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From Terms of Reference to Teamwork: Showcasing Actions and Excellence in a Work-Integrated Learning Community of Practice (Practice Report)
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From Terms of Reference to Teamwork: Showcasing Actions and Excellence in a Work-Integrated Learning Community of Practice (Practice Report)

Carrie Thomson-Casey, Barbara Adonteng-Kissi, Jacqui Yoxall, Fiona Naumann and Jena Buchan
SSRN Electronic Journal, Vol.Series Paper No. 53
Southern Cross University Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Research Paper Series, Elsevier
18/05/2026
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract

work integrated learning community of practice health professional education governance quality assurance
Work integrated learning (WIL) coordination in university health programs is complex, resource-intensive, and carries direct implications for student outcomes, accreditation, and equity. Despite growing institutional investment in WIL Academic Coordinator (WILAC) roles, there are challenges to moving these discipline-specific roles from a set of isolated, activities to a coherent, faculty wide system. Strategic coordination and planning, sharing of best practice and developing interprofessional experiences, would create more efficient use of WIL resources. A Community of Practice (CoP) creates a structured, collegial space where those responsible for WIL Academic Coordination can collectively improve the quality, consistency, and strategic alignment of placement-based learning across disciplines. In 2023, the Faculty of Health (FoH) at Southern Cross University established a WILAC CoP governed by a Terms of Reference (ToR) articulating its purpose and six core responsibilities. This practice report uses reflective analysis to map CoP activities across 2024–2026 against those responsibilities. Findings indicate the CoP met and exceeded all six ToR responsibilities, evolving from a coordination forum into a faculty level mechanism for standardisation, equity, student readiness, efficiency, and scholarly contribution. Concrete outputs include a quality assurance " Minimum Expectations " framework, a Learning Access Plan and Attendance Variation Application pro forma integrated with Sonia, embedded careers modules, technology enabled workflows, and national conference dissemination. The ToR functioned as generative rather than restrictive governance infrastructure, converting collective expertise into repeatable institutional mechanisms. This case provides a transferable model for health faculties and institutions considering formal WIL CoP governance.

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