What is Placement Learning?
‘Placement Learning is different from work experience; it is a planned period of learning, normally outside of the University, where the learning outcomes are intended as part of student’s degree studies. Credit is not awarded for undertaking work, but for the learning and skills achieved and demonstrated as a result of the experience’ (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2001:4).
Benefits of Placement Learning
Placement Learning allows you to complement your academic studies and gain vocationally relevant, ‘hands-on’ practical experience in relation to your degree. It also provides you with an opportunity to think about your personal and professional development, by identifying your ‘learning gap’ and securing a placement that can help you achieve your short, medium and long term objectives. You are encouraged to reflect on, and critically analyse your experiences of being on placement and use the lessons learnt to contextualise your academic studies, put theory into practice and inform both your studies and future career decisions.
How should I decide where to undertake my placement?
It is important to remember the definition of ‘placement learning’, when thinking about which organisation you would like to secure a placement with.
‘Credit is not awarded for undertaking work, but for the learning and skills achieved and demonstrated as a result of the experience’ (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2001:4).
Ideally your placement should be in a setting that allows you to develop as a learner but also personally and professionally. You should engage with your Personal Development Plan produced as part of your first year module SPOC01 before engaging with Longson’s (1999:28) Action plan to organise work experience. The route specific Placement Outline documents available on LS will give you some ideas of suitable placement settings.
An action plan to organise work experience, Longson (1999:28).
For students undertaking placements as part of their degree programme with the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of St Mark & St John more guidance can be found on LS and from the module staff.
The Inbetweeners provide a great example of what we are trying to avoid …
References:
Longson, S. (1999) Making work experience count: how to get the right work experience and improve your career prospects (2nd ed). Oxford: How to Books Ltd
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2001). Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education. Section 9: Placement learning – July 2001. Gloucester: QAA