By the Numbers: 2022-2023 Internship Survey Results

With the conclusion of the summer sessions, the annual internship survey for 2022-2023 is complete and the results are available. The Internship Survey is one of five assessment measures conducted by the college. The internship survey is an indirect measure of student learning as it asks students and supervisors to self-report their understanding.

The survey is administered each term to students pursuing internships for credit and their supervisors. Below are the results for the 2022-2023 survey for both students and supervisors.

Student Survey

The student internship survey was administered to 24 students: 12 in the fall, seven in the spring and five in the summer. Students were asked to rate how often they were able to demonstrate the 10 ACEJMC learning outcomes during their internship. They were asked to rate on a scale of Always/Most Often (A), Often (O), Sometimes (S) and Rarely (R). Those who didn’t answer are shown as DA. The result of their assessment is as follows: 

Supervisor Survey

The supervisor internship survey was administered to 19 supervisors: nine in the fall, five in the spring and five in the summer. Supervisors were asked to rate how often the students were able to demonstrate the 10 ACEJMC learning outcomes during their internship. They were asked to rate on a scale of Always/Most Often (A), Often (O), Sometimes (S) and Rarely (R). Those who didn’t answer are shown as DA. The result of their assessment is as follows:

Combined Summary

To compare the supervisors' responses to the students, we can look at the proportion of students who answered almost always or often to the proportion of the supervisor's responses for each learning outcome. 

Overall, the students expressed greater confidence in their abilities than the supervisors did. Both groups thought the students could almost always or often demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

• Outcome 2: Understand the role of profession in society
• Outcome 3: Respect colleagues from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Outcome 4: Present data, text and images in a professional manner
• Outcome 6: Practice professional and ethical principles

Areas for examination:

Outcome 7: Conducts research and evaluates information
Only 78.9% of supervisor responses supported the notion that interns could always or often demonstrate this learning outcome. However, 100% of students reported that they can always or often demonstrate this outcome. The addition of a required research course in each major (approved in 2022-2023) should address this concern.

Outcome 8: Understands and applies basic numeric and statistical concepts
Only 83.3% of students and 78.9% of supervisors believed that interns could always or often demonstrate this learning outcome. This area may need further examination to increase the proportion of students who can demonstrate this competency.

Outcome 9: Critically evaluates their own work and that of others to ensure quality of work
While students were confident in their ability to demonstrate this outcome (100%), supervisors were less convinced. Only 78.9% of supervisors reported that interns could always or often demonstrate this.

Outcome 1: Understands and applies First Amendment principles
Only 79.2% of students and 84.2% of supervisors reported that interns could always or often demonstrate this learning outcome. In 2022-2023, Professors Matt Waite and Sharon Baldinelli made revisions to JOMC 101 Principles of Mass Media to further support student learning about First Amendment Principles. 

Additional Employer Feedback

In addition to the ACEJMC learning outcomes, the survey asks employers for feedback on the student’s overall preparation for professional work. The survey asks students to rate students on a scale of Excellent (E), Above Average (A), Satisfactory (S) or Needs Improvement (N). 

Their feedback suggests that, overall, employers are pleased with students’ performance. However, students could improve on the quality and quantity of work, completion of assignments, taking initiative and responding appropriately to criticism.

Additionally, the survey asks employers to provide feedback on students’ strengths and weaknesses and make suggestions for improvements to the curriculum.

What would you consider to be this student’s greatest strength? 

Communication and Learning:

• Great writing and communication skills.
• Networking, communication, punctuality.
• Kindness and communication.
• Very quick learner. Problem solver, a great communicator, and always gives 100%.
• Smart, resourceful and easy to work with. Always asking questions and trying to learn new things.
• Initiative to solve problems and figure out new situations.
• Eagerness to learn.
• Empathy, understanding others' needs.

Self-Improvement and Adaptability:

• Can take little direction and exceed the expectation on any task. Great desire for self-improvement, both professionally and personally.
• Work ethic, learning capacity, and attention to detail in the quality of her work.

Quality and Attention to Detail:

• Strong writer.
• Attention to detail and presentation skills (including use of Canvas and Presi).
• Work ethic, learning capacity, and attention to detail in the quality of her work.

