Education & Training in I-O Psychology
Neil Hauenstein
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Dawn Riddle
University of South Florida
When Laura Koppes and I were finalizing the details of publishing an
Education and Training column in TIP, we discussed with Debra whether to publish a column in every issue or every other issue. We decided that we would be hard pressed to find enough authors to put a column in every issue, so that is why the
Education and Training column has appeared in every other issue of TIP. I am most pleased to state that we underestimated the importance of education and training to the SIOP membership. The frequency with which members have come forward to volunteer to write a column has created a backlog of potential articles. Therefore, starting with this issue, the Education and Training column will appear in every issue of
TIP. I think this is a great statement on the collective values of our membership! As always, please contact myself
(nhauen@vt.edu) or Dawn (riddle@luna.cas.usf.edu) to volunteer to write a column or just to discuss what is happening in the Education and Training Committee.
As to the column in this issue, the benefits of experiential learning are undeniable. For graduate students in I-O, projects in organizations are great experiential learning tools.
Betsy Shoenfelt uses applied projects as a formal criterion in her graduate class, and she shares with us the benefit of her experience. For anyone considering adopting applied projects in the classroom, Betsy provides great insights to ensure that all partiesgraduate students, faculty, and the organizationbenefit from participation.
Utilizing Applied Projects in I-O Graduate Training: A Checklist to Help Ensure Successful Experiences
Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt
Western Kentucky University
The scientist-practitioner model supported by SIOP in the Guidelines for Education and Training at the Doctoral Level in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP, 1999) and the
Guidelines for Education and Training at the Masters Level in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP, 1994) indicates that graduate education must focus on applications associated with content areas in addition to theory. There are a number of approaches that may be utilized to gain applied experience. These include case study analysis, practicum experience, internship experience, assisting on faculty consultation, and applied projects within a course. This article focuses on the latter, that is, applied projects that are completed as a required component of a graduate course. Finding appropriate host organizations for this requirement presents some unique challenges in addition to the challenges that are present in any on-site student experience. Finding projects that can be completed within a short time frame and that provide appropriate experiences for graduate students is critical. Many potential problems can be avoided by providing both the students and the host organization with realistic expectations regarding the project and the responsibilities of each constituent.
In this article I share some of the experiences we have developed for our graduate program at Western Kentucky University. Projects have ranged from job analyses, training needs assessment, behavioral safety programs, test validation, and organizational assessment. In addition to completing the project, students typically are required to prepare a written proposal prior to the project and a technical report and oral presentation following the completion of the project. The following discussion addresses locating host sites for projects, faculty and on-site supervision of projects, and the competencies graduate students develop and acquire through participation. Done correctly, applied projects are a useful tool in providing graduate students with experiential learning opportunities and bringing to life the theories and technologies of the discipline.
A Checklist for Applied Projects
I have organized into five categories the issues we have found to be relevant to applied projects completed as a component of a graduate course in our program. These issues are summarized in the checklist below. In virtually every project our students have undertaken, they have worked in project teams. In some classes there may be multiple teams of students working on different projects. Close faculty supervision is provided for each project. Faculty responsibility is not identified as a separate category of issues because faculty responsibility is required across each set of issues.
Checklist to Help Ensure Successful Experiences in Applied I-O Projects
I. Host Organization Characteristics
3 Understanding of I-O psychology
3 Understanding of the scope of the project
3 Understanding of student capabilities
3 Understanding of student time constraints
3 Previous experience with student projects
3 Willingness to provide on-site support
3 Willingness to provide resources
II. Project Characteristics
3 Time frame
3 Within student capabilities
3 Required supervision
3 Written proposal
3 Technical report
III. Student Responsibilities and Outcomes
3 Commitment to complete the project
3 Self-managed work teams
3 Competencies developed:
Technical writing skills
Oral presentation skills
Data management skills
Organizational skills
IV. Sources for Host Organizations
3 Graduates of our program
3 Organizations who have hosted an intern
3 Organizations with history with us
3 Organizations requesting free consulting
3 Word of mouth
3 Faculty interaction
V. Pay and Compensation
3 Tax-deductible donations to graduate program
3 Meal at restaurant
3 Internship placements
3 Job offers
3 Applied learning experiences
I. Host Organization Characteristics
The first category deals with characteristics of the organization that will host the students:
Understanding of I-O and/or the nature of appropriate projects. It is important that individuals in the host organization understand the nature of
I-O psychology. Recently SIOP has acknowledged that many human resource professionals are not familiar with the knowledge, skills, and abilities I-O psychologists bring to the workplace and the tasks we are capable of performing. A working knowledge of the I-O discipline is much less of a problem when we are able to locate hosts who employ I-O psychologists, including our own graduates.
