scholarly journals Work Integrated Learning and the Case for a “Student-Industry Network” in Undergraduate Construction Management Programs

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Perry Forsythe
Keyword(s):  
Construction Management ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Real World Application ◽  
Potential Synergy ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
Management Students ◽  
The University ◽  
Industry Network

The term “work ready graduates” is commonly used by Universities to describe students who have been well prepared and who can seamlessly enter professional practice. It is an ideal that is simpler said than achieved in reality. Students in construction management often work and study concurrently but this is often undertaken in an ad hoc way that does not derive the benefits of the potential synergy between the two. The paper explores the need to create such synergy by operationalising Work Integrated Learning concepts and the issues and conditions involved in implementing at the study-work interface for construction management students. The extant literature is used to build the case and identify relevant issues that need to be addressed in the context of contemporary higher education thinking. Research findings are presented from the perspective of the university sector, the student and the industry. Based on findings and insights from these stakeholders, the paper proposes a means of enabling Work Integrated Learning via a structured student-industry network. The brief for such a network is introduced with a view to real world application.

scholarly journals Implementing work-integrated learning in online construction management courses

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-136
Author(s):  
Diana Quinn ◽  
◽  
Edward Cioffi ◽  
Steve Hill ◽  
Mat Kor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Construction Management ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Building Site ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
Management Students ◽  
Storey Building

Implementing online learning can pose serious pedagogical challenges particularly when programs contain work-integrated learning (WIL) components. One such component is the site visit, where student groups are led by subject matter experts through an authentic environment. These WIL experiences help students relate the theory learnt in classrooms to practice. Construction management students particularly benefit from repeated visits to the same building site to appreciate the spatial and temporal constraints and how they change over the life of the building project. Unfortunately, logistics and occupational health and safety concerns have increasingly limited the inclusion of site visits in school and university curricula. Online construction management students are widely dispersed and therefore it is impractical to include shared physical site visits in the curriculum, although students are able to observe locally-based construction sites and report back their findings. In response, universities have collaborated with construction companies and, using significant federal funding, created an interactive learning environment that follows the construction of an eight-storey building over time. This high quality resource is a type of virtual WIL that has been primarily used in face-to-face teaching. In this case study we implement this resource in a fully online construction management course and create three comparatively low-cost environments that demonstrate the construction of residential, industrial, and multi-storey building construction sites, for implementation in another two online construction courses. As an enhancement, within these new environments are embedded images, explanatory videos and documents which students can interact with to create a virtual tour that can be embedded directly alongside the concepts being studied in their weekly learning materials. In addition, these tours are linked to specific online learning activities designed to motivate students to reflect on and refine their understandings based on the authentic context they are experiencing. To better understand the processes involved in this collaboration between school academics, staff from a central teaching innovation unit, and two construction companies, the business processes employed were modelled using a swimlane diagram. Insights into the practicalities of implementing these virtual tours are shared. The experiential learning outcomes of students using virtual WIL are comparable to traditional site visits. Initial online student feedback of small cohorts of online students has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging for the development of more interactive virtual tours. The implementation of virtual tours and activities, blended with independent face-to-face site visits and assessment, forms an authentic, supported and constructively-aligned WIL experience for students undertaking fully online courses.

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

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 ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
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.

scholarly journals What Challenges and Benefits Can Non-Formal Law and Language Integrated Learning Bring to University Students?

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Anastasia Atabekova ◽  
Rimma Gorbatenko ◽  
Aleksandr Belousov ◽  
Ruslan Grebnev ◽  
Olga Sheremetieva
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Academic Progress ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The University

<p class="apa">The paper explores the ways in which non-formal content and language integrated learning within university studies can affect students’ academic progress. The research has included theoretical and empirical studies. The article focuses on the observation of students’ learning process, draws attention to challenges and benefits students experienced through non-formal Law and Language integrated learning. Emphasis is laid on those non-formal learning activities that may be viewed as part of the university students’ training for their future professional activities. The paper provides the results of students’ interviews and questionnaires revealing the issues that students consider important regarding non-formal content and language learning. The research findings aim to contribute to a better understanding of the overall interdependence of formal and non-formal learning within the university academic environment.</p>

scholarly journals Inculcating a service culture among hospitality management students through work integrated learning (WIL): A case study of Durban university of technology.

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-486
Author(s):  
Nirmala Dorasamy ◽  
Rishi Balkaran
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Service Culture ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
Management Students

Any segment of the hospitality industry, as a service industry, focuses on the customer’s total experience. This focus is imperative if organisations are to maintain an edge in an increasingly competitive industry that demands added value. Services, both tangible and intangible, can be considered as a customer experience which cannot be recalled. Therefore, the standards for service operations must be zero defects. The establishment of standards and enactment thereof, is an integral part of the conduct of service employees. This article investigates through a qualitative approach how a service culture can be developed among hospitality management students during work integrated learning to enhance teaching and learning. The extent to which a quality service culture is advocated within the work integrated learning component by the Department of Hospitality Management at the Durban University of Technology is explored. It is argued that a focus on the service quality aspects of service in the areas of professional cookery, accommodation, catering and; food and beverage management can make a significant contribution to developing attributes like reliability, helpfulness and good communication. The article further demonstrates that by exposing students to the expected attributes and skills necessary for a service oriented culture, they are made aware of what constitutes “exceptional service quality”, thereby contributing to their learning about the importance of service in the hospitality industry. While work integrated learning is a philosophy of education based on the “theory of experience of the customer” within the hospitality industry, it is also an integral part of the students’ experience

scholarly journals Investigating the effectiveness of mentorship in Work Integrated Learning : a case study of Office Management and Technology students at DUT and MUT

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sinokholo Victor Mtiki
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Technology Students ◽  
Office Management ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
The University

