the centre of the learning (Biggs, 1996; Qureshi et al., 2021). In the constructivist approach, students play a role in constructing information and taking an active role in their learning (McKay & Sridharan, 2023). Therefore, constructivists support placing students in groups to interact with each other (Qureshi et al., 2021). Interacting with each other is critical for collaborative learning. Hybrid Assignment The hybrid assignment offered to AIC3 students consists of an online internship and a group project. The AIC 3 module has approximately 500 students per semester. The hybrid assignment was administered twice per semester in the 2023 academic year. The AIC3 had a team of three educators who worked as a team and took the leadership role of the assignment on a rotational basis. The hybrid assignment contributed 12.5% toward the final marks. This paper provides a step-bystep guide on how the hybrid assignment was handled. Online Internship Mentoring students to participate in online internships could enhance their understanding of the module and produce work-ready graduates (Herbert et al., 2020; Purnamasari et al., 2021). Therefore, the AIC 3 students were exposed to online internships using theforage.com website. The online internship aims to test theoretical knowledge learned in class using a practical online platform. In the online internship, students engage directly with real companies in the auditing space, where they are allocated tasks to perform. IDENTIFICATION PROCESS The process starts with educators identifying the right online internship to be conducted by the students. Therefore, educators go through many auditing-related online internships on theforage.com website to choose one that fits the module. Educators thoroughly review and perform these internships to determine if they align with the learning outcomes. After selecting the right internship, a step-by-step guide is created and presented to the students to enable them to register for the correct internship and perform the allocated tasks. DURATION FOR ONLINE INTERNSHIP Students, on an individual basis, should complete the online internship. The completion time for the online internship may vary from company to company. However, most internships could be completed within two to ten hours, depending on the length of the program. However, during the review, the AIC educators realised that students should budget for at least two to three days because various documents must be read before completing tasks. The educators encouraged students to take the allocated online internship seriously, as potential employers can view their answers for possible employment. FEEDBACK After the student submits every task, immediate feedback is provided by the company, indicating how the question should be answered. The students earned a certificate for completing the online internship, which could be added to their resumes to set them apart from other students and stand a better chance of employment. After completing the task, the group meets and compiles a group report based on learnings from the online internship. Group Project Design When performing the online internship, educators design further questions based on what they have learned from the online internship. Students must answer these questions in groups and submit a group report at the end of the project. Students’ professional skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication, would be improved through collaboration and interaction when investigating various tasks allocated (Elsayed & Hassan, 2024). Multiple activities were linked to the group project, such as student-educator interaction, teamwork, research, and written reports. The students earned a certificate for completing the online internship, which could be added to their resumes to set them apart from other students and stand a better chance of employment. Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching Innovation Projects 2024 58
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