The Internship Experience: Experiential Learning, Critical Pedagogy, and Transformative Learning

Abstract

Drawing from theories of experiential learning and critical pedagogy this thesis uses a qualitative research design to assess student and faculty experiences and perceptions of student internships. Five focus groups with undergraduate and graduate college students and six semi-structured interviews with faculty were conducted. The data were analyzed to address major themes related to satisfaction, skills gained, barriers to internships, and transformative learning in applied settings.