The power dynamics and politics of survey design: measuring workload associated with teaching, administering and supporting work-integrated learning courses

Abstract

Work-integrated learning (WIL) courses can be more time consuming and resource intensive to design, teach, administer and support than classroom-based courses, as they generally require different curricula and pedagogical approaches as well as additional administrative and pastoral responsibilities. Workload and resourcing issues are reported as key challenges to the implementation of WIL, but most of the evidence to date is anecdotal. Accurately quantifying workload associated with WIL is difficult, because teaching and administrative roles can be so interconnected. To address this gap in the literature and inform institutional practice, a study was initiated at an Australian university to collect empirical data on the type and amount of work involved in delivering WIL courses. This paper describes the process of survey development, including literature review, extensive consultation phase and pilot study, all of which had to take account of the inherent power dynamics, politics and sensitivities around measuring staff workload.

Keywords:

• higher education
• policy
• teaching
• work-integrated learning
• workload
• participatory research

Acknowledgements

The research team would like to thank members of the Reference Group, PACE Community of Practice, participants of the pilot study and statistics students for their time and input to development of the survey instrument. We would also like to particularly acknowledge Dr Heather Middleton who, during her time at Macquarie University, was a key instigator of this research project.

Notes

1. In this paper, the term WIL is used to refer to the diverse range of practice-based learning activities that fall under the broad umbrella of WIL and other forms of experience-based learning, including service learning.