Learning from internships in gerontology and geriatrics: assessment and program evaluation

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Higher Education
• Internship Programs

Background:

• Internships are crucial for gerontology education.
• Assessing intern performance is key to maximizing learning.
• Assessment data can inform academic program evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore challenges in assessing gerontology intern learning.
• To identify methods for enhancing intern learning from internships.
• To examine how intern outcomes can evaluate academic program effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of internship assessment data.
• Data collected from undergraduate and graduate gerontology interns.
• Data gathered from community preceptors over seven semesters.

Main Results:

• Identified key concerns in assessing intern learning.
• Proposed strategies to improve learning opportunities during internships.
• Demonstrated the utility of intern learning outcomes for program evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Effective assessment is vital for gerontology internships.
• Internship experiences can be optimized for deeper learning.
• Student learning outcomes provide critical data for academic program improvement.