Experiential education at its best: The case of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme.

• Author: Constantinou, Peter P.

Increasingly universities are embracing the use of experiential education as a way to improve employability skills, to better prepare participants for their transition to work and to give them "real world" experience. Many programs adopt such approaches and work to embed new pedagogy and learning into their curriculum. While most programs are moving quickly to experiential education models, we are only starting to consider how to measure the success of these efforts; more work needs to be done to evaluate such programs. In this article, the author reflects on 25 years of offering internships, practicums and experiential education. He uses the Ontario Legislature Internship Program (OLIP) as an example of a best practice and to inspire additional thinking about the improvement and sustainability of such programs.

Introduction

At the heart of every internship program should be a desire to provide participants with four important things:

* First, more and better information about the workplace or the profession so participants can make informed decisions about career choices.

* Second, exposure to real, hands-on learning or experiential education. This is the opportunity to learn differently and to begin to practice what participants are learning. Participants do, pause, reflect on their experiences, develop lessons and takeaways, and then apply their learning.

* Third, a real and formal emphasis on learning outcomes to ensure that experiences are aimed at knowledge and skills that are relevant and transferable. Getting experience leads nicely to enhanced employability skills that will assist in transition to work.

* Fourth, experience in the workplace that introduces participants to many new contacts and helps them build a network. Often, participants have a chance to impress potential employers with their initiative, skills and potential. This burgeoning network can lead to further employment. After all, internships can be viewed as trial periods where both sides find out about the other.

Many universities are moving towards doing more of this kind of learning and training as part of a mad dash to convince participants and parents that theirs is the program to take. One example of a great success is the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme (OLIP). This article will highlight the key components of the structure and processes related to OLIP and provide some reflections.

History of OLIP

The Ontario Legislature Internship Programme (OLIP), established in 1975, is administered by the Canadian Political Science Association and supported by a financial grant from the Legislative Assembly...