Personal work-integrated environment learning model to enhance creativity and self-efficacy

Abstract

While higher education increasingly prioritizes digital literacy and practical work experience, existing pedagogical models often lack a cohesive mechanism to merge personal learning environments with work-integrated learning to systematically cultivate student creativity and self-efficacy. To address this gap, this study introduces a novel pedagogical framework: the personal work-integrated environment learning (PWIL) model. The model was developed through a rigorous conceptual synthesis of personal learning environments (PLEs) and work-integrated learning (WIL), followed by qualitative validation through in-depth interviews with five subject-matter experts. The findings establish a specific, four-component architecture: (1) Platforms for Flexible and Open Learning that provide flexible, AI-supported content; (2) Wireless Frameworks for Collaborative Learning to ensure continuous, decentralized peer and industry engagement; (3) Assessment of Integrated Learning Outcomes that utilize actionable feedback to bridge academic and workplace competencies; and (4) Support Systems for Learner Ownership that foster student autonomy. Ultimately, this study provides a validated framework demonstrating that by shifting the instructor's role to a facilitator, students can effectively manage their own learning pathways and leverage digital technologies to solve authentic workplace problems, thereby creating a theoretically sound environment for fostering creativity and self-efficacy.