Work-Integrated Learning

Unique research education programme attracts new students

IT in medical care, schools and digitalization, and work-integrated learning in industry – these are some of the areas that our doctoral students are studying at University West. Their studies are within the framework of the unique field of work integrated learning, a research education programme available at University West since 2020.

Definition of Work-Integrated Learning 

Work-integrated learning is an interdisciplinary postgraduate education subject related primarily to the social sciences and the humanities. The subject is defined by the fact that the presentation of a problem is focused on the relationship between working life and learning. Working life is broadly defined and includes forms other than wage work. The concept of learning is understood in a broad sense and includes change and socialization processes linked to knowledge and competence. Interest is linked to working and learning conditions, organisation, processes, content, forms and consequences. Research in the subject includes, but is not limited to, studies on work in changing processes, the relationship between education and work, and social conditions for learning in work. The focus of the studies can be individuals, groups, organisations, mechanisms or structures.

Informatics with a specialisation in Work-Integrated Learning

The academic discipline called Informatics is an interdisciplinary subject area based upon studies of the interplay between technology, information, and human beings. Informatics with a specialisation in WIL focuses on the use and development of IT in the workplace. It deals with studies of the way IT affects learning, knowledge and cooperation in the workplace. Researchers are especially interested in questions about learning in conjunction with change and interaction between co-workers, when information and communications systems are designed, introduced and put into use. Informatics with a specialisation in WIL is an interdisciplinary subject area with links to work organisational science, computer science, educational science, sociology, media and communication science, and cognitive science.

Education with a specialisation in Work-Integrated Learning

Educational science deals with learning, influences, teaching, education and socialisation from individual, relational, and structural perspectives. Education Studies with a specialisation in WIL deals foremost with pedagogical issues in the workplace. Learning processes, conditions, content and the consequences thereof are all part of this subject area. 'Work' is broadly defined and includes various forms of work, both paid and unpaid. Other aspects of the workplace, such as higher education and unemployment are also part of this subject area.