The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics: - Higher Education ...

The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics
complete a self-assessment essay which recounts each student’s personal
development while on work placement. At the midway point of each work
placement, staff of the Department of Government, known as academic
supervisors for the purpose of work placement, meet with students and
their work-placement supervisors to assess how the placement is
proceeding (each staff member is assigned six students to visit). This is
called a three-way meeting. The positives are celebrated and praised. The
negatives are addressed. At the end of the work placement, each workplacement
supervisor completes a ‘student performance appraisal’ of their
student. The supervisor and student meet to discuss this document.
Students are assessed on a number of competences: attendance,
dependability, punctuality, job knowledge, quality of work, quantity of
work, versatility, initiative, application, cooperation, attitude and
independent judgement.
While students are on work placement, the work-placement
manager maintains regular contact with workplace organisations to assess
the progress of placements. The manager will also stay in contact with
students and their academic supervisors to monitor the overall well-being
of students.
The third and final stage begins with the students’ return to
university (at the beginning of their final year). Each student must make a
fifteen-minute presentation about their work-placement experience,
themed ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ of work placement. Following
this, students are debriefed on their work-placement experience. Students
are asked to give their views on the following questions:
1. How did you envision your work-placement experience?
2. Were your expectations met?
3. What was the highlight of your work placement experience?
4. What insight into the organisation/sector did you gain from the
work placement?
5. Is there anything you would have changed about your work
placement?
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