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Science WIL placement courses: assessment and classes

WIL courses are so much more that the work placement itself! You'll also improve your career readiness through coursework and assessments that integrate the theory of academic learning with its application in the workplace. This information covers how your WIL Placement courses are assessed and opportunities for connecting with peers who are also undertaking a work placement. 

Please note that WIL Placement courses in the Faculty of Science are graded on a satisfactory/fail basis. You’ll receive either satisfactory or fail grading upon completion.

Workshops

Students will attend 3 online workshops over the course of their work placement. This will allow you to share your experience and connect with other students undertaking a WIL placement in the Faculty of Science. Workshops activities will include group discussions, reflective practice exercises and impromptu presentations.

Online workshops are held during Weeks 2, 5 and 10 of each term, on Wednesdays at 6pm - 7:30pm. 

Assessment

1. Work Placement Preparation 30%

This assessment prepares you for your placement and covers key professional workplace skills.

Placement Plan (15%) Due Week 1 of placement

Goal setting and professional development plan for the placement. Using a template and in collaboration with your workplace supervisor, you will clarify the main goals and activities of the placement and identify key technical and transferrable skills that can be developed during the placement experience. These skills should align with your graduate career aspirations.

WIL Modules (15%). Due end of Week 3

Online WIL modules of 90-120 minute duration. One School (discipline-specific) module, plus a selection of professional development modules as chosen by you from the collection of modules provided. You will be assessed via a summative quiz at the end of each module. The number of modules you need to do is dependent on the WIL enrolment pattern you are completing. 

2. Placement e-Portfolio 50%

Through self-evaluation, you'll create an e-portfolio to showcase what you’re learning, and how you’ve developed as a professional through this experience. This e-portfolio will have a minimum number of posts during the placement and final posts after you complete the placement. 

Fortnightly Submissions (25%)

Guided reflective professional development-related posts throughout the term (250-300 words each). Prompt questions will guide students to reflect on: how they are utilising skills and knowledge derived from their Science courses in the workplace; the skills and attributes identified as development goals; challenges and successes encountered during the placement. 

Final Submissions (x2) (25%)

Final Post (Reflection) due end of placement: 1000-word post on how successful the student was in achieving the course learning outcomes during the placement and how this helped them to a) achieve their placement goals and b) support their graduate career goals. Students must address at least one concept from each of the online WIL Modules they completed, as well as include discussion of how they employed skills and knowledge derived from their other coursework in their Program.

Final Post (Showcase) due end of placement: Opportunity for students to showcase the work they undertook during the placement. Given the variety of placement experiences possible, the nature of this post is dependent upon the individual placement experience. For students undertaking project work, they may include copies of a report, presentation, data sets or other deliverables they produced.  For students shadowing staff or undertaking ad-hoc duties throughout the placement, they will identify (with input from their placement supervisor) three key tasks that they are particularly proud of/performed to a high standard in their portfolio ‘showcase’.  In either situation, students will be required to discuss feedback they received on their showcased items and consider what they did well and what they could improve upon. This discussion should amount to 1000-words.

3. Supervisor Report on Student Professionalism 20%

Placement supervisors will be asked to assess your professionalism at the end of the placement and provide feedback to the course coordinator. You must receive a satisfactory report from the workplace supervisor to satisfactorily complete the course.

Assessments and classes according to enrolment options

Find out more

If you have any questions about the assessment process, contact our Science Industry team.