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Work Based Learning: A New Higher Education?

• ISBN-10 033520581X
• ISBN-13 978-0335205813
• Publisher Open Univ Pr
• Publication date March 1, 2001
• Language English
• Dimensions 6.25 x 1 x 9 inches
• Print length 224 pages
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Univ Pr (March 1, 2001)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 033520581X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0335205813
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9 inches

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Work-based learning: a new higher education?

Work-based learning in higher education involves students undertaking their qualification primarily in the workplace with their learning opportunities arising from normal work rather than being manufactured for study purposes. This arrangement involves a partnership between the workplace, the learner and the university. This publication locates work-based learning as part of major changes influencing universities and explores the changes in academic work practices associated with work-based learning. Part one, 'Framing work-based learning', contains the following papers: New practices for new ...  Show more

Work-based learning in higher education involves students undertaking their qualification primarily in the workplace with their learning opportunities arising from normal work rather than being manufactured for study purposes. This arrangement involves a partnership between the workplace, the learner and the university. This publication locates work-based learning as part of major changes influencing universities and explores the changes in academic work practices associated with work-based learning. Part one, 'Framing work-based learning', contains the following papers: New practices for new times / David Boud, Nicky Solomon and Colin Symes; Repositioning universities and work / David Boud and Nicky Solomon; Knowledge at work: issues of learning / David Boud; Creating a work-based curriculum / David Boud. Part two, 'Case studies', contains: From once upon a time to happily ever after: the story of work-based learning in the UK higher education sector / Norman Evans; Making it work institutionally / Derek Portwood; Ensuring a holistic approach to work-based learning: the capability envelope / John Stephenson; Working with partners to promote intellectual capital / Jonathan Garrett, Alison Comerford and Neville Webb; The possibilities in a traditional university / Lynne Caley; Implementing work-based learning for the first time / Jenny Onyx; Smart work: what industry needs from partnerships / Nicholas Shipley; A challenge to assessment and quality assurance in higher education / Richard Winter; Setting the standards: judging levels of achievement / Frank Lyons and Mike Bement; Earning academic credit for part-time work / Iain S. Marshall and Lynn S. M. Cooper. Part three, 'Past, present and future', contains: Capital degrees: another episode in the history of work and learning / Colin Symes; Future directions for work-based learning: reconfiguring higher education / David Boud and Nicky Solomon. Show less

Authors: Boud, David ; Solomon, Nicky

Published: Buckingham, England, Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press, 2001

Resource type: Edited book

Physical description: x, 234 p.

Access item: Request Item from NCVER

ISBN: 0335205801

Series: Continuum research methods

Statement of responsibility: Edited by David Boud and Nicky Solomon

Document number: TD/TNC 77.75

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Subjects: Evaluation Quality Higher education Innovation Research Industry Workforce development Providers of education and training

Keywords: University Educational innovation Case study Education industry relationship Institutional role Work based learning Partnership in education and training

Geographic subjects: Europe Great Britain

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This article is reproduced \ with the kind permission of the Open University Press,

dated 2 February 2007-02-07.

It should be referred to as follows:

Boud, David; Symes Colin. Learning for Real: Work-based Education in Univers\ ities. In: Symes, C.; McIntyre, J. \(Eds\). Working Knowledge. The new vocationalism and higher education. SRHE & Open University Press, Buckingham, UK, 2000. pp. 14 - 29.

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Some colleges have an answer for students questioning the value of higher ed: work-based learning

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PHILADELPHIA — Every weekday morning for six months, instead of taking college classes, 25-year-old Tamari Natelauri made the 45-minute drive from Philadelphia to Voorhees Township, New Jersey, to go to work at a large accounting firm.

It’s her dream job – and she hasn’t even graduated from college yet. 

By the time she walks across the stage at Drexel University’s commencement ceremony in 2027, Natelauri will have spent 11 years of her life – and a lot of money – on higher education, including seven years at the Community College of Philadelphia, working part-time toward an associate degree in business. She believes it will be worth it, because along with her bachelor’s degree, she will have a year and a half of accounting experience, a professional network, references and a clear idea of the career she wants to build for herself. 

At Drexel, about 94 percent of students take at least one six-month break from classes to get a job – most are paid jobs – in their prospective career field, according to Ian Sladen, the university’s vice president for cooperative education and career development. These work experiences, known as co-ops, have been part of Drexel’s education model since 1919 . 

“I don’t think anyone’s going to the school and not thinking about their future and how the degree will benefit their future,” Natelauri said. “The co-op is an opportunity when you can try yourself in different industries and see which fits better.”

Related: Become a lifelong learner. Subscribe to our free  weekly newsletter  to receive our comprehensive reporting directly in your inbox. 

Confidence in higher education is slipping nationwide , in part because of the high cost of obtaining a degree and questions about whether it pays off in the workforce. Higher education experts say work-based learning programs like Drexel’s could be part of the solution: Students can pursue their academic studies while simultaneously experiencing how those studies might apply to the workforce and earning some money in the process.

