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Engaging industry to enhance university education in ICT

David MacKay, Information Age

12/05/2007 15:04:31

Ross Smith co-authored this article

Work-integrated learning through industry-based placements characterises a degree program launched by Deakin University in 2000: the Bachelor of Business Information Technology (Hons) [BBIT]. In this program, industry mentors are seen as the nexus between the world of the university and the world of industry.

However, in setting up and running such programs, tertiary educators tend to make fundamental assumptions about the level of commitment and understanding of these industry mentors, about how they will be selected and the skills they will be able to demonstrate and impart. A shared vision of what constitutes a satisfying placement cannot be taken for granted.

The program aims to develop a range of technical, conceptual, analytical, inter-personal and leadership skills of relevance to contemporary thinking and practice in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry.

The program is organised into three major components: academic coursework units relating to various information systems (IS) and ICT topics; two major industry-based learning (IBL) placements; and an Honours' year constituting further research-based coursework and an applied research project.

In setting up and running such programs, tertiary educators in general tend to make fundamental assumptions about the level of commitment and understanding of industry mentors, about how they will be selected and the skills they will be able to demonstrate and impart. Further, it is taken for granted that there is a shared vision of what constitutes a satisfying placement.

These observations might be characterised in terms of the following three assumptions: • Assumption 1: Industry mentors will be committed to the notion of experiential/integrated learning, understand its salient characteristics and how, and for whom, it value-adds. • Assumption 2: Industry mentors will be carefully selected on the basis of a shared understanding of the skills required and have the capacity to demonstrate these skills. • Assumption 3: Industry mentors will have a vision of what constitutes a meaningful/satisfying placement, their role in achieving this and have the capacity to structure and implement it.

Interviews were held with a wide range of experienced ICT industry people, with the numbers of students mentored ranging from two to seven over periods of involvement ranging from one to four years. Respondents typically hold what might be termed middle- to senior-level management positions.

The member of the relevant professional body has responsibilities and experience related in particular to the conduct of programs incorporating industry-based learning within the ICT industry, and, as such has observed closely, over an extended period, the conduct of such placements.

Interviews addressed issues that included: • Motivations for involvement in the program • IS/IT trends and developments and their representation in the program • Expectations and capabilities of entry level graduates • Approaches of young/inexperienced IT professionals to career development • Characteristics of an effective industry mentor in the context of the BBIT program • Components of an effective industry placement • Characteristics of an effective IBL student in the context of the BBIT program • Observations on the placement experience and its relationship to academic experience

The fact that companies are prepared to sponsor Deakin BBIT students undertaking work placements is prima facie evidence of their commitment to taking action supportive of the notion of the learning organisation.

In the course of the research a number of exemplar industry mentor behaviours have been uncovered. Specifically:

• A number of the industry mentors interviewed have been able to articulate motivations for industry involvement in the educational process, three of which have been classified as "pragmatic" motivations (i.e. the program was seen as value-adding to the organisation either in the sense of raising corporate profile, or providing two different forms of tangible return on investment and two related to value-adding to the educational growth of the student. • Industry mentors have been able to express some seven "skills" required of the mentor, including those which are process-oriented (supporting the transition to IBL), content-oriented (provision of technical advice, business-process advice, and building generic skills), futures-oriented (provision of career advice and serving as a role model), and personal-support (pastoral care of the student including involvement in the social life of the organisation).

While the results above have highlighted a number of exemplar industry mentor behaviours, some concerns have emerged. These are summarised as:

• Arising from Assumption 1: While the industry mentors have expressed commitment to the notion of experiential/integrated learning, there is some evidence that some struggle to understand its salient characteristics and how, and for whom, it value-adds. While a substantial IBL Handbook is currently provided to industry mentors, thought might be given to a targeted seminar program for sponsors, addressing in particular IBL characteristics, informed by case studies drawn from placement experiences across the years of operation of the BBIT. • Arising from Assumption 2: There is evidence that in some cases the selection of industry mentors is driven by pragmatic issues such as staff availability rather than as an outcome of a considered selection process operating on the basis of a shared understanding of the skills required and ensuring that mentors have the capacity to demonstrate these skills. This suggests that tertiary educators may need to be increasingly proactive in supporting the preparation for placement, in particular the selection and briefing of mentors, possibly through a process of site visits prior to the commencement of a placement. • Arising from Assumption 3: There are instances where industry mentors struggle to articulate a vision of what constitutes a meaningful/satisfying placement, their role in achieving this and to demonstrate the capacity to structure and implement it. While the IBL Handbook provides information on student placement assessment strategies, what may be required are examples of best practice, and tools for mentors to assess the opportunities they are placing before students against models of best placement practice.

Work integrated learning (industry-based learning) in Australian universities is growing in many fields of endeavour, especially in IS and ICT. In order to prepare our new graduates better for the world of work, industry must be prepared to partner with universities to educate potential employees in ways that will best prepare them for the challenges ahead.

Having appropriately trained and committed mentors is one small step in achieving that goal.

David Mackay and Ross Smith are Associate Professors in the School of Information Systems, Faculty of Business and Law; Deakin University.