Search

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is crucial for the development of employability skills and has an influence on employment outcomes. Given the significance of WIL pedagogies for graduate preparedness and transitions into work, concerns have been raised on the barriers to access and participation in WIL for some cohorts of learners. Equity and inclusion in WIL, that is, considerations for diverse learners once enrolled into a subject or course with varying WIL components, is not a new concept with some guidelines purported over a decade ago. Designing WIL to accommodate for equity and inclusion, however, has presented challenges with few studies offering navigation for curriculum design. This paper draws on empirically sound curriculum design principles for inclusion for learner variability through Universal Design for Learning (UDL), to offer the UDL for WIL design framework. The paper presents conceptual and practical contributions for educators of WIL experiences to reduce barriers and integrate student voice to support all graduates’ career transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL) has been suggested as a potentially beneficial addition to modern doctoral education. However, there is little research outlining the specificities of WIL aimed at PhD students. This paper explores the range of WIL opportunities available to PhD students through a review of secondary data. The findings indicate that WIL opportunities are non-homogenous and vary widely across their structure and implementation. Patterns emerge to indicate that WIL opportunities tend to be optional, paid, short-term, focused on horizontal learning development, and provide opportunities for boundary crossing outside of academia. These findings imply that WIL has the potential to complement doctoral education by providing opportunities to experience cross-sector or cross-discipline learning and development. However, higher education institutes might consider becoming more involved in the design and implementation of WIL for PhD students. Additional research is required to understand how WIL opportunities fit into doctoral education and to evaluate existing WIL opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing Allied Health (AH) graduates who are skilled in responding to public health needs is crucial, particularly in rural areas where workforce shortages and poor health outcomes are common. However, workforce shortages make it difficult to provide rural work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities to teach these skills. This paper presents a model of Service-Learning (SL) that innovatively employs WIL for AH students while addressing rural health needs. The model was developed based on the experiences of a rural WIL team who implemented over 400 SL WIL experiences over six years. Key aspects highlight the importance of relationship building and meeting the needs of three key stakeholders, namely the community and host-site, students, and the enrolled university. Student support, interprofessional education and evaluation were also embedded in the model. This SL model adopts a flexible approach and provides a useful guide for developing SL for WIL despite challenges in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with disabilities are far less likely than their peers to participate in work-integrated learning (WIL). This gap may contribute to the high levels of unemployment for people with disabilities. Unemployment rates compound when accounting for intersectional identities, with disabled people of color experiencing even higher rates of unemployment. Skill development through opportunities such as WIL is critical to ensure equity -deserving groups can transition successfully from post-secondary institutions into the workforce. Without a transparent, collaborative accommodations process in an environment that is actively reducing stigma and ableism, it is likely students with disabilities will continue to be underrepresented in WIL and the workforce after graduation. This paper presents an overview of disability, barriers to participation, and relevant Canadian legislation. The authors then propose an outline for developing a collaborative accommodations process for WIL opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-based learning (WBL) is used interchangeably with other concepts such as work-related learning (WRL) and workplace learning (WPL). Work-integrated learning (WIL) considers WBL a subset within WIL. Some scholars and practitioners argue that WBL as a mode of learning is pedagogically incompatible with WRL, WPL, and WIL. WBL and WIL practitioners work across the coexistence of many possible meanings of modes and disciplines within the Higher Educational space, something WPL and WRL does not do explicitly when applied outside of Higher Education by Human Resource Management (HRM) practitioners. This conceptual paper applies a critical, multi-perspectival, multi-theoretical and multi-methodological approach of inquiry to the concept of boundaries as it relates to WIL and WBL as a mode of learning within pedagogics. It emphasizes the unique raison d'être for WBL and WIL which is the liminality and tension as a mode of pedagogical practice, between, across, and through disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in understanding and evidencing quality WIL practice across higher education institutions. Despite this increasing focus there is limited evidence of shared institutional wide approaches to defining attributes of quality, establishing benchmarks of WIL in practice (i.e. the enacted WIL curriculum), and implementing a shared evidence-based approach to assuring quality in WIL. This paper presents the underpinning rationale for a quality assurance framework for WIL practice developed through a research project which engaged participants from across the Australian higher education context. The project had three phases: review, exploration and benchmarking; to develop a comprehensive framework representing the dynamic and complex practice space of WIL within higher education institutions. This paper highlights key outcomes from each phase and how these have informed the content and usability of the proposed quality assurance framework, thus providing a robust, evidence-based and comprehensive instrument for the quality assurance of WIL across an institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL) provides an opportunity for integrating Indigenous and Western learning pedagogies and facilitate a meaningful pathway for authentic learning through developing partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders. However, research in developing WIL with Indigenous communities and appropriate learning pedagogies is limited. This paper discusses how WIL can inculcate Indigenous and non-Indigenous learning pedagogies to facilitate authentic, culturally enhanced learning. The proposed theoretical framework was constructed using the concepts relating to '8 Ways of Knowing Indigenous Learning' framework, Studio Based Learning, Co-design, and WIL. The research method draws on autoethnographic approaches to reflect and critically analyze academic observations and reflections across two case studies. The findings propose a WIL pedagogical approach integrating Indigenous and non-Indigenous learning pedagogies to enable authentic learning by co-generating emergent knowledge in complex socio-cultural contexts. Moreover, this approach enables training architecture students to represent cultures and values of the Indigenous communities in the mainstream Anglo Australian architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws on the perceptions of students who have completed authentic project-based and work-integrated assessments and explores their perception of authenticity of the assessments in terms of real work projects. In response to industry and government expectations for work-ready graduates three authentic assessments, were developed in collaboration with industry partners, covering different business program subjects. Drawing on the literature, a three-dimensional framework for authentic assessment in workplace learning was developed. These dimensions — realism, producing an authentic product, and workplace-based judgment criteria — formed the basis for thematic analysis of students’ perceptions. A case study approach was used with three authentic assessment cases. Qualitative data was gathered via focus groups and surveys guided by the three-dimensional framework. Findings suggest that factors such as social environments created by engaging with industry, realistic tasks that replicated industry activities, and working in teams contributed to the perception of an authentic projectbased and work-integrated assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiences of students with disabilities are the focus of the study, guided by the research question: What can we learn about inclusive formative assessment in work-integrated learning (WIL) from the experiences of students with disabilities? The capability approach was drawn on to theorize how inclusive formative assessment in WIL could contribute to students’ success and well-being. Five narrative interviews with six students were conducted over the course of their first year. The study found that students valued formative assessment tasks that combined engaged learning with preparation for working life. Formative assessment provided opportunities to showcase strengths and develop areas of weakness in a safe space. Above all, students appreciated lecturers who adapted assessment tasks to their needs. The study contributes to an understanding of inclusive formative assessment from the perspectives of students with disabilities and diverse learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL), as an educational approach, is facilitated through relationships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and external ‘host’ organizations. Responsible host organizations should recognize that students undertaking WIL come from a range of different cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and have varying academic, physical, and other capabilities. An inclusive workplace will seek to facilitate a positive and rewarding experience for all WIL students. Recent WIL literature has seen a strong focus on inclusive access to WIL. This article examines key elements that can contribute to host organizations providing an inclusive environment for students. Socio-cultural theories related to learning in the workplace are used as a theoretical lens. An Inclusive WIL Workplace Framework is proposed, highlighting principles, practices, and supervisor and co-worker characteristics, that can be utilized by workplaces to assess their inclusivity and address any gaps, and by students to understand the expectations of HEIs on host organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging research suggests that students from equity-deserving groups (EDGs) may experience barriers within work-integrated learning (WIL) that other students may not face, and such barriers may negatively impact students’ participation in WIL. Guided by a social justice lens, this study used interviews of co-operative education (co-op) students (n = 30) from EDGs to explore barriers that such students experienced in one Canadian co-op program. Analyses of qualitative data showed that these students experienced non-structural barriers (those that are less explicit, such as internalized discrimination) and structural barriers (those related to policy and practice, both within their co-op program and their host organizations). While some barriers were specific to a given EDG, others were common across EDGs. These findings provide a fuller picture of the kinds of barriers experienced by WIL students within and across EDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doctoral education is transforming, along with societal changes, as it is no longer solely aimed at academic careers. A new landscape with various models for doctoral education is emerging with an increased alignment with industry. This study aims to deepen research by critically exploring industrial PhD education collaboration in Sweden. The perspectives of industrial PhD students, academia, and industry are integrated with work-integrated learning as a theoretical lens to identify benefits, challenges, and prerequisites for how to structure and manage such a collaboration. Qualitative methods are applied including a total of 38 respondents. Industrial PhD students embody PhD education, research, and university-industry collaboration, generating learning and understanding across sectors and industries. The current knowledge of PhD education is advanced by integrating multiple perspectives, to reveal prerequisites that are vital for how to structure and manage industrial PhD education collaboration, to promote work-integrated learning towards a way to build knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of compensation generates criticism, especially in the U.S. around unpaid internships in particular -- the country's principal form of work-integrated learning (WIL). The distinction between unpaid and paid internships remains understudied and therefore, serves as the primary motivator to compare students' perceptions of unpaid and paid WIL experiences, using a large U.S. data set. The purpose of this study is to compare interns' perceptions of unpaid and paid experiences to gain a better understanding of how these experiences frame interns' supervisory support interactions, perceptions of advancement opportunities, career confirmation, and conversion intentions. The study is U.S. centric, surveying students who had recently completed their internships. Results indicated that regardless of pay (i.e., paid vs. unpaid), interns had similar expectations regarding supervisory support, career confirmation, and conversion intentions. Hence, confirming that both unpaid and paid internships provide a strong platform for students to obtain the support they need to launch their future careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes a perspective on work-integrated learning (WIL) through the lens of South-North collaboration. The research question was: How might sharing experiences of WIL in different contexts enhance WIL practice in a local context? The purposive sample of twelve case studies; South Africa (n=6) and Ireland (n=6), represented business, engineering, biopharma and health sciences disciplines. Activity theory was drawn on to analyze data on program content, mechanisms and processes, and outcomes and challenges across the case studies. Key findings include: student support requirements, curricular modalities and assessment practices, levels at which WIL is offered, resourcing for WIL and understandings of WIL as enhancing students' employability and as a societal contribution. The data revealed similarities and differences in WIL practices within and across the two countries. Partners developed insights into their own and one another's practices, showing the potential of international collaboration to enhance learning and practice in local contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]