“Having outstanding faculty, having outstanding laboratories and teaching facilities, having all of those things is necessary, but it really isn’t sufficient,” said Manny Contomanolis, the former president of the National Association of Colleges and Employers and now an associate dean at Harvard University. “Students, especially of today’s generation, love this idea of combining these different learning modalities and really getting the maximum return on their education.”

The appeal of such work-based learning programs is growing. Sladen said his office fields inquiries from other colleges about Drexel’s co-op program once or twice a week. Other universities are expanding their career counseling offices and partnering with businesses to shape coursework.  

Yet co-op programs can be challenging for universities to operate. And at a time when many colleges are facing enrollment declines and a growing number are shutting their doors , Drexel’s program has not been enough to help it stave off severe financial challenges. Shortly after classes began this fall, the university announced that it had enrolled 500 fewer first-year students than expected, which it blamed in part on the botched rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA. Facing an operating loss of $63 million , Drexel leaders said that they would reduce the university’s workforce including through buyouts and consolidating some schools and programs. Britt Faulstick, executive director of news and media relations at  Drexel, said that the co-op program would not be affected. 

Related: States bet big on career education, but struggle to show it works

Developed at the University of Cincinnati in 1906, the cooperative education model has long existed at a handful of universities including Northeastern, Rochester Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology as well as Drexel. Other universities offer smaller-scale versions of the co-op program, for example in certain colleges or departments. The model is also popular at universities in Canada and Mexico.

Running a co-op program requires significant time and resources, particularly to build relationships with employers. As a result, some schools offer more limited work opportunities or partner with a third-party company that already has employer connections.

One such company, Riipen, enables employers to post projects ranging from 10 to 250 hours and matches students with them, as part of a class curriculum or as paid jobs. Students work directly with the employers to complete the project, receiving feedback and accumulating a list of skills and experience.

Dana Stephenson, one of Riipen’s co-founders, participated in three co-ops while majoring in business at the University of Victoria in Canada and said he started the company to give more students access to similar training.

“What we heard from so many students was, ‘If I could just get my foot in the door, if someone would just give me my first experience, then I could get my next experience,’” Stephenson said.  “And of course, that’s what co-op is for.”

Natelauri, who immigrated to the United States from Tbilisi, Georgia, as a teenager, said she was intimidated by the cost of college and did everything she could to limit the loans she took out to pay for her education, including starting at community college and living with her parents.

She chose Drexel because of its reputation for getting students relevant work experience, and also because she could use the money she earned from her co-op jobs to help cover her tuition. Natelauri is among the roughly 25 percent of Drexel students who receive Pell grants (federal financial aid for students from low-income families).

Natelauri had some work experience by the time she got to Drexel – she’d worked as a cashier at a Rite Aid and still works part time as an administrative assistant in a dental office – but not all students do. 

Related: College leaders refocus attention on their students’ top priority: Jobs after graduation

To make sure that students go into their co-ops with basic professional skills and a clear understanding of what it means to have a professional job, Drexel requires them to first pass a one-credit course called Co-op 101. Angela Brennan, who has been teaching the course for 13 years, said it covers what students need to know to apply for, interview for and keep a job.

Brennan leads them in exercises to help figure out what kind of job will best align with their skills, interests and values. Students also develop resumes and practice interview skills, including by conducting a recorded virtual job interview that she critiques at the end of the term. And they cover professional communications etiquette: how to send a professional email to your boss, for example, and how to fold and mail a physical document. 

“They realize that we are not messing around. We do really nitpick every last comma,” Brennan said. “It’s not ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’: ‘There’s a co-op for you, and a co-op for you. And let’s give everybody a co-op!’”

After students pass the Co-op 101 course, an adviser in the university’s career center helps them look for jobs. Most find them through a Drexel website where employers post job openings, which can be located not just in Philadelphia but across the United States and even overseas. There are three rounds of hiring, and Natelauri said the first is considered the most competitive.

While the co-op program helps students get exposure to careers, it can also mean more time in school. Drexel students typically graduate in five years and participate in three separate co-ops (half a year during each of the last three years), or four years with one co-op. Roughly 6 percent of Drexel students opt out of the co-op program, Sladen said, because they want to earn their degree sooner. 

To Natelauri’s surprise, 19 of the 30 companies she applied to in her first round invited her for an interview, a logistical challenge she worked with her adviser to navigate. The job at the accounting firm was one of her top choices, in part because the pay was $25 per hour.

About 85 percent of the co-ops are paid, Sladen said, at an average of $21 per hour.

Employers often use the co-op program as a talent pipeline, a chance to vet potential job candidates they might hire later. Drexel surveys students a year after they graduate; 88 percent of those who responded in 2023 said they had landed a job in their field and about 48 percent received a job offer from one of their co-op employers, according to Faulstick, the university spokesperson.

