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DC High School Adopts Learning Platform for Internship Program

• By Scott Aronowitz
• 10/01/10

McKinley Technology High School (MTHS), a STEM-focused school located in Washington, DC, has chosen the it's learning individual learning platform to organize and manage logistical data and student productivity in its expanding internship program, which gives its students the opportunity to acquire practical workforce experience at partner businesses throughout the DC area.

As the internship program expanded, school administrators realized they needed a way to keep track of students' progress in the program, the businesses for which they work, the mentors assigned to them, the teachers assigned to track and assess their progress, and the skills and experience they are meant to build through their respective internships.

Gideon Sanders, director of partnerships and internships at MTHS, found a way to track all of these components of the program through the it's learning platform. "We are making sure that students remain accountable for their work by collaborating with site mentors in establishing benchmarks and implementing individual learning plans (ILP) that outline measures for success during the internship. Program mentors will also take an active role in the new process by providing guidance and making sure that students are meeting their benchmarks."

Benchmarks include achieving ascending levels of skills development, e.g., computer use and use of particular software applications, as well as completing assigned tasks. Benchmark tracking, Sanders said, is easily accessible on the platform and will help him and the school's guidance counselors ensure that the right students are enrolled in the program and are well suited to their internships. He also said such tracking capabilities allow him to determine if a student is struggling with his/her benchmarks and may require intervention or reassignment.

The it's learning platform is offered as software-as-a-service (SaaS), providing online access without the need for local installation or maintenance. The complete platform includes features that can benefit the entire K-12 faculty and staff, including teachers, administrators, librarians, and IT managers and technicians.