MODULE FIVE:

ACTION RESEARCH AND FIELD-

BASED LEARNING

(Modified Version)

November 2014

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

MODULE FIVE: ................................................................................................................... 1

ACTION RESEARCH AND FIELD-BASED LEARNING........................................... 1

(MODIFIED VERSION) ..................................................................................................... 1

NOVEMBER 2014 ................................................................................................................ 1

PART ONE: ACTION RESEARCH (4 HRS) .................................................................. 5

UNIT ONE: THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF ACTION RESEARCH ................ 6

1.1. Understanding Action Research ...................................................................................................... 6

1.2. The Nature and Characteristics of Action Research ....................................................................... 9

1.2.1. The Nature of Action Research ..................................................................................................... 9

1.3. Types of Action Research ............................................................................................................... 12

1.4. Principles of Action Research ........................................................................................................ 14

1.5. Purposes of Action Research.......................................................................................................... 17

UNIT TWO: THE ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT ................................................. 21

2.1. The Process of Action Research Project ........................................................................................ 21

2.2. Pre-presentation of the Action Research Project..................................................................... 26

2.2.1. Preparation of Action Research Project Report ................................................................. 27
2.2.2. Preparation of Action Research Project for face-to-face Presentation ............................... 29

2.3. Assessment of Action Research Project ................................................................................... 30

PART TWO: FIELD-BASED LEARNING (4HRS) ..................................................... 38

UNIT THREE: UNDERSTANDING FIELD-BASED LEARNING .......................... 39

3.1. Field-Based Learning (FBL): the Concept .................................................................................... 39

3.4. Field-Based Teaching Learning Strategies .............................................................................. 45

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UNIT FOUR: ORGANIZATIONAL/FIELD PLACEMENT ..................................... 50

4.1 The Process of Organizational Placement for Field-Based Learning ............................................ 50

4.3. Reflection on Organizational or Field Placement .................................................................... 61

4.4. Field Work Report Writing ..................................................................................................... 63

4.5. Assessing Field-based Activities ............................................................................................... 64

4.6 Portfolio of Evidence for this Module ............................................................................................. 66

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 67

End of Module Self-Assessment............................................................................................................ 70

Appendix A: Organizational Placement Plan ...................................................................................... 71

Appendix B: Training/Internship/Project Placement Plan .................................................................. 73

Appendix C: Individual Field-Based Learning Plan ............................................................................ 76

Appendix D: Record of Organizational Placement .............................................................................. 86

Final Higher Diploma Programme Self-Assessment ............................................................................ 89

Higher Diploma Leader’s Final Assessment ........................................................................................ 91

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Module Introduction
This final Module of the HDP Handbook consists of two parts: Action Research and
Field-based Learning. The higher education curriculum is intended to be process-driven
rather than content-driven. Similarly, the methodology needs to be learner-centred which
includes self-directed learning, experiential learning and flexible delivery. In addition, the
assessment needs to be evidence-based. Instructors and students are expected not only to
transfer knowledge to actual contexts but also to create new knowledge through
innovation, creativity and reflective practices. All these can be possible if Action
Research and Field-based Learning strategies are understood and practiced effectively.

Action research is a strategy educators can use to study educational issues, implement
change and develop professional competency while field-based learning allows to
practice teaching- learning in real world contexts rather than only in classrooms from
textbooks. Hence, this Module is hoped to enhance our existing knowledge so that we
will be able to integrate the teaching-learning process in higher education with action
research and field-based learning in a cyclical-spiral fashion.

