Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment

Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation

Internship in Program Evaluation - Plan
Our students typically have diverse interests and backgrounds in fields including education, health, technology (in schools or other settings), aging, sports physiology, psychology, criminal justice, child care, etc., making the likelihood of a suitable intern/organization match quite high. To assist in the placement and responsibilities of MEA interns, organizations interested in offering a student internship position will be asked to create and submit an internship plan, detailing the roles and responsibilities of the intern, hours requested, and outcomes/deliverables. This plan will be reviewed and approved by (or prepared with) supervising MEA faculty. Schools or organizations with a need for an evaluation intern can contact the MEA evaluation internship coordinator for assistance in developing an appropriate internship plan.

MEA interns might be hired for a particular project or to assist with a variety of evaluation concerns within an organization or school. The sponsoring agency will be asked to identify the specific tasks the intern will be responsible for, as well as identify how these products or tasks might themselves be evaluated at the end of the internship period (e.g., who would review them, what they should contain). Some examples of appropriate tasks for an MEA intern are:

• Assist with small- and/or large-scale research design and methodology.
• Help schools implement and evaluate mathematics and science curricula or programs, or technology use by teachers.
• Review past evaluation strategies or measurement tools used by the school or organization and improve them or develop new tools.
• Conduct literature reviews to locate instruments and identify promising evaluation strategies.
• Assist with data collection procedures and help schools or agencies strengthen their data monitoring systems.
• Provide assistance in grant preparation, for which sound evaluation methods play an increasingly important role.
• Prepare an evaluation plan for specific project(s).
• Gather data and conduct statistical analyses.
• Evaluate specific projects according to an evaluation plan and in conjunction with agency staff.
• Establish templates or guidelines for staff to follow in planning evaluations or for evaluation report writing.
• Report and disseminate evaluation findings to staff, schools, or agency clients.