Perceptions and attitudes of school personnel towards educator externships. (The scholarship of teaching and learning).

Abstract

This research project was begun at the Delta Pi Epsilon Research Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1998. A five-member research team chose to investigate the value of educator externships. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions and attitudes of school personnel towards educator externships. Specifically, what effect the externship experience had on student workplace skills, teaching methodology, and course curriculum. A list of 285 educators was complied from data supplied by the coordinators of two School-to-Work consortiums that identified externs who had completed externships from 1995 to 1998. For purposes of this study, an externship is a cooperative agreement between an educator and a business or industry in which the educator will work for that business to gain work experience; then, transfer that work experience into teaching methods and curriculum. Participants in the study perceived that their externship experience had a positive effect on their school responsibilities, had an improvement on their teaching or school responsibilities, but had not impacted their teaching methods in the areas of test preparation, workbooks and exercises. Externs perceived increased knowledge of workplace skills as a result of their externship experiences.

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Teacher education preparation has become increasingly important as quoted by Lee Doyle, Director of Corporate Affairs for BellSouth, (1998) when he said "the most effective and productive investments we can make to build future capacity is to invest in teachers--especially when it comes to preparing students for the world of work (p.1)." He also stated, "The more work-related skills students learn in today's classrooms, the better prepared they will be to assume positions in tomorrow's workforce. But teachers can't teach what they haven't experienced and don't understand" (Doyle, 1998, p. 1). The case for focusing on teacher training is driven by new evidence that students' academic achievements are advanced by work-based learning experiences.

L. Allen Phelps (1998) stated that since many of today's teachers have lacked opportunities to understand the qualities and richness of learning outside of school, a substantial national effort is emerging to support educators' workplace learning. Since the enactment of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, educator externship programs have increased progressively across the nation. An "externship" is generally defined as an opportunity for educators to get hands-on experience working in businesses, industries, and service organizations in order to expand and enhance the educator's understanding of the world of work. In addition, externships provide educators opportunities to get needed work experiences while maintaining teaching contracts. Consequently, a teacher can take summer leave (or other agreed work leave) to enter the workforce to gain experiences "on the job" that can be transferred to the classroom. Federal and state funding for externships in the State of Wisconsin has been channeled through 15 Tech Prep/School-to-Work consortiums. The Blackhawk Technical College Tech Prep/School-to-Work Consortium and the Gateway Technical College Tech Prep/School-to-Work Consortium have funded externships since 1995.

This research project focuses on educators connected with these consortiums who have participated in externships from 1995 to 1998.

Purpose of the Study

With the increased interest on educator externships, this research project was begun at the Delta Pi Epsilon Research Conference in Louisville, KY (1998). A five-member research team chose to investigate the value of educator externships. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the perceptions and attitudes of school personnel towards educator externships. Specifically, what effect did the externship experience have on student workplace skills, teaching methodology, and course curriculum? This study was designed to answer the following research questions.

1. How has the externship experience affected the educator's teaching or school responsibility?

2. What knowledge of workplace skills that are needed by today's worker was gained through the externship experience?

3. What curriculum changes were made as a result of the externship experience?

4. Did the externship experience impart any changes in teaching methods employed in the classroom?

5. Did the extern achieve greater understanding of technological advances in business and industry; diversity; workplace competencies; current occupations; classroom-business resources and partnerships?

Literature Review

Research indicates that student achievement is increased when educators develop authentic and relevant instruction (Hearn, 1978). To create relevant instruction, educators need current, real-world experiences. Consequently, through the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 educators and school administrations are addressing the critical need to produce closer connections between education and the workplace. School-to-Work legislation was intended to give teachers, counselors, and administrators opportunities to work in related business operations with the objective to bring students essential information regarding today's workplace. Clearly, educators who have gained current, relevant work experience through an externship would be better able to provide that link of articulation between the classroom and the workplace.