Module Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this Module, you will be able to:

 recognize that teaching-learning needs to be task-oriented and innovative;

 design a course delivery that integrates Action Research and Field-based Learning;
 contribute to the improvement of current educational practices through Action
Research and Field-based Learning activities;
 recognize that it is possible to achieve partnership, relevance, flexibility, and
accreditation in higher education provided Action Research and Field-based
Learning are integrated;

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 PART ONE: ACTION RESEARCH (4 HRS)
Overview

This part of the Module deals with the conceptualization, development and
implementation of an action research project. We will see how we can use action research
to increase knowledge, to learn from the consequences of changes brought about because
of practical actions we have taken, and to improve educational practices.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed this Part effectively, you will be able to:

 appreciate the diverse conceptions and types of action research;

 recognize the characteristic features and purposes of action research;

 identify the basic stages and steps in the process of conducting action research
project;

 conduct a self-guided action research project in your particular professional

context;

 reflect on the research process and the outcomes of the implementation of action
research outcomes.

 integrate action research in your teaching-learning practices; and

 assess action research projects.

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Unit One: The Nature and Purpose of Action Research
1.1. Understanding Action Research

Reflective Activity 1: In a group of four or five, look at the following definitions of

action research.

a. Action research is ―…collaborative, critical enquiry by the academics themselves

(rather than expert educational researchers) into their own teaching practice, into
problems of student learning and into curriculum problems. It is professional
development through academic course development, group reflection, action,
evaluation and improved practice‖ Zuber-Skerritt (1992a: 1-2)
b. ―Action research is a form of research carried out by practitioners into their own
practices. It is a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken in order to improve
practices….‖ (Latham and Gilbert, 1995, p. 107).
c. Action research is used to refer to ways of investigating professional experience that
link practice and the analysis of practice into a single productive and continuously
developing sequence, and which link researchers and research participants into a
single community of interested colleagues (Meyer, 2000).
d. Action research is a participatory, democratic process concerned with developing
practical knowing in the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes, grounded in a
participatory worldview, which we believe, is emerging at this historical moment. It
seeks to bring together action and reflection, theory and practice, in participation
with others, in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues of pressing concern to
people, and more generally the flourishing of individual persons and their
communities (Reason and Bradbury, 2001).
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 What common themes can you identify in the above definitions of action
research?

The conceptual interpretations of action research appear to vary; however, all definitions
share the concepts of flexibility, practitioner empowerment and commitment for
teaching-learning and change in common. They indicate that action research can simply
be understood as a planned, deliberate, disciplined, self-reflective, systematic and
critical approach to enquiry by the self into the self.

Action research has a complex history because it is not a single academic discipline but
an approach to research that has emerged over time from a broad range of fields. ―Action
research challenges the claims of a positivistic view of knowledge which holds that in
order to be credible, research must remain objective and value-free‖ (Nelson, 2013:183).
Action research is a flexible methodology, not merely in terms of being eclectic in
research methods, but more fundamentally in needing to adapt to the social and political
situation in which it is employed (Somekh, 1993). It is a reflective process that improves
the teaching practice and the curriculum. As university academics, we work in a fast-
changing environment, which puts competing pressures on us including the need to be
excellent at teaching, research and administration. To this effect, therefore, Action
Research can be a way out to solve a particular teaching-learning problem that has been
identified.

Action research is also known by the following different names; however, school-based
research can be taken as a generic term.

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 . participatory research,
• collaborative inquiry,
• emancipatory research,
• action learning,
Action research • Contextual research,
is also • school-based research,
called: • teacher research,
• practitioner inquiry,
• teacher professional development,
• teacher as researcher,
• teacher self-evaluation,
• self-reflective enquiry

Figure 1: Different Names of Action Research

Action research is given these varying names may be because of:

 the dynamic nature of its settings and processes ;

 the differences in the philosophy, perspectives, and experiences of researchers;
 variations in the contexts in which action research is sought;
 the theory that may motivate to carry out action research; and
 the objective factors such as the conditions under which the action research is
being conducted and the being investigated (Firdissa, 2011a:1-2).

