Keywords: eportfolios, online reflection, competencies, graduate attributesThe benefits to students of integrated work placements during undergraduate degree programmes are significant, extensive and widely acknowledged. These... [ view full abstract ]
Keywords: eportfolios, online reflection, competencies, graduate attributes
The benefits to students of integrated work placements during undergraduate degree programmes are significant, extensive and widely acknowledged. These placements enable students to develop key skills and competencies – Graduate Attributes – which will enable them to become well-rounded graduates ready to make an impact on society and on the workforce. Structured online reflection spaces can enable students to reflect on their learning during their placement, and to identify and articulate the development of particular technical competencies and graduate attributes. (Sheridan, 2011)
In this study, the eportfolio system Mahara was used to create an online space for undergraduate students in the Schools of Biotechnology and Chemical Sciences in DCU to capture their learning and development during their work placements in third year. Students were provided with a semi-structured learning diary template, which required them to focus on critical events encountered during their placement, document them and reflect on the learning outcomes achieved. (Dean, 2012) The template included a list of suggested topics for their entries, though it was emphasised that students could also reflect on additional topics. Students were required to complete at least 6 diary entries at regular intervals during their placement and to submit these for review via Moodle. The entries themselves were not assessed, but students were provided with formative feedback if requested, and the entries formed the basis of the final work placement report, for which a highly structured template was provided.
Critically, students were provided with a list of technical competencies – compiled by the appropriate programme boards and DCU careers service – and of graduate attributes, which they could use to tag their learning diary entries. On their return to DCU for final year, careers advisors will work with students to use these tags to compile individual tailored portfolios to support their applications for graduate employment opportunities.
Sheridan, I. & Linehan, M. (Eds.) (2011) Work Placement in Third-Level Programmes. CIT Press, Cork, Ireland. ISBN 978-1-906953-07-2.
Dean, B.A., Sykes C., Agostinho, S. & Clements, M. (2012) Reflective assessment in work-integrated learning: to structure or not to structure, that was our question. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 13(2), 103-113.
