practicum audit report 2007

7/31/2019 Practicum Audit Report 2007

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CONTENTS

1 OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT ...........................................................................61.1 Background....................................................................................................61.2 1999 Audit .....................................................................................................6

1.2.1 1999 Audit Recommendations for Future Direction .............................71.3 Practicum Audit 2007 ....................................................................................81.4 The Audit Process..........................................................................................91.5 Validity of data ............................................................................................11

1.6 Work Experience in Industry (WEI) and Work Integrated Learning (WIL)11Recommendation 1: The terminology used at Flinders University used to describe student placement programsshould be changed from Work-based learning to Work Integrated Learning .......................................12

1.7 A National Internship Scheme to enhance employment skills ....................14

Recommendation 2 : Academic Organisation Units (AOU) to examine and pursue innovative means for encouraging higher levels of participation and engagement by industry partners in WIL programs. ................. 15

Recommendation 3 : AOU/s, Heads of Schools and course Topic Coordinators to promote and market FlindersUniversity WIL programs to business and the wider community to secure more places for students. ...........15

1.8 Academic workload and WIL......................................................................15

Recommendation 4 : Undertake further research to identify current practice by AOU/s and schools for allocating workload for staff involved with courses providing WIL and develop advice regarding a possibleframework for policy and planning.


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3.1.3 Clinical Psychology .............................................................................243.1.4 Cultural Tourism..................................................................................253.1.5 Disability and Community Rehabilitation ...........................................253.1.6 Ecotourism ...........................................................................................263.1.7 Engineering..........................................................................................263.1.8 Medicine Surgery Clinical Performance..............................................273.1.9 Nursing and Midwifery........................................................................273.1.10 Nutrition and Dietetics.........................................................................283.1.11 Parliamentary Internship......................................................................28

3.1.12 Practical Legal Training.......................................................................293.1.13 Social Administration and Social Work Field Placements ..................303.1.14 Speech Pathology.................................................................................313.1.15 Teaching Experience. New program introduced in Semester 1, 2006.

313.1.16 Teaching Practicum Elective: Anangu Pitjantjatjara YankunytjatjaraLands 32

3.2 Examples of Current Practice for WEI ........................................................33

3.2.1 The Inspire Peer Mentor Program........................................................333.2.2 The WorkReady Internship Program...................................................34

3.3 Other University wide support for WIL and WEI .......................................343.3.1 Practicum Preparation Online..............................................................343.3.2 Careers and Employment Liaison Centre ............................................34

4 GENERAL ISSUES AND TRENDS ................................................................354.1 Practical Legal Training...............................................................................35


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4.8 General staff workload.................................................................................46

Recommendation 7 : Develop consistent Position Descriptions and classifications for general staff who manageor administer WIL practicum placements ................................................................................47

4.9 Research Opportunities................................................................................47

Recommendation 8: Encourage and provide appropriate resourcing for university staff engaged in WIL toundertake further research, review and evaluation of WIL....................... ...................... ....................... ............. 48

4.10 Training and Development ..........................................................................48Recommendation 9 : Investigate the professional knowledge and skills required by staff involved with WIL

programs, assess the degree to which those staff require further development and training and develop anappropriate range of professional development activites. ..................... ...................... ...................... .................. 48

4.11 Resourcing and marketing ...........................................................................48

Recommendation 10: Assist AOU/s, faculties and course providers to determine the adequate resourcing of

WIL program ...................... ...................... ...................... ...................... ...................... ....................... ................. 49

New Practicum Administrator software...................................................................49

Recommendation 11 : Expand the use of Practicum Administration software to other faculties, schools anddepartments to assist with the management of WIL programs. ..................... ....................... ....................... ....... 49

5 PRACTICUM AUDIT SUMMARY ................................................................50

5 1 S l i f R b C di f WIL Q i


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9.4 APPENDIX D Excel spreadsheet: Topic Coordinators9.5 APPENDIX E Excel spreadsheet: Topic 2006 enrolments9.6 APPENDIX F Excel spreadsheet: Practicum visits and payments9.7 APPENDIX G Excel spreadsheet: Practicum purpose9.8 APPENDIX H Online Questionnaire (sample)


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1 OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT

1.1 Background

This report describes the processes and outcomes of the 2007 audit of Work Integrated Learning or Work-based Learning activities at Flinders University.

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is the term normally used to describe educational

activities that integrate theoretical learning with its application in the workplace.

The fundamental concept of learning in the workplace is not new and covers a widespectrum of learning activities. Although the benefits of Work Integrated Learning arenumerous, the experience of work is not in itself intrinsically beneficial. Work Integrated Learning that is intentional, organised, recognised and accredited by theuniversity can provide powerful learning experiences for students and staff.

1.2 1999 Audit

An audit of what was then called Experiential Work-based Learning at FlindersUniversity commenced in December 1998 and was completed in 1999. One of themajor issues emerging from the 1999 audit report was that the potential value inhaving links between Flinders University and the wider community through student

placement in agencies may not have been effectively utilised. It was considered at thetime that when properly resourced and supported, there existed an opportunity for

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1.2.1 1999 Audit Recommendations for Future Direction

The 1999 audit enabled the bringing together of considerable wisdom of exposure of practicum coordinators, teachers and supervisors. Their experiences, the review of current research and the analysis of the audit generated a set of strategicrecommendations:

Use of Practicum Programs to Enhance University and CommunityRelationships and Collaborations

Induction Programs for External Supervisors, Leading to a University Award A Managed Approach to Finding Placements

The Value in Cross-disciplinary Placements

The Development of a Management Structure and Guide for Risk Management and Supervision

The Value of Developing Placement Components in Generalised Degree Programs

University Recognition of the Role of Practicum Coordinators in Promotions

Induction of University Staff into Practicum Coordination and Teaching Roles

Provision of Adequate Administration Support


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1.3 Practicum Audit 2007

In November 2006, the then Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and the Director,Academic Development, commissioned a new audit of all practicum, work integratedlearning, field experience, work-based or work experience in industry programs, toascertain the degree to which recommendation for future directions, as determined in1999, had been achieved and the impact of recent Federal Government legislation onthose programs.

The Practicum Audit collected data during January June 2007, for 2006 practicum

programs from all faculties and divisions of Flinders University using an on-linequestionnaire developed by the universitys Flexible Delivery unit.

From a student enrolment of 15,925 in 2006 the Practicum Audit identified 5,604students enrolled in topics requiring practicum, work experience or work integratedlearning placements in 960 hospital wards, school classrooms, legal offices, hotels or other agencies, including some 600 work experience (WEI) placements in associationwith the WorkReady Internship Program, the Hong Kong Immersion program and theINSPIRE Peer Mentoring Program.

The Practicum Audit also identified that there were 221 academic staff involved withthe coordination, management, supervision and teaching of practicum programs in2006, more than double the number of academic staff involved in 1999. These 221academic staff represent 35% of the 634 academic staff employed at FlindersUniversity in 2006 and are supported by a further 39 staff with academic status, 73

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Student Enrolments in Practicum Topics 2006

3rd Yr GE

8%

4th Yr GE

3%

2nd Yr GE

2%

1st Yr GE6%

Honours

0% 1st Yr Masters

3%

1st Yr

8%

2nd Yr Masters

1%

4th Yr

14%

3rd Yr

24%

2nd Yr

31%

1 st Yr 2 nd Yr 3 rd Yr 4 th Yr1

stYr

GE2

ndYr

GE3

rdYr

GE4

thYr

GE Honours1

stYr

Masters2

ndYr

Masters

469 1671 1360 774 317 123 459 187 27 156 61

The range of terminology identified for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements,otherwise known as Work-based Learning placements, at Flinders Universityincluded:

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identified as being the coordinator of a WIL program and to the Heads of Schools andthe Faculty Executive Deans.

