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Work Integrated Learning (HE) Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure supports implementation of the Melbourne Polytechnic Work Integrated Learning (Higher Education) Policy. The process defined in this procedure supports the planning, design, initiation, monitoring, support and assessment of work integrated learning (WIL) experiences to ensure that they are:

  1. Safe
  2. Inclusive, equitable and accessible
  3. Authentic and quality-assured
  4. Aligned with defined curriculum requirements
  5. Aligned with industry accreditation requirements
  6. Assessable.

(2) Unless a requirement is noted as mandatory, this procedure is intended to guide decision-making rather than imposing strict conditions. The procedure should be applied flexibly, taking the specific circumstances of the student, the WIL partner, and the overall learning objectives of the WIL experience into account.

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Section 2 - Definitions

(3) For the purpose of this procedure the following definitions apply:

  1. Subject Coordinator:  A Melbourne Polytechnic academic staff member who is responsible for conducting and monitoring the student’s academic performance. In some disciplines the roles of placement coordinator and subject coordinator may be combined.
  2. Placement Provider (PP): Workplace providing work integrated learning practical placement learning environment to MP student(s).
  3. Placement Provider Supervisor (PPS): The key contact person employed by the Placement Provider organisation who will act or organise appropriate supervision for the University student during the WILP arrangement.
  4. Work Integrated Learning (HE) Student Agreement Student Placement Contract: is the contract between Melbourne Polytechnic and students capturing required information, including personal student information for the placement, and students’ rights and responsibilities while on placement. Historically this agreement may be termed Student Placement Contract.
  5. White Card: It is a mandatory legal requirement that all students and MP employees have completed a general construction induction courses before they can legally visit a construction site.  Staff and Students must present their White Card to the named representative before entering a construction site. 
  6. WIL Coordinator: The Melbourne Polytechnic staff member who has responsibility for coordinating placement activities for a course.
  7. Work Integrated Learning (WIL): Immerses a student in a workplace related to their course, discipline or career goals. WIL also referred to as placements, applies class-based learning to structured and supported workplace activities and provides opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and be provided with timely feedback on their performance.
  8. Work Integrated Learning Placement (WILP): An assessable component of a program, designed to provide students with the opportunity, and the means, to apply skills and knowledge obtained through the study of their qualification in a supervised and authentic environment. Examples include: internships, placements, volunteer roles, employment relationships and industry-based or community-based projects, as well as simulated, virtual and experiential learning.
  9. Work Integrated Learning (HE) Placement Agreement: A written agreement between Melbourne Polytechnic and an appropriate employer and a student. It includes work observation and other forms of workplace learning. This also includes Teaching Professional Placements, Professional Experience and Industry Placement.
  10. Working with Children Check (WWCC): A Victorian Government screening process, for assessing or re-assessing people who work with or care for children in Victoria.
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Section 3 - Procedure

(4) Not all WIL experiences will require detailed planning – for example, where a WIL placement is based on previous course requirements and arrangements. However, appropriate levels of input from curriculum designers, teaching staff, the student and the WIL partner should be sought at each stage of the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and assessment of WIL experiences, especially when they are newly-established.

(5) The following procedure includes five (5) key steps, each supported by a checklist to support decision-making at each stage of the design, planning and management of the WIL experience.

(6) The steps are outlined in detail in Sections (Stages) 3.1 - 3.5:

Stages
Sections 3.1 - 3.5 Overview
Responsibilities
3.1
Identify or review learning outcomes and requirements
MP Staff (a – e )
Student (a)
3.2
Identify WIL approach and options
MP Staff (a - e)
Student (a)
WIL Partner (d)
3.3
Evaluate quality & assess risk of a proposed WIL experience
MP Staff (a - e)
Student (d, e)
WIL Partner (d)
3.4
Co-design the WIL experience
MP Staff (a – d)
Student (a - c)
3.5
Define support, monitoring, assessment and evaluation approach
MP Staff (a – f)
Student (b, d)
WIL Partner (d)

 Identify or Review Learning Outcomes and Requirements

(7) This step in the procedure is used to define or review learning outcomes and requirements where:

  1. A new WIL subject of study is being designed
  2. A proposed WIL experience is being evaluated against existing learning requirements.

