Search Results

Graduate capability and employability are regarded as critical success factors for degree programs by universities, industry, and the students. Furthering work-based experiences for academic credit within degree programs is being increasingly explored to assist employability. Effective work-based experiences are reliant on good partnerships between university, industry and student. Such successful relationships assist communication and understanding important for meaningful, quality work-based learning experiences and assessments. Collaborative governance is a finely nuanced arrangement that is dependent on commitment, shared understanding and building trust across university, industry and student guided by the student learning outcomes. Collaborative governance is presented in this paper as an effective framework to guide and organize the structures and processes of university, industry and student to facilitate work-based learning that supports student capability through the attainment of desired outcomes.

Published abstract. Show less

At a time when colleges and universities are anxious to prove that their graduates are employable, internships are being increasingly touted as valuable 'high-impact' practices. However, how students themselves conceptualise internships is poorly understood, which inhibits the inclusion of their voices in the employability discourse and considerations of program design. In this study we use the freelisting method from cultural anthropology to analyse data from students (n = 57) in three US colleges, using saliency analysis, thematic analysis, and social network analysis techniques. Results indicate that the most salient terms in the cultural domain of internships were: 'experience,' 'learning,' 'paid,' and 'connections.' Students discussed these words in utilitarian terms (e.g. something to 'get' for one's resume), as important aspects of career- and self-exploration, and to highlight the importance of compensation. Differences in the complexity of student accounts were evident between students who had taken an internship and those who had not. These findings highlight how common definitions of internships reflect a homogenous and aspirational perspective that is inconsistent with student accounts. We conclude that students' insights about internships are important to consider to re-frame the employability debate to include student perspectives and experiences, to avoid one-size-fits-all approaches to internship design, and to facilitate student self-reflection.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Increased graduate employment is an aspiration of Australian universities who are adopting new and innovative approaches to ensure that all students have opportunities to develop the employability skills much sought after by employers. Placements have been a traditional means for developing such skills but because these are not available to all students other non-placement activities such as industry and community projects, and simulated learning environments have become alternative ways of assisting students [to] become job-ready. These authentic work-related activities enable students to apply and practice disciplinary learning in workplace contexts as well as develop graduate capabilities. A study at an Australian University investigated 1,500 assessments from 40 courses across four Faculties to determine the nature and extent to which authentic assessments were being embedded in courses. This paper presents the development of an authentic assessment framework and typology that was employed to conduct the action-in-research investigation and to illustrate the investigative outcome, as well as holding prospects as a curriculum development tool and student engagement and development tool.

Published abstract. Show less

This article summarizes research conducted for the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) in 2012 to establish a knowledge base about work-based learning (WBL) to help state-level educators in the US assist local WBL programs. Details on the background literature review, methods and findings can be found in the full report, 'Work-based learning opportunities for high school students', published in 2013.

Edited excerpt from NRCCTE website. Show less

Purpose: The aim of this cross-disciplinary, year-long, longitudinal qualitative study was to gain useful insights into the experiences of undergraduates undertaking work placements, focussing particularly upon their emotional responses to the challenges facing them. The research involved a small group of students from an [Higher Education Institution] HEI in northwest Ireland, drawn from four very different programmes. They were interviewed at length both before and after their placement, and also made available their reflective learning journals, kept over the course of their placements. A critical examination of the data looks to the psychological and emotional demands of undergraduate work placement and argues the need for rigorous preparation pre-placement and good pastoral support before, during and after the exercise. Although based in Ireland, the findings pose generic dilemmas: the issues encountered (and the solutions suggested) are by no means exclusive to Irish [Higher Education] HE, as the literature review indicates. Design/methodology/approach: As a means to capturing the thoughts, feelings, fears, and hopes of the participants' pre and post-placement, the core research questions were: 'How effectively do work placements bridge the gap between HE institutions and the workplace?' and 'Do placements prepare students emotionally for the workplace and/or lead to improved academic performance?' By answering from the perspective of their own experiences, several key themes emerged, namely: Expectations and preparation pre-placement; Contexts, remits and roles during placement; Learning gain (as enhanced employability and/or improved academic ability). Findings: The findings suggest that a wide range of employer-valued transferable key skills (together with improved self-confidence, psychological resilience, and emotional maturity) may be gained via informal modes of workplace learning, but that some of the activities carried out by worker-learners during placement may vary widely. It is, therefore, important to prepare students thoroughly pre-placement, support them throughout the process, and act promptly upon their feedback. A draft checklist aimed at placement mentors, academic tutors and course leaders is offered here based upon the study's findings: its generic nature means that it looks beyond HE in Ireland, and could be of use in crafting meaningful work-based learning opportunities and tangible employability outcomes irrespective of jurisdiction or discipline.

Research limitations/implications: Although small in scale (eight participants) and based in Ireland this two-year study is cross-disciplinary and deals with generic issues of interest to those involved in Higher Education, namely, under-graduate employability, emotional maturity, learning gain, reflective learning, and the pastoral care of placement students (as learner-workers). Practical implications: Having undergraduate students complete some form of bespoke, enhanced pre-placement training (modular or extra-mural) could also potentially avoid: Misperceptions or misunderstandings over placement terms (structure, content, duration) between placement provider, student and college. Concerns on the part of placement providers that they might not be taking on high-calibre undergraduate students, thereby risking their own practice or reputation. Social implications: Such 'pre-employability' training could increase the likelihood of placement students being willing or able to take on extra-mural voluntary roles in profession-relevant organisations, e.g. charities, [non-government organisations] NGOs, with the associated benefits in terms of [curriculum vitae] CV-building, maturity, personal development and reputation. Pre-placement preparation could include role-play, to help accustom students to the likely (or indeed unlikely) events and scenarios often associated with their future careers, and to thus embed a greater sense of self-confidence, and limit or prevent anxiety. Ensuring that students have had a good grounding in both the norms and potential demands of their chosen profession is key: this, in turn, would ensure that they are also keenly aware, pre-placement, of their own abilities, limitations and any knowledge gaps. Originality/value: The work offers 'front-row' insights into the student experience across four very different disciplines: it provides a useful platform for 'the student voice' in terms of a pre and post-placement 'snap shot' of their hopes, expectations, and not least, their emotional responses to the challenges of placement. It highlights the importance of robust preparation and comprehensive pastoral care.

