Win-Win-Win: Reflections from a Work-Integrated Learning Project in a Non-Profit Organization

[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] This paper reports on the educational aspects of an information systems work-integrated learning (WIL) capstone project for an organization which operates to alleviate homelessness in the Australian non-profit sector. The methodology adopted for the study is Action Design Research (ADR) which draws on action research and design research as a means for framing a project's progress. Reflective insights by the project stakeholders, namely, students, academics, and the non-profit client, reveal a curriculum at work through internal features of the organization; personal features of the participants and features of the external environment. Preliminary findings suggest that students in a WIL project for a non-profit are highly engaged, especially when they become aware of the project’s social value. As well, the improvement of professional skills and emotional intelligence by students is more likely in real-life practice settings than in other less authentic WIL activities, equipping graduates for the workforce with both strong disciplinary and generic skills. Win-win-win synergies through project collaboration represent worthwhile outcomes to education, industry and research.

Win-Win-Win: Reflections from a Work-Integrated Learning Project in a Non-Profit Organization

Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology ◽

10.28945/3466 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 047-061

Author(s):

Dale C MacKrell

Keyword(s):

Design Research ◽

Real Life ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Action Design Research ◽

Generic Skills ◽

Non Profit ◽

Capstone Project ◽

Education Industry ◽

This paper reports on the educational aspects of an information systems work-integrated learning (WIL) capstone project for an organization which operates to alleviate homelessness in the Australian non-profit sector. The methodology adopted for the study is Action Design Research (ADR) which draws on action research and design research as a means for framing a project's progress. Reflective insights by the project stakeholders, namely, students, academics, and the non-profit client, reveal a curriculum at work through internal features of the organization; personal features of the participants and features of the external environment. Preliminary findings suggest that students in a WIL project for a non-profit are highly engaged, especially when they become aware of the project’s social value. As well, the improvement of professional skills and emotional intelligence by students is more likely in real-life practice settings than in other less authentic WIL activities, equipping graduates for the workforce with both strong disciplinary and generic skills. Win-win-win synergies through project collaboration represent worthwhile outcomes to education, industry and research.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science - Extending the Boundaries of Design Science Theory and Practice ◽

Work-Integrated Learning as an Outcome of Using Action Design Research in Practice

10.1007/978-3-030-19504-5_7 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 92-107

Author(s):

Amir Haj-Bolouri ◽

Christian Master Östlund ◽

Matti Rossi ◽

Lars Svensson

Keyword(s):

Design Research ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Action Design Research ◽

Work Integrated Learning

When things go wrong: the implications for facilitators of work integrated learning placements in international destinations

Higher Education Skills and Work-based Learning ◽

10.1108/heswbl-07-2020-0154 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Deborah Agnew ◽

Elizabeth Abery ◽

Sam Schulz ◽

Shane Pill

Keyword(s):

Emotional Labor ◽

Critical Incidents ◽

Real Life ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Content Type ◽

Staff Wellbeing ◽

The University ◽

The Impact

PurposeInternational work integrated learning (iWIL) placements for university students are widely promoted within universities. However, they cannot be offered and sustained without a great deal of time and effort; most commonly the responsibility of an assigned university facilitator. Preparation and support are essential for a positive student experience and iWIL outcome. However, not all experiences and outcomes are positive, or predictable.Design/methodology/approachPersonal vignettes of university iWIL facilitators are used to create a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) of experiences and outcomes where placements have been affected by unexpected or unprecedented “critical incidents” and the impact incurred on these academics. The vignettes are analyzed according to the Pitard (2016) six-step structural analysis model.FindingsAnalysis of the vignettes identifies a resulting workload cost, emotional labor and effect on staff wellbeing. Due to the responsibility and expectations of the position, these incidents placed the university iWIL facilitator in a position of vulnerability, stress, added workload and emotional labor that cannot be compared to other academic teaching roles.Practical implicationsIt is intended through the use of “real life” stories presented in the vignettes, to elicit consideration and recognition of the role of the iWIL facilitator when dealing with “the negatives” and “bring to light” management and support strategies needed.Originality/valueResearch is scant on iWIL supervisor experience and management of “critical incidents”, therefore this paper adds to the literature in an area previously overlooked.

The Tango of Problem Formulation: A Patient’s/Researcher’s Reflection on an Action Design Research Journey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.16916 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Michael B Twomey ◽

David Sammon ◽

Tadhg Nagle

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Design Research ◽

Life Experience ◽

Real Life ◽

Problem Formulation ◽

Memory Recall ◽

Action Design Research ◽

End Point ◽

Oriented Research

UNSTRUCTURED This paper reports on the reflection of the lead researcher, a 48-year-old patient with cystic fibrosis (CF), and aims to portray his real-life experience of a 10-month action design research (ADR) project. Playing a dual role, as both a patient and researcher, the lead researcher reflects deeply on his ADR experience with particular emphasis on the problem formulation stage of creating a simple yet impactful checklist to aid memory recall of CF patients or caregivers during a medical appointment. Using Driscoll’s model of reflection, a real-life unsanitized ADR experience is carefully imparted via a series of 4 vignettes, including 4 key learnings, which highlight the connection between a meticulous considered approach to problem formulation and truly effective outcomes. By providing this rich account of problem formulation within ADR, it is hoped that this reflection will help researchers to better understand the complexity of problem formulation in design-oriented research; to avoid making assumptions and becoming fixated on solutions; and to move instead to an end point where several possible ways of examining a problem have been considered, explored, and understood—an end point where successful end results are reached through grit and determination. This paper advocates for the inclusion and portrayal of the actual realities or ups and downs of this dynamic and evolving stage of ADR, capturing the often-tacit knowledge of problem formulation and begetting a sense of realism and humanity to ADR serving as knowledge contributions in their own right. The lead researcher is the patient and researcher in this ADR project. This is my story!

