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/ June 2022
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.21
How to Cite:
Al-Asiri, H. (2022). Undergraduate Students’ Evaluation of Internships in Special Education Programs in Saudi
Universities. Amazonia Investiga, 11(54), 219-231. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.21
Undergraduate Students’ Evaluation of Internships in Special
Education Programs in Saudi Universities
Received: July 1, 2022 Accepted: August 6, 2022
Written by:
Hawazen Al-Asiri86
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9822-3004
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the views of undergraduate students on internships in special education
programs in Saudi universities and delineate any statistically significant differences in the students’ views
attributable to gender, specialization, university, and grade point average. The study also attempted to
investigate the extent to which education outcomes meet the labor market requirements of Saudi Arabia
Vision 2030 from the perspective of internship students in special education programs in Saudi universities.
To this end, a descriptive approach was applied, using a questionnaire to collect the study data. The study
sample consisted of 271 internship students of special education in Saudi universities. The results revealed
a high rating level for internships from the perspective of special education students. There were statistically
significant differences in the ratings based on gender, with female students reporting better on the academic
supervisor dimension. Students specializing in learning disabilities also shared better ratings than those in
the autism program, and students with “Excellent” grades reported higher ratings of internship than those
with “Good” grades. Overall, there was a high level of compatibility between educational outcomes and
the requirements of the labor market stipulated by Vision 2030.
Keywords: evaluation, internship programs, education outcomes.
Introduction
Teachers are the cornerstone of the success of the
educational process; hence, educational
institutions are making tremendous efforts to
qualify teachers in accordance with international
quality standards with the intent of improving
education and raising the quality of its outcomes.
86
Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education College of Education University of Umm-Al-Qura Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Further, researchers are paying attention to
teacher preparation programs and their capacity
to achieve the desired goal, that is, creating a
successful teacher.
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In the United States, Boyd, Grossman, Lankford,
Loeb, and Wyckoff (2009) reported on the
ongoing debate about the best ways to prepare a
successful teacher. Some have suggested that
facilitating teachers ‘entry into the teaching field
may attract qualified teachers, who have the
ability and potential to succeed in the teaching
profession, whereas others posit that investing in
high-quality programs that aim to prepare
teachers is the most promising approach to
teacher preparation. Overall, there is a scarcity of
studies that attempt to investigate how teachers
are prepared for success.
The teacher preparation process often begins
during the university years, and Saudi
universities follow an approach that depends on
preparing graduates theoretically, practically,
and educationally during the university years by
developing the program plans in line with the
nature of the objectives. The undergraduate
programs include a theoretical-methodological
stage and an applied one, a strategy that supports
the process of the comprehensive preparation of
the future teacher.
The practical part of undergraduate programs is
called the internship phase, which enables
students to apply what they have theoretically
learned in the field for a whole semester
(Hammad, 2016). Hence, it is the first
opportunity for students to engage in practical
life and use their knowledge in teaching and
learning. Furthermore, internships offer students
the opportunity to practice critical thinking, as
they create meaning from their experiences and
try to discover their identities as teachers.
Internships also provide the foundation necessary
for the student teacher’s growth and professional
development, as students have many
opportunities to improve and refine their skills,
which will help prepare them ethically and
professionally (Program in Education, 2020).
Amer (2019) argued that the philosophy of
education depends on the number of graduates in
high school so that there is a compatibility
between the requirements of the labor market and
the numbers of graduates. Accordingly, the
Ministry of Higher Education (MHE) has
adopted a policy for accepting students in certain
numbers to ensure that qualified and trained
human resources are prepared to meet the needs
of the labor market.
Preparing special education teachers is one of the
topics that preoccupies researchers in the field of
special education. This is due to several reasons,
including the importance of the target group of
students with disabilities, ensuring the success of
the educational process offered to them, and
taking into account the individual differences
among them. Therefore, universities are keen to
prepare students academically and in the field in
cooperation with public schools, and private
centers. This is done by providing the students
with a training opportunity in which they teach
persons with disabilities (PWDs) under the
supervision of a cooperating teacher from the
center or school daily, along with a faculty
member, according to clear-cut and consistent
criteria, to ensure the achievement of internship
objectives and the quality of learning outcomes.
This study aims to investigate students’ views on
the internship programs run by the Department of
Special Education at the universities of Umm Al-
Qura, Taif, and Imam Muhammad bin Saud
Islamic University by addressing several
dimensions, including the evaluation of the
academic background that precedes the
internship program, academic supervisor, field
supervisor, training environment, and internship
outcomes. The study also seeks to examine
students’ evaluation of the compatibility of their
educational outcomes with the labor market
requirements defined within the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia (KSA) Vision 2030. Lastly, it
attempts to investigate any statistically
significant differences in students’ evaluations of
the internship program due to gender,
specialization, university, or grade point average
(GPA).
