module specification

This module extends students' learning experience by providing them with an opportunity to reflect on, and evaluate, their personal experiences of a given employment related to their area of academic study.

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Educations Qualifications. This module aims to provide the student with an opportunity to gain experience of the culture and structure of a working environment related to the student’s area of academic study. Students are encouraged to evaluate, and critically reflect on, the workplace as well as their role in it. Furthermore it is expected that students will apply previously-learned academic knowledge to employment tasks.

N/A

Suitable work placements should offer students a range of learning opportunities appropriate to their academic level and career aspirations and should be, wherever possible, related to their subject specialism.  The placement should enable the student to build on previous experiences and learning gained in their academic course and elsewhere, and should have outcomes consistent with those for their course as a whole. The duration of a placement should be equivalent to approximately 100 hours employment. Successful operation of a work placement requires adequate communication between the student, a nominated university contact (the "academic supervisor"), who will normally be a member of the academic staff group responsible for the student's degree course), and a nominated employee at the workplace (the "placement supervisor"). The respective responsibilities of these three parties are outlined below:

Responsibilities of student
While staff may on occasions facilitate the securing of a placement, it is in principle the student's responsibility to identify placement opportunities, and to ensure they are suitable through discussion with relevant academic staff at an early stage.  Students are also required to familiarise themselves with the module learning outcomes, and to agree, with both academic staff and the workplace supervisor, a learning agreement stating how the outcomes will be demonstrated for the specific placement they intend to undertake.

Students are also required to:
• be aware of any health and safety considerations or requirements
• maintain regular contact with academic and placement supervisors throughout  the placement
• adhere to the any legal or ethical obligations stipulated by the work placement provider (e.g. client or patient confidentiality)
• accept the authority of the academic and workplace supervisors, and take due note of constructive criticisms, advice and ideas generated by colleagues
• be aware of their responsibilities towards others in the workplace, including colleagues, clients, customers, patients and employees
• work in a co-operative and responsible manner at all times
• alert the academic and workplace supervisors promptly regarding any ongoing problems with the placement, including any that might prevent its satisfactory completion.
Responsibilities of placement provider
• The placement provider is required, at the start of the placement, to confirm in writing to the academic supervisor that:
o Details of the placement procedures have been received and understood
o They agree to the placement being carried out
o They acknowledge their responsibilities for the health and safety of the student while in the workplace
o Appropriate induction will be given, including health and safety information
o Appropriate supervision will be given, on a regular basis, during the placement
o They agree to the learning contract negotiated by the student
• The placement supervisor should alert the academic supervisor promptly regarding any ongoing problems with the placement, including any that might prevent its satisfactory completion.
• The placement supervisor should confirm satisfactory attendance and performance in writing at the conclusion of the Placement period

Responsibilities of academic staff
The academic supervisor will:
• Give advice to the student on the suitability of placement opportunities
• Explain the procedures and assessment instruments of the module to the student, and provide a module booklet
• Give advice to the student about the production of an appropriate learning agreement
• Communicate with the placement supervisor, provide information about the placement procedures, promptly answer any queries, and solicit confirmation of the various points detailed above.
• Meet with the student periodically to review progress
• Make suitable arrangements for the summative oral assessment.

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

1. demonstrate s/he has operated in an effective, rational and organised manner, both independently and with others, in a supervised work environment;
2. engage in consistent and appropriate communication with colleagues, superiors, and placement supervisor(s), and adhere to health and safety, legal and ethical obligations
3. reflect on, and evaluate critically, her/his performance, abilities and achievements in the work place
4. describe the structure, major activities and responsibilities of the employer organisation

The assessment process is both formative and summative. The formative process includes the regular maintenance of a structured learning log .  This allows the student to plan and monitor their progress, to reflect on and learn from their experience, and to improve their performance during the placement. Formative assessment also includes employer comments and observations during the placement period, and discussions with the academic supervisor. The summative process includes:  (i) performance evidence obtained throughout placement from the learning log, (ii) a written report describing the organisation within which the placement was carried out, and evaluating the work undertaken (iii) an oral component taking the form of an oral presentation, short viva voce assessment, a poster presentation or similar. The employer will provide confirmation of satisfactory performance and attendance. To pass the module an aggregate mark of at least 40% must be obtained.

QAA Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education - Section 9: Work-based and placement learning
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Code-of-practice-Section-9.aspx