Faculty
Health Sciences
Supervisor Name
Aleksandra A. Zecevic
Keywords
experiential learning, transferable skills, international courses, career trajectories, employer perspectives, global competence
Description
Preparing graduates for their future beyond the classroom is of importance in today’s society, where the employment landscape is ever-changing and expanding globally. However, recent research suggests that knowledge acquisition is insufficient, and it must go part and parcel with the development of lifelong skills in problem-solving, critical reflection, and adaptability to support successful career trajectories. Experiential learning (EL) is understood as enticing students to think critically about learning through the application of knowledge using transferable skills in contexts beyond the university. This is especially true for international learning experiences. Nevertheless, despite over a decade of EL, neither professors nor university administrators have data about the impact of international courses on post-graduation career pathways.
This scoping literature review was conducted to identify the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of international EL courses on transferable skills and future career trajectories of undergraduate students and recent graduates. A five-stage framework for conducting this review proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was followed and aided in identifying two emerging perspectives of international learning, the students’ and the employers’. Three gaps of knowledge requiring further inquiry were highlighted and will be addressed to support the overarching goal of this study.
Acknowledgements
With gratitude, I acknowledge the Western USRI program for the chance to partake in this research opportunity. To my supervisor, Dr. Aleksandra Zecevic, I appreciate your mentorship and guidance throughout this fellowship. It has been my privilege to work with you, and I look forward to continuing this project with your support.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Document Type
Poster
The Impact of International Experiential Learning on Career Trajectories: A Scoping Literature Review
Preparing graduates for their future beyond the classroom is of importance in today’s society, where the employment landscape is ever-changing and expanding globally. However, recent research suggests that knowledge acquisition is insufficient, and it must go part and parcel with the development of lifelong skills in problem-solving, critical reflection, and adaptability to support successful career trajectories. Experiential learning (EL) is understood as enticing students to think critically about learning through the application of knowledge using transferable skills in contexts beyond the university. This is especially true for international learning experiences. Nevertheless, despite over a decade of EL, neither professors nor university administrators have data about the impact of international courses on post-graduation career pathways.
This scoping literature review was conducted to identify the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of international EL courses on transferable skills and future career trajectories of undergraduate students and recent graduates. A five-stage framework for conducting this review proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was followed and aided in identifying two emerging perspectives of international learning, the students’ and the employers’. Three gaps of knowledge requiring further inquiry were highlighted and will be addressed to support the overarching goal of this study.