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

Self Assessment . In addition to the internship instructor’s assessment, the candidates also self-assess their knowledge, skills, and demonstrated proficiency of the specialization outcomes and sub-competencies. The pre-internship self-assessment provides the candidate with an opportunity to reflect upon their understanding of the specialization outcomes and sub-competencies, and to analyze their understanding and abilities within each one. The ultimate goal of the pre-internship self-assessment is to identify areas within the portfolio that need to be strengthened, and then use the internship hours to fill these gaps with new artifacts and demonstration of skills. At the completion of the internship, a final self-assessment will be completed to ensure competencies have been addressed and mastery will be demonstrated that presents a strong representation of applicable abilities, knowledge, and skills for each of the specialization outcomes.

Conclusion

As more and more institutions of higher education deliver courses and programs through distance learning, it will become increasingly important for them to have a clear understanding of how to adapt to a new delivery system. While the old cliché think outside the box would seem to apply here, it may be more appropriate to lose the box all together. Frequently, we are prisoners of our own inability to embrace inevitable change. “As inescapable as change is in today’s world, we still hope that change will avoid us personally and professionally” (Hall&Hord, 2005, p. 3). Yet, based on reoccurring trends and changes in education, educators cannot be so optimistic. Therefore, it is imperative that the schools of education and educational leadership programs prepare themselves for the changes that will occur.

Delivering administrative internship programs through distance education, and specifically in an online venue, may not be inevitable for every educational leadership program; however, what is inevitable is that we will no longer be able to conduct business as usual. Multiple reports call into question the effectiveness and credibility of many educational leadership programs throughout the United States. Something must change.

Principal preparation programs, and specifically administrative internship programs, have been taken to task for not connecting content gained in course work to practical application in the field. As increased demands for new and dynamic school leadership emerge, administrative preparation programs must equip the next generation of school leaders with the skills necessary to lead schools in a rapidly changing global society.

This paper has presented on online university’s effort to embrace that change. By offering state approved licensure programs in educational administration, including the internship, Capella University has attempted to eliminate the box. The internship program is designed using the latest national standards with the needs of tomorrow’s schools in mind. The commitment is to develop competent and dynamic leaders to lead those schools. By implementing a series of best practices that are based on current state and national standards, and by implementing a thorough and comprehensive planning and assessment program for the internship, Capella University has taken seriously the need to connect class room instruction and academic knowledge to the application of leading schools in the 21 ^st Century. Further, by offering this program in an online delivery system, Capella has embraced new and emerging technologies and provided a model for both its graduates and other institutions of higher education.

References

Arizona State Board of Education. (2008). Statewide framework for internship programs for school leaders . Phoenix, AZ.

Collison, G., Elbaum, B., Haavind, S.,&Tinker, R. (2000). Facilitating online learning: Effective strategies for moderators . Madison, WI: Atwood.

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). (2008). Educational leadership policy standards: ISLLC 2008 as adopted by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.ccsso.org/publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=365

Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., Meyerson, D., Orr, M. T.,&Cohen, C. (2007). Preparing school leaders for a changing world: Lessons from exemplary leadership development programs . Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University.

Davis, S., Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M.,&Meyerson, D. (2005). School leadership study: Developing successful principals. CA: Stanford Educational Leadership Institute.

Fry, B., Bottoms, G.,&O'Neill, K. (2005). The principal internship: How can we get it right leadership initiative . Atlanta, GA: Southern Regional Education Board.

Fry, B.,&O'Neill, K. (2006). Schools can't wait: Accelerating the redesign of university principal preparation programs . Leadership Preparation Initiative. Atlanta, GA: Southern Regional Education Board.

Hall, G. E.,&Hord, S. M. (2005). Implementing change: Patterns, principles and potholes (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn&Bacon.

Ko, S.,&Rossen, S. (2003). Teaching online: A practical guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Marx, G. (2006). Sixteen trends, their profound impact on our future: Implications for students, education, communities, countries, and the whole of society . Alexandria, VA: Educational Research Service.

Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M.,&Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence based practices on online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning systems . Washington, DC: US Department of Education.

Orr, M. T. (2006). Mapping innovation in leadership preparation programs in our nation's schools of education. Phi Delta Kappan , 86 (7), 492-499.

State of Minnesota Statutes. (2006). Licensure of school personnel. Office of the Revisor of Statutes, 3512.0100 to 3512.0800.

Sutton, C. M., Jobe, M. P., McCord, R. S., Jordon, T.,&Jordon, K. F. (2008). 2007 State of the superintendency mini-survey: Aspiring to the superintendency . Arlington, VA: AASA Center for System Leadership.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2009). Distance education at degree-granting postsecondary institutions: 2006-07 . Washington, DC: Author.

Walling, D. R. (Ed.). (2003). Virtual schooling : Issues in the development of e - learning policy . Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Wilmore, E. L.,&Bratlien, M. J. (2005). Mentoring and tutoring within administrative internship programs in American universities. Mentoring and Tutoring , 13 (1), 23-37.