Nick Bayer, founder and CEO of Saxbys Coffee , offers “student CEO” co-ops to Drexel students (and similar programs under various different names at other universities). Students are in charge of all areas of the operations of an on-campus coffee shop, including ordering goods and supplies, handling profit and loss reports and managing a staff of their peers.

About 41 percent of the company’s corporate employees are former Saxbys student leaders (including students from Drexel and other college programs), according to Rosie Clark-Parsons, the company’s director of experiential learning and impact.

Bayer, the first in his family to go to college, graduated from Cornell University in 2000. “I entered college and my friends all had great networks, their parents were educated, had white-collar jobs,” he said, whereas he had to build a network from scratch – “before the LinkedIn days.” 

Bayer, who teaches an entrepreneurship course at Drexel, said that the university and the company both benefit. “We provide a lot of data for faculty members, to use our cafes like a learning living laboratory,” he said. “We do a lot of marketing projects, we’re coming up with product ideas, and we turn these into projects for students.”

Research supports the idea that even shorter-term work experience in college can make a difference for students. Data from the Strada Education Network, for example, shows that students who have one internship in college are 50 percent less likely to be underemployed after graduation than peers who didn’t have internships. (Strada is among the many funders of The Hechinger Report.)

Related: Some colleges and universities are bringing the classroom to the workplace

While Drexel officials try to ensure that students’ co-op experiences are more than drudgery, it’s ultimately up to companies what work students do.

Jacqueline Augugliaro, 20, who just finished her six-month run as the student CEO of the Saxbys Coffee at Drexel, said she was drawn to the Saxbys co-op in part because it did offer leadership and management experience. Roughly 10 hours of her week were spent on management tasks such as payroll, ordering supplies, taking inventory, creating the work schedule, and doing weekly assignments to reflect on team development, community leadership and financial management, she said. The other 30 hours were spent working as a barista. Despite the manual labor involved in her job, Augugliaro said she felt her experience was valuable.

“Usually you’re just like, ‘the intern,’ or, you’re ‘the co-op,’” Augugliaro said. “But here, I have room to make so many decisions, for so much growth.”

There are other trade-offs too. Alex Ramirez, a third-year music industry student at Drexel, said there are fewer paid co-op opportunities available in the arts than in other majors. When Ramirez was unable to find a paid co-op opportunity that fit their interests through the university, they looked outside of Drexel’s system and eventually found a small recording studio willing to take them on part time. But the gig was unpaid.

Ramirez worked two or three 12-hour shifts per week and relied on savings to pay rent and other living expenses during that time. (Drexel offers stipends to students who take unpaid co-ops and typically about one-third of those who apply receive the funding, Sladen said. Ramirez said they were not granted any funding.)

Still, Ramirez said they got to be a “fly on the wall” as bands came into the studio to record, and occasionally got to practice using the equipment. “I definitely feel like it was worth it, honestly. Like, despite all the money that was lost,” Ramirez said. “It wasn’t something that I could just learn through the classes that Drexel offers.” 

Natelauri had a similar experience. She said she’s always been good at math and enjoyed accounting classes, but working in an accounting firm gave her a broader perspective. “What we study in school, through my co-op I’ve noticed, is different from what the real accountants do,” Natelauri said.

The experience even shaped how she thinks about her future career. Before starting her co-op, she thought she wanted to do work related to taxes and tax returns. But after spending six months examining nonprofit organizations’ financial statements to make sure everything adds up, she’s changed her mind.

Having had that opportunity to work in auditing, she said, “it’s what my future will be.”

Contact staff writer Olivia Sanchez at 212-678-8402 or [email protected].

This story about co-op programs  was produced by  The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for our  higher education newsletter .

The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn't mean it's free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help us keep doing that.

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Some colleges have an answer for students questioning the value of higher ed: work-based learning

• November 13, 2024

Every weekday morning for six months, instead of taking college classes, 25-year-old Tamari Natelauri made the 45-minute drive from Philadelphia to Voorhees Township, New Jersey, to go to work at a large accounting firm.

It’s her dream job – and she hasn’t even graduated from college yet. 

By the time she walks across the stage at Drexel University’s commencement ceremony in 2027, Natelauri will have spent 11 years of her life – and a lot of money – on higher education, including seven years at the Community College of Philadelphia, working part-time toward an associate degree in business.

She believes it will be worth it, because along with her bachelor’s degree, she will have 18 months of accounting experience, a professional network, references, and a clear idea of the career she wants to build for herself. 

At Drexel, about 94% of students take at least one six-month break from classes to get a job – most are paid jobs – in their prospective career field, according to Ian Sladen, the university’s vice president for cooperative education and career development. These work experiences, known as co-ops, have been part of Drexel’s education model since 1919 . 

“I don’t think anyone’s going to the school and not thinking about their future and how the degree will benefit their future,” Natelauri said. “The co-op is an opportunity when you can try yourself in different industries and see which fits better.”

