Claire Mc Donnell DIT Fran Pedreschi DIT Engagement with a custom-made online system designed to support undergraduate work placement Claire Mc Donnell DIT Fran Pedreschi DIT

Common work placement issues Students on work placement often complain about a lack of communication and feedback from their academic supervisors. It is difficult to standardise assessment for students on placement.

Case Study BSc Optometry undergraduates 5 month work placement Required documentation: Log book Competencies Case reports Eye test records Contact lens records Dispensing records Supervisors reports

Problems with paper system Limited opportunities for formative feedback. Difficulty getting supervisors to send in monthly reports Loss of work (particularly log book) Delays in receiving students’ work

Solution: online system Original plan: Everything online New plan: dispensing records, competencies and supervisor reports

Details Webapp creating using Google App Script Hosted on Google’s servers Not compatible with Internet Explorer Data stored in Parse online database

Opening Summary Page

Dispensing Record

Record with Feedback

Competencies

Supervisors’ Reports

Engagement: Stakeholders Students External (industry) supervisors Internal (DIT) supervisors

Pilot 2013-14 All students used the system to record some competencies and to submit all ten dispensing records. 16 out of 18 external supervisors graded competencies online and 17 out of 18 delivered their monthly reports via the online system. Only 2 out of 6 DIT supervisors used the system to provide students with feedback.

Changes based on the pilot Changes made to the system: Sign in simplified Marking rubric supplied to DIT supervisors and students DIT supervisors and students started using the system while still in college Email alerts sent to DIT supervisors when their students submitted records Students could now see on their opening page when they had feedback.

Rubric

Second iteration: 2014-15 All students submitted all five dispensing records via the online logbook 14 out of 21 students have completed competencies online All external supervisors have submitted at least one monthly report online 9 out of 21 external supervisors have signed off some competencies online

Second iteration: 2014-15 5 out of 6 DIT supervisors have provided students with feedback via the online system

Lessons learned A home-made system requires a lot of support A pilot is essential before making the use of the system compulsory The majority of students & supervisors (internal & external) expressed a preference for an online system over hard copy

Literature Students like feedback stored electronically in the one place making it easy to retrieve. (Hepplestone et al, 2009) Tutors (supervisors) may not engage with new IT systems if they feel that learning how to use the system will take up too much time. (Proctor et al, 2011)

Literature Work done by students on placement stored electronically might be used by students post graduation to showcase some of their skills (Proctor et al, 2011) “Proper management of the placement process and the preparation of participants for placement are essential to the quality and value of the learning experience.” (REAP project)

References Hepplestone, S., Parkin, H., Thorpe, L., Holden, G. & Irwin, B. (2009). Technology, feedback, action! Sheffield Hallam University. Available from http://tinyurl.com/tfaproject Procter, C & Whatley, J 2011, Using e-portfolios to support student work placements. Conference proceedings: Education in a Changing Environment, University of Salford 2011. Sheridan, I., Linehan, M. Work placement in third-level programmes. REAP (roadmap for employment – academic partnerships. Funded by the HEA (higher education authority). Published by CIT (Cork Institute of Technology) press.

Thank you for your attention