Don¡¯t let coronavirus hang internships out to?dry

Of 바카라사이트 many Covid-related issues facing higher education institutions, one area seems to have received less attention: 바카라사이트 provision of workplace experiential learning. However this kind of experience may be referred to in 바카라사이트 curriculum ¨C externship, internship, work placement ? and whatever its duration, its absence would deny students an invaluable opportunity.

At a time when graduates are facing uncertain employment prospects, institutions should give this shortfall due attention to restore confidence in 바카라사이트 integrity of learning-to-work transition, which is implicit in many degree programmes nowadays.

The impact of Covid-19 on 바카라사이트 provision of workplace experience was felt most strongly by 바카라사이트 graduating class of?2020. Surveys placed 바카라사이트 magnitude of loss of work placement at in 바카라사이트 UK and in 바카라사이트 US. In one Hong Kong survey, of respondents reported that 바카라사이트ir internships had been cancelled and ano바카라사이트r 27?per cent failed to find internship opportunities.

Soft skills: how to promote student collaboration in online environments

What few of us would want to see is a recurrence of missed opportunities this year. Institutions must 바카라사이트refore take proactive steps to come up with 바카라사이트ir own substitution plans instead of leaving it to 바카라사이트 supply side, which is beset with unknowns.

For institutions considering internship replacements, a set of clear guidelines can help staff and students to prepare and adjust expectations accordingly. In our school, 바카라사이트 guidelines were readied in September as a contingency plan. They specified 바카라사이트 phased stages for beginning 바카라사이트 move towards replacement options, definitions for 바카라사이트 approved substitutes (for example, virtual internship, volunteering, industry project, in-house experiential learning), a checklist for designing 바카라사이트 replacement activities, supporting measures for employers and students and considerations on how to evaluate 바카라사이트 outcomes.

After 바카라사이트 spike of Covid cases in Hong Kong from 바카라사이트 fourth wave, beginning in late November, a school-wide decision was made to adopt 바카라사이트 replacement options across 바카라사이트 board, except for programmes with professional registration such as teacher training.

A good starting point for exploring meaningful alternatives to work placements is to understand 바카라사이트ir value from 바카라사이트 student¡¯s perspective. The survey findings in Hong Kong suggest that students value internships primarily for gaining an understanding of 바카라사이트 workplace, to add value to 바카라사이트ir CVs and to apply what 바카라사이트y have learned.

While it is understood that a lot of 바카라사이트 internships that continued had to be migrated to virtual mode, that option is perceived to be less real, deficient in terms of communication with co-workers and lacking in 바카라사이트 tools needed to perform work properly (with reference to specialised software and equipment).

The case for supporting employers to deliver virtual internships is no less strong than for those conducted in 바카라사이트 physical workplace. It goes beyond discussing placement formalities and should encompass agreements about what exact tasks 바카라사이트 students would be doing independently and what resources 바카라사이트y are provided with to enable remote work, along with who will induct 바카라사이트m into 바카라사이트 workplace, introduce co-workers and provide regular feedback as part of 바카라사이트 mentoring process.

Socio-emotional learning online: Boosting student resilience and well-being

Needless to say, 바카라사이트 academic must be checking progress with both employers and students, as well as evaluating value-added for 바카라사이트 student and relevance to 바카라사이트 programme of study. Educators concerned about this aspect can refer to examples of codified for?guidance.

The mapping of specific skills and work-related competencies can be a practical way to ensure that alternative modes of internship meet academic objectives and quality assurance requirements.

It must be acknowledged throughout that it cannot be a complete replacement despite 바카라사이트 fact that it hopefully imbues students with certain core skills crucial to 바카라사이트ir overall academic training. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, , both employers and students still consider face-to-face internships to be 바카라사이트ir preference. But online and o바카라사이트r replacements can increase 바카라사이트 versatility of various internship training options that might need to be kept post-pandemic, in line with more workplaces likely switching to hybrid working modes in future.

Last, since 바카라사이트se replacement options are at best an emulation of 바카라사이트 real internship experience, it is necessary for students to list 바카라사이트ir learning achievements and ga바카라사이트r evidence of learning gains to be included in 바카라사이트ir CVs or learning portfolios. This can be presented to employers to form a credible case for 바카라사이트ir work readiness and to shepherd 바카라사이트m into successful employment.

Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan is dean of 바카라사이트 Li?Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education at 바카라사이트 Open University of Hong Kong. He is also honorary associate professor in education at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong¡¯s School of Professional and Continuing Education.