Dr Karen King ,

Institute of Agri-food and Land Use and Centre of

Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Biosciences.
School of Biological Sciences
My background in work placement
Involved in optional placement for over 20 years.
Chaired University Work Related Learning Academic Group.
In 2006 devised compulsory work placement modules for
summer (16 weeks) and year long placements.
Academic placement modules common for 3 different new
undergraduate degree programmes –
Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition,
Land Use and Environmental Management and
Agricultural Technology.
Available as option in Biological Science degrees from 0809.
Modules successful as evidenced by student and placement
host comment.
 Academic assessment of work
placement – made easy?
1. Why is assessment of work placement difficult?
2. How these difficulties can be overcome
3. Teaching, learning and assessment
4. Learning outcomes
5. Examples of assessment
 1. Why is assessment of work
placement difficult?

What are the key aspects or differences about work

placement which make it more difficult to assess than
other taught modules?

In groups consider why assessment of work placement is

difficult.
 1. Why is assessment of work
placement difficult?
Variation in work placement undertaken by students.
No control over the learning environment.
Remote learning (away from the university).
Link to degree studies.

Students are carrying out different activities and

therefore learning different things.
How can learning outcomes and hence assessment be
defined which will suit all students on work placement?
 2. How these difficulties can be

overcome.
A work placement approval process:
the work placement must be assessed to ensure that the student
will be able to attain the learning outcomes.
Variation in work placement:
not a difficulty, it is a necessity to ensure all students can attain
placement.
Remote learning:
not a difficulty if guided by use of, for example, log books and work
based learning elements.
Link to degree studies:
Specific aspect of assessment.
The learning required by the students is defined by Learning
outcomes.
 3. Teaching, learning and
assessment
Normal module –
i. learning outcomes defined,
ii. teaching based on the learning outcomes and
iii. assessment used to test student achievement of the
learning outcomes.

Can we apply this to work placement?

 4. Learning outcomes
What might be the learning outcomes from work
placement?

i.e. What do we want the students to learn from doing

work placement?

In groups consider what the learning outcomes could be for

work placement.
 4. Learning outcomes
In order to define learning outcomes from work placement
they need to be defined at a broad level. i.e.
At the end of the module students will:
have increased their ability to relate academic theory to the
work environment:
have developed identified work related skills:
be able to critically evaluate their learning from the
placement:
have enhanced their career knowledge.
have planned, carried out, evaluated and reported on a
project.
 4. Learning outcomes
These learning outcomes cover all aspects of work
placement and can be weighted in assessment or omitted
depending on the specific requirements for the
placement.
i.e. Project may be omitted for a short, non-project based
work placement.
Skill development, especially subject specific, may be
weighted highly for example in clinical placements.
 5. Examples of assessment
Once learning outcomes are defined, assessment is
easier to devise.
Most placement assessment comprises :
A log book completed whilst on placement and a
final summative report.
May include placement host/tutor assessment.

And is based on skills attained whilst on placement.

 5. Examples of assessment
Need to devise assessment which assesses student achievement of
learning outcomes:
At the end of the module students will:
have increased their ability to relate academic theory to the work
environment:
have developed identified work related skills,
be able to critically evaluate their learning from the placement,
have enhanced their career knowledge,
have planned, carried out, evaluated and reported on a project.

Based on reflection by the student of their own learning.

 5. Examples of assessment
Normally, we devise assessments which specifically test
achievement of learning outcomes by the students.
As we have controlled the learning environment, we
know what they should have learnt and can set
assessments accordingly.
In work placement we have much less control of student
learning and therefore the student has to be given the
responsibility to show in the assessments that they have
met the learning outcomes through the learning activities
they have undertaken whilst on work placement. i.e.
through reflection.
 5. Examples of assessment
The assessment must be reflective and students must be given practice at
reflecting prior to their final portfolio/report.
 Pre placement submission – practice at reflection, prepares the student
for learning from the placement.
 On placement - Log book – activities and learning from these activities.
Work based learning elements – encourages the student to learn about
aspects of their placement host outside their ‘job’.
Placement host assessment – based on job description and employability
skills.
 Post placement - Final portfolio/report – demonstration of achievement of
learning outcomes by reflecting on learning from work placement
evidenced from previous work.
Presentation - provides students opportunity to express orally how they
have achieved the learning outcomes.
 5. Examples of assessment
Comparison to taught module:
Pre placement - submission = coursework

