Exploring Student Perceptions Of Their Learning Through Flexible Internships

Abstract

The Covid pandemic has required a more flexible delivery of student internships, but how do international students think about what they have learned from their internship experience? This article follows a mixed-mode pragmatic approach to explore student perceptions of internship as a form of experiential learning. The views of a cohort of applied management undergraduates were investigated soon after the completion of different types of internships: company placement, offshore, blended and student-run Green Office projects. Surveys and focus groups were used to gain insight into students’ motivation as interns, what they felt they achieved and the capabilities they valued the most, as compared to earlier research into the perceptions of business employers. Findings indicate that, as with employers, verbal communication, teamwork and problem-solving are among the most valued capabilities. More surprising, however, is the learners’ regard for independence, responsibility and ethics. While these can be interpreted in various ways, the effect of the Covid pandemic on workplaces and practices casts a new light on the students’ perception of their internship experience. Meanwhile, the most striking difference between the student groups was the high level of awareness and commitment of Green Office interns. These findings suggest the following improvements: more attention to student perceptions in the flexible delivery of internships; re-evaluating the expectations of stakeholders; the further development of Green Office to engage students, provide powerful internship experiences and develop self-efficacy beliefs that will promote sustainable approaches for a better future.