TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing work-integrated learning through South-North collaboration
T2 - A comparative contextual analysis
AU - Winberg, Christine
AU - Finn, Frances
AU - Sheridan, Irene
AU - Engel-Hills, Penelope
AU - Jacobs, Henri
AU - Kent, Eleanor
N1 - Funding Information:
WIL, in the form of work placements in industry, is not funded in South Africa, although other WIL modalities, such as project-based learning (if this is part of an academic subject), receive a subsidy. Mechanisms identified for funding work-based learning were: student bursaries; clinical training grants; and, if the work placement contributed to community engagement, a service-learning grant. Students’ work placements were mostly unpaid, with stipends available in some cases. In Ireland, credit gained through work placements in full-time undergraduate programs, as well as subsidies allocated to the awarding institution, were equivalent to other credit-bearing subjects. In many (but not all) disciplines, work undertaken by a student in the host company was paid. Some courses aimed at those already in the workplace, while those who were unemployed attracted targeted government funding. In these cases, work placement was a requirement in support of students’ employability.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - This study contributes a perspective on work-integrated learning (WIL) through the lens of South-North collaboration. The research question was: How might sharing experiences of WIL in different contexts enhance WIL practice in a local context? The purposive sample of twelve case studies; South Africa (n=6) and Ireland (n=6), represented business, engineering, biopharma and health sciences disciplines. Activity theory was drawn on to analyze data on program content, mechanisms and processes, and outcomes and challenges across the case studies. Key findings include: student support requirements, curricular modalities and assessment practices, levels at which WIL is offered, resourcing for WIL and understandings of WIL as enhancing students’ employability and as a societal contribution. The data revealed similarities and differences in WIL practices within and across the two countries. Partners developed insights into their own and one another’s practices, showing the potential of international collaboration to enhance learning and practice in local contexts.
AB - This study contributes a perspective on work-integrated learning (WIL) through the lens of South-North collaboration. The research question was: How might sharing experiences of WIL in different contexts enhance WIL practice in a local context? The purposive sample of twelve case studies; South Africa (n=6) and Ireland (n=6), represented business, engineering, biopharma and health sciences disciplines. Activity theory was drawn on to analyze data on program content, mechanisms and processes, and outcomes and challenges across the case studies. Key findings include: student support requirements, curricular modalities and assessment practices, levels at which WIL is offered, resourcing for WIL and understandings of WIL as enhancing students’ employability and as a societal contribution. The data revealed similarities and differences in WIL practices within and across the two countries. Partners developed insights into their own and one another’s practices, showing the potential of international collaboration to enhance learning and practice in local contexts.
KW - activity theory
KW - comparative case studies
KW - internships
KW - South-North collaboration
KW - Work placements
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148073121&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85148073121
SN - 2538-1032
VL - 23
SP - 463
EP - 479
JO - International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning
JF - International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning
IS - 4
ER -