Reminder and follow up emails were sent in early March 2007 to topic coordinatorswho were yet to complete the audit survey and to other topic coordinators or staff whohad since been identified as being involved with WIL programs at FlindersUniversity. Individual academic and general staff were interviewed either by phone,or in person, during February and March to clarify issues raised in the survey. 100detailed survey responses providing considerable data about the extent of Work Integrated Learning at Flinders University were received by the Manager: PracticumAudit during January through April 2007.

On 27 March 2007, John Harris met with Prof Joan Cooper to review progress in theaudit and to discuss the Fitness for Placement Policy.

On Thursday 5 April, 2007, a meeting was convened for topic coordinators who hadcontributed to the audit to review data collected and to discuss general issues and

concerns relating to the coordination and management of WIL programs. Issues raisedand some general comments from the 5 April meeting included:

1. Disability Studies have developed a portfolio system for tracking students on placement and to assist with assessment. A number of students had slippedthrough the cracks in the past and were going through the motions rather thanusing the practicum as a meaningful learning experience.

2. Clinical Audiology has concerns regarding requests from placement providers


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practicum during the specified semester and therefore may experience aconsiderable delay in the completion of their degree.

The success of this meeting and of subsequent practicum forum of academic andgeneral staff involved with WIL highlights the importance of continuing to supportthe development of WIL across the university through regular seminars and meetingsand an annual colloquium

On 31 May, Heather Smigiel and John Harris met with Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof

Andrew Parkin, to review the first draft report.Copies of Appendices D and E were emailed to all School heads and topiccoordinators to check for errors and/or omissions on 2 nd June and subsequentadjustments to the data collected were made based on replies received. Additionalinterviews with placement staff were conducted during June and July to either add toor update information previously provided.

1.5 Validity of data

Every effort has been made during the collection of data for the Practicum Audit toverify accuracy. Wherever possible, enrolment statistics have been checked for individual topics. It should be noted, however, a number of Nursing and Midwiferytopics describe two placements per year for the same topic. Therefore, while the auditidentified 1,570 students recorded as being enrolled in Nursing and Midwifery clinical

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That meets the requirements specified in the Administrative Guidelines .

The DEST administrative information articulates the universitys entitlement toreceive, or to not receive, Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) funding for students

participating in Work Experience in Industry (WEI).

Units that consist wholly of WEI, whether supported by the university or not, do notattract funding under the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS). The load for WEI isnot counted as student load and the persons Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) is

not reduced in respect of these units.In this report, work that is not WEI, as described by the DEST guidelines, is deemedto be Work Integrated Learning (WIL) if all of the following are performed by staff of the university or persons engaged by the university:

Interaction between the supervisor and the student, which may include sitevisits; and

Organisation of student placements; and Ongoing monitoring of student work and progress; and Assessment of student learning and performance during the placement.

As such, the university may charge a student contribution amount or tuition fee for units consisting wholly of WIL where the student receives support for studentlearning and performance.


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projected increases in demand for social workers, clinical nurses, psychologists anddisability services officers for Families SA, Housing SA, Disability SA and the Officefor the Ageing.

At the Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) WIL Conference held atthe Queensland University of Technology on Wednesday 7 February 2007, Prof IanGoulter, Vice Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, in delivering his keynoteaddress, stated that:

WIL needs to be promoted not for what it does for a university but for what it

does for the national interest.At the same conference, in her keynote address, Associate Professor Janice Orrell,Director (Disciplined Based Initiatives, RIN) Carrick Institute for Learning andTeaching in Higher Education, stated:

WIL needs to be formally embedded in university policy. WIL must be planned and intentional. WIL must be managed. The experience

in itself is not enough. There must be a clear intention and purpose understood by the academic staff.

While different faculties, schools and departments have different needs in order tohave optimal student outcomes and as such require opportunities to develop uniqueWIL programs, the coordination of practicum or WIL programs is now seen to bemuch more of a workload issue that requires proper recognition for resourcing for research, for administration and for the overall implementation in what is anessentially non-traditional learning and teaching area.


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new engineers each year and PricewaterhouseCoopers employs an additional 34,000accountants, business managers and human resources managers each year, many of whom are recent graduates.

Carol-joy Patrick, Manager, Industrial Affiliates Program, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Australia, in her presentation at the WACE 2007 Conference,acknowledged the growing demand for industry-ready graduates and the growingskills shortages in many sectors. Work Integrated Learning needs to be acknowledgedas a valid pedagogy and the questions need to be asked regarding the perceivedimportance of the WIL agenda within the university. Carol-joy Patrick identified fivedistinct issues for WIL:

Pedagogy: issues of credibility and assessment Placement issues: exploring options for placement in a crowded marketplace Staff issues: Workload, research opportunities, benefits of WIL to the

university Managing risks Resources

1.7 A National Internship Scheme to enhance employment skills

On the 29 th October, 2007, Universities Australia released a Discussion Paper, A National Internship Scheme, aimed at stimulating debate and action to further enhancethe employment skills of university students and graduates.


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of nursing places, costs associated with rural places and a lack of resources to promoteand market WIL programs.

There is evidence to suggest that a higher level of promotion and marketing of Flinders University WIL programs will provide more opportunities for the placementof students in the workplace and information provided at the 15 th World Conferenceon Cooperative Education, held June 2007 in Singapore, indicates that Work Integrated Learning will become increasingly critical to the success of university

programs.Strategies to assist with promotion and marketing include further upgrading of theStaff Development and Training Units practicum website, a higher frequency of visits by academic staff to industry worksites, the production of high quality

promotional brochures and the use of electronic and print media to promote specific programs and successes.

Recommendation 3: AOU/s, Heads of Schools and course Topic Coordinators to promote and market Flinders University WIL programs to business and the wider community to

secure more places for students.

1.8 Academic workload and WIL

As mentioned in 1.2 the new DEST guidelines highlight the need for academic staff to be involved in the actual direction of WIL programs. The following table identifiesthe requirements for full funding and the need for universities to shift towards a moredirected form of WIL.


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The involvement of large numbers of sessional staff to represent Flinders Universityin the workplace does not necessarily allow for the development of strong industry

partnerships. Therefore, the workload of a WIL topic should be allocated in the samemanner as any other topic given equivalent credit point value and level of studentenrolment.

The benefits can be clearly identified for full time members of academic staff and for the university generally, to forge links with industry. While the value to the student, tothe academic staff and to industry, is more an issue than the workload hours for theacademic staff member, many academic staff have a perception of not gettingappropriate acknowledgement for their WIL involvement.

In order to attract appropriate CGS funding, all WIL programs must comply with thenew DEST guidelines for academic staff involvement.

Recommendation 4: Undertake further research to identify current practice by AOU/s and schools for allocating workload for staff involved with courses

providing WIL and develop advice regarding a possible framework for policy and planning.


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2 CURRENT FLINDERS UNIVERSITY POLICY ENVIRONMENT

2.1 Rules and Procedures

A review of Flinders University Policies and procedures was not originally includedin the scope of this practicum audit.

However, a search of faculty, school and department websites and subsequent

discussions with relevant staff has indicated that, while many Work IntegratedLearning or practicum programs provide detailed topic and course informationhandbooks and/or procedural guidelines for both students and industry placement

providers, there are few specific university wide policies and procedures.