Externship programs were developed with the understanding that many of today's teachers lack the opportunity to experience the qualities and richness of learning outside of school. The emerging national agenda is characterized by new professional preparation standards as well as insights about educators' workplace learning and its central importance to new school initiatives. New standards for certifying both beginning and accomplished teachers emphasize the critical connections that educators must have with employees, community leaders, and local government agencies if students are to leave high school with the ability and capacity to apply their learning to real-world situations. Evidence from the nation's leading examples of high quality school-to-work programs indicate professional development and teachers' connections to workplaces and employers, which are the foundations for program development and implementation. Although the word externship is new, the concept is old. A 1996 survey by the National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) reports the following.

   We learned that for over fifty years American businesses have welcomed
   individual academic and vocational educators into their workplaces for the
   summer, for periods ranging from one-day job shadowing experience to
   eight-week industrial fellowships. We found that the body of knowledge
   surrounding these programs is typically casual and unstructured and that it
   has been difficult to show measurable impact for students (Doyle, 1998, p.
   2).

Teacher externships provide teachers with hands-on-experiences in a local business or service organization in order to increase their knowledge of curriculum content. Through a variety of work-based learning opportunities, externship programs put faculty in touch with the "real world," develop career awareness in various industries, and update skills and knowledge in selected occupational areas. Through partnership with business and industry, work-based learning serves as a vehicle for linking community groups, government agencies, businesses, and educational institutions, and enhancing the preparation of both students and educators. These work-based learning opportunities include: (1) fellowship and internship programs that provide structured work-based learning opportunities; (2) short-term professional development opportunities, including job shadowing experiences, visitation programs, and other experiences providing brief exposure to workplace activities. The State of Wisconsin was one of the first eight states to receive federal funding under the School-to-Work Act of 1994 for school-to-work initiatives. Seeing the increased interest and success of externships, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction created a model for educator externships. "The primary purpose of an externship is to influence those who write, promote, or support curricula to make curricular changes that will help students make connections between school, work, and the community" (Colussy, 1999, p. 1).

Methodology

During the 1998 Delta Pi Epsilon Research Conference, a research workshop was held focusing on School-to-Career issues. At that conference, a five-member research team was formed to investigate the value of educator externships.

Description of the Study

The research team decided to implement a quantitative, descriptive research design using survey methods. The design was a cross-sectional survey.

Population

The primary units for analysis were elementary, middle, secondary school and technical college teachers, counselors, specialists, and administrators from the Blackhawk Technical College Tech Prep/School-to-Work Consortium and the Gateway Technical College Tech Prep/School-to-Work Consortium. A list of 285 educators was compiled from data supplied by the School-to-Work coordinators of the two consortiums identifying externs who had completed externships from 1995 to 1998. Externs chose to work from a variety of possible work sites including retail/manufacturing businesses, construction sites, engineering firms, hospitals, police departments, newspaper companies, radio and broadcasting companies, social services, or veterinary clinics.

Selection of Subjects

Subject selection was based upon one sampling frame. All subjects identified by the two (Blackhawk Technical College and Gateway Technical College) consortiums and their School-to-Work coordinators were chosen as participants in this study.

Instrument

The research team discussed the development of the data collection instrument A pilot questionnaire was finalized and mailed to externs who had completed an externship. Twenty externs were randomly selected to receive the pilot questionnaire. One survey was returned with no forwarding address. Of the remaining 19 surveys, eight were returned, resulting in a 42 percent response to the pilot questionnaire.

Based on the responses to the pilot questionnaire, revisions were made and a three-page questionnaire entitled, "Survey of Educator Externships" was developed. The questions addressed topics as the kind of work performed, the work's value to education, and the importance of educators completing an externship.

Data Collection

The data used in this descriptive study were collected using standard mail survey procedures as described by Dillman (1978). Each of the potential participants received a survey packet containing the following items: (1) a cover letter describing the study to the potential participant and outlining the procedures to be followed in completing the questionnaire; (2) a three-page questionnaire, which involved demographic information and perceptions about the externship experience; and (3) a self-addressed stamped envelope. The survey packet was mailed to 285 participants. Using Dillman's total design method, a response rate of 50 percent or more was anticipated.