Research and Design on Information Service and Management Platform based on Work Integrated Learning Mode

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/20164402074 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 02074

Author(s):

Qi Yuan Gao

Keyword(s):

Information Service ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Management Platform ◽

Towards Participatory Action Design Research: Adapting Action Research and Design Science Research Methods for Urban Informatics

The Journal of Community Informatics ◽

10.15353/joci.v7i3.2592 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mark Bilandzic ◽

John Venable

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Design Research ◽

Design Science ◽

Science Research ◽

Design Science Research ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Design Research ◽

Urban Informatics ◽

This paper proposes a new research method, Participatory Action Design Research (PADR), for studies in the Urban Informatics (UI) domain. PADR supports UI research in developing new technological means (e.g. using mobile and ubiquitous computing) to resolve contemporary issues or support everyday life in urban environments. Situated in a socio-technical context, UI requires a close dialogue between social and design-oriented fields of research as well as their methods. PADR combines Action Research and Design Science Research, both of which are used in Information Systems, another field with a strong socio-technical emphasis, and further adapts them to the cross-disciplinary needs and research context of UI.

Work Integrated Learning: What do the students want? A qualitative study of Health Sciences students’ experiences of a non-competency based placement

Student Success ◽

10.5204/ssj.v6i2.288 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 87-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elizabeth Abery ◽

Claire Drummond ◽

Nadia Bevan

Keyword(s):

Nursing Education ◽

Real Life ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Theoretical Concepts ◽

Health Sciences Students ◽

Life Context ◽

Competency Based ◽

Education And Law

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) offers students the opportunity to explore and expand on theoretical concepts encountered throughout their academic studies in an applied real-life context. WIL also assists students in their transition from educational to professional practice informed by experience, engagement and reflection. Traditionally, disciplines such as Medicine, Nursing, Education, and Law have incorporated WIL into their programs. Literature outlines the benefits of a WIL placement to measure learned competencies, which are integral to such fields of practice. Currently, the scope for a WIL experience is expanding into other non-clinical courses due to increasing pressure for universities to produce “work ready” graduates. However, in generalist degrees such as Health Sciences, where clinical or explicit skill competencies are not required, the WIL experience is generic. This study sought the perceptions of past Health Sciences students’ WIL experiences in order to develop appropriate resources for future students.

Work-Integrated Learning in Postgraduate Design Research

Work-Integrated Learning in Engineering, Built Environment and Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-547-6.ch008 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 164-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kin Wai Michael Siu

Keyword(s):

Design Research ◽

Research Area ◽

Chinese Mainland ◽

Integrated Learning ◽

Research Experience ◽

Regional Collaboration ◽

Research Students ◽

The University

Instead of only staying in the university to carry out research, postgraduate research students nowadays are expected to gain knowledge and experience through work-integrated learning. The advantages of this kind of learning include better support and facilities for research and more comprehensive and in-depth experience in the research area. The learning also provides an opportunity for students to gain other research experience and explore other research interests. However, sometimes such kind of learning opportunity is not available or not the best available locally, therefore work-integrated learning is necessary or better to be carried out in remote regions. Taking regional collaboration of work-integrated learning for postgraduate design research students between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong as a case study, this chapter discusses the advantages, merits, issues, and problems of regional collaboration. The chapter then identifies possibilities for improvement and directions for further investigation.

The Tango of Problem Formulation: A Patient’s/Researcher’s Reflection on an Action Design Research Journey

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/16916 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. e16916 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael B Twomey ◽

David Sammon ◽

Tadhg Nagle

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Tacit Knowledge ◽

Design Research ◽

Life Experience ◽

Real Life ◽

Problem Formulation ◽

Memory Recall ◽

Action Design Research ◽

End Point ◽

Oriented Research

This paper reports on the reflection of the lead researcher, a 48-year-old patient with cystic fibrosis (CF), and aims to portray his real-life experience of a 10-month action design research (ADR) project. Playing a dual role, as both a patient and researcher, the lead researcher reflects deeply on his ADR experience with particular emphasis on the problem formulation stage of creating a simple yet impactful checklist to aid memory recall of CF patients or caregivers during a medical appointment. Using Driscoll’s model of reflection, a real-life unsanitized ADR experience is carefully imparted via a series of 4 vignettes, including 4 key learnings, which highlight the connection between a meticulous considered approach to problem formulation and truly effective outcomes. By providing this rich account of problem formulation within ADR, it is hoped that this reflection will help researchers to better understand the complexity of problem formulation in design-oriented research; to avoid making assumptions and becoming fixated on solutions; and to move instead to an end point where several possible ways of examining a problem have been considered, explored, and understood—an end point where successful end results are reached through grit and determination. This paper advocates for the inclusion and portrayal of the actual realities or ups and downs of this dynamic and evolving stage of ADR, capturing the often-tacit knowledge of problem formulation and begetting a sense of realism and humanity to ADR serving as knowledge contributions in their own right. The lead researcher is the patient and researcher in this ADR project. This is my story!