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1.2. The Nature and Characteristics of Action Research

1.2.1. The Nature of Action Research

Reflective Activity 2: Reflect on the following questions

1. What makes action research different from conventional academic research?

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____________________________________________________________________
2. Look at the expression below and identify the characterizing features of action
research.
―Action research is research into practice, by practitioners, for practitioners… In
action research, all actors involved in the research process are equal participants,
and must be involved in every stage of the research… The kind of involvement
required is collaborative involvement. It requires a special kind of
communication…which has been described as „symmetrical communication‟
…which allows all participants to be partners of communication on equal terms….
Collaborative participation in theoretical, practical and political discourse is thus a
hallmark of action research and the action researcher” (Grundy and Kemmis,
1988).

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3. Who do you think should conduct action research? Why?

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Action research, particularly in higher education context, differs from conventional
academic research because it aims at finding out and correcting problems of educational
practices. It is related to the ideas of ‗reflective practice‘ and ‗the teacher as researcher
‗and involves taking a self-reflective, critical, and systematic approach to exploring ones
own teaching contexts. According to Altrichter, et al. (2005: 6-7), the following are
characteristic features that distinguish action research:

1. It is carried out by people directly concerned with the social situation that is being
researched. In the case of the social situation of a classroom, teachers take
professional responsibility for what goes on there. Since action research is usually
initiated by teachers, sustainable improvements in classroom situations will rarely
be possible if other concerned persons are not involved. According to the nature of
the problem under investigation, students, parents, curriculum designers, governors
or representatives of the local community may participate in the process. Thus, the
long-term aspiration of action research is always a collaborative one. In cases where
action research begins as a more private and isolated concern, external consultants,
for example, professionals from higher education institutions, often take part.
However, the role of the external consultant is only to provide support. S/he is not
there to take responsibility and control over the direction and duration of the
research.
2. It starts from practical questions arising from everyday educational work ( not from
those which might be ‗in fashion‘ in some learned discipline). It aims at developing
both the practical situation and the knowledge about the practice of the participants.
3. It must be compatible with the educational values of the school and the work
conditions of teachers. It also contributes to the further development of these
values and the improvement of working conditions in the educational system.
4. It offers a repertoire of simple methods and strategies for researching and
developing practice, which are characterized by a sensible ratio of costs to results.
Methods are tailored to what is achievable without overly disrupting practice.
However, specific methods or techniques are not what distinguish action research.
Instead, it is characterized by a continuing effort to closely interlink, relate and
confront action and reflection, to reflect upon one‘s conscious and unconscious

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 doings in order to develop one‘s actions, and to act reflectively in order to develop
one‘s knowledge. Both sides will gain thereby: reflection opens up new options for
action and is examined by being realized in action.

Action research encompasses several models of interpretive and qualitative research that
are specifically characterized by their twin objectives, i.e. engaging in the pursuit of
useful knowledge and seeking to facilitate social or organizational change.

1.2.2. Characteristics of Action Research

Action research has its own characteristics, which resemble change agency, and some
which resemble field research (Mertler, 2009; McNiff, 2002; Verma & Mallick, 1999).
Figure 2 below summarizes these characteristics.

cyclic

participative

qualitative [more of]

Reflective
Characteristics of Systematic
Action research emergent.
flexible
not only problem-solving
not research to other people.

Responsive (to achieve action).

Figure 2: Characteristics of Action Research (synthesized from Firdissa, 2011a:16-17)

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 Which of these characteristics of action research interest(s) you more? Why?

Can you add some other characteristics?

1.3. Types of Action Research

Zuber-Skerritt (1992) identified three main types of Action Research: technical action
research, practical action research, and emanicipatory action research.
 Technical action research aims to improve effectiveness of educational or
managerial practice. The practitioners are co-opted and depend greatly on the
researcher as a facilitator. Source
 Practical action research, in addition to effectiveness, aims at the practitioners‘
understanding and professional development. The researcher‘s role is Socratic and
to encourage practical deliberation and self-reflection on the part of the
practitioners. Source
 Action research is emancipatory when it aims at not only technical and practical
improvements and the participants‘ better understanding, along with
transformation and change within the existing boundaries and conditions, but also
changing the system itself or those conditions which impede desired improvement
in the system/organization. Source. The table below provides further information.