Understanding of the scope of the project (reasonable for completion within one semester). It is important that the organizational host recognizes that the project is part of a semester-long course and should be one that reasonably can be completed in a satisfactory manner within the time frame of the course. This necessarily precludes some projects. However, a patient host organization may have a larger project initiated by one class of students and completed by another class of students in a subsequent semester.
Understanding of student capabilities and competencies. Students in our classes are just that, students. While they have developed some valuable capabilities in our graduate program, they typically lack experience (that is, of course, one of the reasons they are working on the project as a class requirement). The host organization must recognize what the graduate students are capable of accomplishing and what may be beyond (or in some cases, beneath) their capabilities.
Understanding of student time constraints. The students in our program are required to be full-time students and each student has a 20-hour-a-week assistantship. Thus, this project is just one of many undertakings placing demands on the students time. The student is not expected to put in the hours on the project that would be expected of a full-time or even a part-time employee of the organization. The faculty supervisor needs to ensure that the project can be completed given an appropriate amount of student effort.
Previous experience with student projects. It has proven extremely helpful to work with organizations that have previously hosted student projects. This ensures realistic expectations regarding the identified host issues. This, of course, is a catch-22 in that for an organization to have experience hosting projects, they must first host a project. Our experience has been that organizations are pleased with the product they receive and typically are glad to host additional projects. We have a lot of repeat business.
Willingness to provide on-site supervision and support. The amount and type of support needed from the organization varies dependent upon the project. As a minimum, the organization must be willing to provide the communication (e.g., introductions, announcements, memos) needed to support the project. For projects that involve different organizational units, it is helpful to have an organizational liaison. Some organizations prefer to have an on-site project supervisor. A senior graduate student who has firsthand knowledge of the course requirements and student capabilities easily fills the liaison role.
Willingness to provide resources (e.g., employee time, copying, etc.).
The amount and type of resources needed from the organization also varies dependent upon the project. In some instances, employee time is needed to complete interviews and/or instruments. Some hosts have provided office space and computer support for the students. The organization is expected to cover any copying or other similar needs required by the project.
II. Project Characteristics
Identifying projects that provide appropriate experiences for graduate students is a key to a successful project experience:
Time frame. Here the critical question is Can the project be completed within the course time frame (semester)? If the answer is no, then the project is not suitable as a course project. There are, however, some projects that can be divided into components that may be completed within the appropriate time frame. For this approach to be successful, the organization must agree to spacing out the project components across multiple semesters.
Is the project within capabilities of students? The demands of the project must match the competencies of the students. Obviously, it is important for the students to be challenged and to learn as they complete the project. If, however, the project is beyond the skill level of the students, either the product delivered to the organization will fall short or the faculty supervisor will end up making substantial contributions to the project. Likewise, a project that is not challenging to the students will fail to provide the targeted learning experience.
How much supervision will be required of the faculty supervisor and/or by the host organization?
Students like to work independently on these projects. However, it is important that the faculty supervisor actively oversees the project. This does not mean the faculty member is doing the work. It does mean that the faculty supervisor reviews the project proposal (see below) and any interview protocols or instruments the students develop or plan to use. Some organizations review and participate in instrument refinement, while others decline participation.
Written proposal. Prior to beginning work on any project, it is wise that students develop a written proposal with deadlines and benchmarks. The proposal also identifies resources required from the host organization (this includes employee time to complete instruments or interviews). The proposal becomes an informal contract between the faculty member and the students as it relates to student obligations, as well as an informal contract between the organization and the students regarding the product the organization can expect.
Technical report. A technical report is also recommended at the completion of the project. The report describes the rationale for the project, the methodology followed to complete the project, and the results of the project. The report serves as a tangible product for the host organization, the faculty supervisor, and the students. Appendices to the report typically contain instruments used in the project, the data, and analyses. A typical expectation from the organization is that the students make an oral presentation of the project to interested organizational personnel.
