Measuring the Impact of Work Integrated Learning from the Student’s Perspective

Providing Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities to students that are meaningful, relevant and add value to courses are of utmost importance to students, industry partners and education providers. Therefore, devising relevant tools to receive meaningful feedback from students about their WIL learning experiences is not to be underestimated.  

Recently a colleague and I developed a survey instrument to measure and report on students’ perceptions of their learning while undertaking WIL. The survey instrument included questions pertaining to student preparedness for WIL; engagement with active learning while on WIL; and, opportunities to develop a professional sense of self.  Additionally, free text questions asked students to provide examples of what helped their learning; what hindered their learning and to provide other commentary or suggestions on what aspects may improve their learning during WIL.

The results so far demonstrate that supportive WIL environments positively influence student learning.  Factors that students depict as helping their learning are when supervisors/facilitators actively engage in student learning; are available and accessible to respond to questions or concerns; encourage independent learning; and, provide opportunities to contextualise theoretical understandings.  In contrast, students commented their learning was hindered when they were made to feel unwelcome, received little guidance or when expectations were unclear.

While in its infancy, the WIL survey instrument has provided a practical method of analysing and reporting student feedback on the quality of their learning experiences.  Additionally, the tool has provided a mechanism to evaluate how students take responsibility for their own learning. Furthermore, the instrument has enabled cross-disciplinary comparisons related to the quality of student learning experiences. 

For more information about the WIL Survey, please contact annette.marlow@utas.edu.au

Annette Marlow

Director of Professional Experience
 

College of Health and Medicine
 

University of Tasmania