4.1 Online internships: a successful model  (Page 4/5)

Because the internship instructor will most likely be hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away, it is critical that frequent and engaging interactions transpire between the instructor and the site supervisor. A trust and rapport have to be developed and maintained throughout the internship process. The site supervisor must be willing to critically and accurately assess the progress and performance of the intern. Conversely, the internship instructor must trust what the site supervisor is reporting and counsel the intern accordingly. This type of communication is vital to the intern’s success.

Demonstration. It is essential that the intern demonstrate their readiness to enter an administrative position by having gained entry level competency in the areas set forth in the national and state standards (CCSSO, 2008; State of Minnesota Statutes, 2006; Arizona State Board of Education, 2008). With the advent of new technologies has come a variety of ways to present material over great distances. In the case of Capella, the creation of an ePortfolio is required of candidates. The Capella ePortfolio is proprietary; however, there are multiple software programs and options on the World Wide Web that make the creation of an electronic portfolio practical and simple. By creating the electronic portfolio, the candidate can enter everything in one place and share it with both the site supervisor and the internship instructor without the added inconvenience of assembling and mailing a hard copy. The ePortfolio review is ongoing in an effort to avoid surprises at the conclusion of the internship, and to redirect the candidate at the point of confusion in the process.

Internship supervisor. Proper supervision of the candidate is essential to proper training. As such, Capella internship supervisors are former or practicing principals and superintendents with proven leadership skills. Their role as internship supervisor is to use a variety of strategies and best practices that they have used in their P-12 setting. This approach is used during the conferences that are held throughout the internship, as a means for enhancing the candidate’s critical thinking skills necessary for school leadership.

Organization. Key to the success of the online internship is the organization of the three team members. While this may seem like an obvious point, it cannot be over emphasized. While the major onus is on the candidate, the site supervisor and internship instructor must maintain records to ensure the candidate meets outcomes of the program. The candidate is responsible for constructing the portfolio, maintaining a log and/or a blog, and keeping the communication flow moving between themselves and the instructor and supervisor. Record keeping by all three is paramount to ensure an accurate accounting of the experience.

Planning. The internship plan is a critical component to the internship. It is at this point that the knowledge gained through the program’s course work is applied in the field. “Field experiences and internships that connect the academic study of school leadership to the problems of improving schools and that provide opportunities for aspiring principals to work with skillful mentors don’t happen by chance” (Fry&O'Neill, 2006, p. 58).