Co-Ops: A Road to Rebuilding Confidence in Higher Education

Confidence in higher education is slipping nationwide , in part because of the high cost of obtaining a degree and questions about whether it pays off in the workforce. Higher education experts say work-based learning programs like Drexel’s could be part of the solution: Students can pursue their academic studies while simultaneously experiencing how those studies might apply to the workforce and earning some money in the process.

“Having outstanding faculty, having outstanding laboratories and teaching facilities, having all of those things is necessary, but it really isn’t sufficient,” said Manny Contomanolis, the former president of the National Association of Colleges and Employers and now an associate dean at Harvard University. “Students, especially of today’s generation, love this idea of combining these different learning modalities and really getting the maximum return on their education.”

The appeal of such work-based learning programs is growing. Sladen said his office fields inquiries from other colleges about Drexel’s co-op program once or twice a week. Other universities are expanding their career counseling offices and partnering with businesses to shape coursework. 

Co-Op Programs Require Time and Resources

Yet co-op programs can be challenging for universities to operate. And at a time when many colleges are facing enrollment declines and a growing number are shutting their doors , Drexel’s program has not been enough to help it stave off severe financial challenges.

Shortly after classes began this fall, the university announced that it had enrolled 500 fewer first-year students than expected, which it blamed in part on the botched rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA.

Facing an operating loss of $63 million , Drexel leaders said that they would reduce the university’s workforce including through buyouts and consolidating some schools and programs. Britt Faulstick, executive director of news and media relations at  Drexel, said that the co-op program would not be affected. 

Developed at the University of Cincinnati in 1906, the cooperative education model has long existed at a handful of universities including Northeastern, Rochester Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology as well as Drexel. Other universities offer smaller-scale versions of the co-op program, for example in certain colleges or departments. The model is also popular at universities in Canada and Mexico.

Running a co-op program requires significant time and resources, particularly to build relationships with employers. As a result, some schools offer more limited work opportunities or partner with a third-party company that already has employer connections.

One such company, Riipen, enables employers to post projects ranging from 10 to 250 hours and matches students with them, as part of a class curriculum or as paid jobs. Students work directly with the employers to complete the project, receiving feedback and accumulating a list of skills and experience.

Dana Stephenson, one of Riipen’s co-founders, participated in three co-ops while majoring in business at the University of Victoria in Canada and said he started the company to give more students access to similar training.

“What we heard from so many students was, ‘If I could just get my foot in the door, if someone would just give me my first experience, then I could get my next experience,’” Stephenson said.  “And of course, that’s what co-op is for.”

Natelauri: Financing Her Future

Natelauri, who immigrated to the United States from Tbilisi, Georgia, as a teenager, said she was intimidated by the cost of college and did everything she could to limit the loans she took out to pay for her education, including starting at community college and living with her parents.

She chose Drexel because of its reputation for getting students relevant work experience, and also because she could use the money she earned from her co-op jobs to help cover her tuition. Natelauri is among the roughly 25% of Drexel students who receive Pell grants (federal financial aid for students from low-income families).

Natelauri had some work experience by the time she got to Drexel – she’d worked as a cashier at a Rite Aid and still works part time as an administrative assistant in a dental office – but not all students do. 

To make sure that students go into their co-ops with basic professional skills and a clear understanding of what it means to have a professional job, Drexel requires them to first pass a one-credit course called Co-op 101. Angela Brennan, who has been teaching the course for 13 years, said it covers what students need to know to apply for, interview for and keep a job.

Brennan leads them in exercises to help figure out what kind of job will best align with their skills, interests and values. Students also develop resumes and practice interview skills, including by conducting a recorded virtual job interview that she critiques at the end of the term. And they cover professional communications etiquette: how to send a professional email to your boss, for example, and how to fold and mail a physical document. 

“They realize that we are not messing around. We do really nitpick every last comma,” Brennan said. “It’s not ‘ The Oprah Winfrey Show : There’s a co-op for you, and a co-op for you. And let’s give everybody a co-op!’”

After students pass the Co-op 101 course, an adviser in the university’s career center helps them look for jobs. Most find them through a Drexel website where employers post job openings, which can be located not just in Philadelphia but across the United States and even overseas. There are three rounds of hiring, and Natelauri said the first is considered the most competitive.

While the co-op program helps students get exposure to careers, it can also mean more time in school. Drexel students typically graduate in five years and participate in three separate co-ops (half a year during each of the last three years), or four years with one co-op. Roughly 6% of Drexel students opt out of the co-op program, Sladen said, because they want to earn their degree sooner. 

To Natelauri’s surprise, 19 of the 30 companies she applied to in her first round invited her for an interview, a logistical challenge she worked with her adviser to navigate. The job at the accounting firm was one of her top choices, in part because the pay was $25 per hour.

About 85% of the co-ops are paid, Sladen said, at an average of $21 per hour.

