Workplace learning: Supporting students during times of crisis

In response to both the current COVD-19 pandemic and significant organisational restructuring across the tertiary sector the move towards more online opportunities has emerged as key focal area of contemporary subject design and delivery. The current challenges facing universities and this in focus towards utilisation of online experiences has provided a catalyst for the development and experimentation with virtual work integrated and workplace learning (WPL) experiences that otherwise may not have been attempted. Across Charles Sturt there are examples of numerous disciplines across all three faculties that have invested considerable time and effort into the creation and delivery of virtual placements allowing for authentic experiences to consolidate theoretical understanding into practice based applications.

This symposium will provide the forum to allow those who have engaged with and implement virtual placements and work integrated learning experiences into their practice as a result of the pandemic, exploring both the benefits and lessons learnt from the experience.
The session will further allow for an opportunity to create a centralised repository of these experiences that can then form the basis for a) ongoing discussions in regards to sustainability as an effective and authentic approach to WPL that can be adopted across a range of discipline areas as well b) a starting point to develop a comprehensive report detailing collective approaches to online/virtual experiences fostering continued student engagement with WPL and finally c) connecting like-minded existing pockets of independent teaching and learning, research and scholarship together for potential future collaborations.