Dr Karsten Zegwaard

Director of Work-Integrated Learning Research

Qualifications: CHP, BSc, MSc(Tech) (Hons), PhD

About Karsten

I hold two positions at the university, firstly as Director of Work-Integrated Learning Research in the Work-Integrated Learning Central Unit, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, and secondly as academic lead on the work placement programme for the School of Science, Division of Health, Engineering, Computing, and Science (HECS).  My research passion is work-integrated learning (WIL), especially around skill acquisition, student learning and wellbeing, quality in WIL, programme/curriculum development, and developing emerging WIL researchers.

As Director of WIL Research, I work close with the WIL staff centrally and within the schools to enable research-informed best practice of WIL and empower WIL academic staff research activities.  As academic lead for the Science work placements, I oversee work placement programme development and the student learning through engagement with the work placements.

I am also the Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning (www.ijwil.org), co-editor of the International Handbook on Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education, Vice-President of New Zealand Association for Cooperative Education (NZACE), member of the Board of Directors of the World Association of Cooperative Education (WACE), and Vice-Chair (Oceania) of the WACE International Research Committee.  I was fortunate to be a recipient of several awards, including the CEIA Ralph W. Tyler Award for Outstanding and Distinguished Research (2013), WACE Donald McLaren Academic Award for Professional Achievement in Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education (2015), the CEIA James W. Wilson Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research in the Field of Cooperative Education and Internships (2019), and the Fellow of Work-Integrated Learning New Zealand (WILNZ) award (2020).

Papers Taught

Research Supervised

PhD

• Siju (Joseph) Thomas (2019), Investigating the skill development of engineering students through work-integrated learning and project-based learning. Current.
• Nelson Cyril (2015), An investigation of malaysian secondary school students mental models of acid-based chemistry. Completed.
• Jared Carpendale (2016), Collaborative Core Design and Implementation for Electricity And Magnetism: Enhancing Practising Science Teachers’ PCK. Completed.

Masters in Education

• Jared Carpendale (2013) Science education in a museum setting. Completed.

Research Interests

I hold a PhD in Science and subsequently progressed my research into work-integrated learning mostly in the context of science and engineering but also broader.  My research has primarily focused on student key competencies development whilst engaging in work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences, student awareness and development of professional ethics, and their development of a professional identity.  In addition to being the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, I also often facilitate workshops on best practice of WIL programmes and conducting research in WIL.

Keywords

Co-operative Education; Curriculum; Education; Education Research; Engineering; Experiential Learning; Key Competencies; Learning; Learning and Education; Learning Environment; Learning in Science and Technology; Lifelong Learning; Pedagogy; Science; Science Education; Social Science Research; Social Sciences and Education; Teacher Practice/Practicum; Teaching and Learning; Teaching Ethics and Professionalism; Tertiary Education; Work Experience-Based Learning

Work-integrated learning

Contact Details