2.2 Specific university Policies and procedures

2.2.1

Guidelines for Recognition of Prior Work Experience within PostgraduateCoursework Programs

Guidelines for Recognition of Prior Work Experience (RPWE) apply to all postgraduate coursework programs where work experience is formallyacknowledged either as a requirement for admission to a course or where work experience can be counted towards completion of the course.http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/policySecretariat/recprior.html
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/policySecretariat/recprior.htmlhttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/policySecretariat/recprior.html


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been able to manage specific student disabilities in a more thoughtful manner.In addition, all students are required to complete a video taped interview with

an actor prior to the first placement. In this, they have to demonstrate a rangeof interpersonal skills necessary for social work. This has been used as a wayto find students with interpersonal communication difficulties and mentalhealth problems and to then develop remedial programs to support them. Byidentifying students with disabilities early on, academic staff have been able to

provide appropriate placements and prevent the inevitable problems that arisewith disabilities that are not disclosed before first placement.

The School of Education requires students to sign a declaration to verify theyhave read and understood the universitys Fitness for Placement policy whenthey apply for a practicum placement.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery requires students to sign acomprehensive declaration prior to undertaking a clinical placement as it is arequirement for their work based practices. Students are not asked to declare a

disability, but to discuss any aspect of the declaration that the student feelsmay cause a problem or an issue during their clinical placement in a hospital.The disability officer for the School of Nursing and Midwifery is also calledupon to negotiate with students who have an access plan, appropriatestrategies to cope with the requirements of the clinical placement.

After consultation with the Flinders Universitys Disability Officer it isconsidered that the current Fitness for Placement policy is adequate and that


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the student demonstrates gross negligence in the performance of anassigned duty;

the placement provider is unable to maintain an appropriate placementexperience for the student.

http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/student/assessment5.htm

2.3.3 Risk Management

As acknowledged in the 1999 Audit, students placed in hospitals, schools,legal offices, hotels, engineering firms, clinical consulting rooms and a varietyof other industry worksites, may, at times, be at risk of injury or harassment.

Recent examples of pre-service (student) teachers being accused of allegedassaults or of making inappropriate sexual comments, highlight the risk to our Flinders University students. It is vital that any review of the current policyenvironment further acknowledges this risk and develops guidelines for

Flinders staff and students for managing risk in Work Integrated Learning placements.

2.3.4 Permission to repeat a teaching practicum

Except with the permission of the Examinations Board, teaching practicumtopics may not be attempted more than once and teaching practicum topicsrequire full-time commitment for their duration.
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/student/assessment5.htmhttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/student/assessment5.htm


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care communities for the establishment of positive, caring and respectfulrelationships with children and young people.

http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ProtectivePracticesforSta.pdf

2.5 Regulatory and Employing Authorities

There is a range of requirements regarding the amount of work integratedlearning that is required for various State and Commonwealth registration andaccreditation bodies.

Speech Pathology students must complete all four practicum topics inorder to achieve competency and to provide access for membership tothe Speech Pathology Association of Australia.

Midwifery students (post registration) must successfully complete(according to ANMC Competencies) 130 days practicum to gainregistration to practice with the Nurses' Board of SA.

There are no declared industry standards for tourism. There are no industry requirements for the Bachelor Tech AquacultureDegree.

The practicum topics (ENGR3402 Engineering Practicum andENGR3509 Professional Engineering Practice) are included in theBachelor of Engineering degree programs for accreditation byENGINEERS AUSTRALIA.

Bachelor of Education undergraduate students must complete 80 days
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ProtectivePracticesforSta.pdfhttp://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ProtectivePracticesforSta.pdf


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No requirements for the Geography Industry Placement. No requirements are specified for the Mental Health Clinical Case

Management placement. The Flinders Law degree is accredited on the basis that our students

must complete 225 hours of work experience placement, although, inSouth Australia, LPEAC (Legal Practitioners Education andAdmissions Council) has adopted the National competencies whichstate that law students enrolled in a Practical Legal Training programmust have a minimum of 90 hours work experience placement.

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery students are required toregister with the Medical Board of South Australia as a condition of their enrolment in the course.

2.6 2006 (AUQA) Audit Report

The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) Audit Report Number 47,Chapter 3.7, Professional Placements, identified:

It is an objective of Flinders to expand professional placement opportunities in city,rural and regional areas within Australia and Internationally.

The Audit Panel noted that a review of placements policy and processes was to beundertaken by the Staff Development and Training Unit during 2006.

The Panel interviewed a sample of students who had been involved in


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A Working Party of Work Integrated Learning program coordinators representing allfaculties should be immediately formed to oversee the implementation of these

Practicum Audit recommendations and to develop policy related to: Identification and definition of WIL activities and programs. Academic benefits of WEI and WIL. Research opportunities. Fitness for Placement policies. Promotion and Marketing. Clear agreements with industry and the university. Improved links between WIL, graduate attributes and general curriculum. Resourcing and budgeting framework. Recognising the importance of WEI and WIL is its focus on ensuring that

academic rigor is maintained while ensuring graduates are work ready. Identifying and providing teaching of soft skills of communication and

human relationships, email and writing, workplace expectations, leadership,assertiveness, team work and an understanding of corporate culture.

(For example, Griffith University has adopted a policy which determines that WILwill be incorporated into 70% of all course offered by the university by the year 2010)

Recommendation 5: Provide advice for the development of a university wide Work Integrated Learning Policy with clear recommendations for implementation.


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3

DESCRIPTIONS OF CURRENT PROGRAMS

The Practicum Audit identified many examples of models of best practice for Work Experience in Industry (WEI) and Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

3.1 Examples of Current Practice for WIL

3.1.1 Aquaculture

This topic is designed to provide students with first-hand experience of theaquaculture industry. It requires a minimum of 100 hours working in theaquaculture industry. Students are required to prepare an outline report on therelevant industry sector before taking up their placement, and a final researchreport on scientific and technological aspects of the operations of the industry

partner. Students are expected to identify any possible changes which wouldlead to improvements in husbandry practices and/or profitability.

3.1.2 Clinical Audiology

This topic concentrates on the development of clinical skills. The students areinitially rostered for at least one half day clinical session per week withaudiologists in the Adelaide metropolitan area. These include hospital andcommunity settings, including private practices, where possible. The students


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understanding the student's background and can assist the student indeveloping a professional CV by the end of the course.

A Placement Supervisor Report is completed by the Field Supervisor at theend of each placement.

Practical experience can be expected to differ between placements.Placements are arranged to ensure that there is a diversity of types of experience over the length of the entire programme. All students gainexperience with both adults and children in a variety of settings. Anindividualised contract is drawn up for each placement, defining the learningobjectives, the expectations on all parties and the form of assessment. Theterms of the contract are negotiated with the student, Field Supervisor and theUniversity Supervisor. On an annual basis, placement agencies are asked to

provide a description of the expected placement activities and facilities.

It is interesting to note that some schools are now asking placement officers

from the Teaching Experience Centre of the School of Education to providemore professional background material and a photograph of students beforethey will commit to accepting a student for a practicum placement.

3.1.4 Cultural Tourism

This topic is designed to provide students with practical experience working inthe arts, cultural or equivalent tourism operations. It requires a minimum of


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The De-Briefing held within two weeks after the end of the placement, allowsstudents to reflect on the completed Practicum placement and prepare for the

Practicum Day Conference in November.

The Day Conference involves the practicum students in 15 minute presentations describing the agency and the nature of their placement as wellas the project they completed during the placement. Agency Supervisors andstaff are invited to attend the conference.

The First year students are invited and Second Year students are required toattend the conference to gain some information and insights into therequirements and expectations of the block placement during the third year of the degree.

On the day of the Conference, Disability Service Agencies and other agenciesthat employ the Graduates of the degree are invited to an Exposition of Employment Opportunities for graduates during the lunch hour break of the

Conference.

The Exposition is attended by all students and staff which is reported to beinformative and useful in terms of establishing and expanding professionalnetworks. The combination of the Conference and Exposition is considered to

be a valuable day of information sharing, providing an overview of disabilityservices in South Australia and enabling professional networking.


