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ACDSWILinScience–LeadershipinWIL

WILinScience:LeadershipforWILFinalreport2016

AustralianCouncilofDeansofScience

ProjectLeadsProfessorJohnRice,ExecutiveDirector,ACDSProfessorElizabethJohnson,DirectorACDSTeaching&LearningCentre(ReportAuthor)

LighthouseProjectLeadersDrTinaAcuña,UniversityofTasmaniaDrRowanBrookes,MonashUniversityProfessorMalcolmCampbell,DeakinUniversityDrJo-AnneChuck,WesternSydneyUniversityProfessorPeterMeier,UniversityofTechnology,SydneyAssociateProfessorSusanRowlandandProfessorPeterAdams,UniversityofQueensland

LighthouseProjectTeamsUniversityofTasmania:DrAndrewSeen,MrsNicoleHerbert,DrShanePowell,DrRebeccaGehling,Mr

RobertKingsley,MsSusieHaley.WesternSydneyUniversity:DrChrisJones,ProfessorThomasMillar,DrDavidvanReyk(UTS)MonashUniversity:DrChrisThompson,LisaHappell,DrTimConnalonUniversityofQueensland:DrDeanneGannaway,MsRobynEvansUniversityofTechnology,Sydney:DrBlairNield,ProfessorGrahamNicholson,DrDavidvanReyk,MsShima

BaradaranVahdat,MsVikkiBanksDeakinUniversity:DrAdamCardilini,A/ProfJoColdwell-Neilson,DrSharonLaFontaine,A/ProfStuart

Palmer,MsShannonRogers(Intern),MrMarkTolson,DrKarenYoung

EvaluationDrSivaKrishnan,DeakinUniversity(summativeprojectevaluation)DrTrinaJorredeStJorre,DeakinUniversity(formativeprojectevaluation)


SupportfortheproductionofthisreporthasbeenprovidedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientist,Australia.TheviewsexpressedinthisreportdonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheOfficeoftheChiefScientist.

AcknowledgementsTheprojectteamacknowledgesthegeneroussupportoftheOfficeoftheChiefScientist,Australiawhichhasmadethisworkpossible.Theprojectteamwishestoacknowledgethesupport,expertadviceandknowledgeofallthepeoplewhohavecontributedtothesuccessofthisproject.Inparticular,wewishtothankthosewhohavejoinedtheWILinSciencenetworkandparticipatedinitsactivities.Wegratefullyacknowledgethecollaborationandcontributionofoursteeringandadvisorygroups;notablyDrRoslynPrinsley,wholedthefoundationalworkonwork-integratedlearninginsciencefromtheOfficeoftheChiefScientist,generouslyrepresentedtheideaofthisprojecttostakeholdersandpushedusintocollectiveaction;DrMichaelWhelan,SouthernCrossUniversitywhoconnectedustotheleadingWILpeakbody,theAustralianCollaborativeEducationNetwork(ACEN),andhelpedwithbroaderdisseminationthroughACENactivities;andMsAnneYounger,AiGroup,whogenerouslygavehertimetoalltheprojectactivitiesandprovidedaninvaluableconnectiontoindustry.

ExpertAdvisoryGroupDrRoslynPrinsley OfficeoftheChiefScientistProfStephenWalker President,ACDSAnneYounger AustralianIndustryGroupMarkLawrence MD,MarkLawrenceGroupAndrewCSmith UniversitiesAustraliaDrMichaelWhelan AustralianCollaborativeEducationNetwork(ACEN)

SteeringCommitteeProfessorJohnRice ExecutiveDirector,ACDSProfessorJoWard ACDSExecutiveProfessorJanetHergt DeputyDean,FacultyofScience,TheUniversityofMelbourneProfessorAndrewParfitt DVCAcademic,UniversityofNewcastleProfessorRossSmith Director,HydrobiologyProfessorTonyPeacock CEO,CRCAssociationProfessorLizJohnson Director,ACDSTLCentre


ExecutivesummaryWILinScience:LeadershipforWILhassuccessfullyinitiatedanationalmovementtoshiftpracticetowardsimprovedemployabilityforsciencegraduates.ConductedbytheAustralianCouncilofDeansofScience(ACDS)andfundedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientist,theprojecthaspromotedsustainablework-integratedlearning(WIL)inscienceprogramsasameanstobuildgraduateemployability.Thisfollowsuponthe2015ACERreportWorkIntegratedLearninginSTEMinAustralianUniversities,commissionedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientist,thatshowedhighereducationcoursesinthenaturalandphysicalsciencestohavetheleastindustryengagementamongSTEMdisciplines.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILhasestablishedanationalnetworkofscienceWILleaders,createdanationalconversationaboutwork-integratedlearninginsciencedegrees,begunthetaskofbuildingcapacitytodesignanddeliverWILprograms,andtrialledapproachestoWILprogramdevelopment.Ithasraisedawarenessamongstfacultyexecutivesandinitiatedpeer-to-peermentoringbetweensciencefacultiesinAustralianuniversitiestocreatethefoundationsforawidespreadliftinWILleadershipandWILactivityinscienceandmathematicalsciences.Itisthefirststepinanongoingprogramtogrowandsupportwork-integratedlearningininscienceandmathematicalsciences.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILwasconductedoveraneighteen-monthperiodcommencinginJuly2015andconcludinginDecember2016.Ithasworkedwith35universitiesandthroughitsalliancewiththeACDSTeachingandLearningCentreprovidesanongoingactivityhubforwork-integratedlearninginscience.Specificprojectoutcomesare:

• establishmentoftheWILinSciencenetworkcomprisingFacultynomineesfrom35AustralianUniversities,informalWILleadersandWILspecialists,

• 2nationalforaonWILinScienceandthreeregionalworkshops(Victoria,NSW,Brisbane),

• self-reportedinformationonthecurrentstateofWILleadershipandWILpracticeinScienceFacultiestocomplementthefoundationalreportcommissionedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientist(Edwards,Perkinsetal.2015),

• 6action-learningprojectsinsciencefacultiesthatexplorekeyissuesinWILimplementationandprovidecasestudiesforpeerlearning,

• follow-onfundingsecuredforthedevelopmentoftailoredresourcesandsupportviatheOfficeforLearningandTeaching,

• aroadmapforcontinueddevelopmentandintegrationofwork-integratedlearninginsciencedegreestoimprovegraduateemployability.

WILinSciencehasdevelopedfromaninitialprojectintoanongoingprogramthathasbeenendorsedbytheACDSandexplicitlyidentifiedintheACDSstrategicplan.Continuedcommitmentrecognizesthatdevelopmentofwork-integratedlearningisaformofcurriculumrenewalandmustbeapartofalong-termintegratedviewoflearningandteaching.WILrequiresthedeftinterplayofmanyfactorstoachievesuccess:aclearanddefensiblestrategy,alignedinstitutionalpriorities,processesandpolicy,investmentinbuildingcapacityandindelivery,culturalchangeleadershipandmanagementforallstakeholders(staff,studentsandpartneremployers)andclear-eyedevaluationandreview.TheWILinScienceprogramfocussesonpeerlearningasasustainableapproachtobuildingcapacity.ItrecognizesthatScienceFacultiesareatvaryingstagesofdevelopmentforWILandusesthatdiversitytoprovideappropriateandrelevantadviceandmentoring.ItdrawsontheconsiderableresearchliteratureandexperienceofotherdisciplinestoguideadaptationtoscienceandmathematicalsciencesandtofindtailoredsolutionsforScienceFaculties.


Tableofcontents1ThecontextforWILinScience....................................................................................................1GraduateemployabilityforAustraliansciencegraduates.......................................................................1Work-integratedlearninginSTEM...........................................................................................................2GrowingWILthroughcurriculumleadership...........................................................................................3TheWILinScienceproject.......................................................................................................................3

2WILLeadership:aroadmapforgrowingWIL..............................................................................6Meetingfacultieswheretheyare............................................................................................................6AmodelfordevelopmentforWILinScience...........................................................................................7EstablishingtheWILinSciencenetwork..................................................................................................8Buildingthenationalnetwork................................................................................................................10TheWILinScienceRoadmap:actiontogrowWILnationally................................................................11

3Casestudiesforchange|Lighthouseprojects.........................................................................13Creatinglocalaction...............................................................................................................................13TheLighthouseProjects.........................................................................................................................14OutcomesfromtheLighthouseprojects................................................................................................17

4Impactandnextsteps...............................................................................................................20ImpactandEvaluation............................................................................................................................20ExtendingWILinScience:SuccessfulWILinScience..............................................................................22

Appendix1|Eventsanddissemination.......................................................................................23WILinScienceNationalFora2015and2016.........................................................................................23Facultyplanningworkshops...................................................................................................................24Projectpresentations.............................................................................................................................25

Appendix2|LightHousecasestudies.........................................................................................26UnifyingWILinScienceattheUniversityofTasmania..........................................................................26ProvidingWILacrosscomplexinterconnectedsciencedegreesatWesternSydneyUniversity...........28ExploringalternatemodelsforWILinScience:LinkingWorkwithLearningattheUniversityofQueensland............................................................................................................................................31DevelopmentofprofessionalskillsinsciencestudentsthroughaworkintegratedlearninghonoursstreamatMonashUniversity.................................................................................................................35Scaling-upProfessionalExperiencePrograms:developingaframeworktosupportbroad-basedWILattheUniversityofTechnology,Sydney....................................................................................................37LearningtoWork,WorkingtoLearn:CurriculumdesignandteachingpracticeforWILintheNaturalandPhysicalSciencesatDeakinUniversity............................................................................................40

Appendix5|SummativeevaluationofLighthouseprojects......................................................44Evaluationapproach...............................................................................................................................44Interviewthemes...................................................................................................................................44Findings..................................................................................................................................................45Conclusion..............................................................................................................................................45

|ACDSWILinScience–LeadershipinWIL

1ThecontextforWILinScienceGraduateemployabilityforAustraliansciencegraduatesGraduateemployabilityisamatterofkeeninteresttoallstakeholdersinhighereducation:students,universitiesandtheirteachingstaff,employersandindustry,fundingbodies,andgovernments.Graduateemployability(isthegraduatepreparedforwork?)isnotthesameasgraduateemployment(didthegraduategetajob?),althoughobviouslyrelated.Graduateemploymentisinfluencedbymanyexternalfactors,forexampleeconomicconditions.Graduateemployabilityismuchmoretightlylinkedtograduatelearningoutcomes.Universitiesemphasizethecentralityofgraduateemploymentandemployabilityintheirmissionstatementsandinthedesignanddeliveryofcoursesthroughlearningoutcomesstatements.Longitudinalsurveydatafromrecentgraduates1showsgraduateemploymentoutcomeshavedecreasedoverthelastdecade,despiteincreasingparticipationinhighereducation(GCA2016aand2016b).DataforgeneralistdegreessuchasBScience,BArts,BCommerceorBHealthSciences,generallyshowsloweremploymentoutcomesinthefirstyearaftergraduationthanmorevocationaldegrees,howeveritalsoshowsahigherproportionofgraduatescontinuingintopostgraduateeducationfromgeneralistdegrees.TheemploymentgapbetweenvocationalandgeneralistdegreesreducesconsiderablythreeyearsoutfromgraduationbutBSciencegraduatesstilllagbehindpeersinengineering,IT,healthandeducation.Thesefindingshavepromptedconcernoverthevalueofgeneralistsciencedegrees(Norton2013)andcallsforbetteralignmentbetweenuniversitysciencedegreesandfutureemployment(Chubb2014,PrinsleyandBaranyai2015,PWC2015).Universitiescancontributetoimprovedoutcomesforgraduatesthroughteachingandlearningapproachesthatexplicitlybuildgraduateemployability.AllAustralianuniversitiesarenowrequiredtoconstructanduseclearlearningoutcomestoguidedesignanddeliveryofcourses2andmostuniversitiespublicallypublishlearningoutcomestatementsfortheircourses((Bowman2010).Thesestatementsgenerallyalignwelltotheskillsandknowledgenominatedbyemployersasthosesoughtbyindustry.However,graduateemployabilityalsorequiresanorientationtofutureemploymentorcareers(Oliver2015)sothatstudentscanexplicitlylinkandadapttheirlearningtotheirsubsequentcareer.Graduateoutcomesthatsupportgraduateemployabilityhavebeenstudiedfrommultipleperspectivesincludinginstitutions,graduatesandemployers(Yorke2006,Hernández-Marchetal.2009,MartíndelPesoetal.2009,Velasco2012).Typically,employersseekwell-developedcommunicationskills,analyticandproblem-solvingskills,andprofessionalandinter-personalcapabilitiesinadditiontofoundationaldisciplinaryknowledgeandskills(Hernández-Marchetal.2009,MartíndelPesoetal.2009).Thesecapabilities/attributesalignwelltothosenominatedbyAustralianuniversitiesastheintendedlearningoutcomesfortheirdegrees.However,thereareperceivedgapsbetweentheintentofuniversitygraduatelearningoutcomesandtheexperienceofgraduatesreportedbyemployers(Jackson2010).Newcapabilitieshavealsoemergedinresponsetoachangingindustrylandscape(Bridgstock2009).Work-integratedlearning(WIL)iscurriculumthatisdesignedtoembedtheworldofworkinsidestudentlearning.Work-integratedlearningwasrecognizedasakeymechanismtobuildgraduateemployabilityintheNationalStrategyonWork-IntegratedLearninginUniversityEducationpublishedcollaborativelybyhighereducationpeakbodies(UniversitiesAustralia,AustralianCollaborativeEducationNetworkLtd(ACEN))andindustrypeakbodies(AustralianChamberofCommerceandIndustry,AiGroup,BusinessCouncilofAustralia).Thenationalstatementmadeadirectlinkbetweenwork-integratedlearningandgraduateemployability.

WILfacilitatesthetransitionbetweenpreparingforandoperatinginahighskillsworkenvironment.Itempowersstudentstounderstand,adapttoandapplyskillsintheworkplace.Ithelpsensuretheyareequippedtoplan,instigateandnavigatecareersinanenvironmentwhereconceptual,adaptive,personal,technicalandvocationalskills–theirhumancapital–willbecontinuallydrawnonandchallenged(p2,Commerce,Industryetal.2015).

1DataongraduateoutcomeswascollectedandpublishedbyGraduateCareersAustraliafrom1972-2015.From2016datawillbepublishedbytheAustralianGovernmentQILTwebsite

2HigherEducationStandardsFramework(ThresholdStandards)2015,CommonwealthofAustralia,availablefromhttps://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2015L01639

|WILinScience2015-2016

TheNationalStatementcallsforactionfromallstakeholders:‘(a)nintegratedframeworkisneededtoaccelerategrowthinWIL,asisashiftinculture.Whatisneedednowisnationalleadership.’Advancementofwork-integratedlearningrequirescollaborativeandco-ordinatedactionfromuniversities,students,andemployers,supportedbyregulatorsandwithappropriatefunding(summarizedinJackson(2015)).TheNationalStatementrecognizesthatwork-integratedlearningcantakeawiderangeofformsdependingonthenatureofthedisciplineandindustry,placementwithinthecurriculumdesignandtheintendedlearningoutcomes.Itusesadefinitionofwork-integratedlearningdevelopedbyPatricketal(2009):

(an)umbrellatermforarangeofapproachesandstrategiesthatintegratetheorywiththepracticeofworkwithinapurposefullydesignedcurriculum”(Patrick,Peachetal.2009)

Work-integratedlearningcanalsobedefinedintermsofitsrelationshiptowork.Oliver(2015)definedwork-integratedlearningaslearningtasks.

Workintegratedlearningoccursatvariouslevelsacrossarangeoftasksthatareauthentic(thetaskresemblesthoserequiredinprofessionallife)orproximal(thesettingresemblesprofessionalcontexts).((Oliver2015)

Thisprojecthasusedabroad,inclusivedefinitionofWIL,andenvisagedWILaswide-ranging,integratedlearningactivitieswithexternalstakeholders,notonlythoseactivitieswithanarrowindustry-specificfocus.ItusesthepremisethatWILsupportstheroleofgraduatesasbeginningprofessionalsandpotentialchangeagentsratherthaninducteesintoanexistingworkenvironmenttoallowforadynamicandadaptiveemploymentandcareers.Graduateemployabilityrequiresrepeatedlearningopportunitiesthatreinforcelearning(YorkeandKnight2006,Smith,Vinsonetal.2014,Jackson2015).Anisolatedexperienceismuchlessvaluablethanintentionalintegrationwithinacoherentlearningdesign.Hencework-integratedlearningrequiresconsiderationacrossthebreadthoflearningdesign,deliveryandgovernanceofuniversitycourses.

Work-integratedlearninginSTEMIn2015,theOfficeoftheChiefScientistofAustraliacommissionedtwostudiesintowork-integratedlearninginthebroadareaofscience,technology,engineeringandmathematics(STEM).Thisgroupingincludeshighlyvocationaldisciplines(engineering,informationtechnology)andgeneralistdegreesexemplifiedbytheBachelorofScience.Edwardsetal(2015)reportedonthenatureanddistributionofwork-integratedlearninginSTEMdisciplinesisallAustralianuniversities.Thestudyfoundthatwork-integratedlearningwasdifficulttoidentifywithincurriculaapartfromplacementsinworkplaces.ComparisonbetweenSTEMdisciplinesshowedmarkedvariationintheprovisionofplacementsrangingfromacoreplacementrequirementforregistrationofengineeringgraduates3toextra-curricularaccesstoplacementformanygeneralistdegrees.ThestudyfoundthatstudentsstudyinginaBachelorofScienceweremuchlesslikelytocompleteaworkplacement.

Basedontheindicativedata,thefiguressuggestthatalmostthreeofeveryfourICTbachelorstudentsinAustraliaundertakesanindustrybasedprojectduringtheirdegree,comparedwithaboutoneinfouragricultureandenvironmentalstudiesstudents,andaboutoneinsevensciencestudents.(p66)

ThesecondprojectcommissionedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientistexploredtheemployerviewofwork-integratedlearninginSTEM.Atitscore,work-integratedlearningrequiresanactiveandconstructivecollaborationbetweenemployers,studentsanduniversities.Atkinsonetal(2015)reportedfindingsfrom74in-depthinterviewsandfocusgroupswithSTEMemployersrangingfromsmalltolargeenterprises.ThestudyfoundthatAustralianemployersreportedsimilarissuesasinternationalstudies.

Astheliteraturesuggestsandourfindingsconfirm,twomajorchallengesinimprovingemployerengagementareconvincingemployersthatWILisworthwhile,thenfindingabalancebetweenadesiretobemoreinvolvedandhavingtheavailabletimeandresources.(p10)

Thesetwostudieshighlightedthechallengeforsciencedisciplinestoincreasework-integratedlearningingeneralistsciencedegrees.Despitesomeexamplesofexcellenceinsomeprograms(Edwards,Perkinsetal.2015)andacleardesirefromuniversitiesandemployerstoimprovegraduateemployability,growingwork-integratedfacessignificantbarriers(PrinsleyandBaranyai2015).Thelackofexistingwork-integratedlearninginscience

3EngineersAustraliarequiresallregisteredprogramsforprofessionalengineerstoincludelearningactivitiesatleast‘equivalenttoatleast12weeksoffulltimeexposuretoprofessionalpracticeintermsofthelearningoutcomesprovided’(EngineersAustralia(2008)G02:AccreditationCriteriaandGuidelines).


degreesiscompoundedwithinstitutionalfactorsinsideuniversitiesincludingarelativelylowpriorityplacedonwork-integratedlearninginsciencedisciplines,theinexperienceofscienceteachersinworkingcollaborativelywithemployers,lackofexpertiseindesigninganddeliverywork-integratedlearningactivitiesandprogramsandperceivedlowengagementwithstudentsregardingwork-integratedlearning.Similarproblemsareseeninotherdisciplinespromptingnationalcallstoimproveleadershipforwork-integratedlearning(Patrick,Fallonetal.2014).Theurgenttaskistobuildcommitmenttoandleadershipforwork-integratedlearninginscience,andtofacilitatetheeffortsofScienceFacultiestogrowWILatscale.

