eWBL
eWBL News
Stay up to date with the latest developments and milestones of eWBL (Work-based learning) project.
Launching the Irish National Report on Digital Work-based Learning (eWBL)
This new report summarises the findings of five case studies that were undertaken in Ireland in 2022 as part of our Erasmus+ project eWBL. The study aims to explore how work-based learning can be offered effectively in the absence of a conventional physical work environment. To this end, the study focuses on the experiences of companies and higher education institutions (HEIs) that offered online or hybrid work-based learning opportunities to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each individual case involved the perspective of three key stakeholders within the context of work-based learning: students, companies and HEIs.
This national report reflects on the experience of Irish institutions. The Irish educational system is characterised by a strong focus on using the workplace as an environment for learning. Work-based learning experiences are offered in a traditional format, offering students the opportunity to work in a company for a fixed time. Usually, students work for 3 to 6 months in a company or organisation, although the duration can vary. In Ireland, it usually takes place in the third year of undergraduate studies for a variable number of weeks, but usually not less than 12.
Prior to the onset of Covid-19, Irish HEIs implemented WBL as an educational tool that provides students with skills and attitudes that they cannot learn in the classroom. WBL plays an important role in developing students’ skills and not just for those where WBL is mandatory such as in medicine and education. WBL is becoming more integrated into students’ studies in HEIs across all disciplines due to the benefits for students in giving them experience and developing skills to become workplace ready.
Before the pandemic, only two of the five eWBL organisations interviewed in Ireland had offered WBL to students. For two of the other organisations that were already operating remotely, it was the first time that they had engaged in eWBL with a student. In the five Irish case studies, the eWBL was implemented to a high-quality allowing the students to develop their skills and understand the world of work. The organisations involved aimed to implement eWBL to be similar to WBL for students to achieve their learning goals. Students were introduced to a new way of working (remote working) as well as to new technologies by organisations and HEIs to aid in the transition to eWBL. In most cases, the students were given soft introductions virtually to the organisations and met with team members/co-workers through video calls. In each of the cases, the student participants were assigned a mentor that would guide and assist them in the transition to eWBL.
Overall, there was a varied impact on student learning during the eWBL placements. The Irish HEIs acknowledged that there was a regression in students’ confidence and ability to communicate face-to-face with an increase of nervousness in students going into the physical workplace and in-person meetings. The HEIs reported that students embraced remote working, that students were resilient against the changes that the Covid-19 pandemic brought and that there was high engagement initially with remote working but that tapered off as the novelty wore off. In general, the HEIs all cited the loss or missed opportunity to develop more soft skills in students due to the lack of face-to-face interactions during eWBL and said they noted a loss of confidence in their students in this area after their placements.
While some students availed of opportunities to work anywhere geographically and develop larger professional networks, they still faced technological challenges, and limited communication opportunities. Organisations saw some cost savings and increased efficiency but struggled to manage collaboration or convey company culture through learning from in-office interactions. Both HEIs and organisations worked on implementing technological and pedagogical innovations to provide solutions to barriers that exist. These included greater communication, mentoring and buddy systems, better planning of workloads and goal setting, eLearning resources and supplying technology.
The ability to work online efficiently has become much more relevant and desirable due to the increase of remote working roles that now exist. WBL providers have had to develop approaches that will allow students to be work ready in ways that do not require a physical presence. eWBL is developing students’ efficiency with online working while also introducing students to the modern world of work causing many previous WBL providers to engage with eWBL to keep the future workforce up to date. While there is an acknowledgement of the challenges posed by eWBL, a hybrid model was proposed by the majority of the participants as the preferred solution.