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Students are often employed by the same firm after graduating. The vastmajority of engineering firms see the Cooperative Work Experience program

as adding value to their organisations.

3.1.8 Medicine Surgery Clinical Performance

The placements consist of five Selectives; two Acute Care, one AmbulatoryCare, one Rural and one Undesignated. Two of the five Selectives mustinclude Medicine and Surgery. Students who have undertaken Year 3 in a

Rural Clinical School site may elect to undertake an alternative to the RuralSelective. It is highly recommended that they undertake a selective in MentalHealth. The emphasis is on learning through participation in the activities of the placement with supporting tutorials, workshops, on-line activities or other learning sessions.

3.1.9 Nursing and Midwifery

The website for Nursing and Midwifery provides exemplars of best practicefor providing students and work place agencies with information pertaining toclinical placements.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery uses Dedicated Education Units(DEUs) as the primary model for clinical placements within the metropolitanarea. A DEU is an existing health care unit that is further developed throughstrategic collaboration between the nurse-clinicians and academics. It is


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2nd Yr - 2 days per week x 9 weeks each semester 3rd Yr, Semester 1 - 2 days per week x 13 weeks

3rd yr, Semester 2 - 2 days per week x 8 weeks; 3 days per week for remainder, with one 5-day block towards end of placement (approx 40 days)In certain circumstances students are enrolled in block clinical placements.Block placements are contracted into shorter time periods than DEUs (4-5days per week over a 4-5 week period) and often later in the semester.Lectures are normally completed by the time block placement begins.Block placements are not held in DEUs but rather in different wards/venueswith a range of settings available and are usually made by application or whenthere are not enough DEUs for all students.A typical block placement program where students attend placement towardsthe end of semester, would be:1st Yr - 2 days per week x 3 weeks, or one block of 5 days2nd Yr - 4 days per week x 4 weeks3rd Yr, Semester 1 - 5 days per week over a 7-day roster x 5 weeks3rd Yr, Semester 2 - 5 days per week over a 7-day roster x 8 weeks

3.1.10 Nutrition and Dietetics

The topics and NUTD4004A and B, Professional Practice in Nutrition andDietetics 1 and 2 are taught and assessed as a continuum. Students mustenrol in both topics in the same academic year.

In these topics, students develop the professional skills and attitudes necessary


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electorate and in the party. This experience provides an opportunity to assesswhether a career in politics - in a range of areas - is attractive. Many past

students have made career decisions on the basis of their Internshipexperience. The formal project of a Research Report is the formal assessmentfor the Topic. The Reports become part of the public record, and are part of the collection of the Parliamentary Library, after the assessment procedure.The Members of Parliament are also able to use the Reports in their

professional activities. Overall, the Internship offers a breadth of contact for the Interns in the "real" political community. It provides an opportunity for asubstantive research project, as well as an opportunity to contact variouselements of politics, and assess whether there is a career. Further, theInternship provides an opportunity for a broader understanding of the variouscomponents of politics - government, parliament and public service - and aworking relationship with the public through people and groups related to theresearch focus.

3.1.12 Practical Legal Training

In order to qualify as a lawyer in Australia, each law graduate must complete arecognised practical qualification. In 2002, the Australasian Professional LegalEducation Council (APLEC) published a recommended set of competencystandards which all entry level lawyers should meet in order to be eligible to

be admitted as a legal practitioner. Upon completion of a recognised andaccredited course of Practical Legal Training, potential lawyers must apply tothe Supreme Court of the state in which they wish to practise for admission as


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Student feedback about Placements is, in the main, extremely positive.

Comments like: This was the best part of the whole Practical Legal Training program are common. Students get very excited about working in a real legalteam, in a real office with real clients. The challenges and pressures of legal

practice are usually met with nervous excitement. Written feedback suggeststhat for many students, the Placement reinforces their decision to become alawyer and most cant wait to be admitted and get started. The transition fromstudent to lawyer is a rite of passage for many, and there is a strong sense of achievement in completing the practicum placement. Quite clearly, studentsrelish the opportunities that the Placement provides and are very grateful totheir host supervisors for sharing their time and expertise.

3.1.13 Social Administration and Social Work Field Placements

Field education is a core component of the social work education process, andhas the status of a full academic subject. Persons responsible for themanagement of the field education program must be social workers. Theschool arranges for a member of its staff to visit the agency at least onceduring the placement to provide liaison between the two organisations, to

provide consultation as required, and to assist in evaluation of the students progress.Students must spend a minimum of 140 seven hour days (980 hours) in at leasttwo field placements. Students must undertake placements in at least two

practice settings, and in at least two fields of practice and be able to practise


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3.1.14 Speech Pathology

This topic assists students to develop their clinical skills in both speech pathology and audiology. Students work with clients presenting with commonspeech and language disorders. Under guidance and supervision, they assess,diagnose and treat clients. The topic may incorporate some audiology clinicsin which assessment of hearing is made.

3.1.15 Teaching Experience. New program introduced in Semester 1, 2006.

The overarching notion was to develop a partnership with schools where the professional experience was seen as an essential element of teacher educationand a positive way to create links between university students and staff and

professionals in the field. The recognition that in-school learning was thefocus of professional experience, rather than mere assessment of the studentteacher, creates a very different environment from traditional supervision

practices. For pre-service (student) teachers, being welcomed into a schoolcommunity led to learning and professional growth that could not be simulated

in the university setting. The experience allowed them to observe teachers inall aspects of their role, experiment with pedagogical practices and begin tounderstand how supportive learning environments were established.

The Teaching Experience program for undergraduate students now includes 20days of School Experience made up of 10 days per semester in the studentssecond year and linked to curriculum topics. In the students third year theycomplete a 4 week placement in a metropolitan or country school. Final year


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software will allow the school practicum coordinator to declare 10 placement positions across a range of subject areas each year for students to work with

Unley High School students with their Literacy & Numeracy skills and thenremain with Unley High for their 4 week Teaching Practicum the followingyear. This will give students a much more structured program for schoolexperience, a greater understanding of the work of teachers in schools andcontinuity with their teaching practicum. Students will then be placed atanother school for their final practicum, but any students who wish to continueworking at Unley High in a voluntary capacity will be able to credit the extrahours towards the Teaching Practicum Elective in their final year. The schoolsenior staff are keen to liaise with the academic staff to integrate the teachingof the Literacy & Numeracy topics with the needs of Unley High School.

A similar program of close cooperation exists between Seaview High Schooland the School of Education at Flinders University. Now in the second year of operation, first year Flinders University students select Seaview High Schoolfor their school experience program. Students meet with senior staff at

Seaview High School during the last week of school term 4 and assist with theyear 7 to year 8 transition program at the beginning of their second year.Students then have the option to continue working with students at SeaviewHigh School and undertaking their first teaching practicum at the school inthird year.

Flinders University and St George College at Thebarton have a MemorandumOf Understanding which facilitates the annual placing of students for school


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the APY Lands. Now DECS is very selective and the quality of Flindersgraduates has been outstanding.

Significantly, graduates who are now employed in the APY Lands are stayinglonger than their initial two year appointment.

Also of significance is anecdotal evidence that the quality of learning for Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara students has improved markedly over the past 10 years.

3.2 Examples of Current Practice for WEI

3.2.1 The Inspire Peer Mentor Program

Now in its fourth year of operation, the INSPIRE Peer Mentoring program provides student mentors to schools and has demonstrated that ways of

working with teachers in both primary and secondary schools to overcomedifficulties associated with trainee teacher placements in schools can beachieved.

The INSPIRE Peer Mentoring program, administered by Catherine Koerner from the Careers & Employment Liaison Centre, is a model of university tocommunity engagement within formal and alternative learning environmentsin low socio-economic areas. The model has been closely integrated with a


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The number of schools involved in the INSPIRE Peer Mentor program has

increased from four to thirty five in the past two years.