Employers Benefit Too

Employers often use the co-op program as a talent pipeline, a chance to vet potential job candidates they might hire later. Drexel surveys students a year after they graduate; 88% of those who responded in 2023 said they had landed a job in their field and about 48% received a job offer from one of their co-op employers, according to Faulstick, the university spokesperson.

Nick Bayer, founder and CEO of Saxbys Coffee , offers “student CEO” co-ops to Drexel students (and similar programs under various different names at other universities). Students are in charge of all areas of the operations of an on-campus coffee shop, including ordering goods and supplies, handling profit and loss reports and managing a staff of their peers.

About 41% of the company’s corporate employees are former Saxbys student leaders (including students from Drexel and other college programs), according to Rosie Clark-Parsons, the company’s director of experiential learning and impact.

Bayer, the first in his family to go to college, graduated from Cornell University in 2000. “I entered college and my friends all had great networks, their parents were educated, had white-collar jobs,” he said, whereas he had to build a network from scratch – “before the LinkedIn days.” 

Bayer, who teaches an entrepreneurship course at Drexel, said that the university and the company both benefit. “We provide a lot of data for faculty members, to use our cafes like a learning living laboratory,” he said. “We do a lot of marketing projects, we’re coming up with product ideas, and we turn these into projects for students.”

Work-Based Learning Has Long-term Impact

Research supports the idea that even shorter-term work experience in college can make a difference for students. Data from the Strada Education Network, for example, shows that students who have one internship in college are 50% less likely to be underemployed after graduation than peers who didn’t have internships. (Strada is among the many funders of The Hechinger Report.)

While Drexel officials try to ensure that students’ co-op experiences are more than drudgery, it’s ultimately up to companies what work students do.

Jacqueline Augugliaro, 20, who just finished her six-month run as the student CEO of the Saxbys Coffee at Drexel, said she was drawn to the Saxbys co-op in part because it did offer leadership and management experience. 

Roughly 10 hours of her week were spent on management tasks such as payroll, ordering supplies, taking inventory, creating the work schedule, and doing weekly assignments to reflect on team development, community leadership and financial management, she said. The other 30 hours were spent working as a barista. Despite the manual labor involved in her job, Augugliaro said she felt her experience was valuable.

“Usually you’re just like, ‘the intern,’ or, you’re ‘the co-op,’” Augugliaro said. “But here, I have room to make so many decisions, for so much growth.”

There are other trade-offs too. Alex Ramirez, a third-year music industry student at Drexel, said there are fewer paid co-op opportunities available in the arts than in other majors. When Ramirez was unable to find a paid co-op opportunity that fit their interests through the university, they looked outside of Drexel’s system and eventually found a small recording studio willing to take them on part time. But the gig was unpaid.

Ramirez worked two or three 12-hour shifts per week and relied on savings to pay rent and other living expenses during that time. (Drexel offers stipends to students who take unpaid co-ops and typically about one-third of those who apply receive the funding, Sladen said. Ramirez said they were not granted any funding.)

Still, Ramirez said they got to be a “fly on the wall” as bands came into the studio to record, and occasionally got to practice using the equipment. “I definitely feel like it was worth it, honestly. Like, despite all the money that was lost,” Ramirez said. “It wasn’t something that I could just learn through the classes that Drexel offers.” 

Natelauri had a similar experience. She said she’s always been good at math and enjoyed accounting classes, but working in an accounting firm gave her a broader perspective. “What we study in school, through my co-op I’ve noticed, is different from what the real accountants do,” Natelauri said.

The experience even shaped how she thinks about her future career. Before starting her co-op, she thought she wanted to do work related to taxes and tax returns. But after spending six months examining nonprofit organizations’ financial statements to make sure everything adds up, she’s changed her mind.

Having had that opportunity to work in auditing, she said, “it’s what my future will be.”

This story about co-op programs was produced by our partner  The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education.

Related: States bet big on career education, but struggle to show it works Related: College leaders refocus attention on their students’ top priority: Jobs after graduation Related: Some colleges and universities are bringing the classroom to the workplace

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• Athletics/Recreation
• Web Seminars – UB Ed Talks – Podcasts

Some colleges have an answer for students questioning the value of higher ed: work-based learning

Every weekday morning for six months, instead of taking college classes, 25-year-old Tamari Natelauri made the 45-minute drive from Philadelphia to Voorhees Township, New Jersey, to go to work at a large accounting firm.

It’s her dream job and she hasn’t even graduated from college yet.

By the time she walks across the stage at Drexel University’s commencement ceremony in 2027, Natelauri will have spent 11 years of her life—and a lot of money—on higher education, including seven years at the Community College of Philadelphia, working part-time toward an associate degree in business. She believes it will be worth it, because along with her bachelor’s degree, she will have a year and a half of accounting experience, a professional network, references and a clear idea of the career she wants to build for herself

Read more at The Hechinger Report .