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Table 1. Types of action research and their main characteristics (Zuber-Skerritt
1992:12)
No Type of Aims Facilitator’s Role Relationship
action between
research facilitator and
participants
1 Technical Improving effectiveness/ Outside ‗expert‘ Co-option (of
efficiency of educational practitioners
practice and professional who depend on
development facilitator)
2. Practical Improving practitioners‘ Socratic role, Cooperation
understanding and encouraging (process
transformation of their participation and consultancy)
consciousness self-reflection
3. Emancipatory Targets the emancipation Process moderator Collaboration
of participants from the (responsibility
dictates of tradition, self- shared equally by
deception, coercion Their participants)
critique of
bureaucratic
systematization
Transformation of the
organization and of the
educational system

Reflective Activity 3:

1. Which of these types of action research do you think would be more useful
particularly to your area? How?

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1.4. Principles of Action Research

Reflective Activity 4

1. Do you think principles of action research differ from principles of

basic/conventional research? How?
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2. Discuss the following principles of action research with a partner. Which
principle interests you most? Why?
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Action research is a particular way of researching your own teaching and learning. It can
be seen as a way of investigating professional experience which links practice and the
analysis of practice into a single, continuously developing sequence. According to Zuber-
Skerritt (1996) the principles, which are central to action research are:
1. Reflexive Critique is the process of becoming aware of our own perceptual
biases. In this first principle, the thesis of reflexivity insists upon modest claims,
i.e. making judgments depends on examples from various personal experiences,
not on samples of universally agreed categories. These examples will be analyzed,
but no analysis will be complete, because inquiry is in the form of questioning
claims, rather than making claims. The result of inquiry will thus take the form of
a dialogue between writers and readers concerning possible interpretations of
experience, rather than a single interpretation thrust upon a passive reader by a

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 writer expressing certainty. This process of questioning provides a dimension of
validity which shows how a statement is grounded in reflexive, interpretative
judgments, rather than external facts. The principle of reflective critique enables
people to reflect on issues and processes and thereby make explicit
interpretations, biases, assumptions and concerns upon which judgments could be
made. In this way, practical accounts can give rise to theoretical considerations.
2. Dialectic Critique is a way of understanding the relationships between the
elements that make up various phenomena in our context. Dialectics is a general
theory of the nature of reality and of the process of understanding reality.
Dialectics proposes that, in order to understand a phenomenon, we treat it as a set
of relations between elements which are different and in some sense opposed, yet
at the same time interdependent. It is this instability which gives it an inherent
tendency to change. Consequently, of the infinite ways in which a phenomenon
could be broken down for analysis, the more significant ways are in terms of the
internal relationships between constituent elements whose instability creates the
likelihood of change. The key elements to focus attention on are those constituent
elements that are unstable, or in opposition to one another. These are the ones that
are most likely to create changes.
3. Collaboration is intended to mean that everyone‘s view is taken as a contribution
to understanding the situation. Collaboration is also intended to mean that
everyone‘s point of view will be taken as a contribution to resources for
understanding the situation, and no one‘s point of view will be taken as the final
understanding of what all the other points of view really mean. The interpretative
categories are to be treated as data alongside the ideas collected. In addition, the
analysis will not only seek to assemble resources from the differences between
viewpoints, but also from the conflicts and contradictions within viewpoints. It
focuses on a process of deconstructing the various contributions so that they can
be used as resources for new categories and interpretations
4. Risking Disturbance is an understanding of our own taken-for granted processes
and willingness to submit them to critique. In this fourth principle, the process is