GrowingWILthroughcurriculumleadershipWork-integratedlearningismosteffectivewhenitisembeddedwithintheformalcurriculum(YorkeandKnight2006).Improvingtheprovisionofwork-integratedlearningiscloselyalliedtobroad-scalecurriculumrenewalandrequiresthesameholisticapproach.ForWIL,thecurriculumstakeholdergroupexpandsfromstudentsandteacherstoincludeemployerswithconsequentincreaseincomplexity.ThedesignanddeliveryofWILprogramsisbasedonthree-wayrelationshipsthatmovebeyondtheuniversityenvironment(Patrick,Peachetal.2009).Supportingsystemsandtoolsmustmanageadiversityofemployersandorganizationsand,asforallbroad-scalecurriculumrenewal,mustbeflexibleenoughtoaccommodatedisciplinaryvariation–notablyaccreditationrequirements.GrowingWILisdependentoninformedandeffectivecurriculumleadership.Patrick,Fallonetal.(2014)proposedamodelforleadershipforwork-integratedlearningthatdrawstogetherthecomplexrangeoffactorsthatmustcombinetodelivereffectiveWILprograms.TheauthorsdescribefivedomainsofactionforWILleadership,settingtheagendafordevelopmentofWILleadership.

ThecapabilitiesrequiredbyWILleadersaresimilaracrosstertiaryinstitutions,disciplinesandindustry,andcanbegroupedintofivedomains:

•shapingvisionandpolicy;

•communicatingandinfluencingWIL;

•creatingsustainableWILrelationshipstostrengthenWILculture;

•fosteringengagement,expertiseandlearninginWIL;and

•drivingoutcomesthatservetheneedsofWILstakeholders.(p5)

TheWILinScience:LeadershipforWILprojectwasestablishedbytheAustralianCouncilofDeansofScience(ACDS)tobeginthetaskofbuildingleadershipforwork-integratedlearningwithinscienceandmathematicalsciencedisciplines.ItwasbasedonthepremisethatScienceFacultiescouldachievechangemostefficientlyby:establishingexplicitleadershipandexpertise,learningfromeachother,andbuildingonexistingcurriculumreforminsciencedegrees.

TheWILinScienceprojectTheAustralianCouncilofDeansofScience(ACDS)isthenationalpeakbodyforScienceFacultiesinAustralia4.ItreachesintoallAustralianUniversitiesthatoffersciencedegreesandformanyyearshassupportedcurriculumrenewalwithinScienceFacultiesthroughfosteringleadershipinlearningandteaching,andfacilitatingsector,disciplinaryandinstitutionalconnections.TheACDSspecificallyfostersexcellenceinlearningandteachinginsciencethrough:

• nationalmeetingsandconferenceforeducators(AustralianConferenceforScienceandMathematicsEducators)andteachingandlearningleaders(ACDSTeachingandLearningConference),

• targetedprojectsandcommissionedworkand,

• theACDSTeachingandLearningCentre(includingmembernetworkandwebsite)

TheACDSTeachingandLearningCentrewasusedasthemechanismtodrawScienceFacultiestogethertoworkcollectivelytowardsbroad-scaleadoptionofwork-integratedlearninginsciencedegrees.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILwasinitiatedto:

• establishanationalnetworkacrossfacultiesandschoolsofnaturalandphysicalsciencesthatwouldbuildcapabilityandsustaingrowthinprogramsofwork-integratedlearninginuniversityscience

4TheACDSmembershipisconstitutedbythenomineesoftheVice-ChancellorsofeachAustralianUniversitythatareconsideredbytheUniversitytobethemostappropriaterepresentative.Forthisreport,ACDSmemberswillbereferredtoasDeansalthoughtheymayhavealternativedesignations.


• developanapproachandstrategiesforwork-integratedlearningforsciencefacultiesinAustralianuniversities

ProjectdeliverablesWILinScience:LeadershipforWILaimedtoestablishnewcapabilitiesandactivitywithinScienceFaculties,notingconsiderablevariationbetweenScienceFacultiesinthereportedpracticeofWIL(Edwards,Perkinsetal.2015),andthewidespectruminleadershipforWILandreadinessforchangeobservedbythisproject.Throughthenationalforums,facultyworkshopsandtheACDSTeachingandLearningCentrewebsitethenetworkhas:

• identifiedandsharedtheexperienceofaspectrumofWILactivities,andanunderstandingoftheirkeycharacteristics,andrequirementsforsuccessandoutcomes

• identifiedandsharedacademicstandardsandcoursestructuresthatmakeWILsuccessfulandsupportjudgmentsofquality

• examinedorganizationalstructuresneededtofosterWIL,suchasleadership,administrativesupport,centralversuslocalaspects,etc.

• providedadviceandexamplesofeffectiverelationshipbuildingatavarietyoflevelswithindustriesandotherorganisations

• providedapointofcontactfortheACDSwithpeakorganisationalbodiesforWIL.Ithasalsotrialledmechanismsforpeer-to-peerlearningandopportunitiesforprofessionaldevelopmentfornominatedleadersforWILinSciencefacultiesandschools.ProgressagainsttheoriginaldeliverablesoftheWILinScience:LeadershipforWILprojectispresentedinTable1.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILwasconductedover18monthsfromJune2015toDec2016.Alltheactivitiesidentifiedinthegrantproposalwerecompletedwhichhasestablishedafirmfoundationforfurtherworkatnationalscale.In2016,fundingwassoughtandgrantedfromtheOfficeofLearningandTeachingtoexpandtheWILinScienceprogramandcontinuementoringandsupportofScienceFaculties.Thissecondproject,SuccessfulWILinScience,buildsontheinitialWILinScience:LeadershipforWILprojectbyestablishingregionalcommunitiesofpracticeandcreatinganationalWILresourceforScienceFacultiescomplementarytoexistingresourcesandtailoredforSciencedegrees.

ProjectGovernanceThisprojectreportedregularlyquarterlytotheACDSExecutiveandwasadvisedbyanExpertAdvisoryGroupchairedbyDrRoslynPrinsley,AdvisortotheChiefScientist.TheExpertAdvisoryGroupincludedrepresentationfromindustryandindustrygroups,UniversityAustralia,andtheAustralianCollaborationEducationNetwork(ACEN)(seereportcover).MembersoftheAdvisoryGroupattendedprojecteventsincludingACDSWILinScienceFora,projectworkshopsandFacultyplanningworkshops.TheProjectSteeringCommitteeadvisedtheprojectoninitialsetupandassistedwithevaluationoftheLighthouseProjects.MembersoftheProjectSteeringGroupwerealsoactivecontributorstoprojectevents.


Table1:Intendedoutcomes,outputsanddeliverablesforWILinScience:LeadershipforWILproject

GrantProposalOutcomes,

June2015

ProjectOutput Deliverable

1.Establishasteeringcommitteetodevelopthenetwork

Steeringandadvisorycommitteesestablished.

ExpertAdvisoryGroupincludesrepresentativesfromhighereducation(includingACDS)andindustrypeakbodies(seeProjectGovernance).

2.IdentifyavarietyofpotentialmodelsofWILinscienceFacultiesandschools

CasestudiesofWILdevelopmentinscience(LighthouseProjects)

ModelsforWILdeliverydevelopedthroughLighthouseprojects(action-learningprojects)

3.IdentifypotentialleadersofWILinsciencefacultiesandschools(June-December2015)4.IdentifyandassemblerelevantpartiesresponsibleforworkintegratedlearninginSciencefaculties

WILinSciencenetwork SeniorleadersinWILforScience&MathsidentifiedinparticipatingScienceFacultiesandformWILinSciencenetwork(95participantsfrom35universities)WILinScienceprogramembeddedinACDSTLCentre

5.HoldaForuminDecember2015withtheserelevantpartiestodeveloparoadmapforworkintegratedlearninginSciencefacultiesinAustralia

WILinScienceForumDec2015WILinScienceForumDec2016

WILinScience2015ForumconnectsnominatedWILleadersfromScienceFacultiesandintroducesthenationalWILlandscape(75participantsfrom31Universitiesand8otherinstitutions)WILinScience2016Forumpresentschangeleadershipmodelandpathwayforbroad-scaleliftinWILwithinsciencedegrees(53participantsfrom24institutionsand5otherinstitutions)

6.DeveloparoadmapforScienceFacultiestoachievethekeyrecommendationsandactionsarisingfromtwostudiesonworkintegratedlearningcommissionedbytheOfficeoftheChiefScientistandalsothoseoutlinedintheNationalStrategyonWorkIntegratedLearninginUniversityEducation.

ModelforchangeleadershipdevelopmentforScienceFaculties

ModelsforWILdevelopmentguidesinteractionwithScienceFacultiesandprovidesmechanismsfortailoredpeer-to-peerlearningSecondstageofWILinScienceisformulatedandsecuresfundingthroughtheOfficeforLearningandTeaching(SuccessfulWILinScienceGrantID16-5420,Jul2016-Jun2018)

7.Prioritise,implementandevaluatepilotactivitiesandinitiativesforfundingfortheimplementationoftheroadmapdevelopedin(6).

LighthouseprojectcasestudiesSuccessfulWILinSciencegrant

WILinScience:LeadershipforWILactivitiesandresourcesdisseminatedviaACDSTLCentreContinuedfundingforWILinScienceprogramtoAug2018

8.Commissionasuiteofactionlearningprojectsthatestablishtheoperationalroleofthenetwork–toidentify,trial,disseminateandsupportmodelsofWILinscience(Sept2015–Jan2016)

Action-LearningProjects(LighthouseProjects)

LighthouseProjectscomplete(seeAppendix4forindividualcasestudies)andinitiate(1)localinstitutionalchangeand(2)partnershipsbetweenuniversities

9.HoldmetropolitanworkshopsaroundWILactionlearningprojects(June-August2016)

FacultyPlanningWorkshops

FacultyWorkshopsheldAugust-September2016inMelbourne,SydneyandBrisbanewith60participantsfrom19institutions

10.HoldanationalforuminDecember2016todisseminatelearningandattractnewchampions.

WILinScienceForumDec2016

WILinScience2016Forumpresentschangeleadershipmodelandpathwayforbroad-scaleliftinWILwithinsciencedegrees(50participantsfrom24institutionsand5otherinstitutions)


2WILLeadership:aroadmapforgrowingWILCurriculumrenewalisachallengingandslowtask(Oliver2015).Sustainablechangerequiresshiftsincultureandpractice,andcourserenewalusuallyrequiresdevelopmentofnewexpertise,trialofnewapproachesanddata-drivenevaluation.

MeetingfacultieswheretheyareSustainablechangerequiresrecognitionofthecurrentstate,sinceitisthefoundationfordevelopment.Intheircomprehensivestudyofwork-integratedlearninginSTEMdisciplines,Edwards,Perkinsetal.(2015)foundconsiderablevariationinthepracticeofwork-integratedlearninginnaturalandphysicalsciences.UniversitiesreportedvariationinparticipationinWILfornaturalandphysicalsciencesrangingfrom0to100%participationbystudents(Fig1).ThiscontrastwithotherSTEMdisciplineswhere‘(o)ngraduationthevastmajorityofengineeringstudentsinAustraliahaveundertakenaninternshiporplacement’and‘almostthreeoutofeveryfourICTbachelorstudentsinAustraliaundertakesanindustrybasedprojectduringtheirdegree’(Edwards,Perkinsetal.2015).Work-integratedlearninginengineeringandICTisstronglyencouragedorrequiredbyprofessionalaccreditation.Sciencedisciplinesdonothaveanaccepted,dominantmodeforwork-integratedlearningnordotheyhavetheexternalimperativeofprofessionalaccreditation.Figure1:Variationbetweenuniversitiesinstudentparticipationina)industryprojectsandb)industryplacementcomparingnaturalandphysicalsciencesandICT.ScienceFacultieshavelargevariationinengagementwithWIL(bluebars,notingdifferentscaleforprojectsandplacementgraphs.DataisderivedfromEdwards,Perkinsetal.(2015),self-reportedbyuniversitiesandre-presentedwithpermission.

Edwardsandcolleagues(2015)alsodescribedconsiderablevariationininstitutionalapproachestoWILvaryingfromstructured,institutionalprocessesandsystemsto‘unstructured’activitiessolelydependingonanindividualacademicordisciplinarygroup.

Ininstitutionswhereoverallthereisan‘industryoriented’approachtoWILacrosstheuniversity,centralizedsystemsandadministrationofWILwaslikelytoexist.Themorecommonapproach,inwhichWILis‘bolted-on’tothecurriculum,ischaracterisedbydecentralisedapproacheswithlessformalstructure.(p73)

Universitieswithwell-developedapproachestowork-integratedlearningcanprovidemodelsforpeerswhoarebuildingtheircapacitytodeliverywork-integratedlearning.

Asmallnumberofuniversitieshave,orarefinalising,highlydevelopedprocessesforcoordinating,administering,andsupportingWILactivities.Inthemain,thesestructuresrelatetoplacementsandinternshipprogramswithintheinstitutions,butinsomecasestheyalsofacilitateprojectbasedwork.(p73)

However,variationinfundingandsupporthasaprofoundeffectonthecapacityofFacultiestodeliver

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 5 15 23 30 50 75 90 100

numbe

rofu

niversities

%studentparticipation

a)Spectrumofstudentparticpationinindustryprojects

ScienceIndustryprojects

ITIndustryprojects

0

2

4

6

8

10

0 5 15 23 30 50 75 90 100

numbe

rofu

niversities

%studentparticipation

b)Spectrumofstudentparticipationinindustryplacements

SciencePlacement

ITPlacement


WILprograms(Patrick,Fallonetal.2014).Thebestmentormaybe‘accesstoa‘fellowtraveller’inthesamerolebutfurtherdownthesamelearning(i.e.change)pathwithwhomtocomparetactics’asdescribedbyProfGeoffScottinseminalworkonleadershipinAustralianuniversities(Scott,Coatesetal.2008).FindingsfromnationalreportsonWILimplementation(Patrick,Peachetal.2009,Orrell2011,Patrick,Fallonetal.2014,Edwards,Perkinsetal.2015)haveguidedthedevelopmentoftheWILinScienceprogram.ThevariationbetweenFacultiesofSciencepromptedapartnershipmodelforsupportingFacultiesthatrecognizesthecurrentpositionandcontextforeachFaculty.WILinSciencetherefore:

1. recognizesqualitativelydifferentissuesforFacultiesatdifferentstagesofdevelopmentofWILprograms;

2. recognizesvariabledegreesofpreparednesstogrowWIL,notablyvariationincentralizedsupportandstrategy,specifiedWILworkforceandleadership;

3. valuespeer-to-peerlearningcoupledtoadaptationtothelocalcontext;and4. aimstoassistFacultiestocreatetailoredsolutionsanduseresourcesappropriatetotheirlocal

context.

AmodelfordevelopmentforWILinScienceTheobservedvariationincurrentpracticeofWILinScienceFacultieshasledtotheformulationofachangemodelthatallowsFacultiestoidentifyandlearnfrompeerswithsimilarinterestsandissues.ThevariationinFacultydevelopmentalsobecameevidentwhenFacultieswereinvitedtoproposeprojectstoexploreimplementationofWIL.TheLighthouseprojectsweredesignedascasestudiestoillustrategoodpracticeinWILimplementation(seeSection2:Casestudiesforchange).ProposalsforLighthouseprojectscouldbecategorizedintothreephasesofdevelopmentandpromptedthemetaphorofajourneyofWILdevelopment(Fig4).ThisdevelopmentalmodelencouragesFacultiestobuildcapabilityandexpertisetodelivereffectiveWILovertime.ItisexploredfurtherinSection2.Fig4:DevelopmentalmodelforbuildingWILinScienceFaculties

SettingupFacultyWILprograms Ideas DefineWIL:whatcounts? MapWIL:whereisit? Possibilities/SWOT?

DevelopingalternativeapproachestoWIL Ideas: IndustryPartners Studentsaspartners Usingexistingstudentwork Usinghonours Entrepreneurship/start-ups ExtendingWILand

buildingcapacityforthefuture Ideas: Limitstogrowth Orienting&engagingteachersandstudents Co-teachingWIL

1:Intention&planning

2:Build &trial

3:Refineandexpand


EstablishingtheWILinSciencenetworkTheWILinSciencenetworkwasdesignedtobeakeyconnectorforFacultiestodevelopwork-integratedlearningthroughcollaboration.TheobjectiveofthenetworkwastogrowunderstandingofandexpertiseinWILforScienceandMaths,provideopportunitiestoarticulatesharedstandardsforWILactivitiesandoutcomes,andtosharegoodpractice.Identifyingnetworkmembers

Thefirststeptowardsnationalleadershipforwork-integratedlearningforsciencewastodrawtogethernominatedleadersfromFacultiesofScience.RecognizingthevariationininstitutionalsupportanddevelopmentofWIL,WILinScience:LeadershipforWIL,viatheACDS,askedDeanstonominatealeaderforWILforsciencedisciplinesfromtheirFaculty.Thisapproachwasdesignedtoraiseawarenessofwork-integratedlearningamongstFacultyexecutiveandtoidentifyacontactpointineachFacultyforfutureactivities.WILleadersandspecialistswerealsoinvitedtoparticipateinthenetworkviaprojectevents,theACDSTeachingandLearningCentrewebsiteandtheACDSnewsletter.InDecember,2016,theWILinSciencenetworkcomprised95membersfrom35universitiesandafurther9membersfromindustry/governmentandhighereducationpeakbodies.AsurveyofWILinSciencenetworkmembersinAugust2016showedthatmanyFacultiesdonothaveadesignatedleadershippositionforwork-integratedlearning(Figure2).Representationmayrestwiththe

AssociateDeanTeachingandLearning(orequivalent)orwithaWILspecialist,eitheracademicorprofessional.Intheir2014studyofleadershipforWIL,Patrick,Fallonetal.(2014)argueforastronginstitutionalsupportforadistributednetworkofleadershipforWIL.Theynotethat:WILleaderscanbe,andusuallyare,drawnfrommanylevelswithininstitutionsandorganisationsandaredefinedbytheactivitiesinwhichtheyareengagedratherthanbytitlessuchasdirector,managerorothersimilarterms.(p4)

CommentsfromnetworkmembersconfirmedthatleadershipforWILisveryvariable.Mostparticipantsdescribedsharedresponsibilityamongstvariablecombinationsofthefollowingroles:unit(orsubject)coordinators,course(orprogram)coordinators,otherdisciplineorWILspecificrepresentativesfromschoolsorfacultiesincludingWILcoordinatorsandadministrativesupportroles,representativesfromcentralteachingandlearningorcareercentres,andleadershiprolesincludingHeadofSchools,AssociateDean’s,PVC’sandDVCE’s.Severalparticipantsalsonotedthatstudentssharedresponsibilityforseekingandsecuringtheirownplacementopportunities.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILsuggeststhatexplicitacknowledgementofWILleadershiphelpsFacultiestoprioritizework-integratedlearningandcanalsobeinclusiveenoughtoacknowledgedifferenttypesofleadership.

PerceptionsofWILpracticeamongstnetworkmembers

WILinSciencenetworkmemberswereaskedtoreportonthestateofwork-integratedlearningintheirFaculty.Thegeneralpictureisthatwork-integratedlearningisconsideredvaluablebutthatimplementationdoesnotmatchtherecognisedvalue(Fig3).

Fig2:ProportionofWILinSciencenetworkmembersindesignatedleadershiproles(29respondents,21universities)

21%

21%34%

24%Assoc. DeanTeaching&LearningWILacademic/administratorNominatedFacultyWILleaderOther


Fig3:Perceptionsofwork-integratedlearningpracticefromWILinSciencenetworkmembers(29respondents,21universities).Respondentswereaskedtoratetheiragreementwiththestatementona5-pointLikertscale.

TheWILinSciencenetworkmembersurveycollectedinformationonthepressingchallengesassociatedwithbuildingwork-integratedlearningprogramsinScienceFacultiesandexploredhowdiscussionwithpeersinthenetworkcouldassist(Table2).Thisinformationhasguidednetworkeventsandpriorities.Table2:WILinSciencenetworkmemberperceptionsofchallengesandopportunitiesforpeer-learning.Starreditems*werealsoidentifiedinfeedbackfromWILinScienceForumevaluations.ChallengeswithgrowingWIL DiscussionTopics:learningfromandwithpeers

Managingstudentperceptions,expectationsandexperiences

• Gettingbuy-in

• Managingexpectationsofthetypesofopportunitiesavailable

• MakingWILmeaningful–e.g.engagingstudentsinreflection

• Providingcareerdevelopmentanddeterminingcareerdestinations–severalparticipantsinferthatstudentsneedtochooseacareerpathsothattheycanchooseanappropriateplacement.

