Work Integrated Learning
WIL-Being: Developing a wellbeing framework for supporting student experiences in and across Work Integrated Learning
The project comprises a collaborative all-stakeholder approach to develop a shared understanding of wellbeing and to communicate and embed wellbeing in learning and teaching practice in Work Integrated Learning (WIL). The development of a wellbeing framework and accompanying digital resources will enable wellbeing literacy to be scaffolded and embedded in and across a range of WIL experiences. These digital resources will empower students, industry, academics and university to actively engage in and develop knowledge and capacity of wellbeing in WIL. Illuminated is a digital fluency which allows all stakeholders to see themselves in digital content focusing on proactive coping strategies.
Resources
This project provides two types of resources to support teaching staff to integrate wellbeing topics into work integrated learning units:
(1) a podcast series (see 'project outputs' below) for student teachers that can be embedded in teaching activities or accessed by students as needed;
(2) an induction class lesson plan and supporting resources
These resources are also available publicly on the Adobe Education Exchange!
Project Outputs
Podcasts on strategies for self-care and wellbeing available at:
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 1: Confidence” at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10329507
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 2: STOP as a mini pause strategy” at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10367275
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 3: Juggling demands" at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10367321
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 4: Organising yourself and mindful list making" at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10367379
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 5: Feedback " at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10414569
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 6: Procrastination " at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10461571
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 7: Rest" at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10461760
“Teachers Supporting Teachers Series 5 Episode 8: A meditation to help you when feel overwhelmed" at https://www.buzzsprout.com/972709/10461901
Problem
Wellbeing and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) have a complex relationship, with research noting there are significant areas that cause tensions including “pre-professional identity” (Jackson, 2016), stressful situations unique to a profession (Lemon & McDonough, 2020; Lewis & King, 2019), increased psychological and financial stress, social isolation, and study/life imbalance (Gillet-Swan & Grant-Smith, 2018; Grant-Smith & McDonald, 2018; Johnstone et al., 2016). Although WIL is increasingly prevalent in higher education, there is little research on student experiences through a wellbeing lens and how to scaffold students' wellbeing to support WIL experiences (Gillet-Swan & Grant-Smith, 2018). We now know, and the pandemic has highlighted, that we need to proactively support students, academics, and industry partners with wellbeing in WIL. As Swinburne moves towards moon shot 1 (every learner gets a work experience) and moon shot 2 (every graduate gets a job), we must scaffold capacity to succeed, and this includes wellbeing.
Project Overview
Taking findings from a WIL Community of Practice, this project sought to address an identified gap on wellbeing in Work Integrated Learning experiences. The initial findings identified critical touch points along a student WIL experience, pre, establishing, during and post. This project is focussed on early stages of the WIL lifecycle, as a critical touch point for preparation and capability building. As a first step in our broader wellbeing in WIL initiative, this AIG project enabled us as practitioners to engage in developing and producing a lesson using wellbeing learning resources created with Adobe Express.
This project required us to use a positive and strength-based approach to reframe wellbeing as part of thriving in the workplace and central to professional development and practice. This required rethinking the content and curriculum to capture this approach to improve students’ mindsets around wellbeing in WIL. In addition, the development of eight podcasts to integrate into WIL units for supporting students in using strategies to manage wellbeing.
The team drew from previous examples of students who experienced challenges during their WIL experience to inform the authentic workplace cases for this project. The authentic case approach was to situate students in real world scenarios they may experience to support the development of strategies and approaches to managing wellbeing in WIL. This approach not only supports the empowering of students to deal with potential challenges, but also demonstrates the normalising of wellbeing in professional development and practice.
Emergent Outcomes
There are several emergent outcomes from the project that apply to both the project team and students.
Teaching staff:
• Improved technology literacy for staff by using Adobe suite (Creative Cloud Express & Adobe Audition).
• Production of 8 podcasts created using Adobe Audition and integrated into all WIL units in the department of education on campus and at SOL that feature wellbeing science and links to practical strategies.
• An improved understanding of wellbeing literacy in staff teaching practice and student learning.
• An understanding of critical touch points in the WIL student experience and aligned wellbeing support / resources for improving WIL experience (case studies and podcasts).
• Better understanding as teaching staff of available resources and support services to support wellbeing in WIL.
• Cross-institutional collaboration in teams for improved shared understandings, linking of support resources and improved outcomes for students and staff.
Students:
• Improved curriculum by re-developing the induction lecture for the Professional Internship unit: The project team has used the induction lecture as the initial space to reframe and reposition wellbeing as essential to thriving in the workplace and critical to professional development and practice (intersecting wellbeing and professional identity).
• Enhanced curriculum using digital case studies and podcasts to support learning and engagement in the understanding and practice of wellbeing.
• Flipping the learning and teaching approach to engage students in peer supported situated learning for improved understanding of wellbeing.
• Building capability in students to source information and identify relevant support strategies for improved wellbeing.
• Re-contextualising information on key workplace practices, rights, responsibilities, and challenges more meaningful and accessible.
• Improved students understanding of university support services.
Key Learnings
The use of Adobe Express and Adobe Audition to communicate real workplace scenarios provided a more creative way in which to deliver content and engage students in their learning, and to introduce wellbeing as a positive concept.
Wellbeing learnings that have arisen from this project include:
(1) Understanding the importance for Academics to integrate wellbeing literacy in student WIL experiences and how this should extend to the broader tertiary education experience
(2) A recognised need to improve confidence and capability of wellbeing literacy in staff
(3) In learning by doing, this project enhanced team members’ confidence in discussing wellbeing within the learning context and normalising conversations on this topic
(4) Improved appreciation of adopting cases to position students in authentic workplace scenarios as an ideal approach that bridges the remote teaching and learning context associate with in-situ WIL
(5) Improved engagement in student learning that feature wellbeing science and links to practical strategies.
(6) Recognising the complexity of wellbeing and the associated need to empower students in this area
Digital literacy learnings:
(1) Exploring a range of digital tools that can be used to design and deliver content and improved confidence in using Adobe tools for learning and teaching practice
(2) Through developing a stronger understanding and confidence in relation to wellbeing, the team members developed a greater sensitivity to the student and learning context in relation to designing appropriate wellbeing resources for students engaging in WIL.
Digital Literacies
The project enhanced technology literacy for teaching staff through providing an opportunity to explore new tools and technologies to create engaging learning and teaching resources.
The outputs from this project will support students to develop information literacy in relation to finding and using information to support and enhance their wellbeing during WIL experiences.
Impact Data
Impact will be approached in several ways:
(1) Sharing the approach to embedding wellbeing in curriculum using digital resources with members of the WIL Community of Practice. This will be a major step in gaining feedback from members who contributed their experiences of types of student WIL experiences that require a strengthening of student wellbeing.
(2) Piloting the project lesson and digital resources with students enrolled in the Professional Internship unit. By positioning students within these scenarios, students will have the opportunity to develop their sense of agency and empowerment when attempting to understand and manage their wellbeing, by increasing wellbeing literacy with anticipated impact on their engagement, attrition, and academic success. Students will have the opportunity to give feedback at the end of the induction lecture via feedback tool (survey).
(3) Production of 8 podcasts created using Adobe Audition and integrated into all WIL units in the department of education on campus and at SOL that feature wellbeing science and links to practical strategies. These were downloaded 581 times in the space of semester 1 2022. Content will be piloted for use in central WIL units.
(4) Student wellbeing agency and empowerment.