Description of Work-based Learning Experiences
Work-based Learning Experience (WBLE) is an educational strategy that combines parallel productive work experience with academic study. It is a collaborative effort whereby the college and select employers provide students with work experience that enhances the student’s academic progress and employability upon graduation. Also, students earn college credit or continuing education units (CEU) for the development and achievement of learning objectives accomplished through WBLE.
An WBLE is competency-based and enhances lecture and laboratory instruction with hands-on training that helps students learn and apply concepts and theories in a workplace setting. It may be paid (excluding clinical) or unpaid and is provided at work sites appropriate to the discipline. The maximum number of WBLE contact hours must not exceed 1,008 hours for an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program, unless authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).
Types of Work-based Learning Experiences
There are five types of WBLE approved by the THECB. Dallas College offers four of the five types (clinical experiences, internships, practicum and cooperative education). Refer to the Guidelines for Work-based Learning Experiences section of this handbook for specific information regarding each type of WBLE.
Clinical and Internship experiences provide workplace settings in which students learn and apply program theory and management of the work flow. Clinical experiences must take place in a health care setting. Internship experiences take place in any setting outside of health care, except when allowed by the THECB through the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM).
Practicum and Cooperative Education provide workplace settings in which students gain practical experience in a discipline, enhance skills, and integrate knowledge.
DC Philosophy of Work-based Learning Experiences
Through WBLE, the college encourages students to be involved in hands-on experience directly related to the student’s area of study. WBLE extends beyond the classroom into the community. Meeting the needs of the community and the individual student is a major goal of the DC. Students, employers and instructors form a collaborative team for educational excellence.
DC is strongly committed to providing a supervised, practical work experience, integrated into carefully planned and evaluated instructional programs.
Benefits of Work-based Learning Experiences to the Students
- Gives reality to learning. Students find that their studies have greater meaning through coordinating work experience with classroom instruction.
- Increases educational motivation. The integration of work and study increases student motivation because it engenders a stronger desire to learn.
- Develops greater human understanding. Students develop greater understanding of other people and greater human relations skills by utilizing the work environment as a laboratory for learning.
- Fosters career development. Students discover that experience in the existing world of work provides an opportunity to broaden their outlook and shape their behavior patterns to meet the demands of the working world.
- Provides orientation to the world of work. Students have an excellent opportunity to test their interests and abilities in real job situations; and also, gain a good understanding and healthy attitude toward the world of work.
- Promotes useful employment contacts. Students make contacts which can be useful for permanent employment after graduation.
- Provides availability of specialized facilities. In the working community, students have access to specialized facilities and equipment that are unavailable on campus.
- Facilitates career satisfaction. While attending college, students have the advantage of experiencing fields of work before making a career commitment.
Benefits of Work-based Learning Experiences to the Employers
- Provides better trained employees. Develops new talent in employer’s organizations. Employers have an opportunity to identify and select students with the particular abilities, talents and skills needed in the workplace.
- Facilitates recruitment and retention. WBLE provide employers with an excellent recruiting tool. Employers can use their supervisory personnel to screen WLE students best suited for their organization.
- Encourages education/business partnerships. The employer becomes influential in the educational process.
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