Industry partnerships offer stronger engagement with and collaborations between educational institutions and the world of work. These partnerships create opportunities for students to extend their learning and contributions to society and industry, enhanced with networks, mentorship and authentic learning. The industry affords the substrate for professionalism through career awareness, readiness preparation and pathways. Likewise, educational institutions deliver and extend the knowledge base created through research to direct innovations and inventions. Industries help leverage research into usable products and practical processes.
Pivotal to education is constructive alignment (Biggs, 2011; 2014). In constructive alignment, the alignment of assessment to the intended learning outcome enables the scoping and focusing of learning activities (not just topics!).
However, Shuell (cited in Biggs, 2011, p.97) argued, “what the student does is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does.” This raises questions about the nexus between planned Graduate Attributes – identified Learning Outcomes – Course/Subject Outcomes – Instructional Strategies – selected Learning Experiences and enacted Assessment. Specifically, industry-based projects (and placements) may confound the conception of constructive alignment and relationships between ‘pedagogy’ and assessment.
Moreover, there are debates around learning expectations versus learning outcomes, the role of learner expectations, and requirements of industry partners. Anchored in these deliberations are the positions of tangible and intangible learning outcomes.
This presentation reports process of aligning project outcomes, both tangible and intangible, and for defining and assessing project success. Three industry-linked projects completed at an International Business School are used to illustrate the associated processes. Students undertake their Business Administration program through the tri-city learning context (Singapore, Dubai and Sydney), and complete two Regional Immersion Projects and a final capstone Action Learning Project. These projects require students to engage with industries to achieve specific learning outcomes. A modified conception of constructive alignment is advanced.