The study addresses the following questions:
1. What are the students’ views on internship
programs in special education in Saudi
universities?
2. Are there statistically significant differences
in the students’ views on internship
programs in special education according to
the variables of gender, specialization,
university, or GPA?
3. Do the educational outcomes meet the
requirements of the labor market according
to Vision 2030 from the perspective of the
internship students in special education
programs in Saudi universities?
Theoretical Framework
This section reviews the concept of evaluation
and its importance, the concept of internship and
its importance, the concept of education
outcomes, the importance of formulating
learning outcomes, and the 2030 vision for the
education sector.
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Concept and Importance of Evaluation
Concept of Evaluation
Evaluation can be defined in several ways. For
instance, it is defined by OECD (2022) as a
systematic and objective assessment of an
ongoing process, project, program, or policy by
assessing its design, implementation, and results.
The evaluation process aims to determine the
efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and
sustainability of the program under evaluation
and the extent to which the objectives of the
program are achieved. Evaluation must provide
highly credible information and thus allow
specialists to benefit from the results of the
decision-making process (Bernhard, 2012).
Norris (2016) pointed out that evaluation is the
gathering of information about any of the various
elements that make up educational programs for
a variety of purposes, including understanding,
clarifying, developing, and improving the value
of the program. It provides evidence of program
problems, but the nature of this evidence is not
limited to a specific methodology. Weiss (1998)
also indicated that evaluation is a systematic
process that seeks to improve programs or
policies by comparing their outcomes to a set of
explicit or implicit criteria with the aim of
improving and developing them.
The importance of evaluation
Aydin and Toptas (2017) stated that evaluation
and its outcomes play a major role in improving
the quality of education and the success of an
educational institution. The importance of
evaluation is reflected in the five basic principles
of good evaluation (Griffiths & King, 1991): i)
there must be a goal for the evaluation process,
which should not be an end in itself; ii) there is
no need for the evaluation process if the program
cannot be improved; iii) evaluation should be
highly descriptive and take into account the
relationship between all parties in the program;
iv) evaluation must be continuous, providing a
means for monitoring, diagnosis, and change;
and v) continuous evaluation must be dynamic in
nature so that it reflects new knowledge and
changes in the environment.
The importance of evaluation extends to several
aspects. According to Roberts (1998), it is a
systematic and organized process that aims to
measure the appropriateness, adequacy, and
effectiveness of the procedure under evaluation.
Evaluation fulfils its requirements and makes the
required progress if its activities are carried out
according to a planned schedule. The author also
stressed that evaluation can be an effective
process if it uses the resources allotted to it in the
best possible way, and if the results obtained are
consistent with its goals and objectives of
reducing the volume of the problem or improving
an unsatisfactory condition.
Concept and Importance of Internships
Concept of Internship
There is no one specific definition of an
internship, as it may take several different forms
according to the setting, characteristics, and
objective of training (Hora, Wolfgram, &
Thompson, 2017).
The National Association of Colleges and
Employers (2011) defined internships as a form
of experiential learning that combines theoretical
knowledge acquired in the classroom with
practical application and skill development in a
professional environment. Internships allow
students to gain practical experience value, make
connections in areas they are considering in their
career paths, and allow employers to mentor and
assess talent.
Atkinson (2005) defined an internship as a
starting point for the work environment for a
beginner looking for a job, as it includes practical
experience in the field chosen by students after
completing their education; therefore, it is part of
the educational program. Internships provide
students with several skills that enhance their
professional competence and enable them to
develop important professional relationships
with their employers. Internship programs may
be paid or unpaid.
Crumbley and Sumners (1998) defined an
internship as an activity carried out by students at
the postgraduate stage, or as an opportunity to
present their talent to the employer, in which case
the employer benefits from them as a source of
energy in exchange for allowing them to develop
their skills and learn about the practical reality of
the profession.
Importance of Internship
According to Scholastica (2018) and Hora,
Wolfram, and Thompson (2017), education is not
limited to classroom learning, as internships
provide students with academic wealth and great
benefits in four basic ways:
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1) Students can apply what they have
theoretically learned in the internship
environment by applying theories and
concepts acquired in the classroom in their
academic preparation program and, as a
result, can develop and acquire new
professional skills, and benefit from the
techniques provided in the internship
environment.
