Conference paper
Towards an Improved Cross-disciplinary Structure for Work Integrated Learning Programmes to Better Meet Community Needs the Student Learning Experience and Graduate Outcomes
Proceedings of the 2010 Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance National Conference, pp.70-82
Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance (AUCEA) National Conference: Communities Participation and Partnerships, 2010 (Launceston, Australia, 05-Jul-2010–07-Jul-2010)
Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance Inc. (AUCEA)
2010
Abstract
This case study looks at a work integrated learning (WIL) project in the public relations field and examines the opportunity to extend this type of learning across university schools and faculties which would make it more aligned with how organisations actually work in the community. This paper is a prelude to a stakeholder research study to obtain data to substantiate or provide discourse on the current literature. In the final year of study towards a Public Relations degree or Corporate Affairs degree, students undertake a WIL course. A group of public relations students, supervised by a tutor, work on a public relations project with a community organisation. The students form a team, receive a brief from the organisation and research, plan, implement and evaluate a public relations event that meets the organisation's needs and expected outcomes. This experience is an example of a learning experience that benefits the students as well as the community organisation they are working for. Students see the value of a real life experience where they can apply the knowledge and theory they have learned in a practical way. Despite not being paid for this work, students gain new knowledge and can include this in their CVs to assist them in finding full time employment when they graduate. However, there is a gap in the structure of this public relations program comprising students solely from one discipline of study. In a real world situation a public relations professional team would not just be working with their peers. They would be collaborating with other functions within an organisation, people with different skill bases from such fields as marketing, finance, planning, advertising and design. In the public relations WIL course, these missing skills are covered by either the team's supervising tutor, or bought in by the community organisation. The separation of academic disciplines and the creation of artificial boundaries between areas of study mean that students do not understand how their subjects interact together as they do in the real world. Thus providing students with WIL within the community that is broader than the limitations of their degree of study would provide students with a more realistic world view of how organisations - businesses, governments, local councils, charities and various community groups work. Developing an integrated approach to university-wide WIP programs would support the university's responsiveness to its community and reflect its understanding of how organisations within the community work. Resources will be key to the success of such a program; coordination would need to be across all faculties to ensure the WIL projects are integrated into the curriculum. Such a course of study would be responding to realistic community-identified needs, opportunities and goals and enable a more productive partnership with the community as well as providing an enriching learning experience for students.
Details
- Title
- Towards an Improved Cross-disciplinary Structure for Work Integrated Learning Programmes to Better Meet Community Needs the Student Learning Experience and Graduate Outcomes
- Authors
- Heather Pavitt (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Publication details
- Proceedings of the 2010 Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance National Conference, pp.70-82
- Conference details
- Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance (AUCEA) National Conference: Communities Participation and Partnerships, 2010 (Launceston, Australia, 05-Jul-2010–07-Jul-2010)
- Publisher
- Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance Inc. (AUCEA)
- Date published
- 2010
- ISBN
- 9780980361070
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2010 The Australian University Community Engagement Alliance (AUCEA Inc.). All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permisssion of the publisher. The definitive version is available from http://www.aucea.com.au.
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449651602621
- Output Type
- Conference paper
- Research Statement
- false
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