(8) This step is used by curriculum design staff when designing a new WIL course. New WIL courses require review and approval by the Director Curriculum Unit and Head of Program. This step is also used by teaching staff to ensure that proposed WIL experiences are aligned and integrated with curriculum requirements.

(9) Refer to clauses 16-23 of the Melbourne Polytechnic Work Integrated Learning (HE) Policy for definitions of authentic learning and assessment approaches that support the development of ‘practitioner’ skills, behaviours and attributes.

3.1 Task
Responsibility
Notes
a. Identify/Review course learning outcomes
Head of Program /Course Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Review and confirm practice-based course-level learning outcomes that the WIL experience is required to support.
b. Identify/Review course accreditation (WIL) requirements
Head of Program /Course Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Quality Consultant HE
Check course handbooks to review and confirm any WIL requirements that may be required by an industry accreditation body. This would normally include the required volume of learning and applicable conditions.
c. Identify/Review assessment criteria
Subject Coordinator /Curriculum Designer
Identify/review and confirm assessment criteria for the WIL experience.
d. Define high-level learning plan
Head of Program /
Course Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Define an overall learning strategy that will support course and subject learning outcomes and the required assessment approach, including:
  • Overall learning approach           
  • Required volume of learning (to meet accreditation requirements if applicable)
  • Alignment to AQF level
  • Assessment options/approaches.
Refer to the Melbourne Polytechnic Work Integrated Learning (HE) Policy for definitions of WIL leaning approaches and assessment of ‘practitioner’ skills, behaviours and attributes.
e. Identify delivery requirements
Head of Program /
Course Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Identify teaching and learning requirements:
  • Learning support resources – e.g. methodologies, standards and materials that support development of transferrable professional skills, behaviours and attributes
  • Reflective learning resources – e.g. student journal, portfolio, workbook or logbook
  • Teaching support – i.e. approach to monitoring, support and guidance
  • Role of the WIL partner.

Identify WIL approach and options

(10) This step in the procedure is used to:

  1. Identify future WIL partnerships and opportunities for Melbourne Polytechnic students
  2. Design an appropriate WIL experience for a specific student and/or subject of study

(11) This step is used by the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Coordinator when identifying future WIL opportunities and partners. It is also used by course coordinators and teaching staff when identifying a proposed WIL experience for a student, with advice from the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Coordinator if required.

(12) Undertakings, agreements, or memoranda of understanding establishing WIL arrangements between Melbourne Polytechnic and industry partners must be reviewed and approved by the Director Curriculum Unit and Head of Program.

(13) This step requires consultation with students who have special access or learning requirements.

3.2 Task
Responsibility
Notes
a. Check student access requirements. Identify any special access or requirements. Document a WIL Learning Plan support
WIL Coordinator
Disability Liaison Office (if required)
Student
In reviewing student access to WIL experiences, consider the following supporting Melbourne Polytechnic policies:
b. Identify WIL options
Head of Program / Course Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Disability Liaison Office (if required)
Identify a WIL approach that supports identified learning goals and student access requirements.
Options include:
  • Internship
  • Placement
  • Volunteering role
OR
  • Virtual/remote internship or placement
OR
  • Industry-based or Community-based project
OR
  • An experiential learning approach or approaches.
Experiential (practice-based) learning approaches may include:
  • Major project
  • Supervised practice (e.g. OSCE, studio work, innovation hub)
  • Industry-supervised applied research (fieldwork or participatory action research)
  • Simulated practice (including laboratory, studio, workshop-based, or computer-aided approaches)
  • Design-thinking (e.g. collaborative design of a portfolio of work)
  • Conference or symposium paper or research article (for research-based disciplines).
c. Identify WIL partner options
Director, Industry and Government Partnerships
WIL Coordinator
Identify possible partner(s) to support the intended WIL approach.

 Evaluate quality & risk of a proposed WIL experience

(14) This step in the procedure is used to:

  1. Evaluate quality and risk of future WIL partnerships and opportunities for Melbourne Polytechnic students
  2. Evaluate quality and risk of WIL experiences for a specific student and subject of study.

(15) This step is used by the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Coordinator when evaluating risk and quality of future WIL opportunities and partners. It is also used by course coordinators and teaching staff when evaluating risk and quality of a proposed WIL experience for a student, with advice from the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Coordinator if required.

(16) This step also requires consultation with students who have identified a preferred WIL experience, or who have special access or learning requirements. 