2) Internship allows students to get acquainted
with the chosen field, as it allows them to
experience the real practical experience of
their future career, and accordingly gives the
students the option to choose whether to
pursue their career or change it.
3) Through educational field experience,
students can form and build important
professional relationships before graduation,
which is a valuable opportunity for later
work within the educational institution.
4) Internships allow students to gain practical
experience, which gives them the
opportunity to find a job. It enables them to
put the acquired knowledge into practice and
develop their skills for better career
opportunities.
Learning Outcomes and Vision 2030 for the
Education Sector
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes, according to the European
Union (2011), are a description of all concepts
that learners are expected to know, understand,
or be able to perform at the end of the learning
process, in line with clear-cut goals and
expectations set by the teacher or the program
developer at the end of a course or the study
program. The use of learning outcomes has a
significant impact on the education process,
training policies, and practices, since the
evaluation of learning outcomes aims to make a
qualitative leap in terms of curricula and
qualifications with the intent of enhancing the
learning of individuals. Universities seek to
apply academic standards to improve the
learning outcomes of academic programs by
creating graduates with high specifications and
competencies.
Importance of Formulating Learning
Outcomes
Researchers have pointed out that learning
outcomes and their formulation are of great
importance to teachers, students, and universities
for the following reasons:
1) Teachers’ or faculty members’ knowledge
of the importance of formulating learning
outcomes allows them to focus on the
priorities that help students achieve learning
outcomes, using appropriate methods and
strategies which enable them to acquire
knowledge and evaluate it appropriately.
This also helps in the continuity of
development based on the students’ learning
outcomes.
2) Learning outcomes help students achieve the
objectives required to acquire the desired
learning outcomes at the end of the program
and practice active and self-learning to
achieve the outcomes, which increases the
chance of success and the performance rate.
3) Learning outcomes contribute to raising the
level of quality and efficiency of the
educational process, which contributes to
achieving its vision and mission. They also
enable those working on the quality of
outcomes to identify strengths and
weaknesses and, hence, attempt to improve
performance (Aref, Hijazi, & Abdel Hamid,
2018).
Vision 2030 for the Education Sector
Under Vision 2030, the KSA seeks to develop the
education sector by building the philosophy of
the curricula and its objectives, activating its
objectives, and developing them along with
teacher preparation programs. The vision also
stresses the development of teaching methods
that enhance the role of learners, being the focus
of the educational process, supporting them, and
upgrading their skills. It also stresses the need to
build a rich and supportive school environment
that stimulates the educational process in which
support services are available to meet individual
differences. The vision also focused on the need
to integrate PWDs into education and provide
appropriate support in all forms for all children
with disabilities. Moreover, in accordance with
Vision 2030, in 1437 AH, the Ministry of
Education (MOE) launched the National
Transformation Program, which captured
initiatives aimed at developing and assessing the
quality of performance to identify the challenges
that require development and, consequently,
achieve the goals of the vision. In this context,
the MOE discovered several downsides,
including the negative image of the teaching
profession, low quality of educational curricula,
failure to use innovative modern teaching
methods that enhance the quality of the
educational process, and students‘ poor
acquisition of the necessary personal skills. In the
educational environment, the MOE referred to
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the poor educational environment that cannot
stimulate creativity and the weak educational
outcomes that cannot meet the needs of the labor
market. Therefore, the MOE is in the process of
supporting inclusive education by providing
learning opportunities for all members of society,
and improving the educational environment to
enhance the acquisition of the necessary life
skills in addition to specialized skills required by
each profession in various fields. It also seeks to
intensively develop curricula, teaching methods,
and assessments, and improve the education
system to meet the needs of the labor market
(OECD (2020).
Literature Review
Studies on evaluation/problems of internships
Fakhro (2016) attempted to identify the problems
facing internship students in the Department of
Special Education at Umm Al-Qura University.
The researcher used the descriptive analytical
method and the questionnaire tool with a study
sample of 136 internship students. The findings
revealed a gap between what the students learned
in theory and what they currently practiced in the
internship. The results referred to the
schoolteachers’ cooperation with the internship
students. The insufficient resources in the
resource room were also highlighted as the most
common problem faced by the internship
students, in addition to the poor diagnosis of
PWDs in various disciplines and finally, the
academic supervisor‘s failure to make frequent
and sufficient visits to evaluate and mentor the
trainees.
Jogan (2019) investigated the effectiveness of
school internships from the perspective of trained
teachers. The researcher used the descriptive
approach and the questionnaire tool with a
purposeful sample of all internship students with
bachelor’s degrees (the number was not
disclosed). The results of the study showed that
the student teachers acquired multiple skills in
teaching, in addition to the support and guidance
provided by the teachers and their supervisors in
the school. The study also indicated that all
student teachers were very satisfied with the
proper implementation of the school internship
program.
