Practical placements in real work environments are a requirement for successful completion of many professional learning programs. Indeed, this activity may account for half of the learning hours within such curricula. Recent research examining the practicum experiences of nursing students in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, as well as those of…

Work-integrated learning (WIL), as an educational approach, is facilitated through relationships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and external 'host' organizations. Responsible host organizations should recognize that students undertaking WIL come from a range of different cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and have varying…

Our research using hermeneutic phenomenology positions a pre-service or graduate teacher's learning to be a teacher as a process of formation which involves relational sensibilities and ontological understandings that are often taken for granted and can be drawn from teacher's everyday experiences of 'being-in' their practice. We live in…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) research is heavily steeped in particular contexts making it highly suited to flexible, multiple perspective methodologies, such as case study. However, case study methodology is often criticized for being too specific, not generalizable and limited in what it can contribute to theory. In addition, there is often…

There is broad acknowledgement that higher education should produce career-ready graduates and the role of practical experience--such as part-time employment, unregulated extra-curricular internships and work-integrated learning (WIL)--in achieving this. WIL is critical for developing the non-technical skills, disciplinary expertise and career…

Insider research studies are common in work-integrated learning (WIL) research, yet little has been written about the methodological and ethical dilemmas that WIL researchers face. Using a case study narrative, the position of an insider researcher is justified, and the challenges faced, when a researcher undertakes an in-depth study of their own…

Universities are increasingly investing in work-integrated learning (WIL) as a mechanism by which to enhance graduate employability. However, with such investment comes more pressure to demonstrate impact. Program evaluation can be undertaken for a diverse range of purposes including quality assurance, program improvement and accountability. Many…