Following is a summary of the most commonly used methods of academic documentation. Of these, only the "Daily/Weekly Journal or Log" is exempt from academic scholarship.
These academic documentation options and methods should prepare you to present a quality Learning Agreement to your faculty sponsor. Be sure you remain open to their suggestions and recommendations. They are your authority on your career field and this internship. Benefit from their perspectives and wisdom, and remember, as the academic sponsor, they have the final authority on your Learning Plan.
Jump to: Daily / Weekly Journal or Log | Progress Reports | Assigned Readings and Annotated Bibliography | Portfolio Development and Presentation | Internship Presentation | Term Paper or Research Report | Final Reflective Report
A daily journal or a weekly log of learning activities is a good way to track what you do and the benefit of your experiences. You can follow how you are progressing toward achieving your objectives. You can also notice if you are not moving toward your goals and make efforts to direct your work toward your objectives. You may also want to reflect on the topics listed under Final Reflective Report. You will find that responding to these things will make your journal or log a viable and interesting record of the daily learning and growth you have been experiencing. It will also make all of your academic documentation much easier at the end of the term.
You can use the following format:
| Date: | Date of entry/activity |
| Activity: | Description of what you did on this date |
| Who: |
Name of person(s) you worked with this day and the related activities |
| So What? | Reflect on what you have learned from this day's activities or from working with this person or these people. Check your learning agreement objectives, the topics for the final report or the other academic benchmarks to document the value of this day. |
Alternatively, you can use a format like this:
| Date |
Activity |
Who |
So What? |
| Today's Date | Describe the activity or activities you were involved in on this day. | Name of the person(s) you worked with. | Reflect on what you learned from this day's activities orfrom working with this person or these people. Check your learning agreement objectives, the topics for the final report, etc., to document the value of this day. |
Your faculty may have other formats they prefer. Any method you choose, these categories may help you in the documentation of your learning on a daily basis.
Realize that the people you work with are a great source for learning. You can learn workplace relationships, expectations, communication methods and skills, teamwork, positive and negative characteristics of work habits and interpersonal skills, and much more. Look analytically at the experience you have with the people you work with.
Your faculty sponsor may ask for a weekly progress report or just one report at midterm. Usually these are submitted electronically through e-mail. The method--oral, written or electronic--should be determined at the time the Learning Agreement is written. A progress report should summarize how well you are moving toward the achievement of your objectives. Include each of your objectives, even if there is one that you have not yet begun to achieve. If that is the case, explain how you will accomplish it and note the anticipated timeline for this portion of the experience. The progress report could also be an avenue to address any difficulties you may be having and solicit some guidance from your faculty.
Your faculty may contact your supervisor for their judgment on your progress and performance up to this point. This, too, should be determined at the time the Learning Agreement is written.
Your faculty sponsor may cite specific readings for you during your internship. You may also find professional publications available to you at your internship site. You should take advantage of the professional literature, newsletters, journals and other resources at your internship. Even if your faculty has not required it, plan to include an Annotated Bibliography in your academic submissions. You may want to consider the following when writing a review of your readings.
All should be done in a scholarly fashion including format, vocabulary and expression.
Your faculty may ask that you develop a professional portfolio or add to a portfolio you have already begun. Be sure you do this in a professional manner outlined by your faculty. Each "artifact" should have an explanation of what you learned from creating it and its value in representing your professional skills. At the close of the experience you will schedule a time to present your portfolio to your faculty sponsor, to a group of faculty or other professionals in the field, to other students in your major, or other appropriate audience.
Your faculty sponsor may ask that you present your internship experience as a whole to a group of faculty, other students or other audience. Talk with your faculty near the end of your experience about the criteria and content of this presentation. You must keep in mind that it must be professional in nature, regardless of the nature of the location or audience. Use audio/visual/technological equipment, documents and samples as appropriate for a fully professional presentation. You should dress as is typical of a professional in your field for this presentation. You may want to invite your supervisor or other co-workers to your presentation.
Your faculty sponsor or your employer supervisor can help decide a topic/subject for your paper/report. The research or topic should be an advantage to the employer as well as an academic experience. Your work assignment should be closely integrated in the project and be incorporated in your documentation with research statistics or in any manner that would be a significant contribution to your report/paper. You may partner with your faculty sponsor on a specific research endeavor that matches your internship.
You must write your report in a scholarly manner following the formal writing style appropriate for your field as instructed by your faculty sponsor. The length of the paper/report usually defined by the project itself and the formal report style used. You are encouraged to use tables, charts, graphs and illustrations as long as they are professional quality and clearly enhance the understanding of the information. The level of detail may be influenced by the expectations of your faculty sponsor and/or the number of credits for your internship course. This should be determined at the time the Learning Agreement is written or at least by midterm.
A Final Reflective Report is not the same as a Term Paper. A Term Paper is focused on a specific topic. A Reflective Report addresses many different aspects of your internship experience, including the initial Objectives.
Please respond to as many of the following topics as your faculty sponsor has indicated appropriate for your experience and your course credits. Your faculty may have additional points for you to address. Refer to these from time to time throughout your internship, especially as you record your experiences in your journal.
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