• MakingWILmeaningful–encouragingstudentreflectionandintegrationofWILwithotherlearning,learningoutcomes

• EntrepreneurshipasalearningtoolassociatedtoWIL

Identifyingappropriateplacements

• Atscaleforlargecohorts

• Qualityofplacements(e.g.alignedwithdiscipline,preferredmode)

• Constraintsimposedbystudent’sothercommitments

• Constraintsimposedbygeographicaldistanceorregion

• Supportingstudentstoidentifytheirownplacements

• Debatepro’sandcon’sofstudentsfindingtheirownplacements

• Negotiatinglegalagreementswithpartnerorganisations*

Managingindustry/stakeholderrelationships*

• Gettingbuy-inandcommitment*

• Findingtimeandresourcesforrelationshipmanagement*

• Legalagreementsandprotectingstudents

• Managingrelationshipswithexternalstakeholders,findingplacementsandpersuadingemployersofthevaluetotheirorganisation(includingnon-scienceorganisations)*

Engagingotherstaff*

• Gettingbuy-inandchangingculture–moredifficultinsomedisciplinese.g.physicalsciences,puresciences,mathematics.*

• Coordinationtoavoidrepetition,gapsandinconsistentpractices

• DevelopunderstandingoftherangeofWILopportunities

• Instigatingculturalchange,engagingacademicsandimplementingacrosscurriculum*

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

WILopportunitieshavevalueforSciencestudents

UpscalingWILinthecurriculumisdifficult

InvolvingemployersinthedesignordeliveryofWILactivitiesisdifficult

MyuniversityprovidessupportfordesignanddeliveryofWILinthecurriculum

Myuniversityhaseffectiveorganisationalprocesses/infrastructuretosupportWIL

WILiseffectivelyscaffoldedthroughoutsciencecoursesatmyuniversity

StronglyAgree Agree Unsure Disagree StronglyDisagree


Programdesign*

• Makingtimeandspaceinthecurriculum

• MakingembeddedWILmoreovert

• IntegratingWILwithothercurriculumelements

• Identifyingappropriateassessment

• StreamliningWIL

• SharingleadingpracticesandcasestudiesofWIL*

• Opportunitiesforsimulated/virtualexperiencesandauthenticassessment

• Modelsforworkingaroundrigidityofteachingcalendars

• Informationmanagement

BuildingthenationalnetworkCommunitiesofpracticeareapowerfulwayofbuildingcapacityandareoftenself-sustainingonceestablished.Theyaremaintainedbycommoninterestandaremostsuccessfulwithcontrolrestingwiththecommunity.TheWILinSciencenetworkhasbeeninitiatedbyapeakbody(theACDS)butaimstosupportmembersthroughpeer-to-peerrelationshipswiththeACDSTeachingandLearningCentreasafacilitator.Theintentistobuildalong-term,self-sustainingcommunitythatisanintegralpartofteachingandlearninginscienceandmathematicalsciences.ThefirstactionsfortheWILinSciencenetworkhavebeentoconnectmembersthrough:

a) TwonationalforathatbroughttogetherWILleadersfromFacultiesb) Facultyplanningworkshopsthatbroughttogetherregionalgroupsasafirststeptobuildinglocal

nodesfortheWILinSciencenetwork.c) Aregularnewsletterthatprovidesinformationaboutthenetwork,andteachingandlearning

events.DetailsoftheprojectdisseminationarelistedinAppendix3.ACDSWILinSciencefora

The2015WILinScienceForumwasheldDecember11,2015inMelbourneasthefirstpubliceventofthenascentWILinSciencenetwork.Seventy-eightparticipantsregisteredrepresenting33universities,CSIRO,UniversitiesAustralia,theATNnetworkandACEN(AustralianCollaborativeEducationNetwork).RepresentativesfromOLT-fundedWILprojectsinHealthandArts/HumanitiesalsoattendedwhichenabledconnectiontoWILprojectsinotherdisciplines.TheprogramemphasizedinformationaboutthecurrentstateofWILinScienceandindustryengagement.TheworkshopwasopenedbyDrAlanFinkel(incomingChiefScientist,Australia)andfeaturedpresentationsfromindustryrepresentatives,theOfficeoftheChiefScientistanduniversityleaders(seeAppendix3).Feedbackfromparticipantswasstronglypositive,emphasizingtheneedformodelsforeffectiveWILandsharingmoreexperiences.Theobjectiveofthemeetingwastoraiseawarenessandtoconnectnetworkmembers.The2016WILinScienceForumwasheldDecember2,2016inMelbourne.Forthissecondnationalmeeting,theprogramemphasizedactiontogrowWILwithpresentationsfromtheLighthouseprojectscommissionedaspartoftheWILinScience:LeadershipforWIL,andlearningfromotherdisciplineswithpresentationsfromnationalleadersinWIL(seeAppendix3).Fiftyparticipantsfrom24institutionsdiscussedplansforactionandchallengesparticularlywithdeliveryoflarge-scaleprogramsandeffectiveintegrationinthecurriculum.Subsequentfeedbackfromparticipantsnotedtheshiftinthetenorofthegroupdiscussionbyparticipantsfromtheawareness-raisingevidentatthe2015Forumtoamorenuancedandactionableagendaforchange.Again,participantfeedbackwasstronglypositive.Facultyplanningworkshops

RegionalworkshopswereheldinMelbourne(Aug18,15registrants,6universities),Sydney(Aug24,16registrants,7unis),Brisbane(Aug25,14registrants,6unis).Thesesmaller,moreinformalmeetingsweredesignedtofostercloserlinksbetweenFacultyWILleadersandtoprovideavenuefordiscussionandreflectionoflocalorinstitutionalissues.Theprogramincludedreal-worldideasandchallengessurfacedthroughtheLighthouseprojectsandsimpleplanningexercisesdesignedtoidentifylocalissuesfordiscussion.MostparticipantswereinvolvedindevelopingWILprogramsintheiruniversity.Feedbackfromparticipantsnotedthattheworkshopshad:

• increasedmotivationtocontinueprogramdevelopment• helpedtoidentifythe‘nextstep’fortheirownwork


• initiatedcollaborationswithpeersinotherinstitutionsFurtheractivityatregionallevelwillcontinueaspartoftheOLT-fundedprojectSuccessfulWILinScience.ACDSnewsletterandnationalconferences

TheACDSTeachingandLearningCentrepublishesanewsletterapproximatelybi-monthlytomembersoftheFacultyofscienceteachingandlearningleaders(notablyAssociateDeansTeachingandLearningandotherinfluentialbutinformalleaders),WILinSciencenetworkmembersandparticipantsoftheannualAustralianConferenceforScienceandMathematicsEducation(ACSME)whichisthepremiernationalmeetingforuniversityscienceandmathematicseducators.Thenewsletterispostedonlineto1,714membersandisamechanismforthesethreegroupstobeawareofparallelworkandideas.Cross-fertilizationwasalsoachievedthroughpresentationanddiscussionatnationalteachingandlearningconferences.ScienceFacultyleadersattendtheannualACDSTeachingandLearningConferencewhichincludedpresentationsonWILinSciencein2015and2016.ACSMEisapractitionerandresearcherconferencewhichattractsawidediversityofparticipantsinvolvedintheleadership,design,deliveryandevaluationoflearningandteachinginscienceandmathematicalsciences.In2016,ACSMEhadwork-integratedlearningasoneofitscorethemesandincludedapresentationonWILinScience:LeadershipforWIL.Theprojectalsopresentedatothernationalfora(seeAppendix3).Alignmenttothebroaderfieldoflearningandteachingforscienceandmathematicalsciencesisparticularlyimportanttosustaineffectivework-integratedlearninginsciencedegrees.Work-integratedlearningismosteffectivewhenembeddedwithintheformalcurriculum(Patrick,Peachetal.2009,Orrell2011)andbuildinggraduateemployabilityistheresponsibilityofwholecurriculum(YorkeandKnight2006,Oliver2015,Kinash,Craneetal.2016).

TheWILinScienceRoadmap:actiontogrowWILnationallyWILinScience:LeadershipforWILprojectsoughttocreateasustainedinteractionwithScienceFacultiesthatmaintainsactionforthelongertermandisresponsivetoeachlocalcontextaswellasthebroadersectorialview.TheprojectanditsnetworkcannotmandateactionbyUniversitiesbutitwillcreateanationalvoiceonWILinSciencethatdrivesnationalstandardsandfacilitatesaction.Toachievewidespreadchange,work-integratedlearningmustbeintegraltosciencedegreesasanormalandexpectedcomponentofeverydegree.Thisdegreeofchangeiscomparabletotheshifttooutcomes-orientedcurriculumdesignwhichisnowmandatedaspartofAustralia’sHigherEducationStandards.Courserenewaltowardsthisprincipleisslowbutinexorable.ForSciencedisciplines,thecreationofnationalthresholdlearningoutcomesforScience(Jones,Yatesetal.2011)wasaturningpoint,generatingactivityatdisciplineandinstitutionallevelsandestablishingnationalstandards.TheACDSproposesthatworkasaguidetosectorialadoptionofwork-integratedlearning.PrioritiesforWILinScience

EmbeddingWILneedsasophisticatedviewofcoursedesignanddelivery.FacultiesandcourseteamsdevelopingWILwithinsciencecoursesneedtoaligncontributingfactors(Patrick,Fallonetal.2014).Sofar,theWILinSciencenetworkhasidentifiedanumberofprioritiesforitsmembers.

1. sharedintent:WILmustbeapriorityfortheFacultyanditsstaff,studentsandemployerstobeprovidedwiththesupportrequired.Thisisaculturalshiftwhichwilloccurovertime.Itneedsconsistentactivitytoraiseawareness,buildexpertiseandexperienceandmakethebenefitsofparticipationevident.

2. supportivecontext:institutionalandFacultysystemsandprocessescontextmustfacilitateforcurriculumredesignandprovideadequateresourcesfordelivery–particularlyforbuildingandmaintainingrelationshipswithemployers

3. professionaldevelopment:courseteamsneedtobuildtheirownunderstandingofwork-integratedlearningandtodrawupontheexpertiseofWILspecialists

4. changemanagement:whenwork-integratedlearningisthoroughlyembedded,itbecomesthesharedresponsibilityofallthosecontributingtothecourse.Facultyandcourseleadersneedtobeabletobringcolleagueswiththeminasustainableway


5. accesstotoolsandresources:althoughmanyresources,examplesandcasestudiesarealreadyavailable,studiesofcurriculumchangeindicatethateducatorsrespondbesttopeersanddisciplinaryexamplesthatcaneasilyberelatedtotheirownexperience(Johnson,Birdetal.2012)).

TheWILinSciencenetworkhasbeguntoaddresstheseissues,butitisinitsearlystagesofdevelopmentandwillrequiresupportforsometimetoachievesustainability.Foratleasttheimmediatefuture,thenetworkneedsa‘home’andfacilitationtoensurethatparticipationisvaluableformembers.TheACDSwillprovidebothacentralhuband,throughtheSuccessfulWILinScienceproject,fundingforbuildingresourcesandnetworkeventstogrowproductivecollaboration.Roadmapforaction

WILinSciencehascreatedaroadmaptoguidethebroadscaleadoptionofWILinScienceFaculties(Fig4).TheprogramwillcontinuetobuilditsactivitythroughtheACDSTeachingandLearningCentre(Roadmapactions1and4)anditssecondphaseproject,SuccessfulWILinSciencefundedfromAug2016toAug2018(Roadmapactions2and3).Newprojectswillbeneededforfurthercollaborationwithindustry,regulatorsandotherdisciplines(Roadmapaction4).AfuturegoalisthecreationofeffectivestandardsforWILdesignanddeliverywhichrequiresnationalconsensustobecompelling.Oncecreated,thesestandardswouldunderpincollectiveactionandcouldcontributetofutureregulatoryrequirements.Figure4:NationalRoadmapforWILinScience

ACTION DELIVERY1. ConsolidatetheWILinSciencenetworkthrough:

• localandnationalevents(ACDSWILinScienceforum,ACDSTLconference,ACSME,regionalworkshops)

• newslettertomembers

Ongoing,supportedthroughACDSTeachingandLearningCentre

2. Fosterpeer-to-peerlearningthrough:• Regionalgroupsandcollaborations• Sharingofcasestudiesandexemplarsinscienceandmathematical

sciences

SuccessfulWILinScience

3. CreateandadaptresourcestoinformanddevelopWILinscienceandmathematicalsciencesastheWILinScienceGuidepublishedviatheACDSTeachingandLearningCentreincluding• WILbasics:foundationalinformationaboutwork-integratedlearning• WILcasestudiesfromscienceandmathematicalsciences• StoriesofWILfromstudents,graduateandemployers• LinktoInternationaltools,resourcesandperspectives

SuccessfulWILinScience

4. Increaseconnectiontoemployers,regulators,otherdisciplinesandstakeholdersthrough:• CollaborationwithAustralianCollaborativeEducationNetwork(ACEN),

employerpeakbodies,highereducationpeakbodiestocontributetosectorialactivity

• Collaborationwithotherdisciplinestosharegoodpractice• Collaborativeresearch&evaluationforWILinhighereducation• Cross-disseminationtodisciplinenetworksanduniversitygroupings

ExistingcollaborationsContributiontoNationalWILstrategyNewactivities

5. SetindicativestandardsforWILpracticeforsciencedegrees• CreatenationalconsensusforstandardsforpracticeofWILinScience

buildingfromtheeducationalliteratureandtheevidenceofpractice

Newactivity


3Casestudiesforchange|LighthouseprojectsExemplarsandpeersclosetothelivedexperienceofteacherscanbepowerfulforcesforchange.Thishasbeenobservedincurriculumchangeprogramswhereteachingandlearningleadersandtheirprojectshavesignificantimpactastrustedcolleaguesthatunderstandthedisciplineandpracticesthatcanreadilybeadaptedtothelocalcontext(Johnson,Birdetal.2012,Matthews,Cramptonetal.2015).ExamplesofgoodpracticewerecreatedforScienceFacultiestoshowcasehowtoembed/assess/delivernewcurriculumbasedontheScienceThresholdLearningOutcomes5.AparallelapproachwasundertakenforWILinScience:LeadershipforWILtouselocalprojectstoexploresignificantissuesforFacultiesviathetrialanddisseminationofmodelsofwork-integratedlearninginsciencedegrees.

CreatinglocalactionTheWILinScienceLighthouseProjectswereshort,localprojectswithinScienceFacultiestotestandexplorelocalimplementationofWILinscienceprograms.TheprojectsweredesignedtodeliverimmediatelocalbenefittotheirhostFacultiestoensurelocalsupportandtoillustratepossiblepathwaysforWILdevelopmentforotheruniversitiesandthesector.IntendedoutcomesforLighthouseprojectsandcriteriaforselection

1. makeastepchangeforembeddingeffectiveWILintocoursedeliverywithintheFaculty(local)2. createeffectiveleadershipandorganisationforWILintheFaculty,includingaclearpointof

contactandpathwaysforindustryengagement(local)3. linktoinstitutionalorganisation/resources/policywherepresent,andpromoteimproved

institutionalcapabilitytosupportandfosterWIL(local)4. identifyandleverageotheropportunities(industryresearch,philanthropy,etc.)wherepossible

(local)5. informdevelopmentofWILinscienceinotherinstitutions(sector)

Projectswereselectedbycompetitivebidsandwerefundedupto$10000byWILinScience:LeadershipforWILwithmatchingfundingfromthehomeFaculty.BidswerereviewedbyanexpertpanelofdrawnfromtheProjectSteeringGroupandtheExpertAdvisoryGroup,andevaluatedbasedonthelikelihoodofachievementoftheintendedprojectoutcomesandrelevancetothesectorasawhole.Projectswereexpectedtocompletewithin12monthsbut,interestingly,allfundedprojectshavecontinuedworkontheirinitiativesandexpecttotranslatethemintobroaderapplication.Lighthouseprojectswereaskedtostructuretheirteamstofostersustainedengagementwithwork-integratedlearning.EachteamincludedaFacultynominatedWILleaderandatleastoneotherFacultystaffmembermentoredthroughparticipationintheproject.Theteamstructureandfocusonsustainabilitywasmodelledontheexperienceofaprecedingsector-widecurriculumdevelopmentproject,theSaMnetscholars(Matthews,Cramptonetal.2015).Sixsubmissionswerefundedfromapooloftensubmissions.TheselectedprojectsexploredthethreespacesintheWILdevelopmentmodel(Section2),intentionandplanning,buildandtrial,refineandexpand,thusprovidingthreealternativepointsofconnectionforpeerFaculties(Fig4).ThesixprojectsalsoaddressedkeyissuesidentifiedbytheWILinSciencenetwork:

• mappingWILinthecurriculum(UniversityofTasmania,WesternSydneyUniversity)• alternativeWILdesigns-usingWILforhonours(MonashUniversity)andusingstudent’sexisting

workcommitments(UniversityofQueensland)• cross-disciplinaryWILunits/subjects(UniversityofTasmania,UniversityofQueensland)• scalingupindustryplacement(UniversityofTechnology,Sydney)• buildingWILcapabilityamongstcoursedirectorsandteachingteams(DeakinUniversity)

5ThecollectedGoodPracticeGuidescreatedforimplementationoftheThresholdLearningOutcomesforSciencearecollectedintheScienceTLOprogrampagesoftheACDSTeachingandLearningCentrewebsite(http://www.acds-tlcc.edu.au/science-threshold-learning-outcomes-tlos/science-threshold-learning-outcomes-tlosscience-tlo-good-practice-guides/)


Fig4:LighthouseprojectscorrespondtostagesintheWILdevelopmentmodel

TheLighthouseProjectsTheLighthouseprojectswerecommissionedinMarch2016andwerestillrunningatthecompletionoftheWILinScienceProjectinDec2017.FindingsfromtheLighthouseprojectsaddressed(1)designanddeliveryofeffectiveWILprogramsand(2)advicetoScienceFacultiesontheimplementationofaWILstrategy.Primaryreports(casestudies)fromeachprojectarepresentedascasestudiesinAppendix4.

WILdevelopmentstage:Intention&Planning

1.TheUniversityofTasmania,SchoolofLandandFoodProject:UnifyingWILinScienceattheUniversityofTasmaniaProjectlead:Assoc.Prof.TinaAcuña,DrAndrewSeen,MrsNicoleHerbert,DrShanePowell,DrRebeccaGehling,MrRobertKingsley,MsSusieHaley.Projectdescriptionandscope:ThisprojectcreatedagenericWILprogramforSciencecoursesleveragingexperiencefromallieddisciplines(engineering,ICT,agriculture)anddevelopedafaculty-levelapproachtoindustryengagementviaanAdvisoryBoardthatfosterscross-disciplinarylinks.TheprojectillustratesdeterminationofcurrentstateinstaffperceptionsandcurriculummappingasinitialstepsrequiredtoembedWILinaSciencecurriculum.Theprojectdescribesfactorstoconsiderindevelopmentofagenericprogramforonandoff-campusWILinScienceandrelateddisciplines.KeyFindings:DesignanddeliveryofWILprograms

• Designofageneric(Faculty-wide)WILplacementsubjectmustcaterforstudentpreferences.Teachingstaffandstudentsnotedmanystudentseitherundertakeorpreferplacementoversummer.

• Industrypartnersappreciateflexibilityinplacement/projectstructuretoaccommodatecapacityandavailablesupervisionintheworkplaceandalsoseekflexibilityinplacementtiming.

SettingupFacultyWILprograms UniversityofTasmania WesternSydneyUniversity

DevelopingalternativeapproachestoWIL UniversityofQueensland MonashUniversity

ExtendingWILandbuildingcapacityforthefuture UniversityofTechnology,Sydney DeakinUniversity

1:Intention&planning

2:Build &trial

3:Refine&expand


• ScienceWILprogramscanbesuccessfullymodelledonprofessionaldegreeWILsubjectsandexperiencesfrompartnerUniversities.

ImplementationofWILprograms

• TheprojectfoundsignificantvariationbetweenscienceteachingstaffinorientationtoandunderstandingofWIL.PoorunderstandingandskepticismwasmoreapparentindisciplineswithlittlepreviousexposuretoWIL.

