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Students’ perceptions of the relationship between work experience and university learning
Author(s)
Hugo, Cheri Velma
Date Issued
2016
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
This research investigates students’ perceptions of the relationship between work experience and university learning. The subjects of the study were third-year students from the Faculty of Informatics and Design at a university of technology in Cape Town, South Africa, and the research focused on the graphic design department within this faculty.
The research was approached from an interpretivist’s lens in an attempt to explain and understand the experience that students have in their short time in the industry, namely a two-week work placement, and how they related this to university learning. Students were interviewed before and after work placement in terms of their experience and insight into the relationship between university and the workplace.
The research shows how design students experience the processes of learning at the workplace, compared with the processes of learning at university. The research results indicate that students found collaboration and teamwork in the workplace valuable and meaningful. In addition, the different levels of skills in the community of practice in workplaces gave students a wider variety of solutions as they could draw from fellow workers’ experience and skills. This contrasted with university where they work alone and have to produce solutions on their own. Further investigation highlighted that at university there was evidence of interesting findings of timetables, value of the work group, and that at university students are taught in sections compared with the workplace where they draw on anything and everything to complete the assignment.
This research makes a few recommendations based on the data collected. These insights can be used to inform policy and practices, further research and development work in the future.
The research was approached from an interpretivist’s lens in an attempt to explain and understand the experience that students have in their short time in the industry, namely a two-week work placement, and how they related this to university learning. Students were interviewed before and after work placement in terms of their experience and insight into the relationship between university and the workplace.
The research shows how design students experience the processes of learning at the workplace, compared with the processes of learning at university. The research results indicate that students found collaboration and teamwork in the workplace valuable and meaningful. In addition, the different levels of skills in the community of practice in workplaces gave students a wider variety of solutions as they could draw from fellow workers’ experience and skills. This contrasted with university where they work alone and have to produce solutions on their own. Further investigation highlighted that at university there was evidence of interesting findings of timetables, value of the work group, and that at university students are taught in sections compared with the workplace where they draw on anything and everything to complete the assignment.
This research makes a few recommendations based on the data collected. These insights can be used to inform policy and practices, further research and development work in the future.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Graphic Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.
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199032645-Hugo-CV-Mtech-Graphic-Des-FID-2016.pdf
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Thesis
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