In support of the UNL N2025 Strategic Plan aim to “innovate student experiences that prepare graduates to be lifelong learners and contributors to the workforce in Nebraska and the world” and the NU system’s Five-Year Strategy to meet Nebraska’s talent development needs by providing “each student an experiential learning opportunity with a business, organization, or community”, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources offers these internship best practices and resources as a framework to guide departmental and program decision-making that supports strong teaching and learning.
Recommendations to make experiential learning a high impact practice include: clear connections to course or program goals; relevant duties for the students at appropriately high levels of expectations; significant investment of time and effort over an extended amount of time; continuous constructive feedback; well-structured reflection opportunities; and assessment of the learning objectives (Eyler, 2009; Kuh & O’Donnell, 2013)