Online Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Community

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Author(s): Michelle W.L. Fong (Victoria University, Australia)
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 11
Source title: Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in Virtual Worlds and Environments
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Harrison Hao Yang (State University of New York at Oswego, USA)and Steve Chi-Yin Yuen (The Univeristy of Southern Mississippi, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-762-3.ch024

Keywords: Information Science Reference / Media & Communications / Social Computing / Virtual Communities & Virtual Reality

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Abstract

This chapter presents a case study in which Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and mobile telephone technologies were used to liberate Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) from the constraints of location and time, and to promote inclusive practices under a blended learning environment in a particular university subject. It was found that the use of mobile devices by the students was conservative because of technological limitations and affordability issues associated with mobile technology. Although mobile technology is still not powerful or practical enough for WIL, the use of CMC technology has provided rich collaborative online WIL for students, and there are still grounds for optimism that mobile technology will become a powerful cognitive tool in the future for enhancing student learning outcomes. This case study also affirms that such technologies will only become effective educational tools if there is a stable focus on pedagogy within the curriculum and if the needs and technology skills of users are taken into consideration when integrating the technologies into the curriculum.

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