On placement - Log book = lecture notes

Work based learning elements = coursework

Post placement - Final portfolio/report and presentation

= final summative assessment
 5. Examples of assessment –
Pre placement
Submission:
CV and covering letters.
Reflection on each application – template.
Forward analysis of skills to be gained whilst on placement –
template relating to:
i. Knowledge and understanding (relating academic
knowledge to their placement)
ii. Cognitive skills
iii. Subject specific skills
iv. Transferable skills
(ii to iv development of work related skills, based on
Programme Specification)
Student comment on skills analysis
‘This was where we had to think about the placement and what we
wanted to learn and then write about the skills that we thought would
be used. I found this a very useful task but again quite difficult as I was
not completely sure what my placement would involve. It was a very
useful task to carry out as it really made me think about what I would
be doing and how I could use my academic knowledge and experience
whilst on placement. It also helped to set out what I wanted to learn
and what skills could be achieved from different aspects of the job,
which could be useful in a future career. However, looking back on the
pre-placement skills form I found that it was very sparsely completed
as I did not have the experience and knowledge which I now possess
and this helped to show me that I had learnt a lot whilst on placement
even though at certain times throughout it I felt like I was not learning
very much. This part of the process taught me a great deal about
evaluating what I can achieve without the complete information before
hand, which is a skill I can take with me for the future.’
 5. Examples of assessment – on
placement
Log book – Based on
i. activities and
ii. what the student has learnt from the activities .
ii. is the most important – what the student has learnt.

Work based learning elements –

Reports based on an aspect of the placement host not
related to the student’s ‘job’.
Student comment on the log book
‘In order to recognise all of these skills that were developed
or acquired I had to be able to critically evaluate what I
had learnt whilst I was on placement. I was able to do
this through the weekly logbook, which allowed me to
write about what I had done during that week and then
pick out areas that I could relate to my academic theory
or skills that I had used or even acquired. It also allowed
me to have a critical view of how well I was achieving my
learning outcomes and helped me to try and find
something better and more worthwhile in the next week.’
Student comment on WBL
elements
‘I also found that the work based learning elements contributed
to my enhanced career knowledge. I chose topics that were
not known to me and I had to learn a lot before I could write
my essay, my first essay was on the management structure of
XXXXXXXX. It has helped me to understand a great deal more
about business and the qualities of a good manager who can
really drive a business and employees to make a business very
successful. Since doing the research for this essay I also
realised that I have a great interest in business. It has opened
up a new area to me that I did not previously think about and
it made me take a wider view of the company as a whole.
Through my learning elements I learnt a great deal about
myself, and possible attributes I would like in a future career.’
5. Examples of assessment – post
placement
Final portfolio/report
Students are required to show how they have met the
learning outcomes based on the learning gained from the
activities carried out on placement.

The assessment weighting given to each learning

outcome can be adjusted for a particular subject. i.e. Skill
development may be of greater significance in some
subject areas.
 5. Examples of assessment
Pre placement submission = 20%
CV and covering letter 20%
Application reflection 40%
Forward skills analysis 40%
Final portfolio = 60%
Report 60%
Log book 10%
WBL elements 20%
Placement host assessment 10%
Presentation = 20%
 Academic assessment of work
placement – made easy by:
Defining clear learning outcomes.
Operating a placement approval process which ensures
students can achieve the learning outcomes.
Being based on student learning from the activities
carried out on placement rather than the activities
themselves.
Devising assessment to measure student achievement of
learning outcomes, using the same principles as taught
modules.
 Student comment
‘I also believe the whole process has prepared me for life
after university, I am now equipped with the necessary
skills to construct a well presented CV, apply for jobs and
portray myself effectively in interviews. The most
important lesson I learnt is that organisation is key to
success and I feel that if I get organised and prepare
correctly I feel I can obtain my dream job. I believe that I
have developed greatly over the last year, and I don’t
think I would have developed to the same extent if I had
not done placement.’
Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition student
 Student comment
‘After completing my work placement I have really changed
my attitudes and views and almost feel like I have
matured throughout the process. I have picked up and
enhanced so many new skills and feel for once that I
know that what I am doing is right for my future career.
The placement has been an experience as I have done so
many things that have been a success but I have also
learnt from my mistakes and learnt how to evaluate the
work that I am carrying out. All of the attributes I have
gained from placement will help me in the future and in
most aspects of my life.’
Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition student
 Work placement
An on-line support package for academic staff
considering setting up work placement should be
available from July 2009 on the Centre of Excellence in
Teaching and Learning, Biosciences website.
The site includes information on all aspects to be
considered and template forms.
Development of this resources is supported by TQEF.
Anyone who would like to act as a ‘pilot’ assessor of the
resource should contact Dr King.