(17) This step is MANDATORY for new WIL partners who have not been previously evaluated by the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL coordinator, the course coordinator or the responsible teaching staff member.

3.3 Task
Responsibility
Notes
a. Identify preferred WIL partner based on outcomes of 3.1 and 3.2
WIL Coordinator
Head of Program / Course Coordinator
Select a preferred WIL partner (based on outcomes of previous steps) and reach an ‘in principle’ agreement between preferred WIL partner, teacher(s) and student.
b. Evaluate WIL partner safety profile and retain a record as per Melbourne Polytechnic Record Management Policy
WIL Coordinator
Subject Coordinator
OHS Manager
Evaluate the safety profile of the intended WIL partner, including:
  • Health status of the student and any reasonable adjustments that may be necessary (note: may require completion of a student medical disclosure form)
  • Risk profile of the site or workplace and any special safety requirements, such as personal and protective equipment (note: may require completion of a formal risk assessment)
  • Provision of workplace health and safety, anti-discrimination, and bullying and harassment prevention policies, training and protections by the WIL partner (mandatory).
Do not proceed where there are significant risks that cannot be eliminated or controlled. Advise WIL partner and identify another option.
c. Evaluate WIL partner alignment to learning plan and retain a record as per Melbourne Polytechnic Record Management Policy
Head of Program / Course Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Evaluate the WIL partner’s ability to support the objective defined in the learning plan (see 3.1 – d.) This includes availability of an appropriate:
  • Role, with varied tasks and functions
  • Supervisor or manager
  • Workspace and work tools (if applicable)
  • Placement within a team environment
  • Administrative support to monitor and evaluate the WIL experience.
Do not proceed where these basic requirements cannot be met. Advise WIL partner and identify another option.
d. Define WIL partner agreement.  Obtain agreement with WIL partner and sign-off process.
Retain a copy of the agreement and attachments.
HE Manager Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Placement Provider - Placement Provider Supervisor
Subject to evaluation of risk and quality meeting required standards, set up an agreement with the Placement Provider (WIL partner) using the standard WIL placement agreement form. This include defining:
  • Note the Melbourne Polytechnic Partnering Framework for how to approach partnership and a guide to effective stakeholder communications.
  • Workplace health and safety, bullying and harassment, and workplace conduct requirements
  • Intellectual property, confidentiality and any other requirements set by the WIL partner
  • Any required permits or certifications (e.g. working with children, first aid)
Obtain sign-off for required agreements as needed.
e. Expectations of WIL defined to students via communications that outline WIL requirements, required documentation,  and any verifications. Retain copy of documentation.
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Define key WIL requirements with the student before the commencement of an approved WIL placement. For example, working with children’s check, police checks, construction induction card (white card) and WIL placement contract in respect to program and industry requirements.
Details of requirements are defined in the Student Placement Handbook and relate to clauses 16-18 of the WIL Policy.

 Co-design the WIL experience

(18) This step in the procedure is used to support detailed design of the WIL experience.

(19) The Melbourne Polytechnic (1) WIL Coordinator and/or the (2) Head of Program or Course Coordinator, will define general standards and design requirements for WIL experiences and communicate these to teaching staff.

(20) Where the WIL experience is based on a previous placement or well-established arrangements, this step may only require confirmation of the intended arrangements between the teacher, student and WIL partner.

(21) When this is not the case, this step must include consultation between the student and the relevant member of teaching staff, and confirmation of the proposed approach with the WIL partner.

3.4 Task
Responsibility
Notes
a. Define workplace learning activities
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Broadly define expected learning activities – for project-based learning, this includes a high-level project plan, including intended locations, timeframes, materials and resources.
b. Schedule key milestones and timelines
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Schedule key milestones or ‘check points’ – for project-based learning, this includes project phases and timelines.
c. Define required inputs and outputs
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Identify and define required inputs, including materials, like a toolset, and required output(s) – this should include all deliverables for project-based learning.
d. Finalise assessment process
Subject Coordinator
Finalise the assessment process, criteria and standards and provide assessment forms to the student and WIL partner.

 Define support, monitoring, assessment and evaluation approach

(22) This step in the procedure is used to ensure that the WIL experience is properly supported, monitored and assessed.