Published abstract. Show less

This article reports the findings from an institutional case study into the work placement experience of undergraduate international students studying at a UK-based university. Given the centrality and importance of the employability and internationalisation agendas in higher education, little published literature considers both and how they impact upon the work placement experience of international students. With past increases in international student recruitment numbers and the drive for students, regardless of their nationality, to gain work experience, there is a need for institutions to better understand work placement from the international students' perspective. Findings revealed that challenges exist in finding and securing work placement, with critical themes emerging to include placement information, visa rules, culture differences, prior work experience, academic preparation for placement and academic writing ability. A support framework is proposed to assist institutions to consider how they could align their practices to meet international students' work placement and employability needs.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Traditionally doctoral students are expected to work as sessional academics, however, they are not necessarily well-prepared for, nor confident about, the full range of academic roles expected of them upon employment. Since 2007, Flinders University has run a year-long Academic Internship Program for Doctoral Students (AIPDS) to provide academic training and support to 24 doctoral students employed as sessional teaching staff. This paper outlines the AIPDS Responsive Evidence-based Adaptable Assessed and Layered (REAAL) Framework and draws on the program's evaluation to demonstrate how participation in the program supports both the preparedness of its participants to be responsive and adaptive professionals and helps build academic confidence and skills so individuals are better equipped to navigate uncertainty and complexity.

Within the program quality learning and teaching is fostered through interactive workshops and program activities which also support the interns as they learn about scholarly, theoretical and practical approaches to teaching. Interns face a number of challenges during the program and in their teaching that align with those in the sector. The REAAL framework allows the program to be responsive and adaptable enough to meet those challenges effectively. [The authors] have used a thematic analysis approach to explore survey and interview data from program participants and teaching staff. This qualitative research approach has informed the development of the REAAL framework. The REAAL framework is flexible and is not institutionally bound. It therefore provides a model for the development of other programs which prepare doctoral students for future academic roles which involve teaching.

Published abstract. Show less

Internships are a widely touted co-curricular activity that may enhance students' employability, their future wages, and employer talent needs. However, how students themselves understand and conceptualize the internship experience is poorly understood. Reasons why understanding students' perceptions of internships is important include the fact that debates about employability are dominated by employer voices and interests, and that developing student-centered educational experiences require a deep understanding of their conceptions of the learning and developmental process itself. In this paper we adopt an ethnographic perspective to reposition the perspectives of students from the periphery to the center within discussions of employability and internships, and use the freelisting method to document the words or phrases that are most salient to students (n=57) as they consider the cultural domain of 'internships.'

We analyzed the resulting data using saliency analysis, inductive thematic analysis, and techniques from social network analysis to document the most frequently and psychologically salient reported terms associated with internships, themes related to these terms, and differences between students who have and who have not taken an internship. Results indicate that the most salient terms in the cultural domain of internships were: 'experience,' 'learning,' 'paid,' and 'connections.' Students discussed these words in utilitarian terms (e.g., something to 'get' for one's resume), as important aspects of career- and self-exploration, and to highlight the importance of compensation. Differences in the complexity of student accounts were evident between students who had taken an internship and those who had not. These findings highlight how common definitions of internships reflect a homogenous and aspirational perspective that is inconsistent with student accounts. We conclude that students' insights about internships are important to consider to reframe the employability debate to include student interests, to avoid one-size-fits-all approaches to internship design, and to facilitate student self-reflection.

Published abstract. Show less

Students have expectations of their university education leading to graduate careers, with universities investing considerable resources in institution-wide initiatives designed to enhance opportunities for student work placements and work-related learning. However, there are large variations between courses and disciplines in student uptake of these opportunities, with limited evidence explaining why this might be the case. Recognising recent approaches which consider student identity in transitions, this study explored student attitudes to work-related learning across a range of subject disciplines. The first phase of the study used in-class surveys (N = 199) to focus on students' self-identification and perceptions of employability initiatives. Follow-up interviews were conducted to further explore themes emerging in the survey data. The study found that, while some students drew on resources for identity work in their recognition of and approach to work-related learning, access was limited, and university resources were not always recognised or effective. The findings have implications for the design of effective graduate employability initiatives.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Preparing students for employment involves encouraging ownership of their employability and engagement in opportunities that can help them improve it. Industrial placements play an important role in this but declining numbers of students are undertaking them. Using data collected over a three-year period at a Business School in a UK university, this paper will explore an intervention based on nudge theory designed to increase the uptake of these placements. Drawing upon behavioural science, it will explore nudge theory and its criticisms. It will discuss the concept of employability, including the tensions between the necessity of promoting students' ownership of theirs and the inherent assumptions that they will engage in opportunities to achieve this. Critical assessment of how the nudge intervention worked will be provided, demonstrating how almost half of those 'nudged' responded positively, thereby successfully increasing the uptake of placements. It will identify soft outcomes, notably the breaking down of some typical behavioural barriers to placements and encouraging students to think reflectively. It will offer recommendations for replicable practice in other universities; specifically a model for developing nudges not only in relation to employability but within higher education more broadly. It concludes by proposing a new pedagogic definition of employability.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less