• AdefinedprojectiseffectiveatgeneratinginterestwithintheScienceFacultyandcreatesapointoflinkagewithotherFacultiesandwiththeUniversity

• IndustryengagementrequiresconsiderableconsultationandanopenviewofhowrelationshipssuchasIndustryAdvisoryBoardsoperate

2.WesternSydneyUniversity,SchoolofScienceandHealth(ParramattaCampus)Project:ProvidingWILacrosscomplexinterconnectedsciencedegreesProjectlead:DrJo-AnneChuck,DrChrisJones,ProfessorThomasMillar,DrDavidvanReykProjectdescriptionandscope:ThisprojectmappedWILactivitiesinordertodevelopopportunitiestoembedWILinthecurriculumofanentiresuiteofSciencecourses.Theprojectidentified,categorized,andcompiledcurrentactivitiesinthesciencedegreesthatconstituteWILandusedtheanalysistoidentifywherenew/existingactivitiescouldbeexplicitlyincorporatedintotheBScprograms.TheprojectworkedindividuallywithteachingteamstoplandevelopmentofWILactivitiesappropriatetothediscipline,course,studentdevelopmentandintendedWILlearningoutcomes,andtocreatespaceforstudentstocompleteplacements/volunteeropportunitieswithacademiccredit.TheprojectalsoinitiateddesignofagenericWILplacementsubjectthatcouldbeembeddedintomultiplecourses.KeyFindings:DesignanddeliveryofWILprograms

• DefinitionsofWILneedtobedevelopedinthelocalcontextandwithconsiderationofdisciplinaryvariation

• Detailedmappingofexistingcurriculaidentifiedconsiderable‘hidden’WILwhereteachersaddressgraduateemployabilityalthoughtheconnectionmaynotbeapparenttostudents

• MappingshouldidentifytypeandmodeofWILactivity,explicitvshidden,authenticityoftheactivity,scaffolding,skilltransferabilityandalignmentwithlearningoutcomes.


• DirectlinkageoftheFacultyWILstrategytoaUniversitystrategycreatesstrongimpetusforengagementandaction

• Individualconversationswithcourseandsubjectco-ordinatorsareaveryeffectivewayofbuildingengagement,capabilityandconfidence,althoughthisistime-consuming

• Mappingprovidesthebasisforgapanalysisandcourse-levelthinkinganddispelstheperceptionthatWILisonlyachievedthroughindustryplacement

• PartnershipwithUniversityCareersServicescreatesvaluableresourcesforFacultyimplementation

• AvisibleprojectatFacultylevelprovidesamechanismtoinfluenceUniversitystrategy,supportandsystems

WILdevelopmentstage:Build&Trial

3.TheUniversityofQueensland,FacultyofScienceandInstituteforTeachingandLearningInnovationProject:ExploringalternatemodelsforWILinScience:LinkingWorkwithLearningProjectteam:Assoc.Prof.SusanRowland,Prof.PeterAdams,DrDeanneGannaway,MsRobynEvansProjectdescriptionandscope:ThisprojectdevelopedaninnovativemodelforWILthatacademicallyexpandsonextantstudentworkexperience,thatis,thecurrentpaidworkinwhichstudentsengageoutsideoftheirstudy,withtheaimofbroadeningopportunitiesforengagingwithWIL.Theprojecttestedaprototypecurriculumwithvolunteerstudents,priorto2017implementationofaformalelectivecourse(unitofstudy)inmultipleFacultyofSciencedegrees.TheprojectalsoprovidedanopportunitytoidentifyandbuildrelationshipswithcommunityandindustryworkplacementsitesinordertoexpandformalWILplacementsinthefuture.KeyFindings:


DesignanddeliveryofWILprograms

• Transferableskillsderivedfromexistingpaidworkcanbesuccessfullyembeddedinanacademicprogramtosupportgraduateemployment

• Transferableemployabilityskillscanbesuccessfullyappliedtosciencecareereducationthroughcriticalinvestigationandreflection

• Sciencestudentsmayhavehadlittleopportunityorencouragementtoreflectontheirownskillsbutareengagedandenthusiasticwhensupportedtopresentthemselvesasprofessionals


• Academic’sreactionstogenericskillsprograms(includingcareereducation)aremixedwithsomeconcernedthatexpressingWILprogramswillnotachieveacademicappropriateacademicrigourorthatcareereducationskillsshouldbeco-curricular

4.MonashUniversity,SchoolofBiologicalSciencesProject:DevelopmentofprofessionalskillsinsciencestudentsthroughaworkintegratedlearninghonoursstreamProjectteam:DrRowanBrookes,DrChrisThompson,LisaHappell,DrTimConnalonProjectdescriptionandscope:ThisprojecthasdevelopedmaterialsandsupportedcurriculumdesignforaWILhonoursyearinaneliteundergraduatescienceprogramwhichtheFacultyistriallingasamodelforafutureimplementationintheBachelorofScience.Theelitedegree,BachelorofScienceAdvanced-GlobalChallenges(Honours),willcommenceitsinauguralWIL-focusedhonoursstreamin2017.Thestudentswillcollaborateinteamstodeliveraprojectthataddressesanauthenticworkplacechallengeprovidedbythepartnerorganisations;theoutcomesofwhichwillformthestudent’shonoursprojects.ThisprojecthasrefinedthecurriculumdesignandresourcingfortheWILhonoursyearandcreatedthreeonlineskilldevelopmentmodules,specificallytargetedtoareasthatemployersandstudentshaveidentifiedasimportantforsciencegraduates.

KeyFindings:


• SkilldevelopmentmodulesforWILshouldbeco-designedwithindustrypartnersandstudentstoensurerelevanceandfutureengagement

• Wherepossible,learningactivitiesforemployabilityskillsshouldbedesignedforre-useinmultipleprograms

• AlumniareanimportantresourceforuniversitiestomodeltransitiontoemploymentImplementationofWILprograms

• Dedicatedresourcesandexpertiseareneededtobuildandmaintaineffectiveindustryrelationships

WILdevelopmentstage:Expand&Refine

5.UniversityofTechnology,Sydney,FacultyofScienceProject:Scaling-upProfessionalExperiencePrograms:developingaframeworktosupportbroad-basedWILProjectteam:Prof.PeterCMeier,DrBlairNield,Prof.GrahamNicholson,DrDavidvanReyk,MsShimaBaradaranVahdat,MsVikkiBanksProjectdescriptionandscope:ThisprojectdevelopedanintegratedFacultystrategytoextendWILactivitiesinscienceandrelateddegreesthroughcurriculumrenewal,scalinganddevelopmentofindividualplacementprograms,andthecreationofadministrativeprocessestostreamlineandsupportinternshipactivities.TheaimoftheprojectwastocreateaflexibleandresponsiveFacultyenvironmentthatcouldaccommodateinternshiporinternship-likeexperiencesforallstudentsasrequiredbytheUniversity.Theprojectincluded(1)restructureofdegreeprogramstoensuretherewascapacityforstudentstotakeasession(semester)freeblockinprogramstoallowforaminimum12-weekinternshipplacement,(2)constructionofasuiteofFacultyinternshipunitsofvariablelengthtosuitemployerneedsand(3)mappingandcurriculumdesigntoembedauthenticassessmentlinkedtoWIL.Theseinitiativeswillbefurtherdevelopedin2017.KeyFindings:DesignanddeliveryofWILprograms


• Large-scaleindustryplacements(internships)requireaflexibletimingtoaccommodatevaryingemployerneeds

• MappingofWILactivityacrossFacultyprogramsidentifiedbothexplicit(directlylinkedandassessed)andimplicit(indirectlylinkedandpossiblyassessed)WILincurricula

• MakingWILavailabletoallstudentswillrequireinnovativeapproachessuchasplacementsoutsideconventionalscienceworkplacesoronlineplacements


• Faculty-levelstrategyandauthoritativeleadershipiscrucialtoremoveorganizationalandstructuralblockstobroad-scaleWIL

• DevelopmentofWILprogramsistightlylinkedtootherformsofcurriculumrenewalandmustbealignedwithcurriculumdevelopmentinitiatives

• Large-scaleplacement(internship)WILrequiresconsistentsystemsandprocessestomanageorganizationalissuessuchasinsurance,voluntaryvspaidplacements,academicassessmentbyhostorganisations,workhealthandsafetyrequirementsetc

• NationalstandardsforWILimplementationwouldenableFacultiestobenchmarktheirprogress6.DeakinUniversity,FacultyofScience,EngineeringandBuiltEnvironmentProject:LearningtoWork,WorkingtoLearn:CurriculumdesignandteachingpracticeforWILintheNaturalandPhysicalSciencesProjectteam:Prof.MalcolmCampbell,Assoc.Prof.StuartPalmer,Assoc.Prof.JoColdwell-Nielson,DrKarenYoung,MarkTolsonProjectdescriptionandscope:Thisprojectcreatedresources,exemplarsandworkshopsforcoursedirectorsinordertobuildleadershipforWILandachieveacoordinatedandbroaderapproachtoemploymentopportunitiesforstudents.TheprojectestablishedaFacultyWILSteeringGroupthatworkedwithcoursedirectorstocreateshareddefinitionsofWIL,howWILshouldbescaffoldedwithincoursesandwhatconstitutesappropriateassessmentofWIL.TheseinteractionshavecreatedaWILcommunityofpracticeandhaveidentifiedandrecognizedWILleaderswithintheFaculty.KeyFindings:DesignanddeliveryofWILprograms

• MappingofWILincoursesrecordsintentionsratherthanoutcomeswhicharethetruemeasureofsuccess,howevermappingisausefulactivitytoinitiatediscussion

• WILcanbedescribedbyauthenticity(howcloselythelearningactivityalignstotaskswithintheworkplace)orproximity(theclosenessofstudentstoexistingpractitioners)

• IndividualWILactivitiesmaynotachievebothauthenticityandproximitysoWILactivitiesshouldbeplannedacrosseachdegreeandscaffoldedtoensurevalueforstudents


• RecognitionofexpertiseandleadershipofWILencourageschampionstoinvestinfurtheractivity

• Communitiesofpracticearepowerfulandself-sustainingmechanismstoembedWILforthelong-termandspreadgoodpractice

• Creationofdevelopmentresourcesforcourseleadersprovidespromptsfordiscussionandafocusforaction

OutcomesfromtheLighthouseprojectsCasestudiesforWIL

TheLighthouseProjectsoffermodelsforWILdevelopmentanddelivery.ProjectteamshavepreparedaprimarycasestudyreportsfromtheirprojectforpublicationthroughtheACDSTeachingandLearningCentre.TheinformationcollectedviatheseprimaryreportswillbeeditedtocreatesixcasestudiesdevelopedforapplicationinotherFaculties.Theobjectiveofthecasestudiesistoprovideinsight,promptnewthinkingandconsiderfactorsinadaptationtolocalcontexts.Theprimarycasestudyreports


arepresentedinAppendix4.EditedcasestudieswillbepublishedinQ2,2017viatheACDSTeachingandLearningCentre.Emergentthemes

ThemesemergingfromtheLighthouseprojectsreinforcedfindingsfromtheWILinSciencenetworkanduncoveredinsightstoassistScienceFaculties.Thesethemesalignwelltotheresearchliteratureonwork-integratedlearning.ThefollowingobservationsaredrawnfromtheLighthousereports,keyfindingsandpresentationsduringtheproject.


StudentpreferencesandengagementarekeyfactorsincreatingsuccessfulWILprograms.Programleadersshouldincorporateconsultationandtestingwithstudentsaspartofprogramdevelopment.(Projects1and3)EmployersshouldbeequalpartnersindesigninganddeliveringWILprograms.Therearelargeadvantagesinengagingindustrypartnersthroughoutdesignbuttobesuccessful,partnershipsmustallowforindustryconstraintssuchasavailabletimeandcapacity.UniversitycurriculumstructuresandtypesofWILmustbeflexibleenoughtoaccommodateavarietyoftypesofindustryengagement,andFacultieswillneedtoinvesttimeandresourcesintobuildingandmaintainingrelationships(Projects1,4,and5)Broad-scaleuptakeofWILneedsinnovativeandvariedsolutionsincludinggenericplacementsubjectsthatcanbeembeddedinmultiplecourses(Projects1,2,3,5),useofnon-scienceworkplacements/experiencetobuildtransferableskills(Project3),modelsfromprofessionaldegrees(Project1).SharingideasbetweenFacultiesassistsWILleaderstothinkoutsidetheboxandtesttheirideas.EachinstitutionwillneedtoarriveatalocaldefinitionandapplicationofWIL(allprojects)thatalignstolocalconstraintsandintentionsandcatersfordisciplinaryvariation.ConstructionofashareddefinitionisausefultooltobuildengagementwithteachingteamsandisparticularlyimportantforgeneralistdegreessuchastheBachelorofSciencethatincorporatemanysub-disciplines.Facultiesneedtodevelopsharedunderstandingofpriorities.MappingWILacrossthecurriculumofadegreecanalsobeaveryusefultool(Projects1,2,5,6).MappingWILactivitiesandtheircharacteristicsbuildsapictureofthecoherenceoftheconsolidatedWILactivitiesandthegapswhichleavestudentswithoutaccesstoWIL.MappingassistscourseleadersandteachingteamstounderstandscaffoldingandthecomponentskillsthatcontributetoavaluableWILprogram.MappingalsoassiststeachersandleaderstomakeWILexplicittoteachersandstudents.However,mappinggenerallyonlyrecordsintentionandshouldbeaccompaniedbyevidenceofoutcomestoevaluatethesuccessofaWILcurriculum.WILbuildstransferableemployabilityskillsvaluedbyemployerssuchasself-management,teamwork,communicationorcriticalthinking.Theseskillscanbebuiltthroughsciencecareereducationactivities(Project3),re-usableonlinelearningactivities(Project4)aswellasreflectiononworkplacements/internships(allprojects).Developmentshouldbescaffoldedthrougheachdegreesothatstudentsbuildtheirconfidenceovertimeandcanrelatetheirskillstovariousapplications.ImplementationofWILprograms

AllprojectscommentedonthevalueofalignmentoftheirprojectswithFacultyandUniversitypriorities.Inallcases,visiblelinkstoinstitutionalstrategyandinitiativescreatedcredibility,encouragedengagementandsupportedlong-termefforts.AlignmentalsohelpstoensurethatuniversitysystemssupportWILprogramsandthatprocessesencourageWIL.FacultiesshouldensuretheyworkcloselywithotherstakeholdersandresourceswithintheirUniversity.


Similarly,visibleFacultyleadershipfacilitatesinitiatives(allprojects).Inparticular,Facultyleadershipsimplifiesapprovalsandgovernancearrangements,andhelpstomakethecaseforinvestmentofresources.Explicitandendorsedleadershiprolescatalyzeaction.DevelopmentofWILprogramsmustbealignedtoothercoursedevelopmentactions.Coursemappingisoneexampleofatoolthatdrawstogetherallelementsofthecurriculum.DevelopmentofWILprogramsisinherentlycomplexinvolvingmanystakeholders.Tobesuccessful,courseleadersandteachingteamsmustbeabletobuilditintotheirprocessesforcurriculumdevelopment(Project6).Projectsreportedtheimportanceofworkingwithteachingstafftobuildconfidenceinwork-integratedlearningandacknowledgeandaddressconcerns(Projects1,3and6).LimitedpreviousengagementwithWILmeansthatteachingstaffmayhavenegativepre-conceptionsaboutthevalueofemployabilityskillsandconnectiontocoursecontent.Specificprojectscancreateaspringboardforbroaderaction.Informalprofessionaldevelopmentoccursascourseleadersandteachersengagewiththeproject,particularlywheretheprojectworkswithindividualsonlocalproblems.Facultiesneedtoinvestinengagementwithteachingteams.

Leadershipanddissemination

TheWILinScienceLighthouseprojectshaveachievedmanyoutcomesbeyondtheimplementationofaspecificWILactivity.TheyhavehelpedtodevelopanewgroupofWILleaders,prompteddiscussionacrossuniversitiesanddisciplines,andcreatedpeercollaborations.BuildingleadershipforWILprogramswasakeyobjectiveofWILinScience:LeadershipforWIL.TheLighthouseprojectsweredesignedasaction-learningprojects,thatis,projectteamswouldlearnandbuildtheirownskillsthroughprojectimplementation.Action-learningprojectshavebeensuccessfullyusedtobuildleadershipinlearningandteachingaswellassubjectknowledgeandskills(Sharma,Rifkinetal.2014).ItisclearthatLighthouseprojectleadersarerecognizedasWILleaderswithintheirhomeinstitutionsandarenowactivecontributorstothenationaldiscussion.AlignmentofthefocusoftheLighthouseprojectswiththeissuesidentifiedbyWILinSciencenetworkmembershasensuredtherelevanceoftheseprojectstoScienceFaculties.Lighthouseprojectteamshavepresentedtheirprojects,findings,challengesandinnovationstoscienceteachingandlearningleadersatWILinScience:LeadershipforWILevents(WILinScienceFora,Facultyplanningworkshops),promptingrichdiscussionandtestingassumptionsandideas.Lighthouseprojectshavealsobeenpresentedtobroaderaudiences.PresentationatACSME2016(AustralianConferenceforScienceandMathematicsEducation)reachedabroadrangeofuniversityscienceeducators(210participants,Brisbane,Sep2016).CollaborationwiththeAustralianCollaborativeEducationNetwork(ACEN),thepeakprofessionalassociationforwork-integratedlearning,enabledtwonationalwebinarsforWILinScience:LeadershipforWILtoreachacross-disciplinaryaudience.Mentoringandconnections:criticalfriends

TheWILinScienceprogramisbasedonapeerlearningmodel.Lighthouseprojectteamshavecreatedinternalcollaborationsamongstteams,havedevelopedcollaborationswithotherUniversitiesandhaveactedascriticalfriendsforpeers.Theroleofacriticalfriendhasprovedvaluableinothercurriculumdevelopmentprojects.IntheSaMnetScholarsprogramtodevelopcurriculumleadership,criticalfriendsfromapartnerinstitutionwithteachingandlearningexperienceactedasmentorsandcreatedareflectivespaceforcriticalevaluationofprogressandplanning(Sharma,Rifkinetal.2014).Acriticalfrienddoesnotneedtobeanexpertbutdoesneedrelevantexperienceandagenuineinterestintheprojectbeingconsidered.WILinScience:LeadershipforWILcreatedacollegiatenetworkwheremembersfeelempoweredtoseekassistancefromothersandaregivenspacetoreflectonprogress.Peersfromotheruniversitiesinthenetworkwhoareworkinginthesamespaceandexperiencingsimilarissuesareappropriatecriticalfriends.Thisapproachwillbecontinuedviaphase2forWILinScience,theOLT-fundedSuccessfulWILinScienceproject.


4ImpactandnextstepsWILinScience:LeadershipforWILhasachieveditsimmediategoalstoestablishnationalleadershipforwork-integratedlearningwithinScienceFaculties,createanationalconversationaboutwork-integratedlearninginsciencedegrees,beginthetaskofbuildingcapacitytodesignanddeliverWILprograms,andtotrialapproachestoWILdevelopment(seeSection1,Table1).Alloftheseoutcomeswilldevelopfurtherovertimeasthenetworkgrowsandextendsitsactivities.

ImpactandEvaluationWILinScience:LeadershipforWILusedformativeevaluationduringtheprojecttoguideimplementation,andsummativeevaluationattheconclusionoftheprojecttopromptreflectionandadviceforthenextphasesofthiswork.Twoevaluatorscontributedtotheevaluation:DrTrinaJorredeStJorre,DeakinUniversityledthecollectionandanalysisofformativefeedbackfromprojecteventsandmembersurveys,andDrSivaKrishnan,DeakinUniversityconductedthesummativeevaluationincludingareviewofprojectactivitiesandinterviewswithLighthouseProjectleaders.TheevaluationstrategywasbasedonevaluationresourcesoftheOfficeforLearningandTeaching6.Itincludesevaluationofimmediateoutcomeswithshort-termmeasuresandposesquestionstobeconsideredoverthelonger-term(Table3).