Bachelor of Education students may convert the INSPIRE Peer Mentoring program to a full WIL program by enrolling in the Teaching PracticumElective topic (EDUC4800)

3.2.2 The WorkReady Internship Program

The WorkReady Internship Program is an especially successful programwhich provides opportunities for some 450 students each year to undertake arange of projects for business, industry and government with leadingcompanies, law and accounting firms, environmental agencies, governmentdepartments, councils and community organisations.

WorkReady is a demonstration of Flinders Universitys commitment to fully prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills needed for employment.WorkReady placements operate throughout the year and the placement periodis flexible depending on the organisations needs and available resources.Projects can be undertaken either in a block period or spread over a number of weeks.

3.3 Other University wide support for WIL and WEI


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4 GENERAL ISSUES AND TRENDS

The Practicum Audit identified a number of key issues related to work integratedlearning. Of concern were the different practices adopted by each program. For example, in relation to pre-work place briefings, some programs run a series of lectures to support students and provide information that will assist them once theyare in a placement, a few programs just run a one-off briefing session and several

program have no briefing or information for students prior to them undertaking a

work placement. This variance was also evident in the role that is played by theworkplace supervisor. Some programs have the workplace supervisor playing asupervisory role, some are responsible for providing one-off or on-going feedback,some programs require the workplace supervisor to act as a mentor, while othersrequire the workplace supervisor to assess the student against a number of criteria.

Not all workplace supervisors are required to write a report on each student. Thegreatest concerns for those who completed the audit were: the need to provide visibleuniversity support for work placements; the need to work closely with workplacesupervisors to ensure the best experience for students and the associated difficulties of getting workplace supervisors together; the problem of getting the best feedback for students in relation to skills demonstrated while on the work placement; meetingaccommodation costs in rural areas and managing the placement process for largenumbers of students.

Finding placements was identified as the greatest issue of concern for university-


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week for 6 weeks or so and was exhausted; I didnt think I got as much out of myPlacement as I could have because of this. [We] should have [been] given an option

to only work 3 days per week for 3 months.

Students are often keen to secure a Placement in a legal office where they wouldultimately like to work. Many students have very fixed ideas about the type of work they would like to do and the area of law in which they would like to practice. Thesestudents will seek a Placement which matches their ideas about their future. However,it is of concern that this component of the practicum is sometimes seen as little morethan a six-week job interview, with an emphasis on potential permanent futureemployment overshadowing the learning of important practical legal skills.

4.2 Rural Education

John Halsey, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Education Forum of Australia, inthe November 2006 edition of Country Education Matters, echoes the lament of other

practicum placement coordinators in citing the cost constraints of undertaking practicum in rural and remote placements. Not only do teaching students need to seek country placements, as the majority of job opportunities for graduates are in countrylocations, but also a significant number of Nursing & Midwifery students and CulturalTourism students are placed in rural and remote areas of Australia.

The pre-service country teaching placement research done by REFA shows that thereare five main costs that have to be met by students who take a country placement.They are the cost of travel to and from a placement, the cost of accommodation and


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placed in interstate schools and in overseas schools. An initiative of the School of Education has been to develop over the past three years a network of University

Liaison personnel throughout the metropolitan area and in the major country centres,including the South East, the Lower Eyre Peninsula, the Iron Triangle, The Mid North, the Riverland and the Yorke Peninsula regions of South Australia. Retired andsemi-retired school principals, deputy principals, teachers and former universityacademic staff are employed on a casual basis to work with university academic staff to liaise directly with schools in the preparation of trainee teachers. University Liaison

personnel attend Professional Learning workshops at Flinders University to gainfirsthand knowledge of university policies and visit schools on a regular basis at timeswhen trainee teachers are in the schools during their teaching practicum. Responsesfrom schools clearly indicate a very high level of satisfaction with this direct form of liaison with the university and teachers value the opportunity to work closely withuniversity personnel.

There is a clear indication from teachers that they place a high value on their own rolein the training of future teachers. Many teachers, in responding to a survey conducted

in March 2005, indicated that trainee teachers need more than the minimum of four weeks in their third year and in their final year and, in fact, there is a strong sense thattrainee teachers should spend 6 to 8 weeks each year in a school. Many teachers seetheir role as a mentor and are especially supportive of the trainee teacher program.

Difficulties arise, however, in the implementation of trainee teacher programs, when acombination of an ageing teaching force, increasing teacher workloads, greater community demands and the closing of schools, reduces the number of places


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Education students prior to the completion of their degree. Overseas trained teachersare required to substantiate the completion of 40 practicum days when applying for

registration to teach in South Australia. New requirement from the TeachersRegistration Board currently being drafted will be 80 practicum days for a 4 year Bachelor of Education degree, 60 days for a 2 year (graduate Entry) degree and 45days for a 1 year degree with a minimum of 4 weeks in one practicum block.

Also of concern, is the decision by the rapidly expanding ABC Learning Centrenetwork to only offer employment to trainee teachers who have completed a courseconducted by the ABC Learning Centres own training establishment and not to offer

practicum places to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Early Childhooddegree.

4.4 Payments for practicum supervision.

In the majority of Work Integrated Learning placements, the agency or placement provider does not receive a payment from the university for placing a student(s), nor do students get paid for the practicum. A few notable exceptions are either very costlyfor the university, or, in some cases, generous for the student(s).

A conservative estimate of the total amount of payment made to both Teachers andRegistered Nurses for supervision would be in the order of $1.2 million per year.

In addition, sessional staff are paid to supervise students and general staff are paid toadminister sessional staff contracts and process payment claims from supervisors.


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The current practice for administering this payment requires the School of Education practicum placement staff to perform the following:

1. The teacher(s) and school coordinator in each school downloads a claim formfrom the DECS website, or in the case of Independent Schools, obtain a claimform from the Teaching Experience office.

2. The completed claim is sent to the School of Education Teaching ExperienceCentre for a general staff member to process and check.

3. The processed claim is sent to DECS who then pay the teacher(s) and schoolcoordinator. For Independent Schools the processed claim is sent to theFlinders University Payroll office for payment.

4. DECS invoice the faculty of EHLT for the payment made to the teacher(s) andschool coordinator and appear to add their oncosts.

5. The DECS invoice is returned to the School of Education Finance Officer for verification. The placement staff in the Teaching Experience office are usuallyasked to verify the invoice (a repeat of the earlier claim process)

6. Flinders University payroll services seek approval from the EHLT FacultyResource Office for payment.

4.4.2 School of Informatics and Engineering

A common practice worldwide is for engineering firms to pay undergraduateengineering students to undertake Work Integrated Learning placements.

At Flinders University, engineering students apply to the firm(s) of their choice as if they were applying for a position of employment and must


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equates to a total of fifty-one days. This costs each student $26.69 per day, or $133 per week. The six week Placement costs just over $800.

A few students actually receive some remuneration from their placement providers, but most do not.

4.4.4 School of Nursing & Midwifery

For the block placements in 1st semester for 2nd and 3rd year students, theSchool of Nursing & Midwifery pays 2 hours per student per week over theduration of the placement (usually 4 weeks for 2nd year and 5 weeks for 3rd

year) at a rate of $43.13 per hour (going up to $43.99 on 7th July) . This isalso the case for 2nd semester 2nd years. The 2nd semester 3rd years studentsare facilitated for a total of 10 hours at the same rate.

