50217 Professional Placement

UTS: Communication: Social and Political Change
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This is a final-year subject designed to bring together skills developed throughout the Social Inquiry degree in a practical workplace setting. The aim of the subject is to give students the 'real-life' challenge of learning how to adapt their writing, research, and other communication skills to the demands of a specific workplace and workplace project. A discrete and manageable placement project is negotiated between the student, workplace supervisor, and academic supervisor.

Professional placement involves meeting challenges in developing professional communication skills and professional relationships, as well as in adapting to a range of professional writing genres and styles of verbal communication.

Professional placement is usually undertaken as an individual project, but there is provision for small group or collaborative tasks where appropriate. Students may negotiate their own placement, or work with the subject coordinator or UTS Shopfront to develop a placement. Students with considerable professional experience in a social inquiry field are advised to undertake 50222 Applied Research Project rather than this subject. It is not normally advisable for students to undertake this subject in their workplace. Additional documentation on this topic is available on UTSOnline.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On completion of this subject, students will have:

had the opportunity for applied learning and practical experience in formal organisational settings
developed specific professional skills and built their professional portfolio
developed project design and project management skills
developed a greater appreciation for how their degree has prepared them for working life
critically reflected on their development of professional skills in an area of social inquiry and communication.

Contribution to graduate profile

It aims to enhance the student's scholarly understanding of political institutions and actors, as well as providing opportunities for making career choices, developing professional skills and acquiring professional contacts for future employment in community organisations, trade unions, NGOs, political parties, government and the public service among others.

Teaching and learning strategies

This is a practice based subject where teaching and learning occurs primarily in a workplace through the negotiation and completion of a specific project in consultation with academic and workplace supervisors. Students will also engage in a small number of structured classes and individual sessions scheduled with their academic supervisor.

Participation in both class and individual sessions is compulsory.

Students will normally be required to spend between 80-100 hours formally working on their project. Students may need to spend additional time researching background material and other resources in the library, or preparing to carry out empirical research work including the development of information and consent forms, and negotiating other practical fieldwork issues. Time spent on work for this subject should be equivalent to that spent on other professional strand subjects, although it may be structured differently.

There are no set texts or required readings for this subject but students will be expected to draw on literature they have used in other subjects and to seek out new and additional references relevant to their work. The student's academic supervisor may suggest references for them to pursue.

Content

To vary according to the needs of the particular organisation the student will be working for.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Workplace Project Proposal

Objective(s):	a, c
Weighting:	30%
Length:	Word Limit is 2,000 words
Task:	The aim of this proposal is to provide both your workplace and academic supervisors with a clear indication that you are capable of planning and undertaking your workplace task. The proposal is also an opportunity for you to demonstrate how your proposed placement will extend skills relevant to your degree and potential career path. It is critical for you and your workplace supervisor to think through the relevance of the project so that you can maximise the learning experience and benefit from your professional engagement. While it is not expected that you will have a complete picture of your task at this early stage, it is essential that you develop your proposal to the best of your ability. It is in your interests to think ahead about the shape of the project, the resources it might require, and the support that you might need to complete it. Please also refer to the coversheet for the proposal (available on UTS Online). For your proposal to be complete for submission, your workplace supervisor will need to have signed the coversheet indicating that s/he has received indemnity information and read a copy of your proposal. Late penalties apply. Your proposal needs to address the following areas: Project title. Background on the workplace and how the proposed task relates to the functions of the workplace. Detailed description of the proposed task/s. Detailed methodology for the completion of the proposed task/s. Detailed week-by-week timeline for the completion of the project. Key ethical and practical challenges faced, and how you plan to manage them. Key relevant skills to be developed/personal challenges likely to be faced. Workplace supervision arrangements. Structure: Your proposal should be no longer than 2000 words, and take the form of a well structured, properly referenced, and clearly laid out explanation of your project. Submission: To the subject coordinator's pigeon hole, Level 5, Building 3.
Assessment criteria:	Negotiation of an appropriate project in consultation with supervisors. Clarity of overall project design. Understanding of how the project relates to the broader workplace. Discussion of appropriate methodology and timeframe for the completion of the project. Critical reflection on key skills to be developed and learning challenges. Clarity of expression, proposal structure, appropriate referencing.

Assessment item 2: Presentation and critical reflection

Objective(s):	d, e
Weighting:	20%
Task:	This is a summary presentation of your placement experiences with particular emphasis on what was learned from the experience of the workplace, its structure and its culture that could not have been learned in a conventional coursework subject. Your presentation should cover the following: A brief background on the organisation you worked for to help your audience make sense of your project. A brief outline of the task initially proposed and of your key achievements/findings/contributions. A critical discussion of the 'behind the scenes' challenges and learnings. A clear statement about what you learned from professional engagement that you could not have learned in the classroom. Purpose: Your final report will be the key piece of assessment in this subject. You will find however, that some of your key learning experiences and even some workplace tasks are not necessarily reflected in this final report. Your presentation is your opportunity to present the key findings or achievements of your placement, as well as include critical discussion (not just description please) of the range of experiences, challenges and so on that you faced. This is your chance to give yourself some credit for the behind the scenes angst that has gone into your final report! Structure: You will have 10 minutes to present, to be followed by 5 minutes of discussion. Powerpoint and overhead facilities will be available, but you do not have to use them. Submission: Each student will present in scheduled class time and contribute to discussion in both presentation sessions.
Assessment criteria:	Overall clarity of the project presentation. Critical and self-reflexive discussion of 'behind the scenes' challenges and learnings. Identification of the value and problematics of professional/workplace based learning. Quality of contributions to discussion of fellow students projects.