(23) Where the WIL experience is based on a previous placement or well-established arrangements, this step may only require confirmation of the intended approach between the teacher, student and WIL partner. When this is not the case, this step must include consultation between the student and the relevant member of teaching staff, and confirmation of the proposed approach with the WIL partner.

(24) The Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Officer Coordinator and/or the Course Coordinator will define general support, monitoring and assessment requirements for WIL experiences and communicate these to teaching staff.

(25) Outcomes of requirement Task 3.5 – (d.) – ‘Define and conduct a post-WIL experience evaluation’ should be periodically reported to the Melbourne Polytechnic WIL Coordinator and provide to the HECC in summary form.

(26) The HECC should also be informed of specific WIL experiences that have exceptionally negative or positive outcomes.

(27) The HE Director will advise of any process and governance changes that are required on the basis of WIL evaluations to the Executive Director Academic Operations and Director Curriculum Unit.

3.5 Task
Responsibility
Notes
a. Develop support materials (if required)
Curriculum Designer
WIL Coordinator
General Counsel
Develop any support materials required to assist the student through the WIL experience. This may include materials to enable the student to develop and apply:
  • Transferrable skills
  • Behaviours and attributes
  • Reflective practice.
This must include a Student Placement Handbook for each relevant subject. The handbook sets out to define (but is not limited to):
  • Principles of Work Integrated Learning
  • WIL guidelines and program (specific to subject/qualification)
  • WIL Schedules
  • Staff and student roles and responsibilities
  • WIL student preparation and requirements
  • Supervision and assessment structure
  • Availability of services and support
  • Process for at risk students
  • Insurances
Health precautions and safety requirements
This may also include forms, templates, plans and agreements created as an outcome of the WIL design, along with detailing the planning process that will support the WIL experience from an administrative perspective.
b. Define a monitoring and ‘check-in’ approach
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Student
Make arrangements to ensure that there is an appropriate level of monitoring of the WIL experience that supports:
  • Early intervention to resolve issues as, or before, they arise
  • Clear contact points for the student and the WIL Partner to reach relevant teaching staff and/or appropriate Melbourne Polytechnic services
  • An appropriate level of progress checking against the agreed learning plan.
c. Define assessment approach
Subject Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Define a clear assessment approach that supports formative and summative assessment opportunities, including:
  • Formal assessment of course and subject learning outcomes according to defined criteria (e.g. an assessment rubric) by teaching staff
  • Assessment of intended learning outcomes, transferrable professional skills, and expected behaviours and attributes of the student by the WIL partner
  • Student self-assessment via reflective practice – this may include review of notes taken throughout the WIL experience in a diary, journal, logbook, portfolio or other evidence of activities and performance.
d. Define and conduct a post-WIL experience evaluation
Subject Coordinator
WIL Partner
WIL Coordinator
Student
Conduct an ‘exit interview’ or other evaluative process with the student and WIL partner to assess the effectiveness of the specific WIL experience, ‘lessons learnt’ and feasibility of future engagements with the same partner.
Report outcomes to the WIL Coordinator and Course Coordinator. Advise HECC of summary and/or exceptional outcomes of evaluations.
e. Advise HECC of summary and/or exceptional outcomes of evaluations.
WIL Coordinator
Subject Coordinator
Head of Program / Course Coordinator
HE Manager
Develop a report that summarises student / WIL partner feedback including any commendations and recommendations for continuous improvement
f. Review and update WIL resources as part of Continuous Improvement cycle
Subject Coordinator
WIL Coordinator
Curriculum Designer
Review all documentation including templates used by all parties during WIL activities and make updates as needed.
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Section 4 - Supporting Documents and Templates

(28) Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Policy

(29) Work Integrated Learning (HE) Student Agreement

(30) Work Integrated Learning (HE) Partner Agreement

(31) Course Development (HE) Policy

(32) Course Development (HE) Procedure

(33) Assessment (HE) Policy

(34) Assessment (HE) Procedure

(35) Student Code of Conduct Guidelines

(36) Supporting Students with Disabilities Policy

(37) Student Equal Opportunity, Discrimination and Harassment Policy

(38) Staff and Student Diversity and Inclusion Policy

(39) TEQSA Guidance Note: Course Design (including learning outcomes and assessment)

(40) TEQSA Guidance Note: Work Integrated Learning

(41) Melbourne Polytechnic Partnering Framework