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The future of learning: How AI is revolutionizing education 4.0

Education 4.0 is about enhancing not replacing teaching with artificial intelligence. Image:  Unsplash/Santi Vedrí

.chakra .wef-spn4bz{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-spn4bz:hover,.chakra .wef-spn4bz[data-hover]{text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-spn4bz:focus-visible,.chakra .wef-spn4bz[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);} Tanya Milberg

• Artificial intelligence (AI) can support education by automating administrative tasks, freeing teachers to focus more on teaching and personalized interactions with students, enhancing rather than replacing human-led teaching.
• AI applications in education must be designed collaboratively and with equity in focus, addressing disparities across various demographics and ensuring accessibility for all students.
• Beyond using AI tools for educational purposes, it is crucial to educate students about AI itself, including how to develop AI technologies and understand their potential risks.

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education is not just a future possibility; it is imminent.

Imagine a future where all students receive personalized support and inclusive learning opportunities, build stronger connections with teachers for enhanced guidance and receive apt recognition and evaluation of their achievements.

While the promise of AI in education is compelling, only through responsible and informed adoption can AI truly fulfil its potential and ensure equitable access to quality education for all.

In 2020, the World Economic Forum identified eight pivotal transformations needed to enhance education quality in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – Education 4.0 Framework . As AI emerges as the defining technology of this era, we can accelerate the adoption of Education 4.0 by using this technology and ensuring learners are equipped to thrive with it.

Have you read?

Education 4.0: here are 3 skills that students will need for the jobs of the future, how we can prepare for the future with foundational policy ideas for ai in education, ai and education: kids need ai guidance in school. but who guides the schools, achieving success with ai in education.

With increasing interest in AI and education, the Education 4.0 Alliance sought to understand the current state and future promises of the technology for education. The latest report – Shaping the Future of Learning: The Role of AI in Education 4.0 – shows four key promises that have emerged for AI to enable Education 4.0:

1. Supporting teachers’ roles through augmentation and automation

The global teacher shortage poses a formidable challenge to improving educational outcomes, with the demand for educators projected to surge in the coming years. Integrating AI into education can streamline administrative tasks, giving teachers more time for meaningful student engagement.

By automating routine duties and emphasizing human-centric teaching, we can create an environment where educators can thrive, creating a richer learning experience. However, teaching involves more than imparting information – AI should augment, not replace teachers’ role.

2. Refining assessment and analytics in education

The integration of AI in education holds promise in revolutionizing the assessment and analytics landscape. AI-enabled assessments offer educators invaluable insights, from pinpointing learning trends to supporting the evaluation of non-standardized tests.

By leveraging AI capabilities, educators can expedite the assessment process, offering timely feedback to learners and facilitating more focused engagement. Through real-time analysis, educators can identify strengths and weaknesses in student performance, allowing for targeted instructional strategies.

Schools of the Future: Defining New Models of Education for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

3. Supporting AI and digital literacy

Many education systems struggle to address the growing digital skills gap, crucial for students' employability and ethical tech use. Bridging this gap is imperative to cultivate an AI-ready workforce.

AI presents an avenue through which students can improve digital literacy, critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity, preparing learners for future job demands. Integrating AI into education, through traditional or innovative methods, is key to shaping tomorrow’s workforce.

4. Personalizing learning content and experience

Extensive research confirms that individual tutoring significantly boosts learning outcomes, with tutored students consistently outperforming 98% of their peers in traditional classroom settings. However, providing personalized tutoring for every student poses a major economic challenge.

AI offers a solution to this hurdle. By harnessing AI, we can now tailor the learning experience to the individual, enhancing academic performance while seamlessly catering to diverse learning needs. Customizable interfaces emerge as invaluable assets, particularly benefiting neurodiverse students and those with diverse physical abilities.

Delivering on AI in education

As we build on the lessons learned, it’s clear that new developments in AI may provide much-needed innovation in education. To make sure that new technologies fulfil their potential to enhance Education 4.0 and lifelong learning, we need to deploy them strategically and safely, taking into account the following factors:

1. Design for equity

Recognizing AI’s potential to exacerbate current education gaps, AI-enabled educational innovations must prioritize equity in their design. That means addressing disparities between genders, public and private schools, as well as catering to children with diverse abilities and learning styles, while removing language and access barriers.

2. Enhance human-led pedagogy

AI will never replace high-quality, human-led pedagogy. To that end, most examples focus on enhancing human-led teaching by providing the right AI tools that automate clerical tasks and alleviate teachers’ time to focus on their craft or by providing relevant training about AI skills that help them better deliver lessons on AI.

3. Co-design and implement with supporting stakeholders

AI-enabled innovations in education should acknowledge the critical roles played by teachers, parents and educational institutions in adopting this emerging technology. Successful instances of AI integration in education underscore the importance of collaboratively designed educational solutions with input from students, teachers and experts.

This collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach ensures that solutions meet the practical demands of the classroom, align with national curricula, remain abreast of industry trends and implement safeguards to protect student data.

