Case Study of Implementing Work Based Learning in the IT Service Management Course

Abstract

Identification of various factors that can influence students’ ability to gain or improve desired competences is a key element to build a successful learning process. Consequently, new learning methods are based on the premise of enabling competencies through performance. One of the innovative learning techniques becoming more popular in traditional education process is work-based learning (WBL), commonly described as a combination of selfknowledge, the expertise in practice, and a formal knowledge in solving the real-world problems. In this paper, we present the implementation of WBL in the undergraduate course IT service management. During the course, students were encouraged to “work” in virtual business companies to simulate process of developing, promoting and delivering an innovative and creative IT service. In order to validate introduced methods, students’perception of competences and skills that were gained or improved during the course was analyzed, as well as their estimation of course delivery.