Learning in vivo

Micro-placements are short periods of individual or teamwork on highly focused projects

Despite the good results yielded by work-integrated learning (WIL), the implementation is often hampered by significant challenges, indicate Mayombe (2022: 310), who “refers to any learning activity or programme which integrates theory with practice to provide trainees with industry experience”. Challenges relate to both (i) design and (ii) resources, as well as (iii) maintaining relationships with relevant stakeholders, who may have expectations, needs and interests different from educational institutions. WIL “refers to an educational and training approach that integrates academic and workplace practices for the joint benefit of students and workplaces”, it “allows the insertion of relevant real-world learning into the design of the curriculum that produces students who are prepared to enter the labour market and meet demands of employers”. Mayombe (2022: 311) emphasises the importance of stakeholders to commitment to play their roles for effectiveness of WIL programmes, stating that “commitment of the stakeholders is a catalytic of allocating appropriate WIL placement which facilitates opportunities for trainees to work in organisations”. Mayombe (2022: 313) indicates that “it is the responsibility of the WIL custodian to maintain relationships with key stakeholders and obtain their commitment”.

“The work-experience component of work-integrated learning [programmes] can be achieved through” different models, “characterised by flexibility in terms of the length, timing and frequency of the practical component” say Mayombe (2022: 312), for example:

• The alternating model of WIL, which comprises students alternating between months of practical work experience at their sponsoring companies, and the theoretical components at their respective learning institutions
• A mixture of alternating and parallel study, consisting of allowing students to complete the academic component (theoretical element) while at the same time work part-time at the sponsoring company. Often model of WIL entail full-time in-service training at the end of the study programme.
• Often students are required to apply to an employer for placement for a specific period, to get the relevant practical experience, sometimes with different employers or industries.

Bracken, Patton & Lindsay (2022: 481) state that work-integrated learning (WIL) is “an umbrella term for a range of approaches and strategies that integrate theory with the practice of work within a purposefully designed curriculum”, but add that the range of underpinning pedagogical approaches caused multiple terms that are often used interchangeably causing confusion, such as “practice-based learning, professional practice, problem-based-learning, experiential learning, workplace learning, and practice-based education”. The diversity of WIL is further demonstrated by a diverse range of strategies and approaches such as fully immersed in-situ work placements, projects, fieldwork, and simulations. There are further emerging innovative WIL approaches such as micro-placements, hackathons, and incubators. Dean & Campbell (2020: 357) refer to these approaches as beyond workplace-based experiences, that “moved away from requiring extensive time in workplaces to engaging students through short, authentic activities”. Green, Seaman & Smith (2022: 528) align these kinds of short-term placements with the definition of micro-placements offered by Kay et al. (2019: 405), namely “short periods in the workplace ranging from two to 10 days where students work individually or in teams on highly focused projects”, indicating that micro-placements occur in a diverse range of sectors.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce issued the following news release on 24 & 29 April 2021 respectively:

Could your Business Support Edinburgh Napier University with a Micro-Placement?

Edinburgh Napier Business School are exploring introducing a 'Micro-Placement' experience for our 3rd & 4th Year Undergraduate BA (Hons) Accounting and Law students and they are interested to hear from companies who might be interested in hosting a student, over the summer period.

This will be short-term optional, extra-curricular career exploration opportunity designed to provide mutual benefit to both student and employer, with students gaining an insight into an industry related to their field of study and employers a chance to meet with ambitious students. As this is a pilot, they are very open to any suggestions that you might have! If you are interested, or would like to find out more please contact Sharon Homan-James, Employer Engagement Partner, Business School on email [email protected]

Mayombe (2022) uses the term micro-placements 27 times, indicating among other (p. 317) that students sign fixed-term contracts with the host companies, for the duration of the micro-placement. For host companies, micro-placements often serve as strategy for human resources development and recruitment of new employees. The number of academic credits for micro-placements vary based on the type and the outcome. Mentoring during and quality of micro-placements are important considerations. Sometimes micro-placements of students in host companies are converted to formal employment upon graduation. Adequate mentorship and supervision enable students “to become ready for future careers and be attractive to the prospective employers” (p. 324).

