Learning in the workplace involves complex cognitive and behavioural engagement in agency-structure dynamics. This engagement influences the workplace learning outcomes of workplace newcomers including new recruits, graduates in study-to-work transition, and students in work-integrated learning (WIL) placements. Though extensively discussed in the literature on organisational behaviour, agency-structure dynamics have received relatively little attention in the WIL literature. This presentation reports findings from a review of the literature and unique insights from the workplace learning experiences of nine students. The presentation emphasises potential strategies for enhancing students’ preparation and readiness for WIL, particularly in relation to their information seeking behaviour. The presentation will interest students, graduates, WIL managers, curriculum designers, career practitioners and employers.

1. ACEN Conference Beyond 2022
How students learn in the workplace:
Implications for WIL preparation
Thai Vu (Curtin University), Dawn Bennett (Bond University) and
Subramaniam Ananthram (Curtin University)
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2. Contents
(1) Background
(2) How WIL students learn at work
(3) Implications for supporting students to prepare for WIL
placement
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3. Background
Targeted form of WIL
WIL placement–– a form of WIL which is based in the workplace
Problem statement
Although information seeking is integral to workplace learning
and adaptation (Morrison, 2002), it has received little attention in
WIL research.
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4. The presentation shares findings synthesised from four studies:
 A literature review on workplace newcomers’ information seeking
behaviour – ISB (Vu et al., 2022)
 A literature review on international students in WIL placements
(Vu et al., 2021)
 Two qualitative studies on international students’ ISB in workplace
learning (Vu et al., forthcoming)
 21 international students from an Australian university
 63 semi-structured interviews (three with each student)
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5. How WIL students learn at work: dynamics in workplace learning
Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Organisational context
Newcomer
individual characteristics
T1*
Fig 1. Model of dynamics in workplace learning (Vu et al., 2022)
* Sequence of T1 and T3: The impact of the organisational context on newcomer ISB is
influenced by newcomer individual characteristics.
The dynamics between the three components of the Model are indicated by ties (T).
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6.  Newcomer information seeking behaviour – ISB (Morrison, 2002)
o Timing
o Accessing information sources (e.g., co-workers)
o Tactics (e.g., direct/indirect questions)
 Organisational context (Wang et al., 2015)
o Formal organisational socialisation practices (e.g., an induction)
o Climate (context perceived by newcomers)
o Socialisation agents (e.g., supervisors/co-workers)
 Individual characteristics (Vu et al., 2022): e.g., personal goals, need for control,
cultural background, personality traits, self-efficacy, proactive behaviour
Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Organisational context
Newcomer
individual characteristics
T1*
How WIL students learn
at work (Cont.)
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7. Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Organisational context
 The organisational context affects newcomer ISB (T2). Students exercise
agency by tailoring their ISB to the context (Vu et al., forthcoming).
 Newcomer ISB can affect some aspects of the organisational context such
as supervisor/co-worker supportiveness (T4). The changed context, in
turn, affects newcomer ISB in future events (T2 in future).
How WIL students learn at work (Cont.)
Fig 2. Dynamics between organisational context & newcomer ISB
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8. Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Newcomer
individual characteristics
 Newcomer individual characteristics influence their ISB (T3).
 Newcomer ISB can modify their individual characteristics such as self-
efficacy (T5). The modified characteristics, in turn, affect their ISB in future
events (T3 in future).
How WIL students learn at work (Cont.)
Fig 3. Dynamics between newcomer individual characteristics & ISB
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9. Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Organisational context
Newcomer
individual characteristics
T1*
* Sequence of T1 and T3: The impact of the organisational context on
newcomer ISB is influenced by newcomer individual characteristics.
How WIL students learn at work (Cont.)
Fig 4. Dynamics between organisational context, newcomer individual
characteristics & their ISB
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10.  Workplace learning involves complicated dynamics (Fig 1):
 Two dyads: context – newcomer ISB; newcomer characteristics – newcomer ISB
 One triad: context – newcomer characteristics – newcomer ISB (T1 & T3 in
sequence)
 Both objective (Fig 1: T2) and subjective (Fig 4) contexts affect student ISB in
workplace learning.
 The work group (co-workers, supervisors, fellow interns) is a crucial aspect of the
organisational context, where it relates to WIL students’ workplace learning.
Key findings
Newcomer information
seeking behaviour
Organisational context
Newcomer
individual characteristics
T1*
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11. Implications for supporting students to prepare for
WIL placement
 Workplace context and workplace learning dynamics are beyond the immediate control
of universities (WIL managers/co-ordinators/professionals).
 Universities can support students to prepare for their transition into workplace learning:
o Raise students’ awareness of potential dynamics involved in workplace learning
(Fig 1).
o Support students to build capacity to successfully engage in, and harness, such
dynamics.
o Support students to build skills for seeking information in work settings.
o Engage students in self-motivated, self-regulated learning and explain that this is
how they will manage their workplace learning.
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12. Conclusion
 Information seeking is constitutive of workplace learning, and
student ISB is both the influenced (Fig 1: T2 & T3) and the
influencer (Fig 1: T4 & T5).
 Workplace learning is largely self-initiated and self-regulated, hence
requiring students to exercise agency.
 Vital to exercising agency is the ability to engage in, and harness,
the dynamics involved in workplace learning (Fig 1).
 Limitations and suggestions for further research: information
seeking through non-human sources such as manuals and the
Internet
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13. Selected references
International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning [IJWIL]. (n.d.). Defining WIL. https://www.ijwil.org/
Vu, T. (2015). Determinants of customer expectations of service: implications for fostering customer satisfaction. International
Journal of Management and Applied Science, 1(4), 146-151. http://ijmas.iraj.in/volume.php?volume_id=134
Vu, T., & Ananthram, S. (2022, April 27-28). Work-integrated learning as a transition: implications for research and practice [Virtual
onference presentation] Work-integrated Learning International Conference (WILNZ) 2022, Auckland University, New Zealand.
Vu, T., Ananthram, S., & Bennett, D. (under review). Agentic workplace learning among international students: implications for
students’ global employability development.
Vu, T., Ananthram, S., & Ferns, S. (under review). International engineering students’ strategies in securing work-integrated learning
placements amid COVID-19: a transition perspective. Higher Education Research & Development.
Vu, T., Bennett, D., & Ananthram, S. (2022). Learning in the workplace: newcomers' information seeking behaviour and implications
for education. Studies in continuing education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2022.2041593
Vu, T., Ferns, S., & Ananthram, S. (2021). Challenges to international students in work-integrated learning: a scoping review. Higher
Education Research & Development, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1996339
Vu, T., Ferns, S., & Ananthram, S. (under review). Information seeking strategies in workplace learning among international students
in health sciences.
Vu, T., Ferns, S., Ananthram, S., & Bennett, D. (under review). Preparing for work placements: sensemaking among international
health science students.
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14. THANK YOU!
Acknowledgement: The first presenter is a recipient of an Australian Government Research
Training Program Scholarship.