Al-Sharaa (2019) identified the problems of
internships among students of special education
at the University of Hail. The study sample
consisted of 142 male and female students in
special education. The researcher used a
descriptive analytical method to collect data by
means of a questionnaire. The most prominent
problems facing the students were related to the
school principal, who assigned the students tasks
that were not related to special education, while
the academic supervisor was at the end of the list
of internship problems.
Al-Adwan and Hamdanah (2018) evaluated the
quality of the performance of the internship
program team at the Department of Special
Education in three Jordanian universities (North,
Central, and South) from the point of view of
schoolteachers and internship students. The
researcher used the descriptive approach and the
survey method, and the study sample included
407 internship students and 111 field supervisors.
The sample was selected using the intentional
method of answering the questionnaire, which
was used as a research tool. The results of the
study revealed a low level of performance for the
internship program team of special education,
which calls for the development of the program
and its outcomes. The results also revealed a
statistically significant gender-based difference
(0.05) in the mean scores of the internship team
performance, in favor of females.
Al-Fawair and Al-Tobi (2017) evaluated
internship programs at the College of Science
and Arts at the University of Nizwa in the
Sultanate of Oman. The researchers used a
descriptive approach and a questionnaire for data
collection and analysis. The study population
included 70 female students from the College of
Sciences and Arts in the Child Education
Program, the Special Education Program, and the
Teacher Preparation Program for General
Education at the University of Nizwa. The results
of the study showed that the internship program
contributed to providing female students with the
knowledge and skills required by teachers in
general. There were also statistically significant
differences in the students’ evaluation of the
internship program between the general
education program and the special education and
child education programs.
Studies on the compatibility of learning
outcomes with the requirements of the labor
market
Aref, Hijazi, and Abdul Hamid (2018) examined
the compatibility between the quality of learning
outcomes in Saudi universities and the
requirements of the Saudi labor market in
accordance with Vision 2030. The researchers
used a descriptive analytical survey method to
meet the purpose of the study. The study sample
targeted academic leaders, faculty members,
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graduates of all public universities that have
institutional accreditation, and employers from
sectors seeking to employ graduates. The
researchers used three tools for data collection: a
questionnaire, content analysis of the documents
of the Ministry of Civil Service and the Ministry
of Labor, and interviews with a cohort of the
research sample. The results showed that
educational competencies are one of the most
important requirements of the Saudi labor market
according to Vision 2030. Moreover, the
graduates rated their satisfaction with the
learning outcomes using the “Very Good” option
on the overall scale. The study also showed that
humanities majors suffered from a surplus in the
number of graduates. However, the graduates of
the humanities and social sciences expressed
their dissatisfaction with the learning outcomes
due to the poor internship programs to support
and develop students’ practical skills, and their
failure to make use of the major to fulfill their job
roles. They also showed dissatisfaction with the
quality of the course.
Yusuf and AlBanawi (2016) investigated the
compatibility between learning outcomes and the
needs of the Saudi labor market. The study
targeted 350 employees in the education sector in
the KSA as the sample for the study. The results
reported that most of the sample participants
stressed the need to align education with the
needs of the labor market. The study also showed
a high rate of unemployment, which puts Saudi
teachers under pressure to prepare students in a
manner commensurate with local employment
due to the gap between the education system and
the Saudi labor market. The study also indicated
the need to improve the performance of faculty
members as a means of aligning learning
outcomes with the needs of the Saudi labor
market.
Methodology and Procedures
Research Methodology
The study used a descriptive survey method to
evaluate internships in special education
programs from the students’ perspectives. The
questionnaire tool was used for data collection,
and the survey included many indicators,
including academic background, cooperating
teacher, academic supervisor, and training
environment. SPSS was also used to understand
the relationships between all factors and to
survey students‘ evaluation of the internship
program of special education. The survey was
reviewed by a professor, associate professor, and
assistant professor from the members of the
Department of Special Education. The reviewers
and researcher reached a high level of agreement
(95%), and the researcher reviewed the results of
the reviews and modified the survey accordingly.
Study Population
The study population consisted of all male and
female BA students of special education in all
majors, including learning disabilities, mental
disabilities, hearing impairments, behavioral
disorders, autism, and visual impairments, to
provide the opportunity for all students to
participate in the evaluation of their internship
program.