Bibliography:

Bracken, L., Patton, N. & Lindsay, E. (2022). Compulsory work-integrated learning: A solution for equity propositioning and future proofing. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 23(4), 481-493. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_23_4_527_542.pdf

Dean, B.A. & Campbell, M. (2020). Reshaping work-integrated learning in a post-COVID-19 world of work. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(4), 356-364. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_4_355_364.pdf

Edinburgh Napier Business School. (2021). Could your Business Support Edinburgh Napier University with a Micro-Placement? Plus Company Updates. Gale General OneFile, https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=usa_itw&id=GALE|A659693622&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&asid=9270b281

Green, E., Seaman, C.E. & Smith, B. (2022). Exploring localized learning during a short-term health student placement. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 23(4), 527-542. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_23_4_527_542.pdf

Iipinge, S.M., Batholmeus, P.N. & Pop. C. (2020). Using simulations to improve skills needed for work-integrated learning before and during COVID-19 in Namibia. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(5), 531-543. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_5_531_543.pdf

Kay, J., Ferns, S., Russell, L., Smith, J. & Winchester-Seeto, T. (2019). The emerging future: Innovative models of work-integrated learning. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 20(4), 401-413. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_20_4_401_413.pdf

Mayombe, C. (2022). Partnership with stakeholders as innovative model of work-integrated learning for unemployed youths. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 12 (2), 309-327. https://0-doi-org.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10.1108/HESWBL-03-2021-0065

Zegwaard, K.E., Pretti, T.J. & Rowe, A.D. (2020). Responding to an international crisis: The adaptability of the practice of work-integrated learning. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(4), 317-330. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_4_317_330.pdf

Work-integrated learning as means to entrepreneurial learning, and vice versa

The phrase ‘learning-by-doing’ is well known and often accredited to John Dewey, but also Aristotle. By integrated doing (work) into the curriculum (learning) the likelihood of work-ready graduates is enhanced. Therefore, if an aim or expected outcome of a learning programme is entrepreneurial orientation, incorporating such learning opportunities in the curriculum seems necessary.

The converse, providing work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities through start-ups, incubator initiatives, or entrepreneurial activities, is quite different. The adverb ‘vice-versa’, means ‘in reverse order from the way something has been stated’, is derived from two Latin words vicis change + vertere to turn — literally relations being reversed or the other way around.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic WIL placement challenges, the University of Cincinnati made extensive efforts towards “facilitating student engagement in new forms of WIL” (Alanson et al. 2020: 509). Students were presented with “a suite of nine options: Study abroad, service learning, research, career-related travel, international experience, creative practice, entrepreneurship, leadership, or open source development”. The definitions of two of the mentioned options, taken from Table 1 (p. 510) are presented below.

It is further deemed necessary to point out that “entrepreneurship extends beyond the creation of new businesses”, but that ‘entrepreneurial’ comprises characteristics such as “autonomy, innovativeness, risk-taking, proactiveness, and competitive aggression” that are often “linked to organizational performance, increased profits, growth, and innovation” (Pretti et al. 2020: 451).

Alanson, E.R., Alanson, E.M., Arthur, B., Burdette, A., Cooper, C. & Sharp, M. (2020). Re-envisioning work-integrated learning during a pandemic: Cincinnati’s experiential explorations program. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, Special Issue, 21(5), 505-519. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_5_505_519.pdf.

Pretti, I.J., Parrott, P., Hoskyn, K., Fannon, A-M., Church, D. & Arsenault, C. (2020). The role of work-integrated learning in the development of entrepreneurs. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(4), 451-466. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_4_451_466.pdf

Entrepreneurship, incubators, or start-ups as emerging WIL model

Conventional approaches to work-integrated learning (WIL), such as 3 – 12-month work placements, also called cooperative education, sandwich programmes or practicums, are not only resource intensive, but do place additional demands on industry partners, say Kay, Ferns, Russell, Smith and Winchester-Seeto (2019: 402). Small to medium enterprises (SMEs), namely those with fewer than 200 employees, comprise a significant proportion of the Australian economy, say Kay et al. (2019: 402). However, due to limited resources, staff constraints, and restrictions of funds, it is generally difficult for SMEs to engage in offering WIL opportunities. Kay et al. (2019: 403) observe that a recurring theme in the literature is the challenges universities experience in successfully engaging with SMEs. The “mismatch between the needs of universities and those of SMEs is a key reason for the lack of engagement from SMEs” they remark. Factors such as inflexible university schedules, as well as strict timing, duration of placements, type of student activities, supervision requirements and student support expectations, impact the capacity of SMEs to engage in WIL. There exists a need for willingness to working around these disparities, they indicate.