Value and Contribution:

• Smart, resourceful and easy to work with. Always asking questions and trying to learn new things. Provided a lot of value in his skillset as an intern.

Multitasking and Time Management:

• Ability to juggle multiple jobs at one time.

What would you consider to be this student’s greatest weaknesses?

Learning and Adaptability:

• Minor grammatical issues that could be cleaned up. Willingness to learn and accept feedback.
• Could have done better at using the resources available to help solve user's issues rather than asking peers for help.
• The biggest thing is experience. Needs more time performing the functions of his role to gain experience.
• Focusing on taking time to dive deep into the creative process instead of being eager to produce something fast.
• Keep speaking up with creative problem-solving thoughts. Practice, practice, practice.
• Working behind the scenes and learning more of the planning principles behind events. Make opportunities to get behind a camera to get more and more comfortable with settings, lenses, lighting setups, and the rationale for different practical uses in each scenario.
• Has undertaken numerous roles and responsibilities, both within this internship and elsewhere. This, at times, can make it difficult for them to focus on the task right in front of them, and they need to be refocused on what we are doing at that moment.
• Be a self-starter.

Communication and Leadership:

• Room to improve vocal leadership qualities. Great job leading by example, but could be more vocal and direct in some situations.
• Seemed somewhat hesitant to pitch their own story ideas.
• Quality of work and better communication at times when something isn't clear.
• Response time to email communications - remembering to check or refresh emails regularly when working between multiple Outlook folders.
• Could be more "outgoing" and personable. Does what is asked but sometimes not to the expected standard, but this was also a very different experience and job in an industry that he had no experience in before. There weren't many times that he asked what else he could do or took the initiative to look for things that could be getting done.
• Needs to slow down when writing! Double-checking grammar and spacing was needed.

Focus and Time Management:

• Could have done better at using the resources available to help solve user's issues rather than asking peers for help.
• Focusing on taking time to dive deep into the creative process instead of being eager to produce something fast.
• Response time to email communications - remembering to check or refresh emails regularly when working between multiple Outlook folders.
• Has undertaken numerous roles and responsibilities, both within this internship and elsewhere. This, at times, can make it difficult for them to focus on the task right in front of them, and they need to be refocused on what we are doing at that moment.

Skill Development and Improvement:

• Could have done better at using the resources available to help solve user's issues rather than asking peers for help.
• Be a self-starter.

Experience and Expertise:

• The biggest thing is experience. Needs more time performing the functions of his role to gain experience.
• Working behind the scenes and learning more of the planning principles behind events. Make opportunities to get behind a camera to get more and more comfortable with settings, lenses, lighting setups, and the rationale for different practical uses in each scenario.
• Could be more "outgoing" and personable. Does what is asked but sometimes not to the expected standard, but this was also a very different experience and job in an industry that he had no experience in before. There weren't many times that he asked what else he could do or took the initiative to look for things that could be getting done.

From what you can tell of this student's educational background by his/her ability to succeed in your internships, please indicate any suggestions you would make to our faculty for areas to strengthen in preparing students for the work force.

Enhancing Practical Skills:

• More practical application in camera equipment and software.
• More hands-on experience on-set, using cameras and lenses, getting to be a grip and working with lighting gear, and using different microphones and learning audio engineering more in-depth. Sometimes a classroom setting can be tough to curate these experiences, but it seems like more hands-on class projects and access to studio-type environments might be really helpful for students to have as a resource.
• A better understanding of paid media and analytics.

Storytelling and Reporting Skills:

• I think there needs to be an understanding that we expect reporters to be coming up with their own story ideas.

Software and Technical Proficiency:

• Finding some way to make the Adobe workshop classes more work-like may be helpful. Most of the COJMC interns we have don't realize they have skills with Adobe until they ask me questions about it, and I kind of ask it back to them. They know the answer but have mentally locked it away as only for the class and not usable elsewhere.
• Being well-versed in Microsoft Suite products, specifically Excel.
• I would suggest Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel training.

Interpersonal and Professional Skills:

• Emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills in any professional setting and the importance of having a "go-getter" personality.