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 not merely one of exposure to possible refutation, but of exploring possibilities
for transformation.
5. Creating Plural Structures involves developing various accounts and critiques,
rather than a single authoritative interpretation. This plural text needs a structural
principle which exists separate from the author‘s argument, since the author‘s
argument will be only one of various voices in the text .They are linear,
presenting a chronology of events or a sequence of cause and effect. But our
dialectical, reflexive, questioning, collaborative form of inquiry will create a
plural structure, consisting of various accounts and various critiques of those
accounts and ending, not with conclusions intended to be convincing, but with
questions and possibilities intended to be relevant in various ways for different
readers. Data and interpretation will be related in a way that the text will include a
plurality of accounts, and also a commentary on each account. To be a reflexive
critique, however, the commentaries must address their own contradictions, their
own reflexive status. They will therefore contain questions, as well as
interpretative statements.
6. Theory and Practice internalized is seeing theory and practice as two
interdependent yet complementary phases of the change process. Here the issue
concerns the crucial relationship between theory and practice, between research
and action. Theory and practice are not two distinct entities, but two different and
yet interdependent and complementary phases of the change process. The role of
theoretical reflection with respect to practical action is not to introduce new and
different concepts, nor to present authoritative conclusions. Instead, the purpose
of reflection is to question the reflective bases upon which the practical actions
have been carried out, to offer a reflexive and dialectical critique whose effect is
to recall to mind those possibilities that practice has chosen on this occasion to
ignore. Hence Theory and practice need each other, and thus comprise mutually
indispensable phases of a unified change process

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1.5. Purposes of Action Research

Reflective Activity 5:

1. Why do you think higher education teachers should undertake action research?
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_________________________________________________________________
2. Zuber-Skerritt (1992b) puts forward a framework for action research using the
acronym CRASP that stands for Critical attitude, Research into teaching,
Accountability and Self-evaluation leading to Professionalism.

What purpose(s) of action research are implied in this framework?

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3. Do you think the purposes of action research would be the same for the various
stakeholders of higher education, i.e. teachers, department/school heads, deans,
students, policy-makers, etc.? Give justifications for your response.
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Action research is ―the study of a social situation with a view to improving the quality of
action within it‖ (Elliott 1991:69 cited in Altrichter, et al. 2005). This simple definition
directs attention to one of the most essential motives for doing action research. It lies on
the will to improve the quality of teaching and learning as well as the conditions
under which teachers and students work in schools.

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Action research is intended to support teachers, and groups of teachers, in coping with the
challenges and problems of practice and carrying through innovations in a reflective way
(Altrichter, et al. 2005). Experience with action research, so far, has shown that teachers
are able to do this successfully and can achieve remarkable results when given
opportunities and support. These teachers do not only carry out development work for
their schools but also can broaden the horizon of their knowledge and their professional
competency. They can pass on their knowledge to colleagues, students, parents in a
written form to the wider public. They can show that teachers are able to make an
important contribution to knowledge in their profession. Moreover, they can demonstrate
that they can challenge professional problems. They do not restrict their work to adopting
a set of practical routines, but act as professionals precisely in developing new theories
about their practices, including a critique of its educational and social contexts. These
teachers are ‗normal‘ teachers, who reflect on their practice to strengthen and develop its
positive features. They are not prepared to accept blindly the problems they face from
day to day, but instead they reflect upon them and search for solutions and improvements.
They are committed to building on their strengths and to overcoming their weaknesses.
They wish to experiment with new ideas and strategies, rather than letting their practice
petrify. (Altrichter, et al. 2005)

Action research encourages teachers to investigate these aspects of their practice that they
want to improve and develop in their classroom work, and also to investigate their
relationships with students, colleagues, parents, external groups and
managers/administrators. It provides them with a range of methods that can help to gain a
more comprehensive view of their situation, to develop action strategies to bring about
improvement, and to evaluate the outcomes of their efforts. It also encourages teachers to
share their experiences and, by this means, to give a degree of publicity to the
professional thinking that informs practice (McNiff, 2002).

Broad but vitally important ways in which action research can be used successfully in
educational settings: to effectively connect theory to practice, to improve educational
practices, to empower teachers, and as a means for promoting professional growth
(Mertler, 2009).