Study Sample
Pilot Sample
The pilot sample consisted of 60 students of
special education who responded to a
questionnaire on the views of male and female
students of special education on internship
programs to verify the psychometric efficiency
of the questionnaire.
Final Sample and its Characteristics
In total, 271 students were observed for the
purpose of this study.
Study Tool
A 47-item questionnaire was developed to
identify students’ evaluations of internships in
special education programs. The researcher built
the questionnaire after reviewing the internship
manuals in a few Saudi universities.
The questionnaire included several variables,
including students as the independent variable.
The independent variables were gender,
university, specialization, and GPA. There are
two sections to the questionnaire. The first
includes five main dimensions that address the
process of evaluating internships by students in
special education programs. The five dimensions
are i) academic background (5 items), ii)
academic supervisor (8 items), ii) field
supervisor (9 items), iv) training environment (8
items), and v) internship outcomes (13 items). In
the first section of the questionnaire, the
researcher collected the evaluation of the study
sample for the five dimensions using a 3-point
Likert scale (Agree, Neutral, Disagree).
The second section of the questionnaire included
the students’ evaluations of the compatibility of
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education outcomes with the requirements of the
labor market. Five answer options were used
(met to a very large degree, met to a large extent,
met to a moderate degree, met to a low degree,
and not met).
Psychometric properties of the study tool
The validity of the study tool was established
through face validity. The tool was judged by 10
experts in the field of special education and
psychology, and the internal consistency of the
tool was verified using Pearson correlation
coefficients. To verify the tool’s reliability, the
half-split and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were
calculated.
Face Validity
The researcher administered the initial version of
the questionnaire to the pilot sample
(standardized sample), which consisted of 60
male and female students of special education in
Saudi universities, to identify the extent to which
participants in the pilot test understood the terms
and instructions of the questionnaire. This
sample was excluded from the final study sample
selected.
Internal Consistency (Between Each Item and
the Total Score of the Questionnaire)
The researcher calculated the correlation
coefficients between the score of each item and
the total score to survey the views of male and
female students of special education on
internship programs after deducting the item
score from the total score.
The correlation coefficients were high and
significant at the 0.01–0.05 level, which indicates
the validity of the questionnaire items. The
correlation coefficient ranged between 0.336 and
0.920, which also proved the validity of the
questionnaire items.
Internal consistency (Between the Item and
the Total Score of its Respective Dimensions)
The researcher calculated the correlation
coefficients between the score of each item and
the total score of the dimension to which it
belonged after deducting the item score from the
total score of the axis.
The values of the correlation coefficients were
high and significant at the 0.01 level and ranged
between 0.379 and 0.969, indicating the validity
of the questionnaire’s items.
Internal consistency (Between the Dimension
Score and the Total Score of the
Questionnaire)
The researcher calculated the correlation
coefficients between the score of each dimension
and the total score of the questionnaire after
deducting the dimension score from the total
score.
Table 1.
Correlation coefficients between the score of each dimension and the total score of the questionnaire
(n = 60)
Dimensions
Correlation coefficient
Academic background
0.771**
Academic supervisor
0.962**
Field supervisor
0.971**
Training environment
0.949**
Application Stage (Training outcomes)
0.922**
** Correlation coefficients at the 0.01 level
* Correlation coefficients at the 0.05 level.
- The table was created by the researcher
Table 1 demonstrates that the values of the
correlation coefficients were high and significant at
the 0.01 level, which indicates the validity of the
dimensions of the questionnaire.
Reliability of the Questionnaire
The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was
calculated from the views of students of special
education on the internship programs, using the
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and the split-half
method to calculate the internal consistency of the
dimensions of the questionnaire.
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Table 2.
Values of the reliability coefficients by the Cronbach’s alpha method, the split-half method, and the
Guttmann equation of the questionnaire (n = 60)
Dimensions
Cronbach’s alpha
Reliability level
Split-
Half
Gutmann
Reliability level
Academic
background
0.885
high
0.924
0.892
high
Academic
supervisor
0.806
high
0.864
0.851
high
Field supervisor
0.847
high
0.858
0.855
high
Training
environment
0.764
high
0.724
0.716
high
Application stage
(training outcomes)
0.985
high
0.986
0.983
high
Total score of the
scale
0.974
high
0.930
0.926
high
Cronbach‘s alpha ● low < (0.5) ● moderate (0.5–0.7) ● high > (0.7)
Table 2 demonstrates that all the values of the
reliability coefficients were greater than 0.7,
which ensured our confidence in the reliability of
the questionnaire.
