Research-informed curriculum and advancing innovative practices in work-integrated learning

Abstract

Work-integrated learning (WIL) continues to be seen as an important strategy for enhancing graduate employability. While work placements continue to be the dominant approach, there has been a focus on diversifying the types of WIL offerings in recent years, and in particular, the development of innovative models. This is partly in response to calls for universities to be more flexible and responsive in order to better cater for industry and student needs. This Special Issue, stemming from the 2018 Australian Collaborative Education Network National Conference, integrates a number of perspectives and approaches to WIL and employability, with a focus on innovative models, curriculum and research. A number of areas are identified as posing particular challenges and opportunities in WIL. These include: scaffolding of WIL through the curriculum; student preparation for WIL; wellbeing, resilience, persistence, and motivation; and developing quality measures of WIL. It is timely to develop and research more integrated and holistic approaches to WIL and other related areas such as employability and career development learning, both to account for the inherent complexity and diversity of WIL itself and to utilize the new research findings in the WIL literature.