Universities found themselves competing for placement opportunities, which resulted in trends of “enhanced engagement with community organizations; greater flexibility in the structure of WIL experiences; an increase in on-campus opportunities; a focus on the use of technology to provide equitable WIL experiences in a virtual world; and a rise in third party providers who broker opportunities for students” (Kay et al. 2019: 405). Table 1 (p. 406) summarises the trends identified through a research project, funded by the Australian Technology Network (ATN), as well as innovative practices that emerged because of trends. The research involved three stages. The first stage entailed the review of literature from contemporary peer-reviewed academic literature, grey literature (such as government and industry reports) and conference proceedings with the aim of identifying emerging WIL models. During the second stage the emerging models were explored through ten international, national and local workshops with some 450 WIL practitioners, webinars and WIL communities of practice meetings. The third stage involved in-depth consideration and analysis through 55 semi-structured interviews with WIL practitioners, industry partners and students that directly experienced emerging WIL strategies. The three stages iterative process serve to validate the literature review. The emerging models were clustered into five innovative WIL models, namely (a) micro-placements, (b) online projects or placements, (c) hackathons, competitions and events, (d) WIL incubators and start-ups, and (e) consulting.

Kay et al. (2019: 407) define incubators or start-ups as “a workspace that provides support for startups including mentoring, information, networks, office space and resources for the early-stage development of new business ventures. WIL students can be placed in incubators to support ventures. A start-up is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a young, small and recently emerged business that aims to create a new product, process or service to meet a need that is not currently being offered elsewhere in the market. The first stages of a start-up are commonly financed and can attract further support once it has proved its potential. Increasingly WIL students are undertaking placements or projects in or for start-up businesses”

The Canadian body ‘Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada’ (CEWIL Canada) webpage ‘Type of WIL: entrepreneurship’ qualifies ‘What is Entrepreneurship?’ that it “allows a student to leverage resources, space, mentorship and/or funding to engage in the early-stage development of business start-ups and/or to advance external ideas that address real-world needs for academic credit”. The webpage imbeds a YouTube video ‘What is entrepreneurial WIL?’ worth watching. The webpage further imbeds “a document that outlines in detail how Entrepreneurial WIL engages students and benefits employers”, which elaborates that “An entrepreneurship Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experience provides students with an opportunity to start and build their own business. Often, these experiences are supported through school-supported incubators or accelerators. They allow students to leverage resources, space, mentorship, and funding to engage in business startups’ early-stage development and advance external ideas that address real-world problems for academic credit”.

Table 2 (Kay et al. 2019: 407) portrays 15 common features clustered across three key areas, namely stakeholder engagement, design elements, and co-designing with partners.

Table 3 (Kay et al. 2019: 409) represents the alignment of the features outlined in Table 2 with the five emerging models, showing the features that are characteristic of each model. Kay et al. (2019: 208) emphasise that stakeholder engagement is fundamental to all emerging WIL models, and that attention should be given to co-designing with industry, community, students, and alumni. They highlight the importance mutually beneficial and collaborative partnerships.

Table 4 (Kay et al. 2019: 410) gives an overview of the enablers identified through the workshops and interviews with students, host organizations and university staff.

Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada). Type of WIL: Entrepreneurship. https://cewilcanada.ca/CEWIL/CEWIL/Resources/Employer-Community-Partners/Employer-Tool-Kit-Folder/Entrepreneurship.aspx

Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada). (2021). What is entrepreneurial WIL? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQU-wrrt_8c

Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada). (2021). Entrepreneurship for WIL partners. https://cewilcanada.ca/common/Uploaded%20files/Public%20Resources/WIL%20Resources/entrepreneurship__8.5x11.pdf

Kay, J., Ferns, S., Russell, L., Smith, J. & Winchester-Seeto, T. (2019). The emerging future: Innovative models of work-integrated learning. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 20(4), 401-413. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_20_4_401_413.pdf