The School of Nursing & Midwifery has DEU's (Dedicated Education Units)in many venues and have DEU liaison nurses who facilitate the students atward level. The School of Nursing & Midwifery pays them the differencefrom their substantive rank to that of a Clinical Nurse level 2 year 1. Thiscould be as little as 90c per hour and up to $5.00 per hour per 8 hour shift for the 4 days per week for the duration of the clinical placement (usually over 12- 13 weeks, where 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students are placed in the same venueand ward). The facilitator, depending on the size of the ward, is paid from 6 -12 hours per week at the rate of $43.13.

The claims for payment by nursing staff are processed by the same general


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4.6 Health and Counselling Services

Practicum/Clinical Placement issues identified by Health and Counselling Servicescounsellors.

4.6.1 Students Need close mentoring relationship with university staff about professional

issues including more frequent visits from Uni staff while on practicum/clinical placement. (Challenges I had and things I learned on myown clinical/prac placements)

Students need information on how to deal with practicum/clinical placementfeedback constructively

Need practical self management strategies for the workplace setting Rules regarding no part time practicum/clinical placements are discriminatory

and may contravene Disability Discrimination Legislation. Many students are working in part-time jobs. It is very difficult for these

students during practicum/clinical placements as they either can not work (and

financially struggle) or if they fit work in around placement and have no sparetime. This is especially difficult for practicum/clinical placements which are of more of a block nature than just 1-2 days per week.

Juggling practicum/clinical placements and academic work is very difficult(e.g. nursing block clinical placement right before and during exams)

If students havent finished work prior to practicum/clinical placements thenextra long extensions may be required (e.g. education have policy of studentsfocussing only on prac and not on other uni assignments, and so will grant


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4.7 Placement issues for International Students

The International Student Adviser, the AusAID Liaison Officer and the Coordinator in the International Student Services Unit (ISSU) see students with placement issuesin their daily work with international students. The following comments are based onobservations and students self-reporting of their difficulties, which cannot besubstantiated statistically.

The predominant issue centres on English language competency. Students who meetthe English language requirements for degree entry do not necessarily have the

course-specific language skills for both their studies and their placement. Whenstudents come from countries where English is frequently used (either as a languageof instruction or in frequent use as an official language), their level of preparednessfor placement does not seem to be such a major issue. For example, students fromSingapore and India appear to have less difficulty than students from China and HongKong. However, they all require a period of adjustment to the Australian idiom(accent and slang). This is particularly an issue in clinical placement situations asstudents sometimes struggle to understand patients / clients who are feeling unwell or

stressed by their circumstances and who perhaps speak either quickly or with a strongaccent. Clients also struggle to understand international students accents, and thisfactor is beyond the control of the student or other staff at the placement.

Some students have reported that they face reluctance from clients who do not want todeal with them, and it is possible that this is linked to their culturally and linguisticallydiverse backgrounds.


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Both academic and clinical supervisors need to be resourced and preparedthrough ongoing professional development to be able to meet the different

requirements, in terms of time commitment and cultural awareness, that can beinvolved in dealing with international students.ISSU propose that the University make a commitment to develop minimumstandards in terms of preparation of students before going on placements,which need to be resourced and be made part of the normal curriculum in thedifferent areas. These standards could be developed through a working partyincluding academic and clinical/school supervisory staff, students, and staff from support areas such as Health and Counselling, Student Advocacy andISSU.

It is also important to not only offer this kind of preparation to students beforetheir first WILP, but before every WILP they undertake, as the requirementsand expectations increase. It is important to practise client contact and thework expected of students on campus before they commence their placements.This is already occurring in many cases, for example through role-plays with

other students. However, as it is important to create a 'real life experience' asmuch as possible before commencing a WILP, it might be useful to practiseclinical skills with volunteers who are not involved in the program.

4.7.5 When international students fail Work Integrated Learning Programs

The University needs to ensure that the pre-acceptance information given tointernational students outlines the possible visa and course completion


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Reports in some programs (especially post-registration placements such asCritical care, midwifery and nursing) that students are unfamiliar with

Australian clinical equipment.

4.7.7 Cross cultural communication

International students need more time to become accustomed to placementsettings and this is a joint factor of the level of preparation of externalworkplace staff members who are involved in providing supervision andteaching and the preparation undertaken by students.

Nutrition and Dietetics and Speech Pathology provide in-service training for supervisors, but we are not sure how widespread this is in programs with

placements. It would therefore appear that there is no standardised training or information provided to staff who provide supervision within the placements.Given that we also understand that there is no payment to the placement

providers, there is a question of how you mandate training for supervisorynon-university staff in external workplaces.

The reverse of that question is do international students have sufficient background information about the cultural context in which they are expectedto operate? For example:

What is appropriate to talk about with staff and patients? Body Language and personal space.


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The School of Nursing & Midwifery has 1.7 FTE at HEO3 and HEO5 to managesome 3,000 clinical placements for around 1,500 students.

The School of Social Administration and Social Work has 3.6 HEO8 staff to manage230 placements per year, including worksite liaison and visits, preparation of allplacement guideline material and general management of practicum programs.

The School of Education has one 0.4 casual HEO4, one 0.8 HEO4, one 0.8 HEO5 placement staff and one 0.5 HEO7 Teaching Experience Coordinator, who is the topiccoordinator for 15 practicum topics and who, at the time of this audit, Prepares alecture program for the teaching practicum program, prepares and presents lectures,invites academic and specialists in related fields of study to provide lectures,represents the School of Education at national conferences and prepare speeches,reports and papers as a principal author to influence an audience of criticalimportance to the School of Education teaching experience program to place 930students annually.

Note: The School of Education 0.5 HEO7 Teaching Experience Coordinator positionhas recently been redefined by an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) and isnow described as Manager: Teaching Experience Programs, with conditions andpayment equivalent to Lecturer B/HEO8.

Recommendation 7: Develop consistent Position Descriptions and classifications for general staff who manage or administer WIL practicum placements


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Recommendation 10: Assist AOU/s, faculties and course providers to determine the adequate resourcing of WIL program

New Practicum Administrator software

After eighteen months of negotiation, the School of Education is now triallingsoftware developed by the University of Wollongong for the administration of

practicum placements.

Enrolment data from Student One is supplied to the Practicum Administrator software

to update records according to a pre-determined frequency and thus avoid the placingof students who have not enrolled.

The software manages school information, manages the number of places offered byindividual schools, allows placement staff to allocate places according to a randomselection algorithm, generates broadcast emails to academic staff, students and school

personnel, allows students to select preferences from a map showing all schooldistricts in South Australia, generates At Risk reports from schools and willultimately provide significant administrative timesaving and flexibility over thecurrent paper-based placement system.

The University of Wollongong is currently developing new versions of practicumadministration software for their schools of nursing, medicine and Law and there is achance they could have programs suitable for trail at Flinders early in 2008.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery placement staff are especially keen to have


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5 PRACTICUM AUDIT SUMMARY

5.1 Selection of Responses by Coordinators of WIL programs to Questions asked in the survey

5.1.1 Do university staff go out to the agencies?

Most contact is done via telephone. Visits by academic staff as required but do

not occur for all students. Academic staff are involved heavily in the planningand monitoring of placement and also in troubleshooting. Meetings with allstudents on placement weekly whilst on placement. All management issues arethe responsibility of the academic coordinator. (Medicine)

Clinical Education Group consisting of core academic and clinical staff provide leadership planning and support to Clinical Education (SpeechPathology)

Placement staff from the Teaching Experience Centre contact each school viaeither phone fax or email to ascertain the availability of places. This exerciseis especially time consuming and can cause a degree of frustration for thestaff. School personnel are busy and often difficult to contact during teachinghours. Unfortunately the same personnel are often not available after hours.