* The table was created by the researcher
The Final Version of the Questionnaire
Since the questionnaire items and the views of
students of special education on internship
programs were all valid and consistent, none of
them were excluded; therefore, the initial version
remained the same. According to the 3-point
Likert scale (3, 2, 1), the maximum score was 141,
and the minimum was 47. The higher the scores,
the higher the rating levels of special education
students in the internship programs, and vice
versa.
Statistical Methods Used in the Study
The statistical techniques used in this study were:
1. Descriptive statistics through means,
standard deviations, and relative weights
2. Inferential statistics through correlation
coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha, and split-half
methods
3. T-test and Kruskal–Wallis test to establish
the validity of the study hypotheses
Results and Discussion
Results of the First Question
To answer the first study question, “How do
students of special education view the internship
programs in Saudi universities?,” the researcher
calculated the frequencies, percentages,
arithmetic averages, standard deviations, and
ranks of the results of the views of students of
special education on internship programs and
identified the actual use level of the tool
dimensions (academic background, academic
supervisor, field supervisor, training
environment, and stage of application (“training
outcomes”).
Table 3.
Arithmetic means and standard deviations of the study tool dimensions.
Dimensions
Mean
SD
Weight
Rank
Level
Academic background
2.387
0.469
79.57
5
high
Academic supervisor
2.531
0.569
84.37
4
high
Field supervisor
2.606
0.502
86.87
2
high
Training environment
2.575
0.448
85.83
3
high
Application stage
2.77
0.33
92.33
1
high
Total score
2.574
0.362
85.8
high
*The table was created by the researcher
The results revealed that the students of special
education highly rated the internship program, a
result consistent with those of Jogan (2019),
AlZahrani and Brigham (2017), Aletewey (2016),
and Hussain (2010). Regarding the tool
dimensions, the application stage (training
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outcomes) came first in rating (high level). This
is also due to the students’ achievement of the
internship outcomes, in terms of their high ability
to carry out the educational process, and their
professional readiness for the future. The phrase
I can accept people with disabilities scored the
highest mean (2.915), which reflects the
internship students’ acceptance of PWDs, despite
the difference and diversity of disabilities in the
field.
The field supervisor dimension ranked second
(M = 2.606), which is consistent with the
findings by Aletewey (2016). This may be
attributed to the importance of field supervisors
and their roles in the success of internships.
These roles include preparing students for the
teaching task in addition to offering support,
follow-up, mentorship, problem-solving, and
assessment according to the standards agreed
upon with the faculty member (the academic
supervisor). The phrase There is a good
relationship between the field supervisor and the
trainee student scored the highest average
(2.815), which reflects the unlimited support of
the field supervisors in improving students’
performance and preparing them for the future.
This was also confirmed by Fakhro (2016), who
indicated that the cooperating teacher cooperated
with the internship students and supported them
appropriately.
The third-place rating was scored by the training
environment dimension (M = 2.575). The reason
for this result may be attributed to the suitability
of the internship environment for the students, in
terms of the location of the training site, students’
freedom to choose it, the interaction and the
positive relationship between internship students
and school personnel, including administrative
staff and teachers, appropriateness of the
classroom environment and its readiness, and
availability of an appropriate number of students
in the classroom. The phrase I gained
information about the nature of the school
environment and its work rules scored the highest
average (M = 2.849), which is contrary to the
results reported by Aletewey (2016), who
demonstrated a moderate level of student
satisfaction for the potential or training
environment dimension.
The academic supervisor dimension ranked
fourth (2.531), as most of the phrases in the
dimension scored high from the point of view of
the internship students. This may be attributed to
the importance of the academic supervisor’s role
in solving students’ problems and evaluating
them fairly using clear-cut criteria, providing
them with feedback, and encouraging their
professional growth. The results also showed that
the satisfaction level of students was moderate
regarding the number of visits by the academic
supervisor (3 visits during the training period).
They also showed moderate satisfaction
regarding the adequacy of the academic
supervisor’s visits to determine the performance
level of the trainee student, which means that the
academic supervisor may be present fewer than
three times during the training period, and his
visits are not sufficient to determine the
performance level of the trainee student. This
result is consistent with that of Al-Ali (2017),
who indicated minor problems in internships
related to academic supervisors. The findings are
also in agreement with Al-Sharaa’s (2019) study,
whose results showed that the academic
supervisor was the lowest dimension in the
internship problems faced by students. Further,
Fakhro (2016) indicated that one of the problems
faced by field education students is the lack of
sufficient visits by the academic supervisor to
students in internship programs to assess them
appropriately.