Assessment item 3: Final project

Objective(s):	a, b, c
Weighting:	50%
Task:	This consists of the workplace tasks negotiated with your workplace and academic supervisors. Each project will obviously be different and might either be one substantial piece or a portfolio of several smaller pieces of research or other writing genres (issues paper, policy statement, media brief). You may have to liaise with your academic supervisor in deciding the shape of your final submission, particularly if you are engaging in a range of tasks. If a written piece or portfolio is not appropriate because of the nature of the placement (e.g. if no clear 'product ' is possible) then an alternate form of assessment must be negotiated with your academic supervisor well before the project due date. Structure: It is expected that over the semester you will produce a substantial piece or portfolio of work. You will submit at least 3000 words or negotiate equivalent recognition for other work. Submission: Please drop it to the subject coordinator in person or to the subject coordinators pigeon hole by 5pm. Attach a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope for the return of your work.
Assessment criteria:	It is understood that projects take different shapes, have problems, and may even remain unfinished. You will be assessed on the professionalism with which you handle your final project – whether it is a problematic or perfect one. Professional negotiation of the final project structure and any problems completing it, i.e. have you managed to deliver something useful for your workplace? Clear demonstration of practical, relevant (to your BA Communication studies) skill development. Depth and breadth of content. Professional presentation of final task/s, including coherent and appropriate structure, clarity of expression, referencing, spelling, physical presentation of task.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Indicative references

Professional placements (general)
Professional Placement in Social Inquiry is a project-centred subject based in a workplace. It offers an experience outside of the academy, but is more proactive than simply community service or work experience. It is principally designed to enable capacities developed during the degree to be deployed in 'real world' settings. The background literature as outlined here thus sits across research design, case study and project research, project management, community engagement and community development.

Journals
Community Development Journal; New Community Quarterly; Social Justice Research; Social Forces; Social Movement Studies; Just Policy; Australian Journal of Public Administration; Australian Review of Public Affairs; Public Policy Research; Social Policy; Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement; along with various other social and public policy journals.

Books
Baca, C. (2007) Project management for mere mortals, Boston, Addison-Wesley.
Barnett, R. (1994) The Limits of Competence: Knowledge, Higher Education and Society, The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.
Beach, D. (1996) The responsible conduct of research, New York, VCH.
Bell, J. (1993) Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers in education and social science, (2nd ed), Open University Press.
Betts, K. and Seitz, (1994) Writing Essays and Research Reports in the Social Sciences, (2nd ed), Thomas Nelson. (Chapter 5)
Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D. (eds) Reflection: Turning experience into learning, Kogan Page.
Clare, J. and Hamilton, H. (2003) Writing research, transforming data into text, Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone.
Flood, M. and Lawrence, A. (eds) (1987) The Community Action Book, (2nd ed), Council of Social Service of NSW.
Freire, P. (2004) Pedagogy of hope : reliving Pedagogy of the oppressed / Paulo Freire ; with notes by Ana Maria Araújo Freire ; translated by Robert R. Barr. London, Continuum.
Gerring, J. (2007) Case study research, principles and practices, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Gowing, R., McGregor H., and Taylor, E. (1997) Making Your Work Placement Effective: A student guide to enriching workplace learning, RMIT Publishing.
Hodgson, D. and Cicmil, S. (2006) Making projects critical, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Holly, M.L. (1984) Keeping a personal-professional journal, Deakin University. (Part 1)
Howard, K. and Sharp, J. (1983) The management of a student research project, Aldershot, Gower.
Ife, J. (2002) Community development : community-based alternatives in an age of globalisation, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., Pearson Education.
Kaufman, M. (1997) Community power and grassroots democracy : the transformation of social life, London, Zed Books.
Kellehear, A. (1993) The Unobtrusive Researcher: A guide to methods, Allen and Unwin.
Knowles, M.S. (1986) Using Learning Contracts, Jossey-Bass.
Laycock, M. and J. Stephenson (eds) (1993) Using Learning Contracts in Higher Education, Kogan Page. (Chapters 11 and 12).
Lock, D. (2007) Project management, Burlington, VT, Ashgate.
McIlrath, L. and MacLabhrainn, I. (2007) Higher education and civic engagement, Ashgate, London.
Moore, N. (2006) How to do research, a practical guide to designing and managing research projects, Facet Publishing.
New Community Quarterly (2007) Special Issue on 'Participatory Learning and Community Engagement in Universities, 5, 2, Winter 2007.
Niff, J. and Whitehead, J. (2006) All you need to know about action research, London, Sage Publications.
O'Leary, Z. (2005) Researching real-world problems, a guide to methods of inquiry, London, Sage.
Robson, C. (2007) How to do a research project: a guide for undergraduate students, Malden, MA, Blackwell.
Royce, T. and Bowcher, W. (2007) New directions in the analysis of multimodal discourse, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Rugg, G. and Petre, M. (2007) A gentle guide to research methods New York, McGraw Hill/Open University Press.
Sanoff, H. (2000) Community participation methods in design and planning, New York, Wiley.
Scholz, R. and Tietje, O. (2002) Embedded case study methods, integrating quantitative and qualitative knowledge, London , Sage Publications.
Schon, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals think in Action, Basic Books.
Travers, M. (2001) Qualitative research through case studies, London, Sage.
Wadsworth, Y. (2000) Do it Yourself Social Research (2nd ed), Allen and Unwin.
Walliman, N. (2005) Your research project, a step-by-step guide for the first-time researcher, London, SAGE Publications.
Wates, N. (1999) The community planning handbook : how people can shape their cities, towns and villages in any part of the world, London, Earthscan.
Whyte, W.F. (ed) (1991) Participatory Action Research, Sage.
Wilkinson, D. (2000) The researcher's toolkit, the complete guide to practitioner research, New York, Routledge.

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