In many instances it can take 5, or 6, or even more phone calls or emails toestablish a reply to our request. Students comment that they also experience a


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single continuous period (2.5 weeks) between December of one year and February of the following year. This is done in order to experience as many

day-to-day aspects of that aquaculture venture as possible. Placements should be undertaken at commercial aquaculture operations where these exist for a particular species. Each Student is expected to: gain first-hand experience of the primary issues and constraints in the aquaculture industry; demonstrateskills and knowledge in practical aspects of aquaculture operations tocomplement and contextualise the information they have received in lectures

practicals and from their readings; develop relationships with practisingaquaculturists who will be valuable contacts and/or referees for the Student;identify critical biological water quality technological and marketing issuesthat constrain or enhance production; demonstrate competency and safeworking practice in the workplace. (Biological Science)

Required for registration. The approved teacher education program must include a practical student teaching component undertaken at a school or pre-school. Practicum is a critically important part of teacher education courses

and is consistently highly valued by student teachers. (Teaching Practicum) Expose students to environmental management in the work place. The placement provides opportunities for students to synthesize undergraduatelearning and develop planning scheduling reporting skills. (Social Sciences)

Placements provide valuable workforce training that is not possible fromtextbooks. Students are often offered employment from the placement.


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information will be made outside that which is absolutely necessary for theadministration of the Students progress in their course. The Industrial

Placement Assessment of this topic is by two written reports: the first is a pre-Placement report on the status of the particular industry sector; the second isa post-Placement report on scientific and technological aspects of thePlacement Providers operations. The second report must identify any

possible changes that will lead to improvements such as husbandry practicesand/or profitability. These reports are marked according to normal University

policy. But due to the diverse nature of the placement activities this topic willbe graded as Non-grade pass or fail. In order to pass the topic each student needs to submit the following forms or documents for evaluation: Industrysupervisor evaluation for student, Student evaluation for placement

provider(s), Pre-Placement report, Post-Placement report part 1, Post-Placement report part 2, (Biological Sciences)

Four page report covering aspects of Relationships/Professional qualities,Programming and Planning, Links between how students learn and teaching

methodologies, Managing the Learning Environment, Curriculum Knowledge, Assessment and Reporting, compiled by supervising teacher with theassistance of the university liaison. (Education)

5.1.6 Issues and Risks

A number of International students have a lack of verbal language skills eventhough they have satisfied the universities entry requirements. The same


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are seeking to establish accreditation for this training as well. (SpecialEducation, Singapore Program)

There are some risks as some students go into remote regions. The practicum providers are required to brief all students on local health and safetyissues/requirements . (Biological Sciences)

Students are placed in schools according to requests for placement. School principals or coordinators allocate students to teachers. Some compatibilityissues emerge over time and need to be resolved. Students report on occasionsthat they have been left with the whole class while the teacher was called away

for some other purpose. While students often enjoy the chance to have theclass on their own it can place them at risk. Instances have been recorded of university students being asked to transport school students to sporting eventsor excursions in their own vehicles. Again this places our student at risk and students have been advised to not place themselves in a situation where theymay be compromised. (Teaching Practicum)

There are a range of risks: students struggle with serious case loads; student fails on placement; students have difficulty dealing with the psychologicaltrauma of particular cases; students don't know how to leave the problems of their clients at work; students trying to do too much for their clients. Field supervisors expecting too much of clinical students; field supervisors givingclinical students a lot of non clinical activities. (Clinical Psychology)


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"left out" in the general generic nature of lectures for practicum. Preparation for teaching topics offered in previous years under the "old" degree structure

are no longer offered with the "new" combined degree and students haveindicated frustration at being under prepared for the practicum. (Education)

5.1.8 Liaison with other universities

UPAC (University Placement Allocation Committee) is a crucial part of our functioning and has been operating for about seven years. Most of the work done with the clinical community (e.g. Supervisor Workshops) is done in

cooperation with the other two universities in Adelaide. UPAC has been of tremendous assistance and cooperation with the other two universities hasbeen excellent. (Clinical Psychology)

When students require placements outside of South Australia liaison withother universities takes place. For example some students wish to do

placements interstate or must do so if they relocate before completing their degree. We also have a few students who do placements overseas. In thesecases field coordinators liaise with other universities for assistance inidentifying organising and monitoring placements. Our School also assistssome interstate universities who have social work students doing placementsin SA. We also liaise considerably with the home universities of students whocome from overseas to do a placement in SA. This involves universities in theUS Canada Sweden Norway Germany. (Social Work)


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Services (DECS) rating system is changing in 2007 but not to an extent that student concerns will be allayed. The teaching experience program for

Bachelor of Education students at Flinders enables all students to meet thenecessary requirements for teacher registration with the South AustralianTeachers Registration Board. Individual employers including the independent schools, Catholic schools and DECS have their own individual employment requirements including the DECS rating system. While every effort is made toensure student teachers are placed in schools so that they can gainappropriate DECS ratings, the scarcity of places available causes restrictions.

Discussions with DECS recruitment personnel have resulted in more flexibilityof placements. (Teaching Practicum)

In our program, the practicums are conceptualised very much as educationexperiences as compared to work experiences. Agency-based staff are called

field educators with their role seen as centering around an interactiveeducational process with the student. Assessment of students is constructed around clear educational goals and standards with a strong emphasis onreflective learning. Field educators provided with twice-yearly opportunitiesto attend educational sessions about field education and supervision. Thesesessions presented by our field coordinators focus on the teaching and learning process and ways of contributing effectively to student learning about

practice. (Social Work)

Limited English as a Second Language (ESL) practicum places available inmetropolitan Adelaide especially when competing with B.Ed. student


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6 CONCLUSION

The 1999 audit identified that the coordination of practicum or Work-based Learning programs attracted very few advantages for the incumbent, was considered to be verydemanding in time and contributed little to individual career advancement.

In the ten years since there has been a significant shift towards the acknowledgmentof the value of WEI and WIL programs and the importance of incorporating WIL into

courses and programs of study.In particular, an especially successful University-wide, generic online PracticumPreparation Program, supported via the web, was developed.

The Working to Learn: Practicum Preparation Online program developed by the Staff Development & Training Unit at Flinders University with funding support from theCommonwealth Government under the Higher Education Innovation Program (HEIP),

is outstanding in its presentation of essential practicum preparation material for students.

The license for Working to Learn: Practicum Preparation Online has since been soldto a number of other South Australian and Australian universities, including, theUniversity of South Australia and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

This Practicum Audit has identified the need for further research review and


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7 PRACTICUM AUDIT 2007 RECOMMENDATIONS: SUMMARY

Recommendation 1: The terminology used at Flinders University used to describestudent placement programs should be changed from Work-based learning to Work Integrated Learning.

Recommendation 2: Academic Organisation Units (AOU) to examine and pursue

innovative means for encouraging higher levels of participation and engagement byindustry partners in WIL programs.

Recommendation 3: AOU/s, Heads of Schools and course Topic Coordinators to promote and market Flinders University WIL programs to business and the wider community to secure more places for students.

Recommendation 4: Undertake further research to identify current practice by AOU/s

and schools for allocating workload for staff involved with courses providing WILand develop advice regarding a possible framework for policy and planning.

Recommendation 5: Provide advice for the development of a university wide Work Integrated Learning Policy with clear recommendations for implementation.

Recommendation 6: Schools and course coordinators examine ways and means for encouraging and assisting students to undertake WIL in country rural and remote


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9 APPENDICES

9.1 Appendix A

Email letter sent to all topic coordinators and Heads of schools and departments.

Subject: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)_Practicum Audit

Dear < >

RE: Practicum Audit, 2007

Heads of Schools, topic coordinators and/or administrators of all field experience, industry placement,clinical placement and practicum programs are asked to supply and update data relating to all fieldexperience, industry placement, clinical placement and practicum programs currently being undertakenin any manner by Flinders University students.

It is an objective of Flinders "to expand professional placement in city, rural and regional areas withinAustralia and Internationally".

