Developing and validating a scale for evaluating internship-related learning outcomes

Developed as an integral component of many higher education programs, internships provide a multitude of benefits for participating students. However, there is a lack of tools designed to measure internship-related learning outcomes. Therefore, this article will present the process of constructing and validating a scale that can be used to evaluate students’ internship-related learning outcomes. Content validity of the scale was established with an extensive review of relevant literature, interviews with current interns along with checking the adequacy of the scale content with interns and academics. Construct validity was established with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Through that process, the resulting scale was proven to have achieved construct reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. The article discusses the use of the scale, its weaknesses, and implications for organizing internships so that the effectiveness of this form of work-integrated learning can be continuously improved.