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More specific to the importance of teachers‘ action research, Altrichter, et. al. (2005)
noted that it makes an important contribution to:
1. the professional development of individual teachers who improve their practical
theories and competence in action through reflection and action;
2. curriculum development and improvements in the practical situation under
research by developing the quality of teaching and learning through new and
successful action strategies;
3. the collective development of the profession by means of opening up individual
practice to scrutiny and discussion and thus broadening the knowledge base of the
profession;
4. the advancement of educational research. Action research is not merely a practical
model for the professional development of practitioners; it also makes an essential
contribution to the further development of educational theory. It democratizes
research by bringing those who are usually ‗subjects‘ of research to a position
where they have equal rights and responsibilities. In so doing, it ensures the
practical relevance of educational theory, overcoming one of the most
fundamental problems of traditional educational research: that it progresses too
quickly to abstract categories, whose relevance cannot be understood by
practitioners and which, in any case, may be short-lived in the ever-changing
context of practical action (Elliott 1991, cited in Altrichter, et. al 2005).

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 Empowering
teachers

Connecting theory
Promoting
to practice
professional growth

Action Research

Improving
educational
practice

Environment

Figure 3: Situated Importance of Action Research (Source: Firdissa, 2011a:13)

Reflective Activity 6

1. Which of these purposes of action research aim at maintaining quality in higher

education? How?
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Unit Two: The Action Research Project
2.1. The Process of Action Research Project

In order to do action research, it is necessary to carry out a rigorous study in which the
problem has to be clearly specified. An action plan has to be described and carried out,
and finally an evaluation has to be contemplated to show if the decisions taken were the
adequate ones.

Reflective Activity 6: In a group of five, discuss the following models of action

research project.

1. What are the similarities and differences among the following three models?
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2. Which of these models do you think is more appropriate to conduct action research
in higher education? How?
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Paisey and Paisey (2005)

1. Defining the problem and framing research questions.
2. Collecting data and deciding how teaching could be changed.
3. Implementing the selected changes to teaching.
4. Monitoring and evaluating the changes made.
5. Reviewing and reflecting upon the changes, repeating cycle if
necessary.

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FIG 4. Elliot‘s (1991) action research model.

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 FIG 5. O‘Leary‘s cycles of research, in Altrichter, et. al 2005

Could you develop an action research model suitable to your particular field of
study?

The above models present the major stages and suggest that the basic process of action
research is dynamic, vibrant, and lend itself to different ways of viewing it and the
purposes of action research. However, the major stages involve nine specific steps or
components indicated below. For your action research project, you can contrive to the
main stages or follow these specific steps.

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 Step 1 • Identify an issue/a problem/an area of concern

• Learn more about your issue

Step 2

Step 3 • Review Related Literature

Step 4 • Plan and develop a strategy

Step 5 • Gather data

Step 6 • Analyze and interpret the data

• Develop a plan of action
Step 7

Step 8 • Take appropriate action and share/communicate your results

Step 9 • Reflect on the overall process and the results

Without losing the inherent major stages, these nine specific steps can be squeezed as a
simple cyclical model indicated below.

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 Identifying a Problem/issue for
investigation

Limiting &
Writing up report problematizing
[Reflecting, replanning)

Developing an action
Preparing action plan and research plan
taking action
Implementing the
plan
Figure 4. Cyclical steps of Action research

Section Project 1:

1. Develop an action research proposal individually, in pairs or in a small group.

You may use the following form to outline key points first.
Research is Who will Who needs to be Timeline Resources
Who
questions responsible? do what? consulted,

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Remember that the purpose of action research is empowering you, allowing you not only
to identify and explore an issue close to your practice, but also to change the way you do.
It is therefore, important to reflect upon your experiences and the usefulness of the
process for improving teaching and learning·

2.2. Pre-presentation of the Action Research Project

Reflective Activity 7:

1. What does the pre-presentation of action research project involve?

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2. Action research project can be presented both as formally written report and as
face-to-face presentation. What is the difference between the two?
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3. These are the levels of action research report presentation: attention seeking
report, summary report, publishable report, full research paper. What does each
level involve?
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4. What do you think the basic structural elements/ components include?
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 2.2.1. Preparation of Action Research Project Report

Preparation of action research project for presentation deals with its technical aspects of
formal written report. The actual process of writing up action research project for
presentation:

a. is the key in communicating your findings to those who can make decisions and
take actions; and
b. requires you to clarify various meanings throughout your report.