Quality assurance processes for practicum differ across faculties, with some having a practicum or fieldoffice (such as EHLT) and others relying on academic and clinical staff arrangements (such as HS).

The Australian Universities' Quality Agency (AUQA) report of the Audit of Flinders Universityrecommends that Flinders strengthen systems to monitor and evaluate student practicums and

placements and ensure consistent implementation of processes to manage these activities across theUniversity


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15. Do you feel you have developed each of the following attributes during your work-integratedlearning placement?

Stronglyagree

Undecided Stronglydisagree

N/A 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

a) Interpersonal communication skills

b) Self confidence

c) Independent judgement

d) Skills to apply theoretical knowledge

e) Professional rigour

f) A desire to continue in this field

10.1.1 Open ended

1. Location of Work-Integrated Learning (Practicum) placement

.

2. Duration of the Work-Integrated Learning (Practicum) experience (total number of hours)

.

3. What were the best aspects of your Work-Integrated Learning (Practicum) experience,


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APPENDIX C

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY: Policy on Student Placement(Fitness to undertake placements)POLICY : Placement providers may establish, in consultation with the University,requirements for students to demonstrate fitness to undertake placements. Theserequirements may include health or other checks or a self declaration as to their fitness to undertake the placement. Any such checks or declarations must be accepted

by the University as reasonable and then must be: applicable to all students involved in such placements; and related to the requirements of the duties or functions to be carried out in the

placement; and consistent with University policy and Commonwealth and State Government

legislation relating to equal opportunity and discrimination.

A student who cannot demonstrate fitness to undertake the placement or who refusesto undertake a required check or make a self declaration may be refused placement.Where there is a pre-existing medical or other condition such that the ability to

practice may be impaired, the student will discuss the issues with the topiccoordinator so that where possible reasonable accommodations, an access plan or amodified placement that will meet the learning outcomes of the topic can be arranged.The student may wish to discuss the issues with the Disability Liaison Officer in the


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11.1.6 Training and other issuesAre there any other issues you want to record in relationto the field placement program for which you areresponsible?

11.1.7 Case StudiesPlease record any specific case studies that may be ofinterest to other practicum administrators

11.1.8 Limitations, Challenges and ProblemsPlease list any limitations, challenges and problemsassociated with the practicum program.


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TOPIC CODE SCHOOL FACULTY SUBJECT AREA TITLE TOPIC COORDINATOR EMAIL

Pathophysiology of the


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HLTH2203Pathophysiology of theRespiratory system

HLTH3003 Medicine Health SciencesHealth workp lacemenn t Heal th Work P lacemen t Caro l Grb ich caro l.grbich@f linders .edu.au

HLTH3202 SOM Hea lth Sciences Paramedic S tudies Pathophys io logy o f Body Systems Tim Pointon t imothy.pointon@f linders .edu.au

HLTH3204 Applied PharmacologyHLTH3206 Applied Paramedic PracticeHLTH8206 Remote Allied Health in Practice

JUSS 3001 Humanities Health SciencesBachelor of Justiceand Society

Workplace practicum in Justiceand Society Mary McKenna [email protected]

LLAW4045 Community Legal Practice Rachel Spencer

LLAW5901 Law EHLTPractical LegalTraining

Legal Practice Management[Placement] Rachel Spencer [email protected]

MHSC8003a Medicine Health Sciences Mental Health Clinical Case Management Angus Forbes [email protected] Medicine Health Sciences Mental Health Clinical Case Management Angus Forbes [email protected] Medicine Health Sciences Mental Health Clinical Case Management Angus Forbes [email protected] Medicine Health Sciences Mental Health Clinical Case Management Angus Forbes [email protected]

MIDW1002 Nursing & Midwifery Health Sciences Nursing & Midwifery Managing midwifery pract ice Heather James [email protected]

MIDW 2004 Nursing & Midwifery Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Complexit ies of Midwifrey Pract ice Jen Byrne [email protected]

MIDW3005 Nursing & Midwifery Health Sciences Nursing & Midwifery Managing midwifery pract ice 2 Heather James [email protected] Medicine Healt h Sciences Medicine Surgery Doctor and Pat ient 1A&B Anna Vnuk [email protected] Medicine Healt h Sciences Medicine Surgery Doctor & Patient 3A&B Dr Julie Ash [email protected]

MMED8401AB Medicine Healt h Sciences Medicine Surgery Clinical Perf orm ance A/B Michael Shanahan. . .

[email protected]

MMED8460 Medicine Healt h Sciences Medicine Surgery Elective 1&2 Dr Michael Shanahan m ichael. [email protected]

NURS 3615 Nursing & Midwifery Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery

Response and challenge to bodyintegrity 2 Karen Wotton [email protected]

NURS1101 Clinical Experience Anita De Bellis

NURS1105 Nursing & Midwifery Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwi fery Nurs ing Prac ti ce 2 Ai lsa n 'ha Win if reyda nhaw0001@flinders .edu .au

NURS2407 Nursing & Midwifery Healt h Sciences Nursing Nursing Practice 3 Ailsa N' Ha Winifreyda [email protected] Nursing & Midwifery Health Sciences Nursing Nursing Practice 4 Alison Hutton [email protected]

NURS2803 Nursing & Midwifery Health Sciences Nursing Intor to Nursing Practice K EdgecombeNURS3400 Nursing & Midwifery Health Sciences Nursing Nursing Practice 5 Didy Button [email protected]

Nurs3435 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Nursing Practice 5 Didy Button [email protected]

NURS3436 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Nursing Praxis Moira Kelton [email protected]

NURS3731 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Ment al Health Nursing 1 Bill Costain [email protected]

TOPIC CODE SCHOOL FACULTY SUBJECT AREA TITLE TOPIC COORDINATOR EMAILNursing and


72/91

NURS3732 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Ment al Health Nursing 2 Jan Thom pson [email protected]

NURS8121 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Community Clinical 1 Jenny Donovan [email protected]

NURS8122 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Community Clinical 2 Jenny Donovan [email protected]

NURS8621 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Critical Care 2 Di Chamberlain [email protected]

NURS8732 Nursing & Midwifrey Healt h SciencesNursing andMidwifery Diabetes Practicum Meri King [email protected]

NUTD 7002Professional Practice in Nutritionand Dietetics

NUTD4004AB Medicine Health SciencesNutrition andDietetics

Professional Practice in Nutritionand Dietetics Kaye Mehta [email protected]

NUTD9211AB Medicine Health SciencesNutrition andDietetics Nutrition Care Practice 1 Kaye Mehta [email protected]

PALL8405 Medicine Health Sciences Palliative Care Practicum Katrina Breaden [email protected] Political and Int Studies Social Sciences Politics Parliam entary Internship Haydon Manning [email protected] Psychology Social Sciences Psychology Work Experience A and B Robyn Young [email protected]

PSYC9041 Psychology Social Sciences Clinical PsychologyPracticum A (there is alsoPracticum B and C) Robert Lynd-Stevenson [email protected]

REHB8010 Medic ine Hea lth Sciences Rehabi li ta tion Cl in ical Rehabi lit at ion p rac ti ce Ju lie Hard ing juli e.ha rding@f linders .edu.auSCRN3075 humanities EHLT screen industries Practicum in Screen Studies Karen Vered [email protected]

SCRN7075

Practicum in Screen Studies and

Screen Industries Karen Vered

SOAD3100BSocial Administration &Social Work Social Sciences Social work Field Education 1: part 2 Michael Bull [email protected]

SOAD4200Social Administration &Social Work Social Sciences Social work Field Education 2B Michael Bull [email protected]

SOAD7005Social Administration &Social Work Social Sciences S ocial work Field Education (Hons) Michael Bull [email protected]

practicum audit report 2007

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