III. Student Responsibilities and Outcomes
The student has certain responsibilities when he or she accepts the opportunity of gaining organizational experience. In addition, certain targeted competencies are expected as student outcomes from participation in the project:
Commitment to complete the project. It is important the student understands the commitment to the organization to complete the project. This is important not only for the immediate impact of the current project for the organization but also because of the long-term impact this has on our graduate programs relationship with the organization. We have ongoing relationships with certain organizations because we reliably deliver a product as promised. A great advantage of using in-class projects is that students learn the importance of fulfilling organizational commitments in a timely manner.
Self-managed work teams. Students divide responsibilities among team members for various tasks involved in the projects. As a faculty member, I do not want to be involved in deciding who will type up questionnaires, collate papers, interview subject matter experts, and so forth. The student team members make those decisions. This allows the students to capitalize on individual strengths and to maximize learning through new experiences.
Competencies developed. Students learn through a variety of experiences. Targeted competencies include the following:
-
Technical writing skills. Students should author any requirements for a proposal and/or a final report. Such technical reports may vary from APA style typically required in psychology course assignments. These reports also serve as products that students may add to their portfolio for applying for internships and jobs.
-
Oral presentation skills. Students typically are expected to make oral presentations, both as parts of the project, and often as a final oral presentation for the organization.
-
Data management skills. Students typically collect, analyze, and interpret data as part of the project. Throughout the project, students practice creating data sets, cleaning data, and working to appropriately analyze and interpret the data.
-
Organizational skills. Working in the real world teaches the students the logistics of data collection and interaction with busy managers and workers. They are introduced to office politics and the realities of implementing techniques they have learned in the classroom. They develop interpersonal and team skills via working on a project team.
IV. Sources for Host Organizations
Finding appropriate host organizations can be a challenge. I have found this to be an ongoing task. The following are potential sources for locating host organizations.
Graduates of our program. In our program, graduate alumni are one of our best sources for host organizations. These former students know exactly the type of project the students can complete and the competencies the students will bring to the organization. (After all, they have been there.)
Organizations who have hosted an intern for us. Frequently organizations that have been pleased with one of our students as an intern are willing to open their doors to a class project. If the intern is a member of the class, it further facilitates the relationship as the intern has important knowledge of the organization.
Organizations who have had successful interactions with us in the past. Organizations where faculty have completed consulting projects or for whom other graduate courses have completed projects are another good source of host organizations.
Organizations requesting free consulting. Graduate students completing projects for organizations can be a good response to the ubiquitous request for I-O services that is followed by We dont really have any money for that. The organization receives a project supervised by an I-O psychologist but at a much more economical rate for graduate student labor. However, be certain of the organizations commitment to a project they are not willing to pay for.
Word of mouth. As our students complete projects in various organizations, we receive requests from other organizations that have heard of the work we did for XYZ company. It facilitates finding host organizations when they come to you.
Faculty interactions. It is a constant search to find placements for our graduate students, whether for internships, class projects, or employment. Thus, the search can be carried out at a party, on the golf course, vacationing, and so forth.
V. Pay/Compensation for Graduate Student Projects
We wish! Although our students are seldom monetarily compensated, we have received other forms of compensation. We have had organizations make tax-deductible donations to the university assigned to I-O graduate student travel to the SIOP conference. We have had lunch at a nice restaurant for the project team with the site manager and faculty supervisor. We have found subsequent internship placements and job offers for graduate students. Last, and certainly not least, our graduate students have had very good learning experiences in applied organizational settings.
In sum, applied projects have proven to be effective teaching tools in our graduate program. This checklist of considerations has helped us ensure that our graduate students have very positive learning experiences working on projects in organizational settings. It may prove useful to others supervising I-O graduate students. If you wish any further information, contact me at
betsy.shoenfelt@wku.edu.
Dr. Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt is director of the I-O Graduate Program; Department of Psychology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101.
Note: Portions of this paper were presented at the Conference of the American Psychological Association August 2002, Chicago, IL.
References
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. (1999).
Guidelines for education and training at the doctoral level in industrial-organizational psychology.
Arlington Heights, IL: Author.
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. (1994).
Guidelines for education and training at the masters level in industrial-organizational psychology. Arlington Heights, IL: Author.
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