Surveysandfeedback

FeedbackwascollectedfromattendeesateachWILinScienceforumontake-homemessages,suggestionsforaction/resourcestobuildandexpandWILandsuggestionsforfutureevents.Emergentthemeswereusedtorefinetheprojectandguidethefuturedevelopmentoftheprogram.SelectedfindingsfromsurveysofnetworkmembersarepresentedinSection2.ParticipantswerestronglysupportiveoftheWILinScienceprogram,thenationalforaandparticularlytheemphasisonnetworking,peerlearningandpracticaladvice.Onerespondentfromthe2016NationalForumnoted:

Thankyoufortheforumandforthecontinuedsupportofthisnetwork.Itisimpressivehowfarwehavecomebetweenthefirstforumandthisone.

ParticipantfeedbackwasalsocollectedfromtheFacultyplanningworkshopsandusedtorefinesubsequentactivities.Fortheseworkshops,participantswereusuallyalreadyactiveinWILbutcommentedthattheworkshophadprovidednewcontacts,resourcesandmotivation.EvaluationoftheLighthouseProjects

EvaluationoftheLighthouseprojectsispresentedinAppendix5.Theevaluatorconcludes:Toconclude,theprojectactivitiesseemveryappropriateandtimelytobuildgraduateemployabilityoutcomeswithinSciencerelateddisciplinesforthereasontheprojectteamidentify.Thelighthouseprojectsinparticularhaveprovidedtheimpetusforbuildingcapacity,todesignanddeliverWILprogramsthroughcollaborativediscussionsandsharingofstrategiesandpracticethroughthenationalnetworkofScienceWILleadersandpeer-to-peermentoringactivities.

Discussionsduringtheinterviewsandtriangulationoftheinterviewdatawiththeprojectaimsandintentions,anddatafromparticipantsurveysconfirmedtheformulationofarenewedcommunityofpracticetoraiseawarenessoftheplaceandimportanceofWILinSciencerelateddisciplines.

6See:http://www.olt.gov.au/evaluation


Table3:EvaluationapproachforWILinScience:LeadershipforWIL

ProjectOutcome Short-termoutcomes Longer-termoutcomes Evaluationquestion Evaluationdata Evaluationquestion EvaluationdataSeniorleadersinWILforScienceandMaths

AreseniorWILleadersevidentandactiveinFacultiesofScience?

SurveyofWILinSciencenetworkmembers

AreWILLeadershiproleswidespreadamongstsciencefaculties?

NumberofformalWILleadershiprolesinFacultiesofScience

ResponsibilitiesofWILleaders

NetworkofWILforScienceandMaths

DoesWILinSciencemeettheneedsofitsmembers?


CommentaryfromtheExpertAdvisoryGroup.

DoesWILinSciencetakeacollectiveleadershiproleinadvisingonWILinScienceandMaths?

CommentaryfromExecutiveofparticipatingFaculties

Action-LearningProjects Whatistheimpactofaction-learningproject?

Interviewswithaction-learningprojectteams

HaveWILprogramsderivedfromtheaction-learningprojectsbeenembeddedandsustainedinsciencedegrees

CommentaryfromAssociateDeansTeachingandLearningofparticipatingFaculties

ProfessionaldevelopmentforWILleaders

DoprofessionaldevelopmentactivitiesmeettheneedsofWILinSciencemembers?

Surveyofworkshopparticipants


DoWILinSciencememberscontributetodevelopmentofWILintheirinstitution?

CommentaryfromExecutiveofparticipatingFaculties

NationalreportonmodelsforWILleadershipinsciencefaculties

DoesthereportoffernewinsightorideasforWILinscienceandmathematicalsciences?

Commentarybyexpertreferencegroup

DoesWILinScienceprovideusefulresourcesand/oraforumfordevelopmentofWILinScience

CommentaryfromnetworkmembersandACDS


ExtendingWILinScience:SuccessfulWILinScienceIn2016,theACDSpartneredwithfouruniversities,DeakinUniversity,MonashUniversity,CurtinUniversityandtheUniversityofNewcastle,tosecurefundingfromtheOfficeforLearningandTeachingforthesecondphaseoftheWILinScienceprogram:SuccessfulWILinScience.SuccessfulWILinSciencebuildsonthefoundationalworkofWILinScience:LeadershipforWILtocreatetailoredresourcesandadvicethatwillsupportFacultiestobuildemployabilityskillsforthefutureforgraduatesinscienceandmathematics.ItrecognisesthelargebodyofadviceandexperiencewithWILfromrelateddisciplineareas(e.g.engineering,ICT),fromcompletedOLTandpredecessorbodies’workandfromthelearningandteachingliterature.ItwilladdtotheseresourceswithauthenticandintegratedcasestudiesofimplementationofWILinscience,andtheexperienceofstudentsandrecentgraduates.Theprojectwilltranslatetheseresourcesintoactionbycreatingtailoredtoolsforsciencefacultiescoupledwithinstitutionalpeermentoring.Atthecompletionofthisproject,sciencefacultieswillhavefurtherdevelopedleadershipforWILandtheWILinSciencenetwork,willhaveanexpandingsetofresourcesforWILand,mostimportantly,strongerlinkstoindustryforstudentsstudyingscienceandmathematics.SuccessfulWILinScienceisfundedfromAug2016toAug2018.CommitmenttotheWILinScienceprogramwasstronglyendorsedbytheAnnualGeneralMeetingoftheACDSinOctober2016andexplicitlyidentifiedasapriorityareaforFacultyDeans.TheACDScruciallyprovidescontinuityofeffortandreachintoallAustralianuniversitiesofferingscienceawards.ItscommitmenttoWILinScienceisanintegralpartofitsongoing,andfunded,investmentinlearningandteachinginsciencedegrees.SuccessfulWILinScienceProjectTeam:

ProfLizJohnson,DeakinUniversityandACDSTeaching&LearningCentreProfJohnRice,ACDSProfCristinaVarsavsky,MonashUniversityProfJoWard,CurtinUniversityProfMalcolmCampbell,DeakinUniversityDrJohnHoldsworth,TheUniversityofNewcastleDrTrinaJorredeStJorre,DeakinUniversity


Appendix1|EventsanddisseminationWILinScienceNationalFora2015and2016

Universities Attendees2015Forum Attendees2016Forum

AustralianCatholicUniversity 1 1

AustralianNationalUniversity 2

CentralQueenslandUniversity 1

CharlesDarwinUniversity 1

CurtinUniversity 2 1

DeakinUniversity 5 6

EdithCowan 1

FederationUniversity 2

FlindersUniversity 1

GriffithUniversity 5 2

JamesCookUniversity 2

LaTrobeUniversity 2 4

MacquarieUniversity 2 2

MonashUniversity 4 3

MurdochUniversity 1

QueenslandUniversityofTechnology 1 3

RMITUniversity 4 2

SouthernCrossUniversity 1

SwinburneUniversityofTechnology 4 2

UniversityofAdelaide 1

UniversityofCanberra 2 1

UniversityofMelbourne 2 4

UniversityofNewEngland 1 1

UniversityofNewSouthWales 1 1

UniversityofNewcastle 1 2

UniversityofQueensland 5 1

UniversityofSouthAustralia 1

UniversityofSouthernQueensland 1

UniversityofSydney 2

UniversityofTasmania 2 1

UniversityofTechnologySydney 2 3

UniversityoftheSunshineCoast 1

UniversityofWesternAustralia 2

VictoriaUniversity 1 1

WesternSydneyUniversity 2 2

Attendees 65 47

Institutions 31 24


Industry/peakbodies Attendees2015Forum Attendees2016Forum

ACDS 2 2

UniversitiesAustralia 1

ATNUniversityNetwork 1

CSIRO 1

OfficeoftheChiefScientist 2 1

StandardsAustralia 1

AiGroup 1 1

CareerLounge 1

AMSIBoard 1

JudythSachsConsulting 1

Attendees 10 6Institutions 8 5

TOTALATTENDEES 75 53

Facultyplanningworkshops Participants Universities Industry

Melbourne(DeakinUniversity) 14 6 1Sydney(UniversityofTechnologySydney) 16 7 0Brisbane(UniversityofQueensland) 13 6 0 43 19 1

Futureworkshops:AfurtherworkshopistobeconductedinPerthandoneonlineinFebruary2017.Findingsfromtheevaluationswillinformthese2017workshopsandwebinar.


ProjectpresentationsTitleandVenue Presenters AudienceASystematicApproachtoWorkIntegratedLearning2015ACDSAnnualGeneralMeetingOct19,2015,Canberra

ProfLizJohnson ExecutiveDeansofScienceFaculties(~40attendees)

ACDS:WILinScienceLeadershipProjectACENWebinarseriesNov2015,online

ProfJohnRice NationalWILcommunity(~30attendees)

WILinScienceLeadershipProjectCriterionConferences:AligningSTEMEducationwithEmployerNeedFeb17,2016,Melbourne

ProfJohnRiceProfLizJohnson

WILinScienceandtheLighthouseProjectsACENWebinarseriesJuly52016,online

ProfLizJohnson,DrMichaelWhelan,DrJo-AnnChuck,DrTinaAcuna,DrSusanRowland,

NationalWILcommunity(~30attendees)

WILinScience:Anationalprojecttodevelopwork-integratedlearninginFacultiesofScienceACDSTeachingandLearningConferenceJuly222016,Sydney

ProfLizJohnson ACDSTLCentremembers(65attendees,Facultyteachingandlearningleaders)

WILinScience:Anationalprojecttodevelopwork-integratedlearninginFacultiesofScienceACSME2016Sep292016,Brisbane

ProfLizJohnson Scienceandmathematicalscienceuniversityeducations(210attendees)

WILinScience:implicationsforgeneralistdegreesACEN2016,Sep302016,Sydney

ProfLizJohnson,DrMichaelWhelan,ProfJohnRice,DrJo-AnnChuck,DrRowanBrookes,DrBlairNield,DrKarenYoung,MarkTolson,DrTinaAcuna,DrSusanRowland,

NationalWILcommunity(~50attendees)

Work-integratedlearninginbiosciences:why,whatandhow?ComBio2016,Oct42016,Brisbane

ProfLizJohnson Bioscienceeducators(~40attendees)

WILinScience:Anationalprojecttodevelopwork-integratedlearninginFacultiesofScience2016ACDSAnnualGeneralMeeting,Oct192016,Melbourne

ProfLizJohnson ExecutiveDeansofScienceFaculties(~40attendees)

…


Appendix2|LightHousecasestudiesUnifyingWILinScienceattheUniversityofTasmaniaNovember2016

ProjectLeader:DrTinaAcuna,FacultyofScience,EngineeringandTechnology

Projectteam:DrAndrewSeen,MrsNicoleHerbert,DrShanePowell,DrRebeccaGehling,MrRobertKingsley,MsSusieHaley

Objectives

1. developagenericprogramforon-andoff-campusWILinScienceandrelateddisciplinesattheUniversityofTasmania(UTAS)

2. developanetworkofindustrycontactsforWILinScienceandrelateddisciplinesforTasmania3. createaFacultyAdvisoryBoardforindustryengagement

Background

TheUniversityofTasmania(UTAS)iscommittedtoprovidingrealworldexperiencesforstudentsandequippinggraduateswiththeskillsrequiredforparticipationinnationalandinternationalwork.WorkIntegratedLearning(WIL)isonemechanismbywhichstudentscanattainsuchskillsandexperiencesandimprovetheiremployability.ThecurrentUniversityWILpolicy(May2011)providesforstudentplacementinindustry,butalsoforon-campusworkplacesimulationslinkedwithauthenticassessment.TheFacultyofScience,EngineeringandTechnology(SET),comprisedoffiveschoolsand11disciplines,offersageneralistBachelorofScience(BSc),with17majors.UptakeofWILisfarlessintheBachelorofSciencethanotherSTEMdisciplinesatUTAS(includingICT,Engineering,SurveyingandAgriculture),manyofwhichhavearequirementforworkplacementforprofessionalaccreditation.Thisdisparityisconsistentwithnationaltrends(Edwards,Perkins,Pearce,&Hong,2015).DespitepocketsofWILactivityintheseotherSTEMdisciplines,thefacultylackedagenericWILprogramsuitedtobroadimplementationacrossitsdisciplines,oramechanismbywhichtoidentifyandengagewithindustrypartners.Projectdescription

Academics,studentsandrepresentativesfromindustryweresurveyedorinterviewedregardingtheirperceptionsofWILandemployabilityofUTASBScgraduates.Theywerealsoaskedfortheiropinionsonagenericplacementorprojectunittobeundertakenforcreditbyintermediate-level(i.e.second-year)students.ApprovalfromtheHumanResearchEthicsCommitteeatUTASwassoughttoenablethepublicationofprojectoutcomes(H15699).TheprojectteamalsoliaisedextensivelywithcolleaguesinotherfacultiesandatotheruniversitiestodiscusstheirapproachestoWIL,especiallyinrelationtoadministration,coursework,assessmentandindustryengagement.Outcomes

AcademicsdifferedinthebreadthofactivitiestheyclassifyasWILindependentofdisciplinaryarea.TypesofWILcurrentlyofferedintheBScvariedfromlimitedtononeinMathematicsandPhysics,touseofauthenticexperiencesinpracticalunitsindisciplinessuchasGISandSpatialScienceorresearchprojectsinChemistry,PlantScienceandZoology,typicallyinthirdyear.

Severalacademicsstatedthatstudentsintheirdisciplinesundertookvoluntaryorsummervacationworkthatmaymeettheprofessionalworkrequirementsoftheproposedunit.Consistentwiththis,46%ofBScstudentswhorespondedtothesurvey(n=76)preferredtoundertakesuchaunitinthesummersemester.IndustrywereingeneralsupportiveoftheproposedWILunit(s).Ininterviews,genericattributesofcommunication,teamworkandabroadgeneralknowledgewereregardedasimportanttograduateemployability.Theflexibilityinmodeofdeliveryoftheunitwaspositivelyreceived,withlargeorganisationsmorereceptivetostudentsworkingingroupsonanindustryproject,whereassmaller


businesseshadapreferenceforhostingonetotwostudents.ThetimingofsomebusinessactivitieswasinsomeinstancesnotedtobeoutofstepwiththeUTASsemesters,whichneedstobetakenintoaccountwhenplanningforWILprofessionalplacements.Subsequently,theSTEMWILunit(intermediatelevel,12.5%creditKAA205)wasapprovedbyFacultyandUniversityLearningandTeachingCommitteesfordeliveryin2017.Theunitincludesoptionsforstudentstoundertakeeitheraplacementoragroupprojectforanindustryclient,andwillembedanewonlineresource,ResumePLUS,coordinatedbyUTASCareerServices.Additionaloutcomes

InadditiontothedevelopmentoftheSTEMWILunit,theprojectprovidedanumberofextrabenefitsforthefaculty.

- TheprojectprovidedtheopportunityfortheFacultytoaggregatewithin-schoolactivitiesinWIL.Allstaffweremadeawareoftheprojectandunitcoordinatorsinvitedtoparticipateinprojectworkshops.

- ItprovidedtheimpetusforthenewFacultyExecutivetoconsiderhowitengageswithindustry,includingthepotentialinceptionofaFacultyAdvisoryBoardtofacilitateconsultationwithexistingindustrystakeholdergroupsonissuespertainingtolearningandteaching,researchandcommunityengagement.

- TheinceptionofaFacultyIndustryReferenceGrouporanothermodelwillpromoteconsultationonindustrylinkagesinlearningandteaching,researchandcommunityengagement.

- ThegeneralsciencesarenowrepresentedasadisciplineintheUTASCommunityofPracticeinWIL.

- ThedevelopmentoftheSTEMWILunitalignedwithanewWhitePaperoncurriculumrenewalatUTAS,whichincludesacommitmenttoexpandingWILacrosstheuniversity.

- ThecoordinationofWILacrossUTASisproposedtobeundertakenbyanewCentreforExperientialLearningandincludesadditionalinvestmentintheplacementmanagementsoftware,InPlace,toconnectstudentswiththeworkplace.

- Theprojectpromotedintra-facultyteamworkandprovidedanopportunityforprofessionaldevelopmentinthescholarshipoflearningandteachingofjuniorstaff

- TheprojectleaderreceivedfacultyacknowledgementwithapromotiontoDeputyAssociateDeanLearningandTeaching,andhersecondmenttotheUTAS-wideCurriculumRenewalProject

Recommendations/advice

AkeyobservationwhendevelopinganewWILinScienceunitistobuildontheexperiencesandresourcesfromwithintheuniversityandotherinstitutions.Thishowevermustbecontextualisedtothedegreestructure,studentneeds,industrycapacityandavailableresources.Nextsteps

TheintroductionofthenewSTEMWILunitisjustthebeginning.Theprojectteamiscurrentlyworkingon:

• Complementaryunits,includinganadvanced-levelandextendedduration(25%weight)units• ThesystematicembeddingofWILinthemajorsandunitsintheBScthroughtheCurriculum

ChangeProject• UpscalingWILinSciencethroughfacilitationbyanewCentreofExperientialLearningandthe

adoptionofplacementmanagementsoftware,InPlace–outcomesofthecurriculumrenewalWhitePaper.

• FinalisingtheprocessfortheFacultyExecutivetoconsultwithindustry.

Reference

Edwards,D.,Perkins,K.,Pearce,J.,&Hong,J.(2015).WorkIntegratedLearninginSTEMinAustralianUniversities.FinalreportsubmittedtotheOfficeoftheChiefScientist.Retrievedfromhttp://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/ACER_WIL-in-STEM-in-Australian-Universities_June-2015.pdf


ProvidingWILacrosscomplexinterconnectedsciencedegreesatWesternSydney

UniversityNovember,2016

ProjectLeader:DrJo-AnneChuck,SchoolofScienceandHealth,WesternSydneyUniversity

Projectteam:DrChrisJones,ProfessorThomasMillar,DrDavidvanReyk

ObjectivesTheprojecthadthreespecificaims:

1. IdentifyandcompilecurrentactivitiesinthesciencedegreesatWesternSydneyUniversity(WSU)thatconstituteWIL.

2. Determinewhichnew/existingactivitiescanbeexplicitlyincorporatedintotheBachelorScience(BSc)programswithaparticularemphasisontheappropriatenessoftheactivitywithrespecttocurricula,studentdevelopmentandWILlearningoutcomes.

3. Provideanopportunityforstudentstocompleteplacements/volunteeropportunitiesandgainacademiccreditfortheactivityviareflectiononWILoutcomes.

ContextThereareeightsciencedegreesofferedatWSU,throughtheSchoolofScienceandHealth,andonlyoneofthesehasanexplicitWILrequirement.ThisWILcomponentisa‘masteryrequirement’whichhasnocreditpointvalue,andiscompletedoutsideofsemester.ItishighlylikelythattherearecurrentWILactivitiesbeingundertakeninmanyofoursciencedegrees,althoughtheyarenotexplicitlyarticulatedorscaffolded.Inaddition,manystudentsdeliberatelyseekpart-timeworkintheirprofessionalarea(eithervoluntaryorpaid),whichcouldalsobeconsideredWILandshouldberecognisedassuch.Othersarecognisantoftheneedforworkexperiencetodeveloptheirworkreadinessskillsbut,withoutanexplicitcourserequirement,lacktheincentivetoattemptthisbeforegraduation.

TheprimarypurposeofthisprojectwastoprovideaplatformforintroducingWILasaclearlydefinedandidentifiablecomponentofsciencedegreesatWSU.TheprojectlinksdirectlywiththeUniversity’smissionstatementandtheUniversityStrategicPlan‘SecuringSuccess2015-2020’whichstatesthatWSUistobea‘distinctivelystudent-centreduniversity’thatwill‘transform(ing)itsteachingandlearningenvironments….withinnovativecurriculaandworkintegratedlearning’and‘developmoreemployment-basedandvolunteeringprogramsandexperiencesthatpromotepersonaldevelopment,industryandcivicengagementandcareerreadiness’.ThedraftTeachingandLearningPlan(2016-2020)alsoexplicitlyarticulatesdevelopingWILexperiencesinallundergraduatecourses.ThesedocumentsandtheirtimelyreleaseindicatetheprioritygiventoincorporatingWILinthecurriculumandtheexplicitsupportforthedevelopmentofWILinscience.