You must choose your words carefully, thoroughly describe the events that you
experienced during your discussions and/or deliberations, and reflect on those
experiences; careful wording demands due consideration of audience at the different
levels. For this purpose, we can see the following four levels of action research project
report presentations:

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 ATTENTION
SEEKING REPORT
Briefings of abstracts,
synopsis in newsletters,
SUMMARY emails, REPORT
etc

Targeted straightforward
accounts, descriptions,
illustrations specifically
delineating salient process
and results
PUBLISHABLE REPORT
Shows literature, methodology; arises
from full report; availed to all audience,
mainly to other researchers, and
assessed and published

FULL RESEARCH PAPER/REPORT

A systematically compiled documentation of the
whole details of the research work with all
appropriate appendices and formats

Figure 6: Levels of Action Research Project Reporting (Firdisa, 2011a)

You may also prepare a portfolio. Your portfolio includes, but is not limited to the
following:

 An overview of your problem at a general level and why you (and others) see this
as an important challenge;

 A description of the problem that you are researching with an action to be taken;

 A detailed description of the field of action (the context);

 A brief overview of the literature reviewed;

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  The action research question(s) and perhaps some reflection on how they changed
over the process;

 The plan and timeline for your research;

 Reports that document the activity in each cycle;

 Data collected and details of the analysis process;

 Collection of your artefacts, images, and videos;

 Research blogs;

 Your final reflection, etc.

2.2.2. Preparation of Action Research Project for face-to-face Presentation

Action research project involves communication of the findings and/or actions taken to
peers or larger audience: other practitioners, instructors, university leadership,
government officials, the general public; perhaps several of these audiences. In doing so,
many face-to-face presentations are facilitated by using instructional materials.

Reflective Activity 8

1. What do you think are the major purposes of presenting action research project
to audience?
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________________________________________________________________
2. What instructional materials do you mostly use for your research
findings/project face-to-face presentation? Why?
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 3. Can you easily access instructional materials at your institution? If not what
alternatives do you use?
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2.3. Assessment of Action Research Project

Reflective Activity 9
How do you usually assess research projects of your students? Do you think that you
can use similar strategies to assess action research project?
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________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Action research project can be assessed against its planning and implementation that
involve all the steps. It is, therefore, important to:
a. develop assessment tasks pertinent to each of the steps,
b. determine criteria and tasks pertinent to each of the steps,
c. determining learners‘ performance on those tasks, and
d. provide feedback to learners and determining their overall level of
performances/achievements.

Whereas assessment activities can be made at all the stages of action research project, the
formal one is following the steps of action research project. For instance, we can assess
the selection of a topic of interest for investigation in the following manner.

30
Criteria

Very high

Very low
Medium
High

Low
Level of interest (Is it interesting?)
Level of originality
Level of significance/importance
Level of feasibility/do ability
Level of ethicality
Scope for action
Relevance
Manageability
Compatibility

Reflective Activity 10
1. What makes a good research question/s?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. To what extent can the following guiding questions help us to judge the quality
of our action research question/s? Please improve the questions, or add some
more.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
31
_________________________________________________________________

Guiding Questions Yes No

 Hasn't it already been answered?
Is it not "Yes-No" question?
Has it used everyday language, not jargon?
Is it concise, not too lengthy?
Is it manageable and can it be completed?
Is it do-able (in the context of your work)?
Does it motivate you and inspire your commitment?
Does it provide you an opportunity to stretch?
Is it meaningful to you?
Does it provide you a deeper understanding of the topic?
Does it lead to other questions?
Does it keep you close to your own practice?

When it comes to assessing the development of a plan and a strategy of an action research
project, the following questions may guide:

 What do I, as a researcher want to do?

