Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) has been used extensively in research on learning in workplaces but less so in the related field of work-integrated learning (WIL). The aim of this article is to examine how CHAT is currently used in WIL research and so to address its current use and potential for this field. The research broadly followed a semi-systematic review method to locate 27 articles which examined WIL through a CHAT approach. This critical review examines each article through the lenses of why and how authors have utilized the CHAT methodology. Most selected articles highlight CHAT’s usefulness as providing a systemic, multi-voiced analytic tool which highlights, through identifying tensions and contradictions within the system, impediments and enablements to successful WIL practice. The study concludes that CHAT is well suited to examine the situated and sometimes problematic nature of WIL. However, the authors suggest that more attention could be paid to contradiction analysis and formative interventions, in particular through how they may promote a more critical WIL, in order to gain maximum benefit from the theory.

The work-integrated learning (WIL) research field is rapidly expanding. Diverse understandings of what WIL is or a lack of definitions in often cited articles can provide a challenge for future researchers of WIL. The twofold aim of this study was to explore the use of definitions of WIL in often-cited WIL scientific articles and to explore the feasibility of a structured co-creative scientific writing method and the perceived value of performing this collaborative research project.

This project is innovative concerning the design of the project and through the intention to provide both WIL in PhD education and lead to research outcomes that promote WIL research. The ontological findings showed that there were several groups of definitions. The findings of the collaborative analysis of extracted definitions showed diverse usage of definitions. In extracting WIL definitions from literature cited in WIL publications, four main findings occurred: Intertwining concepts, Intentions of WIL, Implementation of WIL and Diversity in defining WIL.

As WIL research is gaining ground, it requires further refinement of WIL definitions. The results emphasise the need to develop a concept of WIL, capturing WIL as a phenomenon rather than various practices related to education or organizational structures. The collaborative research project proved to be a feasible way of including WIL in PhD education. Therefore, the findings are relevant for WIL researchers to develop the understanding of the importance of WIL definitions in various contexts for the future, but also as a methodological way of integrating WIL activities in PhD education.

The need to uncover the bibliographic field of work-integrated learning (WIL) stems from the increased interest to include WIL in higher education and present positive outcomes of WIL. This bibliographic review of WIL aims to understand the connectedness and trajectory of WIL in scientific publications and to explore the most influential actors. The amount of WIL research is increasing rapidly and there is global interest in the research field, even if there are dominating countries, such as Australia. From both citations, co-citations, and bibliographic coupling it is evident that there are highly influential countries, sources, publications, and authors in WIL research, which shape the bibliographic landscape of WIL. As WIL is an emerging research field, additional bibliographic reviews in coming years can show future trends in WIL research and potential differences between countries and disciplines.

In 2002 University West received a specific mission from the Swedish government to develop Work-integrated learning (WIL), but already in 1990 the University Board of Directors branded the university “as the first and only WIL educational and research institution of higher education in Sweden” (Piperet al., 2023). Since 2020 University West also offers a PhD program in WIL with the aim to enhance learning in the workplace (University West, 2023). However, WIL was a track within previous PhD programs at University West. These actions are likely to impact the research outcomes of the university, but it is unknown to what extent this has happened especially in comparison to other universities in Sweden. Governmental funding can have a powerful impact on institutional behavior (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2020), which likely also influences individual researchers’ actions. In addition, organizational strategies of universities can also influence academic research collaboration (Kienast, 2023). Therefore, it is likely that the specific national mission and University West’s strategy concerning WIL has had traceable effects in research publications, however the bibliometric level of impact is unexplored.

In contemporary digital society, information literacy is increasingly important and viewed as a necessary life skill for all ages, social groups, and professional sectors, hence also affecting higher education. Universities need to develop strategies and approaches to integrate these skills into course syllabi, assignments and assessments based on close library-faculty collaboration. However, librarians and faculty members in higher education traditionally often have separate agendas and limited collaboration. This paper illustrates the background and process of constructing a successful librarian-faculty partnership, as a shared framework entitled the ‘Scientific Wave’ throughout a bachelor’s program in business administration to enhance students’ critical thinking, research skills and information literacy in particular. A case study approach was applied, and data collection was conducted during 2014–2019. The outcomes of a shared framework and library-faculty collaboration are discussed from the perspectives of students, library, and faculty. Findings show that a shared framework based on close collaboration between librarians and faculty, strategic anchoring and visualization in curricula, syllabi, course objectives and assessments developed in line with the mission of the university have an impact on students’ information literacy skills during their education and after graduation. The Scientific Wave is a co-designed continuous framework based on the separate but complementary skills of librarians and faculty to provide students with tools for critical and creative thinking, research skills and lifelong learning in today’s digital society.