ImplementationToidentifyexistingWILactivities,wereviewedthelearningguidesfromallcoreoralternatecoreunitswithintheeightscienceprograms,usingthedescriptorsofWILactivitiesoutlinedbyEdwardsetal.(2015).Wetheninterviewedunitcoordinators(n=71)toverifythisinformation,andmapWILactivitiesagainstthelearningobjectivesidentifiedbyEdwardsetal.(2015).Specifically,wefocusedon:

1. whetherWILactivitieswerepresentintheunitandifsowhattype(basedonthetypologyofWILactivitiesinEdwardsetal.,2015)

2. whetherthereisevidenceofscaffoldingandlinkingoftheactivityinthecurriculum3. adescriptionoftheactivityincludinglearningoutcomesandnamesofindustry/communitygroups

involved4. whetherWILwasclearlyarticulatedinthelearningoutcomesoftheunit.

Academicswerealsointerviewed(withHumanEthicsapproval)ontheirperceptionsofWILinthecontextofscience.

OurinitialfindingsindicatethatthereismorehiddenWILinearlierstagesofcoursescomparedwithlateryears.Thismaybeduetoacademicsidentifyingtheneedtodevelopskills,butnotcommunicatinghowactivitiesrelatebacktotheworkplace.WehavefoundvariablecoverageofWILlearningoutcomesandalmostnoscaffoldingofWILlearningoutcomesinthesciencedegrees.


Toencouragestudentstobeproactiveinfindingplacementsduringtheirstudies,wedevelopedaunit(levelII)thatenablesstudentstogaincreditforsuchactivities.Thisunitalsoincludesactivitiestohelpstudentsidentifyandreflectonworkethic,workplaceskills,communication,teamwork,independentlearningandtemporalchangesinattitudesandexpectationsduringtheexperience.Inadditiontorecognizingandawardingcreditforthevaluableworkexperienceasignificantnumberofourstudentsalreadyengagein,thisunitalsoexpandstheuniversity’sengagementwithindustry.

AchievementsandimpactWenowhavethedatatovalidateourimpressionofWILinourcurrentcourses.Thishasprovidedthebasisforreconstructingsomeofourcourses.WehaveidentifiedbothhiddenandexplicitWIL,haveanunderstandingofthelevelofauthenticityoftheexperienceandwhetheritisscaffoldedandcoversthelearningoutcomesarticulatedinEdwardset.al.(2015).

Throughourdiscussionswithunitco-ordinators,wehavedispelledtheideasthatallWILinvolvesaplacementandthatembeddingWILalwaysrequiresradicalchangefromexistingpractice.Forinstance,justpresentingmaterialwithadifferentemphasiscanmakeWILmoreexplicitinunits.Theinterviewswiththeunitco-ordinators,whileextremelytime-consumingwereworthwhileasitalsogaveusachancetodiscusschangesinmodernpedagogy,learningoutcomesandtheengagementlevelsofthediversestudentcohortwhichwenowteach.Wearereinforcingtheterm‘ScienceProfessional’aswellas‘Scientist’asanoutcomeofourdegreesandencouragingprofessionalbehaviouralcharacteristicsfromfirstyear.

ThesediscussionsalsostimulatedcollaborationbetweentheHealthandSciencesidesoftheschool,resultinginthesharingofknowledgeandpracticalsupportwithplacementadministration.ThedevelopmentoftheWILunitinvolvedcollaborationwiththeCareersservice,resultinginastrongerrelationshipandbetterintegrationofcareersinscience.

WehaveembeddedWILinthemindsofacademicsacrossScience.AsstaffarebeingaskedtoconsiderWILinuniversitydocumentation,theyhaverespondedthattheynowfeeltheyareempoweredtoidentifyandembedWILinaconfidentmanner.TheprojectteamhavebeenaskedforinputintoWILactivitiesoutsideoftheprogramsinScienceandtoworkwithsomeprofessionalaccreditationbodiestoassessmeaningfulWIL.Theprofileoftheteam,withthesupportofexternalfundingandthepowerofgovernmentreportoutcomes,hasmeantthatnowWILhasaveryhighprofileinourschool.

ThroughtheroadshowsaroundtheLighthouseproject,severaluniversitieshavediscussedthemethodstheprojecthasbeenusingtoidentifyWILandtherubric.MosthavecommentedthatourmethodsareanachievablewaytostartinvokingchangeintheattitudeofstafftoWIL.

Asummaryofourrecommendationsfromthisprocessinclude:

• identificationofWILactivitiesmustincludetransferabilityofskillstonon-traditionalsciencecareers• listentostaffandcommunicate–useWILchampionstoshareknowledgeandsupport,andtobuild

profile• embeddingWILdoesnotalwaysrequireradicalchangefromexistingpractice–someWILissimply

‘hidden’,andonlyneedstobedescribedmoreexplicitly• reinforcetheconceptof‘ScienceProfessional’(tobothstaffandstudents)asanoutcomeofascience

degree

EmergingIssuesandnextstepsItisimperativethatstudentsgraduatenotonlywithcoredisciplineknowledge,butalsowithprofessionalskillsandcapabilities.WeareyettoevaluatehowthefirstgroupsofstudentsengageinthenewWILunit,andentryisrestricteduntiltheunithasbeentrialed.Implementationwithdetermine:demandfortheunit;developingappropriateandgenuineassessment,andplacementoftheunitasanalternatecoreunitintheB.Sc.(Advanced)andB.Med.Sc.(Advanced)competingwithtraditionallabbasedresearchprojects.Areasyettobeaddressedinclude:

• definingwhatistheminimumWILthatshouldbeprovidedviacoursesandwhichWILlearningoutcomescouldbedeliveredbyotherareasoftheuniversity(e.g.Careers)

• reviewingWSUdegreestructureswithWILprominentinthesediscussions• creatingWILas‘havingasenseofbelongingtotheprofession’whichencouragesacohortnetwork

amongststudentsandsupportstargetedactivitiesearlier.

RoleoftheWILinScienceprojectTheprojecthashadasignificantimpactonWILinScienceatWSU.Asoutlinedinthisreport,areviewofthe


sciencecoursesisunderway,andwillconsiderWILalongsidedisciplinethresholdlearningoutcomesandgraduateattributes.Asadirectresultofparticipationinthisproject,theDeanandtheuniversityacknowledgetheprojectteamassectorleadersand‘champions’insharingknowledgeandapplicationofWILinscience.


ExploringalternatemodelsforWILinScience:LinkingWorkwithLearningatthe

UniversityofQueenslandDecember2016

ProjectLeaders:Assoc.Prof.SusanRowlandandProfessorPeterAdams

Projectteam:DrDeanneGannaway,MsRobynEvans

Projectsummary

ThisprojectexploredanalternativemodelofWILinScience,linkingstudents’extantworktoexplicitlearningabouttheirskillsasscienceundergraduatesandtheiremployabilityinscienceandnon-science-focusedjobs.Weproposethatstudentsinanytypeofwork(scienceornon-science)aregainingvaluableskillsforemployment;whattheylackistheabilitytorecogniseandarticulatetheseskills.Weaimedtodevelopanacademicallyrigorouscurriculumthat(i)enabledstudentstoevidenceandarticulatetheirdevelopmentandunderstandingofmultipletransferableskillsthatarecommonlygainedduringworkand(ii)helpedstudentsexplicitlylinktheselearnedskillstotheirfuturecareersinscience.Ourpilotprojectusedasmallgroupofstudentvolunteersandanabbreviated“course”toexaminehowourproposedcurriculumwouldworkforSciencestudents.Context

ThisprojectwasconductedintheFacultyofScience(FoS)attheUniversityofQueensland(UQ).UQisalargepublicuniversity,andtheFoSisalargeFaculty,comprisedof7schools.FoScoursesserveover10,000enrolledstudentseachyear,andclassesinfirstandsecondyearScienceprogramsregularlyexceedenrolmentsof500.WILinFoSisdeliveredinafragmentedanduncoordinatedway,championedbyindividualacademics.ThereisnocentralWILofficeorstaffinggroup.Despitestaffkeentoseestudentsandindustryengage,theFoSstrugglestoofferindustryplacementstolargenumbersofstudents,particularlythosewhoarenot“elite”academicperformers.ThispaucityofWILopportunitiesisconsistentwitharecentAustralia-widestudythatshowedtheproportionofsciencestudentswhoengageinWILisverylow[1].Thisprojectaimedtoaddresstheissuesofscaleandvaryingstudentabilitiesandinterestsbyprovidingawayforstudentstogetcoursecreditforpaidworkorvolunteeringthattheyarealreadydoing.Theproportionofourstudentswhocanparticipateinthisprogramissubstantial.In2011,about50%ofAustralianstudentsaged15-24workedparttime,while42%ofstudentsagedover25workedfulltimeastheystudied[2].Studentsoninternationalvisascanworkupto40hoursperfortnightduringsemester[3].UQstudentshaveworkpatternsthatechothesestatistics.Formanystudents,paidworkisafinancialnecessity,whichmaylimittheircapacitytoengageinWILplacements.Formanyothers,itisahealthysocialoutletthatdevelopscorelifeandemploymentskills.Wearguethatanyformofworkislikelytodevelopnon-technical,generic,transferableemployabilityskillssuchasproblemsolving,interpersonalcommunication,professionalismandorganisationalskills.Clearlythisisofvalue–STEMemployersidentifycriticalthinkingandproblem-solvingcapabilityasthemostimportantgraduateattributesfornewhires[4].Cruciallyhowever,workexperiencedoesnotautomaticallyresultinstudentsbeingabletoexplicitlyarticulatetheirlearning[5].Thistypeofmetacognitionrequiresareflectiveprocessthatsupportsatransformationinunderstanding[6].Conversely,teachingemployabilityskillshaslittleeffectonemployabilityunlessastudentisalsoplacedinaworkplace[7].Approachtoimplementation

Inthisprojectwe(i)developedatransformationalcurriculummodel;and(ii)testedandevaluatedaprototypecurriculumpriortoimplementationasaformalcoursein2017.ThiscurriculumdiffersfromconventionalWILexperiencesinthatitrevolvesaroundworkthatastudentisalreadydoing(ormayhavedonerecently).UnlikeWILcurriculacommonlyusedtoraiseawarenessofgainsingenericemployabilityskills,thisprojectaimedtoraisestudents’metacognitiveskillsbyfacilitatingadeeperunderstandingoflearninggainsandexplicitlyforegroundingsciencelearningin


workplacesettings.AsafoundationforthecurriculumtheprojectteamengagedinmuchfriendlyandphilosophicaldiscussiontobuildthefourLearningObjectivesshownbelow;wealsopresentedtheseObjectivestocolleaguesintheFoSforcommentanddiscussion.WenamedtheprogramSCIWILWORKasaplaceholder,untilapropercoursenamecanbedecided.LearningObjectivesforSCIWILWORK

Uponcompletionoftheproposedcourseastudentwillbeableto1. Criticallyreflectonexperiencesintheworkplaceandexplicitlylinkthoseexperiencestopotential

employmentopportunitiesasascience-basedprofessional.2. HaveawarenessofstrengthsandcapabilitiescultivatedinaBScandbeabletoarticulatehow

thoseattributescanbeappliedinaworkplace3. Criticallyreadtheliteraturerelatedtoscienceemployabilityandapplythisknowledgetoa

reflectiononcurrentworkexperience4. Presentalearningportfoliothatchartstheirdevelopmentthroughthecourse,reflectstheirskills

andinterests,andprovidesaplanfortheircareerdevelopmentTheprototypecurriculumtoaddresstheseLearningObjectiveswasbuiltonaseriesoffivefortnightlyeveningmeetings,eachtwohoursinlength.Werecruitedagroupofvolunteerstudentsasparticipantsandofferedcompensationof$100tostudentswhocompletedallaspectsoftheprogram.Studentsweregivenalightdinnerateachworkshopandstudentswhocompleteda“half-time”anda“post-pilot”interviewwiththeresearchteamweregivenanadditional$20foreachcompletedinterview.Ourinitialgroupofrecruitsconsistedof35students;therewassignificantattritionafterthefirstinformationsession(probablybecausestudentsrealisedthecommitmentrequiredtobepartofthepilot).Fifteenstudentsattendedthefirstprogramworkshop,and12studentsfinishedtheprogram.Duringtheworkshopsstudentsdrewontheirextantexperienceofworkanddiscussedsetreadingsofscholarlyliteratureaboutwork-relatedlearning,work-relatedbehaviour,andself-management.Studentsengagedinscaffoldedcriticalanalysesofthesepapers,reflectedonhowthefindingscontributedtotheirunderstandingoftheirworkplace,andconductedself-evaluations.InoneworkshopfiverecentBScgraduatescameandspokewiththestudentsfor90minutesabouttheirpathwaystowork.Academicstaffmembersfacilitatedtheworkshops,anddiscussionsintheclasseswerelively,insightful,andsometimessurprising.Outofsession,studentscompletedaseriesofactivitiesthatincludedpeermentoring,reflectiveexercises,interviewswithourresearchteam,andinterviewswithsciencegraduates.Attheendoftheprogramstudentssubmittedandpresenteda“Meinthree”talkinwhichtheyexplainedwhattheyhadlearnedfromtheproject.Evaluationdatawerecollectedfrommultiplesource,includingstudentandfacilitatorperceptionsofcurriculumeffectivenessandstudentlearninggainsviasurveys,interviews,andexaminationoflearningartefacts(writtenresponsesandtalksgivenbythestudents).Achievementsandimpact

Thisprojectprovidedaplatformfordiscussionanddiscovery,withouracademiccolleaguesexpressingmixedopinionsaboutwhetheritwasanappropriateofferingforSciencestudents.Somecolleagueswereverysupportiveoftheinitiative–theyexpressedtheirconcernaboutstudentsandindicatedthat,intheiropinion,ourdutyofcaretostudentsmeantweshoulddefinitelybeworkingtohelpstudentsbuildtheiremployability.Othercolleaguessawtheinitiativeas“soft”,lackinginrigour,andsuperfluoustoaSciencedegree–theyindicatedthatstudentsshouldnotdothisactivityinafor-creditcoursebecauseitinterferedwiththeirdeepcontentlearninganddisciplinarymastery.IndevelopingthecurriculumforSCIWILWORKwearewalkingthelinebetweenhelpingstudentsdeveloptransactionalemployabilityskillsandhelpingthemdevelopadeepasetoftransformationalunderstandingsaboutthemselvesandtheiridentitiesasscientists.Althoughwesensethatscienceacademicsatouruniversityarewillingtoallowthetransformationalcomponenttobepartofthefor-creditcurriculum,wesuggesttheyarelessenthusiasticaboutthetransactionallearning.Thereisafeelingamongstourcolleaguesthattransactionalskillsshouldbetaughtinco-curricularprograms(e.g.,bystudentservices).Whatwefound,however,isthatmanyoftheactivitiesintheprogramhelpeddevelopboththestudents’transactionalskillsandtheirunderstandingofthetransformationalvalueofascienceeducationandofwork.Additionally,althoughallthestudentshadaccesstoUQstudentservices,


theyhadnotusedthemtoanygreatextent,suggestingthatco-curricularimplementationoftheSCIWILWORKactivitiesislikelytohaveminimaluptakeandimpact.ThisworkhelpedusunderstandthatourstudentsneedhelpunderstandingandarticulatingtheirvalueasSciencegraduatesandtheirplacesinthecontinuumofthesciencecommunity.Onestudentstated,“Scientistsarenotcreative”,whileothersquestionedthevalueofunderstandingthehistoryofone’sdiscipline.Whenaskedtowritedowntheirstrengths,onestudentwasunabletowriteanythingotherthan“knowsscience”,andmanyweresurprisedtofindthattheyhadmultipleskillsandattributestheyhadnotpreviouslyconsideredsaleable.Ourstudentsalsoneedhelpwiththebasicsoffindingwork.Forexample,noneofthestudentsunderstoodthat(i)jobadvertisementshaveexplicitlyarticulatedorimplicitselectioncriteria,and(ii)thesecriteriashouldbeaddressedinanapplication.Theyalsolackedbasicawarenessofhowtoarticulatetheirskillsetstoothersinaninterviewsituation.Clearlytheyneedinstructionandpracticeinthesebasicskills.Verypleasingly,noteverythingwelearnedfromthestudentswasacauseforconcern.Theclassroomdiscussionswerelivelyandfun.Studentswerekeentomeeteachotherandsupporteachotherastheylearnedandprogressed.Astheydescribedtheirweaknessestoeachothertheyofferedtohelpbyteachingskills,actingascriticalfriends,ortakingotherstudentsintosocialsituationsthattheyfoundchallenging.Thestudentswerealsoeloquentandarticulate,oncetheylearnedthattheywererequiredtoprepareforandspeakintheclassroom.Theyhadinterestingopinions,andtheydevelopedthecapacitytoarguewithoneanotherinapositiveandrespectfulway.Theyaskedthatoneoftherulesoftheclassroombe“inthebeginningofeachworkshopwetake5minutesatourtabletogettoknoweachother”.Theyalsoquietlycametoacademicsintheroom,presentedproblemsatwork,andaskedforhelpusingtheirnewlylearnedphrase:“Iwouldvalueyouradvice”.Thefeedbackduringthe“MeinThree”sessionswasextremelypositive.Quotesfromthreestudentsareshownbelow.Meinthreequotesfromthreestudentparticipants

IlearntthatIneedtomarketmyselfnotasastudentbutasafutureprofessional.EngagingwitheveryoneasapotentialpersonthatmayknowsomeonetoemploymehasmademeoptimisticabouthowIcangrowmynetwork.(Student1)

Throughtheprogram,andreallyidentifyingtheskillsIalreadyhadandtheskillsIwaslearninginmySciencedegree,Ihaveactuallyappliedandinterviewedforajob(afterreallyaddressingtheselectioncriteria!!).WithoutcompletingtheSCILWORKprogram,Iwouldnothaveevenconsideredapplyingforthisrole.So,allbeingwell,thisisthedirectionmycareerwilltakefromnow.(Student2–post-script:thestudentdidgetthisjob!)

Themostimpressivesessionformeismentorandmenteeactivity.Asamentor,Ineededtogetmyselfwell-preparedandtriedtolinkthemessagetothedailyactivitiesofthementee.Bydoingso,Icanengageandinteractmorewiththementee.Asamentee,itisagreatopportunityformetolearnfromothers.Duringtheprocess,Ipaidextraattentionandshowedgreatinterest.Ifoundthataskingquestionsisaneffectivewaytointeractwellwiththementor.(Student3)

Ourexperiencesuggeststhereisaneedforatailored,for-creditofferinglikeSCIWILWORKintheBScprogramatUQ.WebelievethatwhatwehavedoneisembeddedbeyondtheprojectandthatitwillcontinuetoevolveasaninitiativethatwillbeofferedtostudentsintheFoS.EmergingIssuesandnextsteps

Wewillcontinuetodevelopthisunitduring2017.ThecurriculumanditsevaluationwillbepresentedtoacademicstaffinFoSandotherengagedstakeholdersforconsultation.Afteranyrequiredamendments,thecurriculumwillbesubmittedin2017forestablishmentasanelectivecourseinFoSdegreeprograms.Ournextchallengeistoembedemployabilityandwork-readinesstrainingintotheBScatUQ.Thereareseveralwaysinwhichwecandothis.Oneoptionistoprovideafull2-creditcoursethatisdedicatedtodevelopingemployability–somethingverysimilartoSCIWILWORK,butinanextendedformwithafullsetofworkshopsandassessmentitems.Anotheroptionistodevelopasetofactivitiesthatcanbefittedintocoursesatvariouslevelsofthedegreetohelpstudentsdeveloptheiremployability.Bothapproaches


havemerit,andbothwillbeexploredin2017throughaUQTeachingFellowshipawardedtoteammemberRowland.TheUQStudentStrategywillalsoprovidefundingforeachFacultytodevelopaWILprogram.OurteamwillworkcloselywiththeFoStohelpdefinehowbesttodevelopandsustainWILforourstudents.WewillbeginbymappingalloftheWILactivitiesthatarecurrentlyofferedintheBSc.References

1. Edwards,D.,K.Perkins,J.Pearce,J,Hong,WorkIntegratedLearninginSTEMinAustralianUniversities.2015,ACER:Melbourne.

2. AustralianBureauofStatistics,Hittingthebooks:Characteristicsofhighereducationstudents.2013,Availablefrom:abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features20July+2013

3. AustralianGovernment.Workconditionsforstudentvisaholders.2015.Availablefrom:https://http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Stud/More/Work-conditions-for-Student-visa-holders.

