Work integrated learning
Benchmarking clinical learning in speech pathology to support assessment, discipline standards, teaching innovation and student learning
Through the leadership of the Project Team all Speech Pathology Programs in Australia and New Zealand successfully embedded an established valid and reliable system of competency assessment of work integrated learning, COMPASS™, into their clinical education curriculums. Programs were supported to use the measurement functionality of COMPASS™ to establish internal benchmarks of student performance. Through an ongoing highly collaborative process the participating programs developed a model for ethical cross institutional benchmarking of student learning outcomes that was successfully trialled in the later stages of the project. The development of the benchmarking process and the formation of a community of practice of Speech Pathology educators have exciting implications for future developments in learning and teaching in Speech Pathology.
Career development learning: maximising the contribution of work integrated learning to the student experience. Final report
All Australian universities provide work-integrated learning of some type in their academic programs. Universities’ Career Services have historically played a significant role in the delivery of work-integrated learning. However, the extent and manner in which career development learning, as a pedagogical framework, has been embedded in the work-integrated learning experiences of students has been unclear. Furthermore, the extent to which Career Services and other university departments which deliver work-integrated learning interact and cooperate with one another in their separate or joint delivery of work-integrated learning varies across the sector. Accordingly, the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) secured project funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) to investigate career development learning services and strategies that contribute to and enhance the outcomes of work integrated learning in university programs.
One of the key findings was that stakeholders believed that work-integrated learning should be student-centred. Career development learning is intrinsically student-centred, entailing active student engagement. By including elements of career development learning in work-integrated learning the student is necessarily placed at the centre of the learning process; therefore contributing to the enhancement of student engagement. It is also vital that students be involved in the process of planning their learning experiences, through such processes as being transparently involved in the selection and management of their work-integrated learning.
A handout that summarises the Smith final report on Career Development Learning.
A handout that summarises the Smith final report on Career Development Learning with some extra sections for employers.
Engaging with learning: understanding the impact of practice based learning exchange
This project evaluated the outcomes of practice-based learning exchanges in undergraduate and post-graduate coursework curricula for students, non-academic university partners and universities. Practice-based learning exchange (PBLE) was defined as engaged learning activities through which students work collaboratively with partners in public, community or industry sectors. This includes, although is not limited to, industry and community-based placements and internships. The project sought to answer the following questions:
- What constitutes good pedagogical practice in embedding practice-based learning exchange in University curricula?
- What are the outcomes of practice-based learning exchange for students, non-academic university partners and universities?
- What are the conditions under which effective learning exchange is likely to occur?
Data collection took place in seven different degree programmes at the Universities of Melbourne, Queensland and Newcastle. The methodology included pre and post test surveying of students undertaking PBLE, a survey of alumni who had undertaken PBLE during their degrees; semi-structured interviews with 17 university staff, 31 hosts and 14 students involved in PBLE activities and curriculum mapping to identify the role of PBLE in classroom and non-classroom based learning activities.
Findings from a national project which investigated the experiences of partners, university staff and students in practice-based learning exchanges (such as placements and internships) across seven degree programmes at three Australian universities. The report highlights findings that are most relevant to those who work for the partner organisations that host students during their placements and who are responsible for supervising them and their work.
Thirty-one interviews were conducted with partner organisations which host students during their practice-based learning exchanges. These interviews evaluated the outcomes of practice-based learning exchanges. This was in the light of research which demonstrates the value of practice-based learning exchanges for student learning but which tends to overlook the perspective of university partners. The partner interviews were one stage of a project which also involved surveys with students both before and after their practice-based learning exchange; an online survey with former students (alumni) who had undertaken practice-based learning exchanges during their degrees; and interviews with the university staff who coordinate and manage these programmes.
Highlights findings that are most relevant to those staff who teach students and who are interested in incorporating practical aspects into the curriculum in order to enhance student learning. Seventeen interviews were conducted with university staff which coordinate practice-based learning exchanges. The aim of these interviews was to evaluate the outcomes of practice-based learning exchanges in order to advance innovation in university learning and teaching. Other data collection included: curriculum mapping of university subjects in the degrees listed; surveys of students prior to commencing their practice-based learning exchange; surveys of students after completing their practice-based learning exchange; interviews with students; online surveys returned by alumni and interviews with partner organisations that host students during their practice-based learning exchange.
Summarises findings from a national project which investigated the experiences of students, university staff and partner organisations in practice-based learning exchanges (such as placements and internships) across seven degree programmes at three Australian universities. Highlights findings that are most relevant to students who have either already undertaken a practice-based learning exchange or who are planning to undertake one in the future.
Students were surveyed prior to commencing their practice-based learning exchange and further students were surveyed after they had completed their practice. In addition, interviews were conducted with students and alumni responded to an online survey.
The aim of these surveys and interviews was to evaluate the outcomes of practice-based learning exchanges in order to advance innovation in university learning and teaching. Other data collection included: interviews with university staff which coordinate practice-based learning exchange and interviews with partner organisations that host students during their practice-based learning exchange. Partner organisations included hospitals, community health services, legal services, galleries, museums, libraries and archives, state government departments, Indigenous tourism operators, peak bodies and national and international non-governmental organisations.
Summarises findings from a national project which investigated the experiences of partners, university staff and students in practice-based learning exchanges (such as placements and internships) across seven degree programmes at three Australian universities. Highlights findings that are most relevant to universities which are interested in encouraging staff to incorporate practice into the curriculum, and in establishing and expanding relationships with partner organisations in order to benefit student learning.
The project included: interviews with university staff which coordinate practice-based learning exchanges; interviews with partner organisations which host students during their practice-based learning exchanges; surveys with students prior to commencing their practice based learning exchange and a further students after they had completed their practice; interviews with students; an online survey to alumni and a curriculum mapping exercise of 65 subjects.
The aim of the project was to evaluate the outcomes of practice-based learning exchanges in order to advance innovation in university learning and teaching. Partner organisations included hospitals, community health services, legal services, galleries, museums, libraries and archives, state government departments, Indigenous tourism operators, peak bodies and national and international non-governmental organisations.
The WIL (Work Integrated Learning) Report
Executive summary This report provides an account of the first large-scale scoping study of work integrated learning (WIL) in contemporary Australian higher education. The explicit aim of the project was to identify issues and map a broad and growing picture of WIL across Australia and to identify ways of improving the student learning experience in relation to WIL. The project was undertaken in response to high levels of interest in WIL, which is seen by universities both as a valid pedagogy and as a means to respond to demands by employers for work-ready graduates, and demands by students for employable knowledge and skills. Over a period of eight months of rapid data collection, 35 universities and almost 600 participants contributed to the project. The project aim was to inform, rather than drive, policy change, and therefore provides a set of recommendations (Chapter 1) and an implementation framework (Chapter 9) as project outcomes. A summary of the key challenges identified by participants is provided.