4. Teaching about AI is equally crucial to teaching with AI

AI tools e.g. those that provide data analytics and gamified learning – have long been part of the educational landscape. While developments in generative AI offer new opportunities to leverage AI tools, it becomes increasingly evident that teaching about AI in schools is vital.

This education should prioritize imparting skills related to AI development and understanding its potential risks. These skills are critical for shaping future talent capable of ethically designing and developing AI tools that benefit economies and societies.

5. Economic viability and access

Ensuring economic viability and access to AI-learning opportunities for all learners, is essential to prevent deepening the existing digital divide and avoid creating new disparities in education. The realization of AI promise in education requires substantial investment, not only in the products themselves but also in supporting infrastructure, training and data protection.

By addressing these critical aspects, we can unlock the full transformative potential of AI to improve educational outcomes for learners worldwide.

Discover the full white paper and case studies here .

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning

Prepare to design and assess learning programs and materials for business, corporate, government and industry contexts, including online training.

Design and Assess Effective Workplace-Based Learning

Whether you’re working in human resources, quality improvement or organizational leadership, Purdue University’s fully online Workplace Learning Graduate Certificate adds professional learning design skills to your resume. You can enhance your current role or move into a new position.

Gain Workplace Learning Skills that Apply Across Industries

Our online Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning offers transferable skills for jobs in business, corporate, government and industry contexts. Learn to develop quality programs that help employees meet strategic goals.

Program at a Glance

• Delivery: 100% Online
• Course Length: 8 weeks
• In-State Rate: $450/credit
• Out-of-State Rate: $650/credit
• Start Date: Fall (August), Spring (January), Summer (May)

Program Resources

How Has Technology Changed Education?

What Is Instructional Design?

What Do Instructional Designers Do?

Start Your Giant Leap with One Small Step

Explore Versatile Career Applications for Workplace Learning

With Purdue University’s online Workplace Learning Graduate Certificate, you can help employees develop skills, increase productivity and adapt to workplace changes. This in-demand expertise enables you to create a positive learning culture in the workplace and raise your salary potential in many roles.

For example, PayScale reports that Training Specialists earn an average base salary of $61,482 in 2024 — those with organizational development skills earned a 15% higher salary.1 Workplace learning skills can also enhance corporate trainer, learning consultant, learning specialist and training coordinator roles.

PayScale. “Average Training Specialist Salary.” August 26, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Training_Specialist/Salary

Admissions Requirements

Admissions decisions are based on individual experience and the applicant’s fit with the program.

We recommend that all applicants speak to an enrollment counselor to verify eligibility and document accuracy in applying for the program. Candidates must submit a completed application as well as the following items:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• An updated resume
• Official transcripts from all universities attended, including transfer credits*
• An application fee of $60 ($75 for international students)

*Coursework used to satisfy the requirements of a conferred master’s degree from an institution other than Purdue may not be used as transfer credit.

International Students

In addition to the admission requirements noted on the first tab, international students must also provide the following information.

• Official transcripts from all universities attended in the original language as well as English translation for transcripts and diplomas not in English.
• Minimum Overall:  80
• Writing:  18
• Speaking:  18
• Listening:  14
• Reading:  19
• Minimum Overall:  6.5
• Writing:  6.5
• Speaking:  6.0
• Listening:  6.0
• Reading:  5.5
• Total score of 115 and 115 on each subscore

How to Apply

We recommend all applicants speak to an enrollment counselor to verify eligibility and document accuracy before applying for the program. To schedule your phone interview, call 877-497-5851 .

Once you have connected with an enrollment counselor, you are ready to complete the online application .

If you have any questions about filling out the application, request more information or call 877-497-5851 to speak with an admissions advisor.

Send All Other Application Materials To:

Purdue University Online Programs Admissions Processing Center 851 Trafalgar Court, Suite 420 West Maitland, FL 32751

*Graduate Certificates at Purdue DO NOT qualify for financial aid.

**The cost of attending Purdue varies depending on where you choose to live, enrollment in a specific program or college, food and travel expenses, and other variables. The Office of the Bursar website shows estimated costs for the current aid year for students by semester and academic year. These amounts are used in determining a student’s estimated eligibility for financial aid. You can also use our tuition calculator to estimate tuition costs.

The online Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning gives you a well-rounded approach to workplace learning, including topics in human performance technology (HPT), instructional communication, organizational evaluation, strategic assessment, workplace learning and development and more.

Because you can apply your knowledge and skills to a relevant role in any industry, this online graduate certificate benefits your career no matter what field you work in.

Required Courses

EDCI 52800 – Human Performance Technology

This course provides an introduction to human performance technology (HPT). It examines basic concepts and principles of human performance, the theoretical underpinnings of the field, research and application literature and various approaches to solving human performance problems. A systematic approach to the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of performance improvement interventions within organizations is emphasized.