The academic background dimension came at the
end of the list (M = 2.387), although its rating
level was also high. The reason for this may be
ascribed to the fact that the academic background
helped students learn the characteristics and
abilities of children with disabilities in light of
the theoretical studies that were addressed in the
special education program. The observation may
also result from their knowledge of modern
teaching strategies, which helped them learn how
to develop multiple educational aids to meet the
needs of PWDs, and their willingness to work in
the field. The results of the current study also
showed that the phrase The theoretical side was
compatible with the practical one and had a
moderate rating level in students’ evaluation of
the academic background of the special
education program. These results are consistent
with those of Al-Ali (2017), who confirmed the
existence of a difference between a theoretical
study and a practical one. However, the findings
are contrary to what was reported by Fakhro
(2016), who referred to the incompatibility of the
theoretical side with the practical side, since
students feel a big gap between the two sides due
to the disparity between theory and practice
during the study phase.
The results also showed that students moderately
rated their knowledge of practical field
experiences before starting their internships.
Students reported a moderate level of satisfaction
with the adequacy of micro-teaching in teacher
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training, which means that the students need to
increase the periods of micro-teaching during the
theoretical academic study period.
Results of the Second Question
To answer the second study question, “Are there
statistically significant differences in students’
views on internship programs in special
education according to gender, specialization,
university, GPA variables?” the researcher used
several tests and methods depending on the target
variable.
Differences Due to Gender
To determine the differences in the views of
students of special education on internship
programs that are attributed to gender (males and
females), a t-test was used for the two
independent groups. The results detected
significant differences at the 0.01 level in the
views of male and female students of special
education on internship programs in all
dimensions and the total score due to the gender
variable for the benefit of females. However, the
difference related to the fourth dimension
(training environment) was not significant.
The results are consistent with those of Al-Ali
(2017) and Al-Adwan and Hamdanah (2018),
whose findings revealed statistically significant
differences in the academic supervisor dimension
for the benefit of females. This may be due to the
argument that females are more capable of the
academic theoretical aspect of the special
education program and are keener to know
everything related to the internship program from
the academic and field supervisors and more
motivated to achieve the desired benefit of the
training. Accordingly, females achieve higher
grades in the internship phase, which confirms
their mastery of internship outcomes. Females
also view internships not only as a requirement
but also as a process with humanitarian aspects
that aim to educate PWDs and meet the
individual differences among them.
Differences Due to Specialization (Learning
Disabilities, Autism, Mental Disabilities,
Hearing Impairments)
To assess the differences in the views of students
of special education on internships attributable to
specialization (learning disabilities, autism,
mental disabilities, hearing impairment
programs), the researcher used non-laboratory
tests due to the large discrepancy in the
preparation of specialization categories in
addition to the Kruskal–Wallis test. According to
the results, statistically significant differences
were found at the 0.05 level in the total score for
the views of students of special education on
internship programs due to the variable of major
specialization. To identify the direction of the
differences, a Mann–Whitney post-test was
conducted, which revealed the existence of
differences between learning disabilities and
autism in favor of learning disabilities, while
there were no differences between the remaining
specialization categories.
This result is consistent with those reported by
Aletewey (2016) and Hussain (2010), whose
findings confirmed that most student teachers
expressed their satisfaction with the effectiveness
of the program for preparing teachers of students
with learning disabilities. This may be attributed
to the nature and characteristics of learning
disabilities, as teaching children with learning
disabilities is much easier than teaching those
with developmental disabilities, such as autism.
The observation may also be due to the
appropriateness of the internship environment for
students as they received their training in public
schools, the high compatibility and
understanding between them and the academic
and field supervisors, and their mastery of the
internship outcomes, which means they are
professionally ready for the future.
Differences Due to University (14 Saudi
Universities)
Differences in the views of students of special
education on internship programs attributed to
their specific universities (Umm Al-Qura; Prince
Sattam; Taif; King Saud; Najran; Imam Abdul
Rahman bin Faisal; Jazan; Jeddah; Taiba; Shaqra;
Muhammad bin Saud Islamic; Northern Border;
Noura bint Abdul Rahman; and Al-Baha) were
also assessed. For this, the researcher used non-
laboratory tests due to the large discrepancy in
the number of university categories, in addition
to the Kruskal–Wallis test. According to the
results, there were statistically significant
differences at the 0.05 level in the overall score
due to the university variable. To determine the
direction of the differences, a Mann–Whitney
post-test was conducted, which revealed
differences between the University of Umm Al-
Qura and Taif University, with students from the
former reporting higher ratings. Students from
Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University also
reported higher ratings than those from the
universities of Um Al-Qura, Taif, and Jeddah.
