module specification

The module enables students to undertake an appropriate period of professional activity, related to their course at level 6, with a business or community organisation and to gain credit for their achievements. The activity can be a professional training, volunteering activity, employment activity, an activity within the Faculty of Computing Virtual Business Environment (VBE), placement, or business start-up activity.

It is expected student should demonstrate 300 learning hours which should be recorded clearly (in a learning log for instance) in the portfolio. The 300 hours can be completed in 50 working days in a FT mode (likely in the summer period), or spread over two semesters.

Students should register with the module leader to be briefed on the module, undergo induction and Work related Learning planning and to have the Work Related Learning plan approved before taking up the opportunity. It is essential that students are made aware that both the “Work Related Learning agreement” and relevant “health and safety checklist” where applicable need to be approved before starting the placement. Please note that “health and safety checklist” is relevant if students carry out learning activities externally.

Successful completion of level 5

The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
• gain a useful experience of the working environment and the career opportunities available on graduation.
• undertake a work-related project or training appropriate to their academic level.
• become more self-aware through reflection on the development of their abilities and attributes;
• enhance subject-specific knowledge, skills and abilities;
• explore careers options available to them on graduation.
• enhance professional and personal development.
• enhance and extend their learning experience by applying and building on their academic skills and abilities by tackling real life problems in the workplace.
• enhance professional and personal development.

There is no standard syllabus for the module, the learning outcomes will be developed in the subject-based context of the Work Based Learning. A “Learning agreement” produced and approved before the work begins, will specify the way in which the outcomes will be developed and how they will be evidenced.

For the FOC Virtual Business Environment, students will be working on real external client projects with agreed deliverables to the client and will be expected to work in teams that may be include students from other years of their degree. There will be specific emphasis placed on professional conduct, self-management, team-working and understanding of business and client requirements.

Suitability of Work Related Learning – general guidelines

Suitable Work Related Learning should offer students a range of learning opportunities at level 6, career aspirations and should be, wherever possible, related to their subject specialism. The Learning should enable the student to build on previous experiences and learning gained within their academic course and elsewhere. It should provide learning opportunities for enhancing all their abilities and allow for the development of the learning outcomes and attributes to level 6. Vocational subjects may identify additional outcomes related directly to their specialism.

The module is supported by the module team who undertakes pre- and post-placement induction and debriefing sessions and provides on-placement support though email, telephone contact, drop-in sessions and individual appointments. The student is assessed by the module team.

1. Induction
Induction sessions introduce students to the requirements and demands of Work Related Learning module, assists them in the diagnosis of their abilities, helps them make decisions about suitable work areas, and ensures they produce an appropriate CV for Work Based Learning applications.

In the case of the FOC Virtual Business Environment (VBE)– opportunities within the VBE will be advertised on a student portal inviting applications and CV’s. Candidates will go through an interview process that will seek to develop interview skills through responsive feedback and recommendations. This is to encourage an appreciation of employability requirements sought by business and industry.

2. The approval of the Work Related Learning
When a work related learning opportunity is gained and an Employer/Client/Supervisor is identified before the start of the work, the student need to email the module leader the “Learning agreement” form and relevant “health and safety checklist” if applicable. The “health and safety checklist” is needed if students carry out learning activities externally. Forms need to be approved by the module team before the learning activity starts. Each student will be assigned an academic supervisor who will look after the student throughout the process.  In the case of the FOC VBE – students (and their project teams) will be supervised by an academic with additional supervision, support and feedback from a selected FOC VBE management team.

The learning agreement form will identify and specify the
• task(s) involved in the learning activity;
• skills, abilities an attributes to be developed and demonstrated, together with the associated assessment criteria;
• learning opportunities for the development of the expected outcomes;
• evidence required to demonstrate attainment of the outcomes.

3.The Work Related Learning
During the learning process, students need to keep a record of the activities carried out at work (in a learning log for instance), reflect on it and reference them to the agreed learning outcomes in the learning agreement.

4. Employer/Client/Supervisor feedback, portfolio and Presentation
The employer will produce an end-of-placement feedback to evaluate the knowledge and skills demonstrated by the student.

The student needs to submit a work related learning portfolio and give a presentation at the end. These enable the student to summarize the work experience, reflect on their learning and the experiences gained from the placement and to develop action learning plans for the future.

On completion of the module the student should be able to:
LO1: demonstrate s/he can operate effectively as an independent learner in a supervised learning environment, including the selection and application of appropriate methods and procedures to required tasks.
LO2: communicate appropriately with colleagues/clients/supervisors.
LO3: describe and evaluate the structure of the organisation or the professional training activity.
LO4: demonstrate his/her analytical and advanced problem solving skills related to the subject.
LO5: evaluate critically her/his performance and abilities and plan for their improvement.
LO6: reflect upon and critically appraise the work undertaken, and their personal development;
LO7: demonstrate a good understanding of social and professional aspects in the work related activities.

The assessment on this module is 100% coursework and double marked in accordance with the requirements of the relevant accrediting body and the university guidelines.

Learning portfolio with evidence: The portfolio (5000 words) include evidence of the learning activities, such as a latest CV, PDP, professional training attended, certificates obtained, a record their student’s work related activities in a log or equivalent, the reflection on their personal and professional development during the learning that help them to become more self-aware and to improve their performance. The 100% portfolio-based assessment has provision to include evidence of client-based presentation skills acquired during the work activities.  Examples of such evidence are final client demo, final client presentation, work handover notes, user manual and other important client presentation.  Some Employers/Clients may provide a means of personal record keeping. The portfolio should keep a record of all the evidence that demonstrate how the student develops his/her PDP, employability, knowledge of the particular area of work - to broaden her/his perspective by reference to the appropriate literature, and to enhance understanding within the wider industrial setting. The format and emphasis of each portfolio, which may vary between different cases, is drawn up in consultation with the module team who also gives guidance on its content. Assessment, by the module team, is based on the portfolio’s organisation, presentation, clarity and technical content and will stress analytic and reflective skills. [LO1][LO2][LO3][LO4][LO5][LO6][LO7]

Assessment can be 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 the regular Employer/Client/Supervisor comments and observations during the placement period.
The summative process includes performance evidence obtained throughout work related learning and is not just a snapshot at one point in time e.g. on completion of the project/task(s). The Employer/Client/Supervisor will provide an end-of-placement feedback on the student’s performance and attendance.

In the case of the FOC VBE, the FOC VBE will be also be recognised as ‘the employer’. The business client will provide a formal feedback on the individual (or team) performance, measuring understanding of project specifications / communication and presentation of project deliverables (or agreed iterative stages of deliverable) / time-management / and documentation.

In the case of volunteering activities - volunteering and their specific learning outcomes need to be agreed by the module team in advance. Each student will be allocated an academic supervisor. Students need to submit a learning portfolio with evidence. The portfolio needs to demonstrate volunteering activities carried out, how the agreed learning outcomes have been met by these activities, the quality of the achievements, quality of the reflection on the activities, problem solving skills and analytic skills demonstrated in the portfolio.

Durrant A., Rhodes G., Young D., (2011), Getting Started with University-level Work Based Learning, 2nd edition, Libri Publishing, ISBN-10: 1907471219

Ruth Helyer R., (2010), The Work-Based Learning Student Handbook (Palgrave Study Skills), Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN-10: 0230229565

Fanthome C., (2004), Work Placements: A Survival Guide for Students (Palgrave Study Guides), Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN-10: 1403934347

Other resources appropriate to the placement and determined by the Employer/Client/Supervisor.