Total Credits: 3

EDCI 57200 – Learning Systems Design

This course is an introduction to the principles of designing instructional materials and to instructional communication theory and techniques. Topics include objectives, student characteristics, media selection, communication variables, message design, and systematic evaluation. (Pre-requisite for EDCI 67200, EDCI 56900 & EDCI 57300)

EDCI 57200 – Strategic Assessment and Evaluation

This course explores principles and techniques that can be used to carry out evaluations within an organization. The course also examines several aspects of conducting evaluations, including planning and designing an evaluation, developing appropriate instruments, using various methods to collect information, analyzing information obtained from those methods and communicating results and recommendations. This course is designed to help learners understand the multiple ways that evaluation is used in instructional systems and provides opportunities to design various types of evaluation instruments. A portion of the course will examine the study of learner assessment as part of the evaluation of instructional programs; however, the course’s focus is dedicated to the study of program evaluation.

Get to Know Our Faculty

Explore how Purdue’s faculty for the online Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning can prepare you for leadership and advancement.

Peg Ertmer , Professor Emerita

Marisa Exter , Associate Professor

Wanju Huang , Clinical Associate Professor

Adrie Koehler , Associate Professor

James Lehman , Professor Emeritus

Victoria Lowell , Clinical Professor

Timothy Newby , Professor

Jennifer Richardson , Professor

Sunnie Watson , Professor

William Watson , Professor

Instructors

Erin Besser , Instructor

Mary Bonhomme , Instructor

Linda L. Campion , Instructor

Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan , Instructor

George Hanshaw , Instructor

Carole Hruskocy , Instructor

Woori Kim , Instructor

Nilufer Korkmaz , Instructor

Jennifer Lee , Instructor

Judith Lewandowski, Instructor

Christopher Mong , Instructor

David Paredes , Instructor

Dana Ruggiero , Instructor

Valerie Schmitz , Instructor

Shaun Scott , Instructor

Heidi Watson-Held , Instructor

Maryshannon Williams , Instructor

Ji Hyun Yu , Instructor

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer financial aid?

No, graduate certificates at Purdue DO NOT qualify for financial aid.

Can this certificate be applied to another degree program?

Your online Workplace Learning Certificate helps you get a head start on your next degree — you can apply your certificate credits toward Purdue University’s online Master of Science in Education in Learning Design and Technology.

Will my diploma look different from the on-campus programs?

No. Both on-campus and online programs earn the same diploma.

Do I need work experience for admission?

No. Work experience is not required for admission; our online students come from diverse backgrounds and have a variety of career goals.

How many credit hours can be transferred into the online Graduate Certificate in Workplace Learning?

A maximum of 3 credit hours may be transferred from other institutions toward the online Workplace Learning Graduate Certificate. Transfer credits must be from a graduate level course with a grade of B or higher and cannot come from another conferred degree. You should discuss any potential transfer credit with your enrollment counselor as soon as possible during the admissions process. A final decision on eligibility of transfer credit is made after review by program faculty.

What are the faculty like in the online Workplace Learning Graduate Certificate?

All faculty members who teach for Purdue University have a strong presence in their online courses. They hold consistent virtual office hours, making sure you have ample time and space to address any questions or concerns you may have. With their years of experience in their respective fields, faculty members bring a wealth of tips, pointers and insights into current challenges and innovations in workplace learning.

How do online classes work? Do I have to be at my computer at a specific time?

Most of the coursework is asynchronous, meaning that there are not specific times that you need to be in the course. However, interaction with your instructor and peers is a major component of our classes. As an online student at Purdue University, you’ll log into a virtual online classroom interface that includes areas for assignments, discussion boards, e-mail, and more. Just like in a traditional classroom, you’ll complete coursework and exams and interact with your instructor and classmates, but it will all be online. You can access and work on your coursework at any time. You are generally required to post assignments and check in several times per week and then you just need to complete your assignments according to the schedule posted by your professor.

How many total credits are required?

The online Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design at Purdue University requires 9 credit hours.

How much time should I plan to spend on the coursework each week?

The academic experience varies by student; however, we recommend that students plan to spend 15-25 hours per week for each course they take.

What if I have a question about homework or need help with a technical issue?

The faculty and staff at Purdue are dedicated to your success at the University and in the future. You can schedule to meet with your instructors online, and instructors will answer emails in a timely fashion. Technical support is available to help you handle hardware and software issues. We have dedicated staff to talk to you about financial aid, scheduling, or other administrative matters.

Is support available to all students?

As an online student, you will have access to a multitude of support resources when you need help or guidance, starting with new student orientation to familiarize yourself with the online learning environment. Other services include a help desk for technical issues, a student services coordinator and more.

How are the online programs different from the on-campus programs?

Purdue University’s online programs are just as rigorous and challenging as their on-campus counterparts. The main difference is the online format, which allows you greater convenience as to when and where you learn.

Can I visit campus?

Yes. Students are always encouraged to visit campus and experience all that Purdue has to offer. For visitor information, visit www.purdue.edu/visit