Findings

A total of 285 survey questionnaires were mailed to educators who had completed externships between 1995 and 1998. Of the 285 questionnaires sent, six were unusable due to mailing problems. Of the remaining 279 questionnaires, 121 responses were received, resulting in a 43 percent response rate. Participants were asked to indicate how their externships had an effect on their responsibilities as educators. Most of the participants perceived that their externship "Greatly contributed" or "Somewhat contributed" to their school responsibilities, 37.2% and 48.0%, respectively. Sixteen (13.2%) educators marked "Minimally contributed," with one response indicating "Not contributed" and one marking "N/A" in affecting their school responsibilities.

Participants were asked what affect their externships had on the improvement of teaching or school responsibility. Most externs indicated that their externships greatly contributed (34.5%) or somewhat contributed (48.7%) on improving their teaching or school responsibility. Sixteen externs perceived that their externship experience only minimally contributed. Two externs marked "Not contributed," two marked "N/A," and two participants did not answer this question. Most externs that worked at the work site getting direct "hands-on" experience rated their experiences as somewhat contributed (48.3%) or greatly contributed (34.5%) to the improvement of their teaching or school responsibility. Only three externs (10.3%) indicated their externship minimally contributed, and two externs stated that their experiences did not contribute to their teaching or school responsibility.

Participants were asked to list three significant or relevant ways their externships had an effect on their teaching and school responsibilities. For reporting purposes their responses were grouped into these categories: workplace competencies and skills; human relations skills; employment contacts, business relationships, and resources; current information and actual workplace situation examples; validating instruction; career planning; and understanding business organizations. All participants indicated that the value and merits of their externships were well worth the efforts. The externships did provide valuable experiences and workplace information to help to make the participants better teachers.

Participants were asked to identify the areas their externship experiences increased their knowledge of workplace skills that were needed by today's workers. Externs could check all skills that applied, which resulted in 1063 total responses. The top three workplace skills identified by participants were teamwork, interpersonal skills, and problem solving (N=121, 86.0%, 83.5%, and 81.8%, respectively). Closely following were listening skills (78.5%), organizational effectiveness (75.2%), and oral communication skills (72.7%). A majority of the participants (60.3%) indicated motivation skills. Also receiving many responses were creative thinking (56.2%), personal/career development (53.7%), goal setting (50.4%), leadership (46.3%), reading (43.0%), computation (38.8%), and writing skills (38.0%). Other skills identified by participants were: computer literacy, initiative, foreign language, time management, and telephone skills. A comparison was made of the perceptions of educators as to whether their externship experience provided opportunities that could be transferred to their curriculum. Participants could select all elements that applied, which resulted in a total of 352 instruction elements selected. A majority of participants indicated increased opportunity to use new learning objectives (55.4%), work-based learning (52.9%), and hands-on activities (51.2%) in their teaching. Participants indicated greater opportunity for lesson plans, unit plans, teaching methods and styles, and study guides as a result of their externship experiences. Some educators mentioned career information, career awareness, and interpersonal skills could be used in their curricula.

Educators were asked to identify teaching methods that were impacted by their externship experience. Participants could check all that applied, a total of 468 methods received responses. Team/group activities (52.1%) and problem solving (51.2%) received the most responses to this query. Also receiving many responses were small group discussion, projects, and lecture (45.5%, 34.5%, and 31.4%, respectively). Educators indicated that demonstrations, written reports, role playing, field trips, simulations, audio-visual presentations, and oral reports were somewhat impacted by their externship experience. A resounding number of participants, 104 or 86.0%, indicated that as a result of their externship, they had greater recognition of workplace competencies and behaviors. Similarly, 101 externs (83.5%) indicted greater recognition in connecting school to business. Eighty-five educators (81.2%) realized the importance of networking with business, and 91 (75.2%) gained insight in current information and technological advances. More than a majority of externs perceived that their externship brought about greater recognition of the vast array of occupations and diversity issues in the workplace (66.1% and 58.7%, respectively). One hundred three participants agreed that the externships provided ideas for developing workplace skills in students. Ideas for setting goals (short and long-range goals) were reported by 80.9% of the respondents. Ideas for training materials emphasizing personality traits were reported by 61.2%, while 51.4% gained ideas for recognizing achievements. Responses from classroom teachers (N=70) and support personnel (N=33) varied slightly.

