An organization overview of pedagogical practice in work-integrated education

Tertiary curriculum design has increasingly emphasized work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities. This qualitative study provides an overview of a variety of WIL activities at Massey University, New Zealand. Descriptive comments, provided through interviews with fifteen academic supervisors from disciplines ranging from the applied sciences through social sciences to business, education and creative arts, highlight the following six factors to be considered in the resourcing of WIL programs. Themes related to set-up include placement requirements, support, selection, location, and risk management issues. Student preparation involves pre-requisite theoretical knowledge, general career preparation (CV & interview skills) and readiness for practice. With respect to supervision, an on-campus academic mentor and a work-place supervisor are both important to the student. Competencies linked to team work and professional standards include self-confidence, communication and people skills. The teaching pedagogies used include lectures and labs, oral presentations, scenario-based-learning and project work. Assessment involved a learning contract, reflective journal, oral presentation, and final report

Work placement reports: Student perceptions

Engineering students complete work placement reports after being on placement in industry, the aim is to increase work place learning and to increase students understanding about the placement, themselves, career direction and skills obtained. Third and fourth year engineering students perceptions on their report writing experience, academic feedback quality, and the effect of completing work placement reports on their learning and report writing ability, were surveyed. Third year students enjoyed the experience more than fourth year students and perceived greater benefits. Fourth year student opinion was mixed, reflecting greater experience and cynicism. Fourth year students rated feedback from academics higher than the third years, perhaps because their reports were more interesting for the academics. The fourth year students were more cynical on the benefits of reflecting and reviewing what they had learned, and many considered this was not important for being an engineer

An exploration of the pedagogies employed to integrate knowledge in work-integrated learning

This article describes a three‐sector, national research project that investigated the integration aspect of work‐integrated learning (WIL). The context for this study is three sectors of New Zealand higher education: business and management, sport, and science and engineering, and a cohort of higher educational institutions that offer WIL/cooperative education in variety of ways. The aims of this study were to investigate the pedagogical approaches in WIL programs that are currently used by WIL practitioners in terms of learning, and the integration of academic‐workplace learning. The research constituted a series of collective case studies, and there were two main data sources — interviews with three stakeholder groups (namely employers, students, and co‐op practitioners), and analyses of relevant documentation (e.g., course/paper outlines, assignments on reflective practice, portfolio of learning, etc.). The research findings suggest that there is no consistent mechanism by which placement coordinators, off‐campus supervisors, or mentors seek to employ or develop pedagogies to foster learning and the integration of knowledge. Learning, it seems, occurs by means of legitimate peripheral participation with off‐campus learning occurring as a result of students working alongside professionals in their area via an apprenticeship model of learning. There is no evidence of explicit attempts to integrate on‐ and off‐campus learning, although all parties felt this would and should occur. However, integration is implicitly or indirectly fostered by a variety of means such as the use of reflective journals

Exploring the pedagogies used in work integrated learning

This paper focuses on the pedagogical approaches used in New Zealand WIL programs in terms of integration of student knowledge, and what impact these have on student learning. A collective case study methodology was used involving three areas of tertiary education science and engineering; business and management; and sport studies. The study involved researchers working collaboratively conducting focus group interviews with a selection of WIL students, academic supervisors, and employers from the relevant discipline about their teaching and learning experiences at both the academic institution and in the workplace. Relevant documentation (e.g., course/paper outlines, graduate profiles, etc.) was analyzed to afford data triangulation. The findings indicated that the WIL experience is a point of difference that students and employers value. Student learning (soft and hard skills, personal and professional development) occurs from a variety of sources (self-directed, supervisors, and peers) and a variety of modes (on campus, on placement). The findings reinforce what can be achieved through WIL programs, and through dissemination of the findings raise awareness amongst tertiary education institutions (TEIs) of the future possibilities availablevia this pedagogy.<br /

Putting the \u27integrated\u27 in work-integrated learning

A key aspect of work-integrated learning (WIL) is the notion that it entails the integration of knowledge and skills gained in the educational institution and in the workplace. WIL educators are interested in what way students take what they learn on campus into the workplace; and conversely how what they learn in the workplace becomes related to, or incorporated into, the next phase of learning when the student returns to the campus after completing a work placement Here we report on a major national study of the pedagogical approaches used in New Zealand WIL programs in terms of integration of student knowledge, and consider what impact these might have on student learning.<br /