Internationally, work Integrated Learning (WIL) is a required component of the National Diploma in Office Management and Technology. WIL is undertaken by undergraduate students with the participation of the academic coordinator from the university and a workplace mentor. Issues around mentorship appear to be one of the main challenges. Mentorship, in this study, is understood to involve an interaction or agreement between student, workplace mentor and university WIL coordinator. The problem identified was that this system is known to lack coordination and focus. The study was conducted at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). This research employed mixed methods. The quantitative method involved a questionnaire designed to gather the experiences of a sample size of 90 students in all. Semi-structured interviews were also held with the WIL academic assessors from the two Universities, in order to allow them to open up about some sensitive issues. Online open-ended questions were designed and sent to workplace mentors. Similar questions were asked of all the stakeholders. The study concludes that WIL generally lacks sufficient interaction between stakeholders and that therefore the desired outcomes of mentorship are not fully met. While students were satisfied on the whole with the organizations they worked for, they were less happy with the support the universities were providing. The statistics from the students’ questionnaire indicate that not all students were visited while on WIL, while workplace mentors indicated that they are not provided with appropriate guidance from the universities. Electronic communicative support by the universities also proved to be insufficient, with many students indicated that they are not happy with this personal contact they experienced. Manpower and workload were found to be the main challenges faced by the universities in providing sufficient support. There is only one WIL academic assessor responsible for all the students on WIL in each of the universities. The research suggests that the university’s WIL coordinators should undertake a round of visits to companies before the WIL period and, if they have facilities appropriate for offering experiential learning tasks, then they could be formally accredited for this purpose. It is also suggested that the universities offer workplace mentors more formal guidance and an induction programme. There could also be a policy statement as to how many contacts should be made with the students while on WIL. A suggestion is also made that WIL should take place in the second year as well as the third and, if possible, that the WIL period should be extended. All stakeholders confirmed that mentorship plays a huge role in the effectiveness of WIL and that closer interaction between stakeholders would be beneficial.

Work-Integrated Learning in Postgraduate Design Research

2011 ◽  
pp. 164-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kin Wai Michael Siu
Keyword(s):  
Design Research ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Chinese Mainland ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Regional Collaboration ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Work-Integrated Learning Methodology: Teaching Marketing through Practitioner Experience in the Classroom

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (17) ◽  
pp. 2164
Author(s):  
Luis-Alberto Casado-Aranda ◽  
Juan Sánchez-Fernández ◽  
Francisco Javier Montoro-Ríos ◽  
María Isabel Arias Horcajadas
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Professional Skills ◽  
University Marketing ◽  
Active Teaching ◽  
Traditional Lectures ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
College Instructor

The teaching methodology in university marketing subjects has traditionally been based on “lecture classes”, which have proved to be insufficient for providing students with professional skills that can be directly applied in the workplace. This research aims to reduce this gap between the university and business by applying the active teaching methodology of work-integrated learning (WIL), which consists of providing students with knowledge and experiences directly from professionals that are invited to the classroom. We evaluated the effects of the WIL methodology on university students in a marketing degree course through self-administered questionnaires. During a semester, perceived personal, academic, and professional outcomes were assessed in two groups of students of the same module, one of which participated in the WIL program (i.e., they received lectures by professional marketing experts who were invited to the classroom and explained, through real examples, the content of the subject being taught), and the other served as a control (i.e., they learned the content only through traditional lectures from the college instructor). The results revealed that the students who took part in the WIL program experienced increased motivation, enjoyment, and interest in the subject. Furthermore, they had an increased understanding and acquisition of the concepts, as well as a greater perceived ability to manage companies and a comprehension of the economic environment. These findings constitute an advance because they identify the benefits of applying WIL in knowledge fields where the acquisition of professional skills is crucial for graduates’ entry into the labor market.

scholarly journals Interprofessional Learning as Work-integrated Learning:

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Näverå ◽  
Maria Spante
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
University Management ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Team Research ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The University

Team Research Support and Publishing at University West’s Library consists of four librarians who guide researchers and doctoral students in issues regarding publishing strategies, bibliometrics, Information Literacy and how to make research publications available e.g. in the local repository DiVA. The service is frequently used in several ways by various researchers in accordance with their special needs. The  case is originally based on three meetings between a librarian and a researcher entailing individual texts of reflections. This presentation accentuates the benefits of the discussions through the perspectives of collaborative learning and work-integrated learning. These benefits will thus be highlighted through the experiences from continuous face-to-face appointments with focus on information seeking activities and the effective use of databases.  The meetings between the librarian and the researcher are affected by the fact that both work categories bring their specific professional competences into the discussions. In the dialogues they thus  become each other’s teachers as well as students. The mixed situation of being the bearer of both roles  simultaneously is dealt with by the interacting participants and the co-created meetings are carried through,  and filled with contents, by the professionals themselves. Furthermore, this case emphasizes as well as  problematizes this situation starting off from the individual professionals points of view. Finally, this study  recommends the university management to encourage as well as create conditions for further  interprofessional encounters at work in order to support Work-integrated learning in and for the  organization.

Preparing Gen Y and Z for the Future of Work Through Co-operative Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 94-118
Author(s):  
T. Judene Pretti ◽  
Norah McRae
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Future Of Work ◽  
The Future ◽  
Work Integrated Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Support Students

There are many predicted changes for the future of work. These changes will have significant implications for the type of work that people will do and the careers they will have. The question for many higher education institutions is what can be done to support students in preparing for what is predicted to be a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) future. In this chapter, work-integrated learning (WIL) will be explored as a model of education particularly useful in preparing students for a VUCA world. The chapter will examine one WIL program in particular, the University of Waterloo's co-op program, and consider how its design aligns and supports students in preparing for their future work.

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