Cooperative education (co-op) programs combine coursework and work internships and have become popular worldwide. Using over 45,000 performance evaluations collected separately for in-person (2019) and remote (2021) internship positions, this study uncovered the characteristics of successful co-op students. Each evaluation included an overall…

One of the key challenges in work-integrated learning (WIL) courses is how to account for learning that takes place away from campus, where the work space, daily routines and emergent actions within an organisation shape the possibilities for student learning. What do students do on placement to open the possibilities of working and learning in…

This article describes students' experiences of different activities arranged by a Swedish university in connection with their internship. The article presents two approaches for conducting seminars while students are on an internship. One student group attends formal, structured seminars while the other group attends seminars in the form of focus…

There is strong evidence that learning gained in, through and for work, whether it is through employment, voluntary, community, domestic or any other kind of work, helps to equip people with the capabilities that can improve their working lives, their employability and their life skills (Lester and Costley, 2010, Beehives, 2018, WEXHE, 2019).…

It has become evident within higher education and within (or in partnership with) the workplace that there is a growing demand for an integration of learning within the workplace. Formal and intentional models and processes utilizing experiential learning methods and pedagogy are often referred to as work integrated learning. However, there is a…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is widely recognised as significantly contributing to enhancing graduate employability. Empirical evaluation of its impact and value is often confined to work-based WIL (internships/placements/practicums), known to pose challenges with scalability and equitable access. Through the lens of experiential learning, this…

Professionalism is not easily defined for newcomers to the workforce. While much of the work-ready research focuses on desired graduate attributes and skills, the larger issue is the ways in which students conceptualize professionalism from their observations and experiences of others, and how these conceptualizations affect their professional…

This book shares a range of examples where international students have undertaken a work placement, practicum, internship or participated in work integrated learning. Contributions reflect on the successes and challenges that this particularly diverse group of students experience when undertaking work placement programs in a variety of…

Research has identified educational and career development interventions that can make a positive difference in the lives of youth. Work-based learning experiences, preferably connected to curriculum content; student-centered individualized education programs that drive instruction; family involvement in and support of education and career…

Though mobile technologies have been studied, their specific value in supporting work-based learning has not yet been investigated. This paper describes a small exploratory study in health care education in which medical students work in clinical practice. The study investigates both the perceived potential as well as the actual role of PDAs in…