Workplace Learning in Dual Higher Education: Perception of Learning and Work Tasks and Predictors of Competence Development

• In Event: Intention Versus Impact: Influences of (Co)Curricular Design on Student Development

Abstract

Workplace experiences are becoming an integral part of the curriculum in a rising number of study programs. While dual study programs promise graduates with a high employability, little is known about the students´ activities in internships and their impact on students´ competence de-velopment. In our project, we analyzed students´ tasks in the workplace in two dual study pro-grams over the course of three successive internships. Results show that the frequency of some tasks such as (feedback-)conversations has a significant impact on students´ competence develop-ment. In addition, various characteristics of the work environment (e.g. integration into expert cul-ture) and learning and work tasks (e.g. variety of tasks) also exert a significant influence on stu-dents´ development.

Authors

• Alexander Brodsky, University of Mannheim

• Juergen Seifried, University of Mannheim