The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted life, leading to travel restrictions, social distancing, remote work, and home schooling. During its peak, many in-person, international work-integrated learning (WIL) programs, such as study tours, shifted online. As higher education evolves post-pandemic, online WIL remains popular for its flexibility,…

In a bid to make high school fruitful and engaging for every student, the Indiana State Board of Education in December 2024 approved a single new diploma that will be effective for all seniors in the 2028-29 school year. The diploma doubles elective credits to 12 to allow more flexibility for students to tailor their learning to their goals. They…

In order for career pathways to remain relevant to learners and meet the rapidly evolving needs of industry and workforce demands, they must include cross-sector collaboration, seamless advancement and progression, credential attainment, experiential work-based learning (EWBL), and they need to be responsive and flexible. "Emerging Sectors,…

The EIR-funded Work-Based Learning for Computer Science (WBL4CS) grant implemented a three-course, two-year Computer Science (CS) pathway in 20 Rhode Island High Schools. Evaluators from Education Development Center (EDC) employed a cluster randomized controlled trial to study the impact of integrating a Work-Based Learning course into the first…

The present study examined the employment landscape for 129 U.S. autistic young adults. Data were collected over multiple waves including high school and early adulthood. Parents participated in interviews and responded to questions regarding young adult employment outcomes, on-the-job supports, job match, and overall job satisfaction. The…

Dual enrollment programs are important mechanisms for talent development and meeting workforce needs through partnerships and alignment between education and the workforce. By allowing high school students to earn college credit--particularly in career-aligned fields--these programs support smoother transitions into postsecondary education and…

WIL requires that pre-service teacher's didactical knowledge is deepened through practice and reflection to improve their teaching. A qualitative pilot study underpinned by digital divide theory explored 31 pre-service teachers' experiences of WIL online teaching practice supervision during work placement with university lecturers in a…

This guide will delve into the current landscape of state-funded STEM-focused internships and work-based learning opportunities available to high school students in Massachusetts. By examining these programs in detail, the aim is to highlight the specific learning opportunities they provide, the types of industry partnerships they promote, and the…

Career-connected learning is an educational strategy that combines high-quality academic instruction, skill-based learning, and real-world experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and skills that they need to pursue their college and career goals. Career-connected learning can be delivered in a variety of ways, including in core content…

In 2019, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), in partnership with the University of Rhode Island (URI), launched the Work-Based Learning for Computer Science (WBL4CS) project through an Education Innovation Research (EIR) grant. The initiative aimed to expand access to computer science (CS) education for high school students,…

Only half of high school students report feeling prepared for their postsecondary lives, according to a Gallup poll. In a separate survey by Morning Consult, two-thirds of young people aged 16-24 said they did not know what career to pursue, and only 44 percent of 19- to 24-year-olds who had not enrolled in college were satisfied with their career…

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) experience anxiety when teaching a foreign language, such as English first additional language (English FAL), during work-integrated learning (WIL). Despite this, research focusing on how English FAL PSTs use a self-directed learning approach to manage foreign language teaching anxiety in rural South African high…

This playbook provides ways in which Community Based Organizations (CBOs) can blur the lines between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce. CBOs play a significant role to Raise the Bar for student success by developing an "education-to-workforce system" that focuses on Unlocking Career Success.

This playbook provides ways in which students and their families can blur the lines between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce. Students are the most important stakeholders to Raise the Bar for student success and can play an active role in shaping the "education-to-workforce" system to focus on Unlocking Career…

In this research study, I investigated the leading roles of work-based learning (WBL) administrators and teachers in a high school setting to support the participation and learning of their exceptional female immigrant (EFI) students within the program. Specifically, this study focused on exploring the ways, methods, and processes which high…