the Technology Standards for School Leaders, the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) and Minnesota's Principal Competencies. In Arizona, the goal of the internship is to provide significant opportunities for candidates to synthesize and apply knowledge and to practice and develop the skills identified in national leadership standards (i.e., CCSSO, 2008) as measured by substantial, sustained work in real settings, planned and guided cooperatively by university and school district personnel (Arizona State Board of Education, 2008, p. 4).