Invitation to dialogue with Australian and  UK colleagues about Work Integrated Learning Practices   

Learning to be Professional – an international dialogue. Creating high quality, relevant and meaningful work integrated learning experiences across the disciplines.

Abstract:

This interactive, video presentation will elaborate on the range of ways in which the goal of learning to be professional is pursued across several discipline areas in Australian higher education. A panel of discipline-based work integrated learning practitioners will provide an over view of some of the challenges, opportunities and ideas in engaging students, staff, and industry in relevant and meaningful collaborative learning experiences. Career Development Learning will also be discussed and reference made to vignettes of current practice in work integrated learning - gathered as part of a recent large scale scoping study of work integrated learning in Australia. Participants in this session are encouraged to discuss issues and work integrated learning models relevant to the Australian and UK higher education contexts.

Chair

Dr Deborah Peach, Office of Teaching Quality, QUT

INTRODUCTION: Welcome, Introductions and overview of The WIL Report  (2009)

Panel

Mr Mike Plakalovic, Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering

Dr Mary Ryan, Program Co-ordinator (BEd primary), Faculty of Education

Ms Carol-joy Patrick, Industrial Affiliates Program, Griffith University

Dr Alan McAlpine, Careers and Employment, QUT

DISCUSSION

Panel

A/Professor Robyn Nash, Faculty of Health, QUT

Ms Judith McNamara, Faculty of Law, QUT

Professor Lyn Simpson, Faculty of Business QUT

Ms Jude Smith, Faculty of Creative Industries, QUT

Associate Professor Adrian Thomas, Faculty of Creative Industries, QUT

DISCUSSION

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Guide for presenters 5-8mins maximum per panel member

1              What does it mean to be a good professional in my discipline/faculty?

2              What are the different ways that learners in my faculty gain experiences that assist them to become professionals?

3              How does Career Development Learning contribute to the process of learning to become a professional? 

Questions from Australia to UK:

1 In light of a very current national dialogue about health professional WIL, I'd like to ask UK colleagues what their views are regarding:

• Competency based rather than time-based approaches, eg. a required number of placement hours, to achieving relevant professional expectations?  
• The provision of support in the workplace to facilitate quality supervision of students' learning?

2 Are there disciplines resistant to the need for "professional" outcomes from University learning?

3 Where might this "WIL" agenda be in 5 or 10 years time?

4 Why is the WIL agenda important now?  (Versus 10 years ago)