Similarly, the ratings were higher among
students from Northern Border University than
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those from the universities of Umm Al-Qura,
Taif, Jeddah, and Taiba.
The researcher ascribed the above results to the
differences related to the university’s special
education programs, as well as differences in
personnel, curricula, special education services,
and specialized centers, which are essential
elements in preparing student-teachers.
GPA (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass)
To determine the differences in the views of
students of special education on internship
programs attributable to the GPA (excellent, very
good, good, pass), the researcher used non-
laboratory tests due to the large discrepancy in
the number of university categories in addition to
the Kruskal-Wallis test. According to the results,
there were statistically significant differences at
the 0.05 level in the total score of the views of
students of special education on internship
programs due to the GPA variable. To track the
direction of the differences, a Mann–Whitney
post-test was conducted, which revealed
differences between the category of students with
the “excellent” grade and those with “good” in
favor of the former. However, no differences
were detected between the other categories. This
is due to the motivation of the excellent-grade
students to fulfil the internship program
requirements and benefit from their field
experience to achieve the learning outcomes.
However, this result is contrary to previous
findings by Al-Ali (2017), whose study showed
no statistically significant differences due to the
GPA variable.
Results of the Third Question
To answer the third study question, “Do the
educational outcomes meet the requirements of
the labor market according to Vision 2030 from
the point of view of internship students in Saudi
universities?” the researcher calculated the
frequencies, percentages, arithmetic averages,
standard deviations, and ranks of the results of
the students’ responses.
Table 4.
The mean, deviation, and relative importance of the responses to the requirements of the labor market
according to the vision of 2030 from the point of view of internship program students in Saudi universities.
Requirements of the labor market
according to Vision 2030
Mean
SD
Weight
Level
3.517
1.092
70.33
High
* The table was created by the researcher
According to the results, there are high rating
levels for the compatibility of education
outcomes with the requirements of the labor
market in accordance with Vision 2030. This is
due to the fact that the field of special education
is the field of employment, and there will
continue to be a constant need for it, whether
through public or private special education
institutions. However, this result differs from
those of Aref, Hijazi, and Abdel Hamid’s (2018)
study, which indicated that the rate of graduates’
satisfaction with learning outcomes was
moderate (very good). Similarly, the
observations contradict those of Yusuf and
AlBanawi (2016), who detected a gap between
the education system and the labor market in the
KSA with a consistent increase in the rate of
unemployment among graduates.
Conclusion
The current study concluded that the level of
students' evaluation of the internship program
was high due to its success in meeting the goals
for which it was set. It also showed the students'
eagerness to benefit from this critical period,
which contributed to the efficient preparation of
special education teachers and students’
readiness to accept various disabilities in the field
and overcome them. This also confirmed the
efforts of the field supervisor, who guided and
evaluated students to meet the desired goals since
the good relationship between the supervisor and
the students encourages them to raise students’
efficiency. Furthermore, the study concluded that
internship students perceived statistically
significant differences (with higher scores for
females) in the dimension of the academic and
field supervisor, academic background, and
application stage. Moreover, significant
differences were also found in the variable of
specialization with specialists in learning
disabilities reporting higher, due to the nature of
the disability and the efficient preparation of
teachers of students with learning disabilities.
Regarding the university variable and its impact
on the efficiency of the internship program,
significant differences emerge between several
universities based on the different programs,
faculty members, and teaching methods
evaluation methods among these universities.
Finally, the study revealed that the outcomes of
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education were compatible with the requirements
of the labor market in accordance with Vision
2030, through which the government sought to
develop the education sector and provide high-
quality education for PWDs, by raising the
efficiency of teachers through the training
programs provided to them.
Recommendations
Based on the results of the study, the researcher
recommends the following:
1. Prepare students of special education for the
field from the first years of the program, by
providing continuous field visits, which help
in giving them a good idea about how to
teach PWDs and their readiness for it.
2. Develop a standard manual for field training
among the special education departments in
Saudi universities, emphasizing the
importance of setting clear-cut criteria for
evaluation during the internship phase.
3. Increase the duration of internship to more
than one semester, so that students can meet
its goals and outcomes.
4. Make use of the results of the current study
in improving and developing the internship
programs in Saudi universities.
5. There is an urgent need for the Ministry of
Education to work alongside the Ministry of
Labor to support the compatibility between
the requirements of the labor market and the
number of graduates from the Special
Education Department.
6. Develop the curricula of special education
programs in order to satisfy the students’
cognitive desires and help them know the
field in its true applied form.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
Conflict of Interest
The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of
interest with respect to the research, authorship,
and/or publication of this article.
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