Internship Program in Education: Effectiveness, Problems and Prospects

Internship program in Teacher Education is of great significance because it ensures the professional preparation of prospective teachers. It provides them a practical opportunity to develop true understanding of the teaching profession and future prospects of working conditions in that profession. This study looks at issues and challenges that the prospective teachers experience during internship program. The study also deals with the perception and experience of the principals of cooperative schools involved in the internship program. Research approach for this study was both quantitative and qualitative. Population consisted of all student-teachers of B.Ed at Faculty of Education and principals of cooperative schools where students go for internship program. The 80 student-teachers and 05 principals of collaborative schools were selected as sample. Data was collected through three-point likert scale and in-depth interviews. The findings show that student-teachers view internship program as a real opportunity to refine and improve their teaching skills in actual school setting. The results of the in-depth interviews with the principals reveal that internship program is of crucial importance and it has positive impact on the performance of student-teachers.