Large class sizes in lecture halls or traditional amphitheaters with fixed seating in rows is the everyday life of many students and teachers in higher education. The physical learning environments, learning landscape, thus includes several dimensions besides classrooms, such as buildings, campus, and the surrounding society (Nordquist & Laing, 2015). Furthermore, students often have access to digital learning platforms/ virtual classrooms, where students and teachers for a specific course can communicate with each other and exchange information, documents and media. Many courses combine physical and virtual classrooms and adjust learning strategies to cope with large class sizes and traditional lecture halls.

However, there are emerging new classroom designs and learning strategies to support classroom interaction, active learning or collaborative learning often combined with elements of blended learning or flipped classroom. Active learning strategies are based on the idea that students are involved in more than listening (Prince 2004) supporting inclusion and group discussions, sharing thoughts and analyzing rather than memorizing. The design of active learning classrooms (ALCs) often includes tables with moveable seating, whiteboards, sufficient power outlets and screens to promote sharing and collaborative problem solving (Baepler et al., 2014; Hyun et al., 2017; Rands & Gansmer-Topf, 2017).

The aim of this paper is to explore the implementation and use of ALCs in higher education to identify the experiences of students, faculty, library and university. A case study methodology approach is applied and focused on library-faculty co-designed media and information literacy sessions in ALCs in a bachelor’s programme in business administration at University West, Sweden. Qualitative methods will be applied. Skills in collaborative learning and media and information literacy are of importance in professional life and affect students’ lifelong learning, hence in this paper viewed as applications of the work-integrated learning, WIL, approach of University West where teachers and librarians interact in the new generation classroom.

Media and information literacy is of increasing importance and viewed as a necessary life skill for all ages, social groups and professional sectors of contemporary digital society, hence also affecting the approaches and strategies for higher education. This paper illustrates the background and process of building a successful library-faculty partnership initiated as a quality improvement measure for a bachelor's program in business administration at University West, Sweden. According to the Higher Education Act, Swedish higher education should rest on scientific or artistic basis and on proven experience, research and development. The process started in 2012 as a response to criticism from the Swedish Authority for Higher Education regarding learning outcomes focused on students' skills and abilities to seek, collect, evaluate and critically interpret relevant information within the field of business administration. The quality improvement process entitled "A Scientific Wave" aims at supporting student development during the study period to develop and strengthen skills in critical and analytical approaches, written and oral presentation, and media and information literacy skills to provide the prerequisites for achieving the learning outcomes for a bachelor's degree in business administration. The Scientific Wave includes several different quality aspects and applies a holistic approach to improve the quality and progression of knowledge throughout all courses of the program. In addition, work integrated learning (WIL) is applied as an educational and pedagogic model throughout the program to enhance the link between work life and learning, theory and practice. This paper will focus on how to build a successful library-faculty collaboration to improve students' media and information literacy skills. Earlier research states that successful integration of media and information literacy in higher education should be based on close collaboration between librarians and discipline faculty, strategic anchoring and visualization in curricula, syllabi, learning outcomes and examinations, and developed in line with the mission of the university. The Scientific Wave is here viewed as a co-creative, continuous framework based on the separate but complementary skills of librarians and faculty to provide students with tools for critical and creative thinking, research skills as well as lifelong learning in today's digital society.

How librarians and teachers in higher education collaborate in their workplace and how inter-professional learning is arranged for and experienced are understudied. This study will present a case where a librarian and a teacher held continuous meetings. The purpose of the case study is to demonstrate and emphasize the value of interprofessional learning as work integrated learning and suggest models for competence development and educational development for students regarding information seeking in higher education. The case includes three three-hour meetings between a librarian and a teacher where conversations and hands-on activities initially focused on databases, search tools and techniques for improved search quality. Individual experiences were documented as separate texts of reflections from a unique professional point of view. Every reflection brought on new questions and ideas that were discussed during the following meeting. The comprehensive documentation were analyzed and used for modelling courses for students' progression in information literacy. The courses were then implemented and evaluated on basic and advanced levels. Furthermore, experiences were used for modelling competence development in a University setting. Interprofessional learning arose while combining role specific practice and knowledge between a librarian and a teacher during their conversations. The emergent learning drove model creation that benefitted students, teachers, researchers and librarians. This study recommends the university management to support interprofessional encounters at work. Continuous meetings at Universities between librarians and teachers are rare and, thus, not often reflected upon or systematically documented and analyzed. Value is found in course development for students and professional development for librarians, teachers and researchers.

Högskolan Västs bibliotek har av högskolans ledning fått ett utökat uppdrag som innebär att en av bibliotekets grupperingar, Team forskarstöd, ska förse ledningen med bibliometriskt underlag inför de kontinuerliga utvärderingarna av de vitala forskningsmiljöerna vid lärosätet. Detta arbete är fortfarande i inledningsskedet och tanken är att genom denna studie undersöka hur Team Forskarstöd och delar av ledningsgruppen på Högskolan Västs bibliotek ser på detta nya uppdrag.