Work-Integrated Learning in Engineering, Built Environment and Technology : Diversity of Practice in Practice

Work integrated learning manifests itself in many guises, including Work Based Learning, Workplace Learning or Practice Based Learning and occurs within ‘work-like’ contexts, simulated work conditions, an actual workplace or a combination of these. Work-Integrated Learning in Engineering, Built Environment and Technology: Diversity of Practice in Practice provides a snap shot of a global perspective of the diversity of practices adopted to successfully develop, implement, deliver and re-invigorate undergraduate and postgraduate Work Integrated Learning (WIL) focused programs in engineering, the built environment and information technology. The authors who contributed to this text provide a diverse perspective on the manner in which the WIL philosophy can be adopted and adapted and emphasize a learning environment that creates and supports meaningful learning through a contextual lens.

Patrick's experience of, and involvement with, Work Integrated Learning/Practice Based Learning commenced 25 years ago when he completed a postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (Physics/Mathematics) at the University of Queensland. Over the 12 years of Patrick's career as a secondary teacher he was a mentor, supervisor and assessor of pre-service science teachers operating within a Work Integrated Learning/Practice Based Learning model. Over the past 13 years, as a university lecturer, Patrick has led the development and delivery of programs at undergraduate (Director: Built Environment Programs) and postgraduate (Director: Maintenance Management, Environmental Management, Process Engineering Programs) level with the central theme of a Work Integrated Learning/Practice Based Learning philosophy. In 2009, Patrick undertook sabbatical at the Practice Based-Professional Learning Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (PBPL-CETL) at The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK to further his WIL/PBL research interests and has served as a Fellow of the PBPL-CETL. Patrick is the convenor of the Work Integrated Learning - Special Interest Group within CQUniversity's Learning & Teaching Education Research Centre (LTERC).

Arun Patil is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering at the Mackay campus of Central Queensland University, Australia. Prior to this position, Arun was a research scholar in the Faculty of Engineering of Monash University, Australia. His PhD research project focuses on the Development of a Global Accreditation Model for the Quality Assurance of Higher Education, with Engineering as a Case Study. He has over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience in India and Australia in higher and further education. Arun has published widely and his publications include refereed journals, conference papers, book chapters and academic books. He is a Founder Editor-in-Chief of the "International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education". His recently published book, Engineering Education Quality Assurance: A Global Perspective is highly accepted and cited scholarly publication in engineering education community around the globe. Arun has organised over a dozen of international conferences in engineering education in various parts of the globe.

Roberta (Bobby) Harreveld is the founding and previous Director, Learning & Teaching Education Research Centre (LTERC) and the Acting Deputy Dean, School of Education at CQUniversity Australia as well as an Adjunct Fellow with the Centre for Educational Research at the University of Western Sydney in Australia. As Director of LTERC, she is responsible for establishing the strategic direction and operational management plan for education research related activities into learning and teaching at CQUniversity. Bobby's current teaching and research is investigating questions around work oriented curriculum design, technologically mediated pedagogies and epistemologies of teaching and teacher education. This work is located among the education systems of universities, vocational colleges, schools, workplaces and community learning settings. She is supervising a number of research higher degree students in this area. Her interests in work-integrated teaching and learning is trans-national, cross-sectoral, multicultural and inter-systemic in orientation. Bobby is actively engaged in successful competitive research grants with colleagues (e.g. ARC Linkage Grant 2007-2010); commissioned research projects; (c) research higher degree supervision; and a sustained output of scholarly work.