Using Twitter to enhance reflective practice on work placements

Reflective practice is an essential engineering skill for life-long learning. However, most engineering students regard reflective practice as an onerous chore and do not find any value in doing it. Previous research for trainee teachers on practicum showed that microblogging (e.g Twitter) is a helpful tool for encouraging reflective practice. Tweets are kept short to 140 characters forcing students to be concise. Because large amounts of text are not required, it is easy for students to blog about their experiences and give and receive feedback. Twitter can be accessed by SMS from mobile phones as well as through the internet. A cohort of 12 volunteers were obtained from third to fourth year mechanical, materials process and biochemical engineering students. These students created private Twitter accounts using pseudonyms and were given training in using Twitter. Participants were instructed not to reveal information that was commercially sensitive. Students were encouraged to tweet once a day on the following: What are you doing? What are you learning? What would you like to learn? What equipment/software are you using? Are you having any difficulties? And what are you enjoying? Tweets were visible to all involved in the project and the researchers and participants were able to give feedback, support, and prompting questions. Tweets were analysed for common themes, how well students were supporting each other, and how much integration between placement and university knowledge appeared to be occurring. Participants were interviewed after their placements to ascertain their views on Twitter and reflective practice. Findings show that students used Twitter regularly. They shared information,gave each other support and commented on what they were doing from day to day. The work placement coordinators could see what the students were doing and give support and feedbac

Investigating the \u27integrated\u27 in work-integrated learning.

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an educational strategy in which students undergo conventional academic learning with an educational institution, and combine this with some time spent in a workplace relevant to their program of study and career aims. It goes under a number of names internationally; sandwich degree (Ward &amp; Jefferies, 2004); cooperative education; and internships (Groenewald, 2004; Sovilla &amp; Varty, 2004; Walters, 1947). The name cooperative education reflects the tripartite nature of WIL in which the student, tertiary education institution (TEI), and workplace work together collaboratively to develop a comprehensive skill set in students (Coll, 1996). Recently the World Association for Cooperative Education added \u27integrated\u27 in a by-line to its name to reflect a broader perspective of the nature of cooperative education that can include capstone programs [practicum], internships, sandwich degrees, and work-based learning via industry projects (Franks &amp; Blomqvist, 2004). A key aspect of WIL is the notion that it entails the integration of knowledge and skills gained in the educational institution and in the workplace. It is the integration aspect of WIL that distinguishes it from workplace learning (i.e., simply what a student or employee learns in the workplace, see Boud &amp; Falchikov, 2006).Eames (2003) notes that whilst there is a rich literature on the success of WIL programs, such research is almost entirely concerned with what he terms \u27operational outcomes\u27, such as benefits for students (Dressler &amp; Keeling, 2004), employers (Braunstein &amp; Loken, 2004), and TEIs (Weisz &amp; Chapman, 2004). For example, it has been reported that compared with conventional graduates students who participate in WIL programs gain employment more easily, fit in better in the workplace, advance more rapidly in their careers, and so on (Dressler &amp; Keeling, 2004). However, there is a serious paucity of research into what WIL students learn, how they learn, whom they learn from (Eames &amp; Bell, 2005), and how the learning might be better facilitated and supported. A key purpose of work-integrated learning is the notion of providing graduates with a comprehensive skill set desired by potential employers. However, the literature notes that it is problematic for tertiary education providers to provide students with such skills, especially behavioural skills; the so-called soft skills (Burchell, Hodges &amp; Rainsbury, 2000; Coll &amp; Zegwaard, 2006). In what way does the student take what he or she has learned into the workplace, and conversely in what way does what the student learns in the workplace become related to, or incorporated into, the next phase of academic learning when he or she returns to the TEI after completing a work-placement?<br /

An exploration of the pedagogies employed to integrate knowledge in work-integrated learning in New Zealand higher education institutions

Work-integrated learning or cooperative education is an educational strategy in which students undergo conventional academic learning at a higher educational institution and combine this learning with some time spent in a workplace relevant to their program of study and career aims (Groenewald, 2004). A key aspect of work-integrated learning is the notion that it entails the integration of knowledge and skills gained in the higher education institution and in the workplace. This has two features - the student takes what he or she has learned on-campus into the workplace when going on a work placement, and likewise what they learn in the workplace becomes related to, or incorporated into, the next phase of academic learning when the student returns to study after completing a work-placement