Conclusions

The data in this study support the conclusion that externship experiences are of value to elementary, middle, secondary school and technical college teachers, counselors, specialists, and administrators. Externs reported increased knowledge of workplace skills as a result of their externship experience, which is one of the main goals of externship programs.

Workplace Knowledge

All participants indicated that the value and merits of their externships were well worth the efforts. The externships did provide valuable experiences and workplace information to help make the externs better teachers. Most externs reported increased knowledge of workplace skills in teamwork, interpersonal skills, problem solving, listening, organizational effectiveness, oral communication, motivation, creative thinking, personal and career development, and goal setting skills. Writing skills and mathematical computation were the least impacted areas that resulted from the externship experience.

Curriculum

All of the instructional elements listed on the questionnaire received some responses, which indicated that the externship experiences did have an impact on curriculum. A majority of externs reported that their curriculum was impacted by their externship in the areas of learning objectives, work-based learning, and hands-on activities. The curriculum element least impacted by the externship experience was study guides. Some participants indicated that a greater impact on curriculum could result if the externship responsibilities were more closely related to the teaching or school responsibility of the extern.

Teaching Methodology

Externs indicated that their teaching methods were impacted by their externship in all the areas listed on the questionnaire. Receiving the highest number of responses were teaching methods involving team or group activities and problem solving activities. Small group discussions and projects also received a good percent of responses. Participants indicated that their externship experience had not impacted their teaching methods in the areas of test preparation, educational games, and workbooks and exercises.

Developing Workplace Skills in Students

Externs indicated that they gained ideas for developing workplace skills in students. Essential workplace skills were listed on the questionnaire in six types or subsets of skills: (a) learning to learn; Co) reading, writing, computation; (c) creative thinking/problem solving; (d) communication including listening and speaking;(e) interpersonal/negotiation/teamwork; and (f) self-esteem, motivation/goal setting and employability/career development skills. More than 60 percent of the respondents indicated that they gained ideas for action/hands-on strategies; following detailed, sequential directions to complete a task; decision making and problem solving; brainstorming; active listening; behaving as members of a functioning unit/sense of loyalty; forming relationships; and ideas for training materials emphasizing personality traits and goal setting. In contrast, approximately 25 percent of the classroom teachers gained ideas for reading, journal keeping, or speaking to groups.

Externship Benefits

The data in this study strongly support the accomplishment of the objectives as stated in the Wisconsin Educator Externship Model. Externs overwhelming responded that as a result of their externship they had a greater recognition of workplace competencies and behaviors. Likewise, a large percentage of externs responded with a greater recognition of connecting school to businesses. Many externs reported gaining current information and technological advances and acknowledged the importance of networking with businesses. The vast array of occupations and diversity issues received more than a majority of the responses from the participants in this study.

Most externs indicated that they would recommend the externship experience to other educators for the following reasons: real world job experiences, job experiences relate to classroom instruction, and increased communication with business and industry and schools. Externs indicated areas that they liked least about their externship--too much observation, not enough hands-on experiences, personal sacrifices, not enough time, lack of preparation, and some of the job functions and idiosyncrasies. Participants wanted more involvement in their externships, more hands-on activities.

The lack of communication among the organizers, externs, and employers and too low of pay for the externs were the main reasons for externs not wanting to do another externship. However, most externs responded "Yes" to doing another externship. The most popular reasons were actual job experiences, connecting job experiences to classroom instruction, and increased business/industry communication with schools. In the open-ended question on the survey, many externs stated that their externships were very valuable experiences.

Recommendations

In this study, data have been presented, which adds to the body of knowledge in describing the teacher externship experience. While this is a good start toward achieving some of the goals discussed previously, more research needs to be:

1. using a different geographic region or state conducted. Specifically, research should be conducted

2. using different teacher externship models

3. using a different set of externship participants specifically targeting administrators, guidance counselors and support personnel, and

4. replicates this study but utilizes other covariates not considered here. Some might include socio-economic status, geographic locations (i.e., urban-suburban-rural), type of teacher training institution (research v. teaching), and grade level (elementary, secondary, post secondary).

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Bill McPherson, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Carolyn Rainey, Southeast Missouri State University Terry D. Roach, Arkansas State University-Fort Smith Harriet Rogers, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Nathalis Guy Wamba, New York University