The Edge Project: Evidencing entrepreneurial capabilities through innovative WIL

There is increased industry demand for graduates with enterprise capabilities (FYA, 2017). Innovative entrepreneurial WIL models are supporting students to develop these capabilities giving them an employability edge for an ever-evolving and complex future. These WIL models are also challenging the adequacy of traditional assessment approaches to generate credible evidence of students’ enterprise capabilities.

The ATN Edge Project is addressing such challenges through the co-design of scalable and sustainable WIL models, assessment approaches and online modules. Led by Associate Professor Judith Smith (QUT), the Edge Project team from Curtin University, QUT, RMIT University, University of South Australia, UTS and the Australian Industries Group, has partnered with entrepreneurs, employers, alumni and students in the co-design of these WIL models.

This webinar will provide an opportunity for participants to:

Hear directly from academics who have implemented entrepreneurial WIL approaches in course
Unpack assessment strategies and challenges around evidencing enterprise capabilities
Explore the online modules developed by the Edge Project which are assisting students to develop skills for these WIL experiences.

Delivered by

Associate Professor Judith Smith, Director, Next Gen Learning at Queensland University of Technology.

In this role Judith provides strategic leadership to institutional initiatives and projects in emerging pedagogies and technologies that align to QUT’s real world learning vision and address wicked challenges in teaching and learning. Judith is a Board member of Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) and is Chair of the ACEN Research, Scholarship and Professional Learning Subcommittee.

Previously Judith was the Associate Director, Real World Learning where she provided QUT-wide leadership to Real World Learning and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in strategy, policy, curriculum design and pedagogy. She has contributed to national teaching and learning research grants related to WIL, learning and assessment including an OLT Extension project, Developing strategies to maximize industry contribution and engagement with the WIL experience, an ATN Excellence in Learning and Teaching Project, Expanding Work Integrated Learning (WIL) possibilities: enhancing student employability through innovative WIL models and an ARC Discovery Project researching electronic portfolio assessment in the arts.

She is currently leading the Edge Project which is a multi-institutional research project focused on the development of enterprise and entrepreneurial capabilities through emerging models of Work Integrated Learning (WIL).