4. DeloitteAccessEconomics,Australia’sSTEMworkforce:asurveyofemployers.2014,OfficeoftheChiefScientist:Canberra.

5. Knight,P.T.andM.Yorke,EmployabilityandGoodLearninginHigherEducation.TeachinginHigherEducation,2003.8(1):3-16.

6. Cooper,L.,J.Orrell,andM.Bowden,Workintegratedlearning:aguidetoeffectivepractice.Vol.1st.2010,NewYork:Routledge.

7. Mason,G.,G.Williams,andS.Cranmer,Employabilityskillsinitiativesinhighereducation:whateffectsdotheyhaveongraduatelabourmarketoutcomes?EducationEconomics,2009.17(1):1-30.


Developmentofprofessionalskillsinsciencestudentsthroughaworkintegratedlearning

honoursstreamatMonashUniversityJanuary2017

ProjectLeader:DrRowanBrookes

Projectteam:DrChrisThompson,MsLisaHappell,DrTimConnalon

ObjectivesThisprojectaimedtosupporthonoursstudentsinlearninghowtoengageeffectivelywithindustrypartnerstocompleteanindustry-basedgroupproject.Thisinvolvedthedevelopmentofonlineresourcestargetingpriorityareasoflearninganddevelopmentforsciencegraduates,asidentifiedbyemployersandstudentsthemselves.

ContextAtMonashUniversity,WILactivitiesinscienceareprimarilyoperatedthroughtheFacultyofScienceofficeundertheleadershipoftheDean,althoughsomeWILactivitiestakeplacewithinspecificSchools(e.g.Chemistry).TheShortTermIndustryPlacementProgram,anextracurricularprograminwhichstudentsdo80-hourplacementsinindustry,hasbeenrunbytheFacultyforseveralyears.School-basedactivitiesincludeembeddedindustry-alignedpracticals.TosupportWIL,theFacultyalsohasanembeddedCareersConsultant.TheprovisionofWILactivities,includingplacements,projectsandinternships,issupportedbyMonashUniversity’sstrategicplan‘Focus2020’and‘TheMonashBetterTeachingBetterLearningAgenda’fromtheOfficeoftheVice-Provost(LearningandTeaching).

TheFacultyoffersthreeundergraduatesciencecourses–theBachelorofScience,andtwoadvancedBachelorsofScience(Honours)–aResearchprogramandaGlobalChallengesprogram.TheGlobalChallengesprogramwasintroducedin2014,andthehonoursyearofthisdegree,duetorunforthefirsttimein2017,isthefocusofthisLighthouseproject.Thedegreedevelopsskillsinleadership,entrepreneurshipandsciencediplomacyalongwithasciencemajorandhasastrongfocusonbuildingemployabilityskills.Studentsarerequiredtocompletetwointernships(includingatleastoneinternationalinternship),aswellastheWIL-focusedhonoursyear(theWILInnovationChallenge).ThedegreeisoverseenbyaCourseDirector,withinputfromanhonoursyearcoordinatorandadministrativesupporttoassistwithindustryengagement(e.g.contracts)providedbytheFaculty.

ImplementationFortheWILInnovationChallenge,wehavepartneredwithanumberofexternalorganisations,whowilleachprovideanauthenticworkplacechallengeforstudents.Thestudentswillthenworkincross-science-disciplinarygroupstodesigncreativeandfeasiblesolutionsfortheirparticularproblem.Theassessmentisfocusedonhowtheyareworkingtowardsdeliveringprojectoutcomes,withthetraditionalresearchcomponentofhonoursreducedto20percentoftheassessment.

Samplechallenge:Everwonderedwhattheairqualityislikeonyourstreet?Orhownoisythelocalroadis?Accesstolocalenvironmentalinformationiscriticalinhelpingpeopleconnectwiththeirlocalenvironmentandmakeinformedchoicesabouttheirhealthandwellbeing.JointheEnvironmentProtectionAuthorityVictoriatodesign,buildandtestthenextgenerationof‘smartsensors’andassessmenttechniquesformonitoringurbanmicro-environments.

Thestudentswillreceivesupportfromfacultystaff,aswellasinputandmentoringfromtheindustrypartners.Theywillbebasedoncampuswithsitevisitsandmeetingswithindustrypartners.Topreparestudentstoworkeffectivelywiththeirindustrypartner,wedevelopedaseriesofonlinemodules:

‘Gettingtoknowyourpartner’‘Yourskillsintheworkplace’‘Gettingstartedonyourproject’‘Professionaletiquette’

Toensuretheonlinemoduleswouldeffectivelypreparestudentsfortheirprojects,we:


• heldfocussessionswithindustrypartnersandalumniabouttheirneedsrelatingtothestudentsprofessionalskillsandknowledge;

• obtainedfeedbackfromstudentsandtheprojectteamonproposedlearningoutcomes;• engagedwithalumnitofeatureinthevideocontentassubjectmatterexperts.

Themodulesandotherlearningmaterialsweredesignedanddevelopedbyaneducationaldeveloper,theFacultyMoodledesignerandacareersconsultant.Themodulesarehurdlerequirements–studentsarerequiredtocompletethem,buttheyarenotassessed.Weinterviewedtheindustrypartnerstalkingaboutthetypesofskillsandattributestheywantstudentstoexhibit,andhaveincludedpartsoftheseinterviewsasvideosthroughoutthemodules.Themodulesaredesignedtoencouragestudentstoreflectontheirskillsandcapabilities,whattheymightneedtoworkon,andhowtheycanapplytheirknowledgeandskillstotheirprojects.EmergingIssuesandnextstepsThechallengethatremainsfor2017istosuccessfullyimplementtheinauguralhonoursyear.

Someofthebigunknownsinclude:

• Whetherstudentsaresufficientlyequippedwithskillsandknowledgefromtheirdegreetoworkinthismanner.

• Whatapproachestheacademicsupervisors,industrypartnersandhonourscoordinatorsshouldusetoworktogethertosupportthestudents.

• Howthestudentsbestengageacrosstheuniversityandwithindustrypartnerstosupporttheirownlearning.

• Whetherthelearningmaterialsareappropriateforthisdegree.

PendingthesuccessfulimplementationoftheWILInnovationChallengewiththeGlobalChallengescohort,theFacultyaimstoextendthishonoursoptiontoBScstudentsin2018.In2017theFacultyofSciencewillextendtheirWILprogramwithanew‘for-credit’industryplacementunit.Inaddition,anewMastersprogramwithanindustryplacementunitwillalsobelaunched.

WILprogramsareenormouslyrewardingforallpartiesinvolved,butengagementwithindustryrequiressignificanttime,delicatenegotiationsandastrongunderstandingofindustryanduniversityneeds.Thistypeofrole,andtheworkloadassociated,requiresdedicatedandhighlycompetentstaff.AppropriateresourcingoftheseunitsisoneofthebiggestconsiderationsforthesustainabilityofWILintheFaculty.


Scaling-upProfessionalExperiencePrograms:developingaframeworktosupportbroad-

basedWILattheUniversityofTechnology,SydneyJanuary2017

ProjectLeader:ProfessorPeterMeier,UniversityofTechnology,Sydney

Projectteam:DrBlairNield,ProfessorGrahamNicholson,DrDavidvanReyk,MsShimaBaradaranVahdat,MsVikkiBanks

Objectives

Thisprojectfocusedonscaling-upexistingWILactivitieswithintheFacultyofScienceattheUniversityofTechnology,Sydney(UTS)to:

• MakeastepchangeinthelevelofWILactivityandcomprehensivelyembedWILinthecurriculumacrossallSciencedisciplines;

• Createaneffectiveleadershipteamtoensureongoingengagementwithacademicandprofessionalstaff;and

• EnsureprojectsustainabilitythroughthecreationofframeworksandstructuresthatsupporttheongoingimplementationofWIL.

TheaimwastobuilduponexistingprogramsandexperienceswithintheFacultyandembedtheminamoresystematicandsustainableway.Attentionwasequallyfocusedonthedevelopmentofstudentskillsandprofessionalidentity,asitwasonindustry-basedplacementofstudents.Context

TheUniversity’sstrategicplanfocusesprominentlyonthedevelopmentofstudents’professionalidentityandaViceChancellor’sdirectivehasbeenfocusedonthedeliveryofaninternshiporinternship-likeexperienceforallstudents.Thisissupportedthroughcentrally-operatedunitssuchasStudentServicesandtheCareersService.Otherwise,Facultiesareexpectedtodeliveronprogramsdevelopedwithinthecontextoftheirspecificdisciplines.TheFacultyofScienceoffersapproximately40courses,includingsingleanddoubledegreeoptionsacross11sciencedisciplines.WILactivities,includingclinicalorresearchinternships,industryplacements,WIL-basedlearningactivitiesandassessmentsaresporadicallyevidentacrossdifferentprograms.OneoftheprimaryaimsoftheprojectwastosystematisetheseapproachesandensurethatWILwaseffectivelyembeddedandsustainableacrossallprograms.ConsequentlytheprojectwasledfromtheportfoliooftheAssociateDeanTeachingandLearningwiththesupportoftheAssociateDeanInternationalandExternalEngagement.PriortotheestablishmentoftheWILproject,theFacultywasengagedinseveralWIL-focusedactivities,including:

• Afor-creditelectivesubjectCareerManagementforScientists,runjointlybetweentheFacultyandcentralCareerServicesunit,whichfocusesonstudents’abilitytoresearchandunderstandtherequirementsofemployersofsciencegraduatesandtodevelopprofessionalskillsandbehaviours

• Assessmentactivitiesthatfocusonemployabilitye.g.writingjobapplicationsormockinterviews,embeddedwithinseveralsubjects(butnotcomprehensivelywithinthecurriculum)

• Acomprehensive,internshipplacementsprogramforChinesemedicalstudentsincludinginternationalplacements;internalplacements(organisedbyUTSstaff);andexternalplacements(foundandorganisedbythestudents)involvingtrainingandassessmentactivities

• TheProfessionalExperiencePrograminBiomedicalSciencewhichisaFacultysupportedprogramfortheplacementofstudentsintoindustry-basedinternshipsandincludesascreening,trainingandassessmentprogram

• Researchinternshipsubjectsofferedtostudentsonapplicationbutdependentonavailabilityofsuitablesupervisorsandprojects.Thesecanbetakeninternallyorexternally


ThisprojectwasalignedwiththewiderinstitutionalgoalsandcloselyalignedtotheFacultystrategicplan.ProjectplansweresubsequentlyembeddedintoFacultyprocessesandoperationalactivitiesandseniormanagementwithintheFacultyleadtheprojecttoensurethatithadsufficientgravitas.Implementation

TheteamundertookanauditofcurrentWILactivitiesanddevelopedasetofstrategiesrelatingtocurriculumrenewal,scalinganddevelopmentofindividualplacementprograms,andthecreationofadministrativeprocessestostreamlineandsupportinternshipactivities.Whereverpossible,theseactivitieswereintegratedintoexistingFacultyorUniversityinitiatives.Forexample,theFacultyisimplementingtheLearning.Futuresinitiativeaspartofacurriculumrenewalprocesswherebystudent-centredblendedlearningactivitiesareencouraged.SmallprojectfundsweremadeavailabletostaffwhoproposedtodevelopandintegrateWIL-basedactivitiesintotheirsubjects.Inanotherexample,theUniversitymovedtoathree-session,balancedperiodteachingcalendarin2016.Aspartofthisinitiative,theFacultysoughttorestructureitsprogramstoensuretherewasasession(semester)freeblockinprogramstoallowforaminimum12weekinternshipplacement.Thisinitiativewasdrivenbyfeedbackfromhostorganisationsindicatingtheirpreferencetohavestudentsonsiteforablockperiodofuninterruptedtime,whichwouldnotnormallybepossibleifstudentshadtoattendstandardclasses.Thosestudentsnotpartakinginaninternshiporinternationalexchange,orundertakingaparttimeplacementcouldstillenrolinstandardsubjects.Theindividualcomponentsoftheprojectsuchascourserestructure,developmentoftrainingprograms,developmentofvirtualinternshipsetcwereassignedtoacademicchampions.Standardprojectmanagementprocesseswereappliedandwhereverpossible,newprojectswereintegratedwithexistingsystemsandprocesses.Asmallcentralisedadministrativeteamwasestablishedtosupportacademicsintheimplementationoftheprojectandtodealwithenquiriesfromhostorganisationsandstudents.Achievementsandimpact

Therewereseveralmajorimpactsfromthisproject.Foremost,theprojecthelpedtheFacultyfocusitsattentiononWILinastrategicway.ThisallowedtheFacultytoleverageresourcesandensurethatWILwaseffectivelyintegratedintoprograms,rathertreatedasabolt-onactivity.ThisindicatedthebeginningofaculturalshifttowardsunderstandingtheimportanceofWILintegrationinanexplicit,ratherthanimplicitway.Throughthecurriculumrenewalprocessanumberofachievementswererealised:

• AnumberofsubjectswereredesignedtohaveauthenticassessmentsbasedonWILexperienceswhichmovedtheemphasisawayfromcontentandfocusedontheprocessoflearning.Thelearningactivitiesweremappedagainstgraduateattributesandthresholdlearningoutcomesinacumulativewayacrossprograms.Theoutcomeofthemappingisyettobefinalised.ThisprocessclarifiedtheneedforthedevelopmentofagraduateattributethatexplicitlyarticulatesWILandthiswillbeachievedin2017

• Fiftypercentofourcourseswererestructuredtoensurethatfourelectivesubjectscouldbetakenasablockinonesession(semester)tofacilitateexternalplacements.Thishadanindirectbenefitofsupportinginternationalexchange.Theremainingcourseswillberestructuredin2017

• Asuiteofnewsubjectswith6,12,18and24creditpointstructureswerecreatedtoallowfortheflexibilityofstudentstotakepartialorfullsemesterinternshipseitherstandaloneorincombinationwithcoresubjects.ThesenewsubjectshavebeenstandardisedforbroadlearningoutcomesandassessmentandhavereplacedprevioussubjectswhichallowsforamorestreamlinedapproachtotheintegrationofWILactivitiesandlearningoutcomes.

Asignificantdegreeofworkwasundertakentorationaliseprocessesforexternalplacementsincludingissuesaroundinsurance,voluntaryvspaidplacements,academicassessmentbyhostorganisations,workhealthandsafetyrequirementsetc.Aspartofthis,averymodestadministrativesupportstructurewasimplemented.Effectiverelationshipswerealsobuiltwithcentralsupportunitstoensureeffectiveandstreamlinedcommunicationprotocolsforhostorganisationswereimplemented.Thisinvolvedpartnershipsinthedevelopmentofpre-internshippreparationworkshopsandapplicationprocessesforplacements.


Thetablebelowindicatessomeofthesuccessachievedspecificallyinrelationtoprofessionalplacements.Ofparticularinterestisthatmorethan30%ofstudentsfinddirectemploymentsuccessthroughtheirinternshipprograms(excludingtheChinesemedicineprogramwherestudentsmoveintoprivatepracticeaftergraduation).

PlacementProgram–percentageofstudentswhofinddirect

employmentsuccessthroughtheirinternshipprograms

2015

(%)

AsofNov2016

(%)

ProfessionalExperienceforBiomedicalScience 26 52

ResearchInternshipSubjects 67 73

VoluntaryPlacements–notforcredit 51 46

ChineseMedicineClinicalPlacements 60 60

ScienceInternshipProject(new) NA 10

Other(egpaidinternships) NA 2

EmergingIssuesandnextsteps

OneoftheemergingissuesidentifiedwastheneedforcleardefinitionsonwhatconstitutesWILactivity,andwithinthecontextoftheUTSenvironment,adefinitionspecificallyinrelationtowhatconstitutesaninternshiporinternship-likeexperience.Adebateoverthedefinitionsledtoanauditofexplicit(directlylinkedandassessed)animplicit(indirectlylinkedandpossiblyassessed)WILwithintheFaculty.Theoutcomesofthisauditwillbeknownin2017andwillassisttheFacultyinfurtherclarifyingandembeddingWILwithinthecurriculum.TheoutcomesofthisprojectwillresultinthedevelopmentofstrategiesthatfocusonWILskillsdevelopmentandauthenticassessment.ToensuresustainabilityofWIL,theprojectwillbeintegratedfullywiththeFacultycurriculumreviewprocessandtheUniversity’sLearningFuturesinitiative.Amajorchallengeidentifiedthroughtheprojectwastheneedtoprovideinternshipsatscalewithinacompetitivemarket.Itisestimatedthatapproximately1000placementsperyearwouldberequired.ThishaspromptedtheFacultytoadoptnewapproachestointernships,includingrethinkingwhataninternshipmayconstituteandhowplacementsoutsideofthetraditionalscienceworkplacemaybeintegratedintoasciencecourseexperience.TheFacultyisalsofundingthedevelopmentofavirtualinternshipprogramforstudentsacrossFacultieswithintheUniversity.Fundamentaltothesuccessofanyoftheseprogramshoweveristheneedforthecreationofformalleadershipstructuresthatrecognisetheworkandvalueofstaffcontributions.Equally,whiletheFacultyhasinvestedinadministrativesupport,thedegreeofadministrativesupportremainsverysmallbycomparisonwithotherdisciplinessuchasEngineeringorBusiness.ItisclearthatifuniversitieswantWILtosucceedinScienceinasustainablemanner,furtherandongoingresourceswillhavetobefound.IthasalsobecomeclearthattherewillbeanemergingneedforanationalbenchmarkingsystemforWILwhichwouldinvolvethevoluntarysharingofdataandhostingofthesedataonaneutralsitesuchastheACDS.Potentialpointsforcomparisoncouldincludethingslikethenumberofstudentsonplacements,studentandhostorganisationsatisfaction,andemploymentsuccessamongothermetrics.


LearningtoWork,WorkingtoLearn:CurriculumdesignandteachingpracticeforWILin

theNaturalandPhysicalSciencesatDeakinUniversityJanuary2017

ProjectLeader:ProfessorMalcolmCampbell,DeakinUniversityProjectteam:DrAdamCardilini,A/ProfJoColdwell-Neilson,DrSharonLaFontaine,A/ProfStuartPalmer,MsShannonRogers(Intern),MrMarkTolson,DrKarenYoungObjective

ThisLighthouseprojectsetouttobuildthecapacityandcapabilityofkeyfacultyacademicstodesignanddeliveracoordinatedapproachtograduateemployabilitythroughthedevelopmentofscaffoldedcurriculuminitiatives.EmploymentratesforgraduatesfromthedisciplineofNaturalandPhysicalSciencesispoorincomparisontodisciplinessuchasEngineering,InformationTechnology,ArchitectureandBuiltEnvironment,andtonon-STEMdisciplines.ThisisalsotruefortheNaturalandPhysicalSciencesatDeakin.Asaninstitution,Deakinisredevelopingitsgraduateemploymentfocusthroughnewpolicydevelopment,cross-facultystrategygroupsandengagementwithindustryandcorporateorganisations.Thisfocusiswelcomedbutrequiresstudentengagementtooccurthroughcourseanddisciplineinitiativeswithintheexistingcurriculum.TheFacultyofScience,EngineeringandBuiltEnvironment(SEBE)atDeakinhashadalongstandingcurriculuminitiativeforallundergraduatecoursestoprovidestudentswithaWILopportunity.Currently,thesestudentofferingsarenotcoordinated,scaffoldedororganisedtoanylargeextentinwaysthatallowstudentstoevidencegrowthintheirlearningaboutwork,skillsandemployment.Thecurriculuminitiativesareofferedasamixoffacultyanddisciplinebasedunitsandwhilethereiscooperationandsharingbetweenteachingstaff,differencesexistintheunderstandingofacademicsaroundWIL,itspurpose,itsdeliveryapproaches,butmoreimportantlyitsassessment.GiventherangeofcoursesonofferintheNaturalandPhysicalSciencesspace(includingenvironment),theprojectsoughttoprovideresources,exemplarsandworkshopsforcoursedirectorsinordertobuildacoordinatedandbroaderapproachtoemploymentopportunitiesforourstudents.Context

Atthebeginningofthisproject,Deakinwasintheearlystagesofdevelopinganinstitutionalapproachtograduateemployment.Twothemesweredeveloped.Thefirstinvolvedengagingfacultiesinimprovingstudentaccesstocareereducation,linkingstudentstoemployersthrougheventsandotheractivities,andbuildinganon-campus‘freelancing’hub.Thesecondrequiredfacultiestodevelopdiscipline-basedWILcurriculuminitiatives,howeverSEBEwasalreadywelldownthispath.OverthepastfouryearsSEBEhasbeendevelopingWILinitiativesacrossallundergraduatecourses.Throughasmallcohortofdedicatedacademics,arangeof‘professionalpractice’curriculuminitiativeshavebeenintroduced.Thefacultydevelopedthreeimplementationmodelswhichweredevelopedascoreunits:Azero-creditunitwhichintroducesstudentstoWIL;a80-120hrdiscipline-basedplacementunit;oraunitfocusedondevelopingprofessionalpractice(non-placementunit).Eachcoursewouldonlyuseoneoftheseoptions.InadditiontotheseWILopportunities,SEBEalsoofferedInternshipsandIndustry-BasedLearningopportunitiesaselectiveunits.IndevelopingitsWILStrategy,SEBEhasrecruitedanumberofspecialistacademicandprofessionalstafftosupporttheprogram.TwoWILacademicsprovidecurriculumleadershipandsupporttothediscipline-basedprograms.TheseacademicsalsodelivertheelectiveInternshipandIndustry-Basedlearningprogram.Oneprofessionalstaffmemberprovidestheadministrativesupportfortheprogramincludingstudentrecruitmentandthemanagementofindustryscholarships.AmorerecentprofessionalstaffappointmentwasanIndustryEngagementManagerwhodevelopstheindustryrelationshipstosupportourprograms.WithintheSciencedisciplineintheFacultywealsohavetwoacademicswhoteachintotheprofessionalpracticeprogram.Theseacademicshavetakenonthisroleinadditiontotheirdiscipline-basedteaching.Theirroleistooverseetheplacementsundertakenbystudentsandtoprovideassessmenttasksthatevidencestudentlearning.TheSchoolprovidesadministrativesupporttomanageplacementcontracts.


