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

Work Placement in Political Science
class so I dug out my classnotes and wrote. The boss didn’t
complain and used the memo, so I must have done a good job.
One of the men in the office is very set in his ways and has very
conservative views, the complete opposite to me. To be honest, it
gets on my nerves. However, I’ve learned to understand that he is
coming to the issue from a very different outlook on life than I
have. I think the work-placement classes in which we learned to
understand that people have different sets of experiences and
values and approach problem-solving in a different ways has
helped me to deal with this man.
The section on reflection and self-assessment is very useful for
students when compiling their learning journals. Not all students are
comfortable with the type of teaching involved in these classes. The workplacement
classes incorporate presentations, individual brain-storming
sessions, group work, role plays, games and group discussion. The classes
emphasise the importance of practical skills. The classes can be very
energetic, and a lot is expected of the students in terms of group work,
class discussions, role plays and individual presentations. Some students
are reluctant to get involved in these activities. However, the majority of
students embrace the ethos of the classes and admit to becoming much
more involved as they get comfortable with (1) the practical nature of the
class, (2) the style of teaching and (3) with one another. As a result of the
classes, some students feel a greater sense of confidence in their own
abilities and are more assured about what they want to achieve from work
placement. They are well able to negotiate their own personal learning
outcomes and feel confident enough to express misgivings about their
work placement if they feel their negotiated outcomes are not allowed to
develop.
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