This article walks through the experience of two instructors from Northeastern State University who helped the College of Business and Technology implement work-based learning. Work-based learning was implemented in response to the changing needs of businesses, however, there were some struggles that had to be worked through in order to make this…

"Not only SQL" (NoSQL) databases have become widespread across organizations, enabling sophisticated, data-driven applications to be highly available, distributed, and cloud-based, such as e-commerce, social media, online multiplayer games, and video streaming. However, NoSQL is still sparsely found in MIS and analytics curricula. This…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is crucial for the development of employability skills and has an influence on employment outcomes. Given the significance of WIL pedagogies for graduate preparedness and transitions into work, concerns have been raised on the barriers to access and participation in WIL for some cohorts of learners. Equity and…

Contribution: This article proposes a new theoretical model with a goal to develop future human computational thinking (CT) in foundational computer science (CS) education. The model blends six critical types of thinking, i.e., logical thinking, systems thinking, sustainable thinking, strategic thinking, creative thinking, and responsible thinking…

In this 25-minute conversation café, participants synthesized the findings of Braun, Kaipainen & Usman's (2018) environmental scan of experiential learning (EL) at the University of Calgary with their conference learning to create an experience and evidence-informed hypothesis of the next strengths, challenges, and required supports on the EL…

The mission statement of the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, clearly articulates character is a core competency needed to be an effective Army officer. But the lessons of a protracted period of war and conflict, beginning with the events of September 11, 2001, have underscored the importance of character in the military…

Higher education classes have increased in size at a time of significant resource restrictions for universities. At the same time, employers are looking for graduates with relevant competencies and skills. This poses two key challenges: (1) how to design an experiential curriculum that produces significant skill development and (2) how to ensure…

The Training in Environmental Research and Academic Success (TIERA) program was created to increase recruitment and retention of environmental science majors at the University of Texas at El Paso, where ~80% of students self-declare Hispanic origin, providing a unique opportunity to increase diversity in the future STEM workforce. Through…

Public perception of the liberal arts is declining. Yet the cognitive skills that a liberal education aims to engender are the key skills that employers and the public value most. To address this seeming paradox, we must redesign the general education core and focus squarely on essential outcomes. Specifically, we must ensure that when students…

This article explores the varied learning experiences among third-year students undertaking a structured work placement module in the furniture and wood manufacturing industries. Using situated learning theory, the article considers the outcomes of in-depth interviews with 10 students and offers an insight into the multifaceted interactions…

The increased complexity of today's work environment has made the need for soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, leadership, and problem solving, more salient than ever. Employers hire for these skills because it is increasingly the human resources that give organizations a competitive advantage. Therefore, academia must respond to these…

This paper presents the observations and reflections of four faculty members who developed experiential online learning pathways for students in diverse professional programs. In relation to programmatic expectations of Nursing, Education and Business, the challenges and opportunities for experiential online learning design are discussed. In…

A grant from a regional nonprofit organization for the 2012-2013 academic year facilitated the revision of an existing course learning objective in a Culinary Nutrition lab course--performing effective culinary demonstrations--to include a service-learning experience. This course is a graduation requirement in a research- and science-based…

Universities are being placed under increasing pressure to produce employable work ready graduates who are able to cope in a rapidly changing work environment. This has resulted in universities offering their undergraduate students the opportunity to gain business acumen and real world experience by undertaking work-integrated learning (WIL) as…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is widely considered instrumental in equipping new graduates with the required employability skills to function effectively in the work environment. Evaluation of WIL programs in enhancing skill development remains predominantly outcomes-focused with little attention to the process of what, how and from whom students…