ThisWILstrategyhasbeensuccessfulingettingstudentsintotheworkplacebutinreviewingourWILactivitiesandanecdotalemployerfeedback,anumberofissueswereidentified:

• theprogramsurvivesonstudent-initiatedplacements,butstudentsdonothaveagoodunderstandingoftherangeofpossibleindustriesandemployersthattheycanapproach,leadingtomanystudentswantingtoworkwithalimitedrangeofemployers

• studentswhogooutonplacementsarewellpreparedinsciencebutareoftennotwellpreparedfortheworkplace

• thedevelopmentofworkplaceskillsisnotscaffoldedverywellwithinthecurriculum• WILisnotwellunderstoodbystudentsandtheymisunderstandwhatisrequiredtodemonstrate

learning• WILisnotwellunderstoodbyacademicsandthereforedifferentexplanationsandexpectations

areprojectedtostudents.• therewerenotwellestablishedassessmentstandardsthatallowedacademicstohaveconsistent

approachestolearningandevidencinglearning.TheWILLighthouseProjectwasanexcellentopportunitytoallowtheFacultytoaddresssomeoftheseissuesanddevelopsolutionsthatwillallowtheprogramtodeepenandgrow.Implementation

Thegoalofthisprojectwastoworkwithcoursedirectorstoimprovetheirunderstandingandabilitytoimplementwithincurriculum,arangeofWILopportunitiesthatstudentsvalueandusetofindemployment,eitherwithintheirdisciplineoroutsidetheirchosendiscipline.Clearly,improvedemploymentoutcomesareakeyindicatorofsuccessbuttheseareneverimmediateandareoftenaffectedbyexternalfactors.OtheroutcomesindicatingsuccessincludethewaystudentsapplyknowledgeandskillsafterhavingWILexperiences,theprofessionalismtheydemonstratebeforeoraftergraduation,therangeofindustriesthatareplacingstudents,andthefeedbackthatemployersprovideaboutourstudents.However,akeycriterionforsuccesswillbeincreasingthenumberofacademicswhoareengagedindeliveringWILexperiencestostudents.Westartedwithcoursedirectorsbuttheywillneedtobecomethementorsfortheacademicswhoteachintotheircourses.Aspartofthisproject,theFacultycreatedtheWILSteeringGroup,comprisingtheprojectteamandtheacademicscurrentlyengagedindeliveringWILopportunitiestostudentsintheSciencediscipline.TheSteeringGrouphadtwomaintasks:todefineWILwithinourcontext;andtodevelopanunderstandingofhowwecouldconsistentlyassessstudents.IndeliveringthesetwooutcomesfortheFaculty,theprojectteamconductedthreeworkshopswiththecoursedirectorsofBachelordegreesinBiologicalScience,BiomedicalScience,EnvironmentalScience,ForensicScience,Science,andZoologyandAnimalScience.Allcoursedirectorsattendedatleastoneworkshop.Anumberofcoursedirectorsattendedallthree.TheworkshopsfocusedonidentifyingthecurrentunderstandingofhowcoursedirectorsperceiveWILandhowtheythinkWILshouldbelocatedwithinthecoursecurriculum.TheprojectteamtooktheoutcomesoftheworkshopstoidentifyhowWILshouldbedefined,whatcurriculumactivitiescanbeclassifiedasWILandwhatisnotWIL,andwhatwouldconstituteappropriatescaffoldingactivities.ThisthinkingwascontinuallyreferencedbacktotheCourseDirectorgroup.TheprojectintendedtocompleteaformalsurveyofexistingemployersengagedwithourWILprogram,howeverthiswasnotpossiblewithintheprojecttimeframe.Instead,aninformaldiscussionwithafewemployerswascompletedtocollecttheirperspectivesofWILandtheprogramsweoffer.Achievementsandimpact

TheprojecthasallowedtheFacultytoformallypresentacoherentviewofWILtostaffandstudents.WehavebeenabletodefinewhatWILiswithinourcontextandwhatitisnot.ThemostsignificantpartoftheprojectwasfinallydefiningwhatWILmeanstous:

WorkIntegratedLearning(WIL)describestheintentionallearningactivitiesthatexposestudentstoauthenticandproximalopportunitiestohelpdevelopthetransferableskillsforemployment,furthereducationandactiveparticipationintheircommunity.


WILactivitiesshouldseektoprovidestudentswiththeopportunitytolearnhowtoapplyspecificdisciplineknowledge,skills&practiceintheworkplacesofthefuture.WehaveembeddedWILinthemindsofCourseDirectorsacrossthesciencediscipline.TheyhaverespondedthattheynowfeelempoweredtoidentifyandembedWILinaconfidentmannerandthatthisaspectoftheirworkisimportantinthedevelopmentoftheircourses.Thedevelopmentofacommunityofpracticehasbeenthemostsignificantaspectoftheproject.TheWILSteeringGroupestablishedaspartofthisprojecthasbeenretainedbytheFacultyandexpandedtoincludeeachofthedisciplineswithinSEBE.ThisisagreatachievementandwillleadtofurtherdevelopmentofWILwithinnewcontexts.TheSteeringGrouphasmemberswhoarealsopartoftheDeakin-wideWILinitiativesandsotheideasdevelopedthroughthisprojectwillbegintogainagreateraudienceaswecommunicateouroutcomesmoregenerally.ThecontinuationoftheWILSteeringGroupalsomeansthatwecancontinuetodrivesubtleandthenpivotalchangesthroughgoodpracticeandscholarship.Ithasalsoallowedindividualstoidentifythemselvesasleadersinthisdomainandfeelempoweredtobeinnovativeintheircontextualisedcurriculum,tocreatespaceforcreativityandtrythingsisneededtoallowcurriculumtobeenhanced.TheGrouphavealsodevelopedaFacultyWILFactSheetthatdescribesWILinourcontextandprovidesthelanguageandconceptsaroundwhichwebuildWIL.

MappingofWILinthecurriculumhasbeenafrustratingprocess,inthatitmapsintentionsandnotoutcomes.Regardlessofhowgoodthechosenlanguageandschematicoftheunitcurriculumdescription,oreventhedetailedunpackingofthemeaningsforeachcriterionthroughsystemssuchasrubrics,theinterpretationoftheanalysisofassessmentlevelsandtypestothemappingcriteriawillalwaysinvolveanelementofsubjectivity.OnlywhenwearebetteratevidencingtheoutcomesoflearningwillwebeabletomapWILinthecurriculum.However,wehavecontinuedwiththecurrentprocessofmapping,notbecauseitprovidessomethingusefulinitsownright,butbecauseitisausefulplacetobegintheconversationwithcoursedirectorsaboutwhatinnovationsarepossible.Theoutcomesfromthisprojectshowthatbyincreasingthelevelofauthenticity(howcloselythelearningactivityalignstotaskswithintheworkplace)orproximity(theclosenessofstudentstoexistingpractitioners)ofassessmentitemsallowstudentstohaveanindustry-orientedandrelevantcoursethatwillimprovetheiropportunitiesforemployment,wherevertheychoosetolandupongraduation,andbeyond.Thedifficultyistosituateauthenticandproximalopportunitiesinascaffoldedwaywithinthecurriculum.OneideathattheSteeringGroupwillcontinuetofollowistofocusonauthenticitythatisenhancedthroughproximityratherthanstrivingforboth.Thiswillallowourprogramstobemoresustainableandscalableovertime.TheprojectteamidentifiedanumberofWILopportunitiesthatarenotplacementbased.ThechallengeistoshiftthinkingthatWILisreallyaboutplacementsandplacementsarereallyjustworkexperience.WILisaboutlearningoutcomesandso,afocusonnon-placementWILwillbeapriorityinthefuture.Wehavemadeanumberofobservationsinworkingwithemployers.EmployersliketoengageinplacementWILforanumberofreasons.Thesearewelldocumentedintheliteratureandcentreonaccessingatalentpoolofpotentialemployeeswhobringnewideasintotheworkplaceculture.However,wefoundthatemployersstrugglewithlowreturnoninvestments,particularlywithshort-termplacements,lowtake-upbysomestudentcohorts,cumbersomepaperworkandlongleadtimes.Theseissuesneedtobeaddressedifwearetoimproveplacement-WIL.EmergingIssuesandnextsteps

Wecontinuetostrugglewiththeterm‘WIL’or‘WorkIntegratedLearning’.Itisnotawidespreadtermthatiswellunderstoodbyindustry,studentsoracademics.TheprojectteamthinksthatamoreengaginganduniversallyacceptedtermwouldmaketheconceptofWILmoreattractive.Ourdilemmawasthatwecouldnotfindabetterterm.WeneedtoimprovethecultureofnewstudentstoengagemorefullyinWILandtopreparebetter.Wealsoneedtoimprovethecultureofworkplacestobemoreamenabletotakingonstudentsinplacements.Whilestudentscompletetheseactivitiesforcredit,tofullyengagestudentsneedtobepaidfortheworkthattheydo.Manystudentsneedtoforgotheirpart-timepaidworktotakeupshort


periodsoffull-timeunpaidwork,albeitwithintheirdiscipline.ThisneedstochangeifplacementWIListobemoresuccessful.TheprojectteambelievesthatwehavedevelopedaworkableWILstrategy;workstillneedstobedonewiththemiddleyearsofacourse.WeprovidecareerdevelopmentandWILintroductionsforbeginningstudentsandplacementsoftenoccurwithinthefinalyearofthecourse.Theprojecthasallowedustorecognisethatweneedtofocusmoreonnon-placementWILopportunitiesinthemiddleyear(s).Thiswillallowstudentstoobtainamorevaluableexperiencewhentheydocompleteanextendedplacement.


Appendix5|SummativeevaluationofLighthouseprojectsThepurposeofthisevaluationwastounderstandtheeffectsoftheWILinscience:LeadershipforWILprojectledbytheAustralianCouncilofDeansofScience(ACDS).TheevaluationprocessbeganwiththecommencementoftheWILinScienceprojectandconcludedwiththecompletionofthelighthouseprojects.

EvaluationapproachProjectleadersofthesixWILinScienceLighthouseProjectswereinterviewedtoexploreprojectfocusandimplementation,andprojectapproaches,benefits,challengesandoutcomes.Specificially,interviewssoughttodeterminehowparticipationintheWILinScienceLighthouseProjectshelpedto:

• establishvisibleWILorganisationandleadershipintheinterviewee’sSciencefaculty;• raiseawarenessoftheplaceandimportanceofWILinSciencerelateddisciplines;• influencethedevelopmentandembeddingofWILintocoursedelivery;• influencepersonaloutcomesandoutcomesfortheorganisationasaresultofparticipationin

lighthouseprojects;and• havebroaderimpact/influencebeyondtheorganisation.

Formativeevaluationthroughouttheprojectwasconductedthroughsurveyofnetworkmembers,commentaryfromtheexpertadvisorygroup,andsurveyofworkshopparticipantstoestablishvisibleorganisationandsupportforleadershipinwork-integratedlearning.Theresultsoftheformativeandsummativeevaluationweretriangulatedtocheckforconsistencyofoutcomesreported,andtodevelopanunderstandingoftheimpactoftheWILinScience:LeadershipforWILproject.Notesandobservationspresentedinthisreportarebasedoninterviewsconductedwithprojectleadersoftheselighthouseprojects.Thesediscussionsalsotouchedonmanybroaderaspectsoftheirworkinteachingandlearning.Conversationsduringtheinterviewwerepleasantandfriendlyandtheprojectleaderswereenthusiasticaboutsharingtheoutcomesoftheirteam’swork.Itisimportanttonotethattheprojectleaderswererecognisedchampionsofteachingandlearningintheirhomeinstitution.Theiroverwhelmingenthusiasm,andreportofprojectoutcomesthemselvesareevidenceofsignificanteffectsoftheWILinScience:LeadershipforWILproject.ThereportalsocapturesfurtherareasforworkandopportunitiesidentifiedbytheprojectleadersforimprovingWILinsciencerelateddisciplines.

InterviewthemesCommonthemesemergedfrominterviewees.

1. Focus:interviewsrevealedthatsciencefacultiesattheparticipantuniversitiesinthelighthouseprojectswereatdifferentstagesofconception,developmentandimplementationofwork-integratedlearning.

2. Benefits:averypositivepictureemergedfromprojectleadersabouttheimmediatebenefitsoftheirinvolvementinthelighthouseproject.Benefitsattributedinclude:horizonscanning&collaboration,strengtheningunderstandingofWIL,refiningworkdonesofar,meetingandinfluencinguniversitystrategicprioritiesforWIL,recognition,rewardandopportunityforcareerprogression.

3. Challenges:interviewparticipantsacknowledgedanumberofchallengeswhilenotingtheopportunitiesandtimethatthisprojectprovidedtoreflectonthechallenges.Commonchallengesincluded:

• staffengagement,resourceavailability,competingprioritiesandlackoftime;• culturalchallengessuchaschangingperceptionsofemployersandacademics,andchangesto

academicwork• curriculumchallengestoincludeintentionalindustry-engagedlearning,authenticassessment

andemployabilityskilloutcomes;• identifyingappropriateindustryplacements;


• absenceofleadershipandassociatedlackofsupportandadvocacy• scalingupparticularinitiatives• makingWILasystemicapproach4. WILimplementation:intervieweessuggestedthatthechallengesforWILarethesameacross

disciplinesandsuggestedthekeytosuccessfulWILimplementationistohavecleargoalsandvision,understandtheimpetusforWIL,andstartwithsomethingthatyoucansucceed.

5. ImprovingWILinScience:Althoughnotovertlyexpressed,duringdiscussionitwasclearthatthebiggestchallengethattheprojectleadersfacedwaschangingtheperceptionsofstakeholders.

FindingsDiscussionsrevealedthattheWILinScienceLighthouseProjectswerequitedifferent,yettimelyandprovidedtheopportunityforreviewandreflectiononcurrentpractice.Thecharacteristicdifferencesintheprojectfocus,andthewaytheyweredevelopedandimplementedindicatedvariedlevelsofwork-integratedlearningandapproachestowork-integratedlearninginthehostfacultiesandinstitutions.Theprojectleadersreportedharnessingreneweddiscussionsaroundwhatwork-integratedlearningis,andhowwork-integratedlearningcouldbeimplementedinparticipantinstitutions.Theobviousfocuswasonstudentsandwhatemployabilityskillswereimportantforthemtoachievebeforegraduation.Interviewparticipantsreportedthebenefitsandadvantagesofhavingtheopportunitytopromotetheirwork,talktocolleaguesaboutinitiativesinotherinstitutionsandsharingpracticeandstrategies.Insomecases,theyreportedtherealbenefitwasinchallengingtheirpracticetoevaluateifcurrentstrategiesareeffectiveinachievingthevisionforWIL.SomeparticipantsarereportedpersonalbenefitsasaresultoftheirengagementintheWILinSciencelighthouseprojects.Itappearedthatrecognitionandrewardboostedthemoraleofparticipantsandmotivatedthemtodobetter.Butthemostvaluablebenefitswerenotablefromtheinfluencetheseindividualshavehadwithintheirfacultyandinstitution.However,themostimportantoutcomethatsurfacedfromdiscussionintheinterviewswastheshiftinthinkingorrethinkingthatthelighthouseprojectspromotedwithinparticipantinstitutionsamongvariousstakeholders,includingstudents.Withoutdoubt,theWILinScienceprojecthascontributedtothedevelopmentofleadershipandmentoringactivitiesininstitutions.Statementsofimpactfromtheprojectteams,theircommitmenttowardsWILoutcomesforstudentsandtheirworkinthelighthouseprojectprovideampleconsiderationsforongoingwork.Despitecontextualchallengesfacedbytheprojectteams,participantspointedouttheopportunitiesthesechallengesprovidedandthelearningtheyhaveachievedforthefuture.ProjectleadersalsohadacommonviewintermsofthechallengesinimplementingWIL.TheysuggestedthatthechallengesforWILarethesameacrossdisciplines.ThekeytosuccessfulWILimplementationistohavecleargoalsandvision,understandtheimpetusforWIL,andstartwithsomethingthatyoucansucceed.

ConclusionToconclude,theprojectactivitiesseemveryappropriateandtimelytobuildgraduateemployabilityoutcomeswithinSciencerelateddisciplinesforthereasonstheprojectteamidentify.Thelighthouseprojectsinparticularhaveprovidedtheimpetusforbuildingcapacity,todesignanddeliverWILprogramsthroughcollaborativediscussionsandsharingofstrategiesandpracticethroughthenationalnetworkofScienceWILleadersandpeer-to-peermentoringactivities.TheprojectleadersacknowledgedtheirinstitutionsaswellasthankedtheAustralianCouncilofDeansofScienceforthesupporttheyreceivedtoundertakeactivitiesintheirWILinScienceLighthouseProject.TheynotedthatACDSprovidedanimportantnationalforum,andprovidednationalrecognitionfortheirworkthroughthesupportfortheirprojects,whichinturnledtorecognitionintheirowninstitutions.


Discussionsduringtheinterviewsandtriangulationoftheinterviewdatawiththeprojectaimsandintentions,anddatafromparticipantsurveysconfirmedtheformulationofarenewedcommunityofpracticetoraiseawarenessoftheplaceandimportanceofWILinSciencerelateddisciplines.Theprojectteamscertainlyhavethepotentialandleadershiptoinfluencechange,todevelopandembedWILincorecurriculum,toinfluencework-relatedoutcomesforstudentsandoutcomesfortheorganisation,andhavemuchbroadereffecttomentoringactivitieswithintheirorganisation.ThenextstepsidentifiedbyeachoftheWILprojectteamsarequiterightlythemostimportantnextstepsinmovingWILforwardinScience.Ofcourse,theseinitiativesneedfundingsupportandasetofcommittedleaders.TheWILinScience:LeadershipforWILprojecthasestablishedjustthat.IthankProfessorLizJohnsonforallowingmetheopportunitytoevaluatethisproject.Theopportunityhasbeenaverysatisfyinglearningexperience.ManythanksgotoJenAughtersonforschedulingandorganisinginterviewsandinterviewtranscripts.Ialsothanktheinterviewparticipantsfortheirtime,wordsofwisdomandenthusiasmthattheyshowedthroughouttheinterviewprocess.Dr.SivaKrishnanSeniorLecturer,CourseEnhancementLearningSupportTeam,FacultyofScience,EngineeringandBuiltEnvironmentPODDeakinLearningFutures


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Download - WIL in Science project report 2016 - acds-tlcc.edu.au · Work-integrated learning (WIL) is curriculum that is designed to embed the world of work inside student learning. Work-integrated

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