 How would I collect and analyse my data?
 What baseline and post-intervention data would I collect?
 How often do I collect data?
 How would I know that the process went well?
 Have I communicated with key figures about my action research project to solicit
support?
 Do I have all the necessary permissions for the action research project?
 How would I do the intervention?
 How could I monitor consistency?
 Have I developed all of the instruments necessary to gather the data?
 Do I have readiness to handle the data safely and ethically?

To assess the likely actions taken and communicate your results related to your research
questions and data, the questions below may help you.

32
  Were my questions answered?
 Do the data support my questions?
 Have I got the results I expected from the study?
 If the results are not what I expected, was it due to errors in data collection or
other unforeseen situations?
 Is the change "significant"—at least from my point of view?
 Can my results inform others in my department/centre/school/program unit?
 How will I state my findings?
 How will I represent my data—in a chart? Graph?
 Who do I want to share my findings with?
 What will my next study topic be?
 What will I do differently next time?

It is also important to reflect upon your experiences and the usefulness of the process for
improving teaching and learning. In doing so, the following questions can be considered
as one develops a brief reflection to share.

 What was the most interesting component in the project process?

 What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
 Will you do it again?
 If so, why? If not, why not?
 Did this experience affect your feeling of professionalism?
 What did I learn about myself in the process of completing this project?

33
Reflective Activity 11

Which aspects of assessment discussed so far do find most important to assess your own
action research project? Why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Section Project 2
Conduct an action research project individually, with a partner or in a small group and
present it.

34
References

Altrichter H., Posch P. and Somekh B. (2005). Teachers investigate their work: An
introduction to the methods of action research. Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Carr, W. & Kemmis, S. (1986). Becoming Critical: Education Knowledge and Action
Research (2nd.edn.). London: Falmer Press.

Daniel D. & Firdissa J. (2008). Action Research Handbook for Higher Education
Institutions. Addis Ababa: AAU Printing Press.

Firdissa J. (2010). Higher Education Quality through Action Research: Practices,

Challenges and Prospects: ISBN: 978-3-639-24014-6.

_______ (2011a.). Action Research: Foundational Antecedents and Quality

Implications: ISBN: 978-3-63935231-3.

_______ (2011b.). Module on Action Research Project: Basics and Guidelines for
Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (PGDT). Ministry of Education, Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Kemmis, S. (1993). Action Research. In M. Hammersley (ed.), Educational research:

Current Issues (pp. 177-190). London: SAGE Publications Company.

Kemmis, S. (ed.) (1995). The Cambridge Companion to Habermas. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

Kemmis, S. (2007a). Critical theory and participatory action research. In Reason, P.

and Bradbury, H. (eds.). International Handbook of Action Research:
Participative Inquiry and Practice (2nd edn). London: Sage Publications.

Kemmis, S. (2007b). Participatory Action Research and the Public Sphere. Education
Action Research, 14(4), pp 459-476.

Kemmis, S. & McTaggart, R. (eds.) (1988). The Action Research Planner. (3rd edn.)
Victoria: Deakin University Press.

35
Kemmis, S. & McTaggart, R. (2005) Participatory Action Research: Communicative
Action and the Public Sphere. Chapter 23 in Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. (eds.)
Handbook of Qualitative Research, (3rd edition). California: Sage
Publications
Latham, A. and Gilbert, J. (1995). Hierarchical teams: action research project. In G.
Gibbs (ed.), Improving Student Learning. Through Assessment and
Evaluation. Oxford: The Oxford Centre for Staff Development.

Lewis, C., Perry, R. & Friendrik, S. (2009). Lesson Study as Action Research. In S.
Noffke & B. Somekh (eds.), Educational Action Research (pp. 142-154).
London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Mann, S. (ed) Methodology and Action Research: Methodology Unit 1
(Retrieved on September 11, 2007 from
http://philseflsupport.com/methodology.htm).
Masters, J. (2000). The History of Action Research. Action Research E-Reports, 3.
(Available at: http://www.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/003.htm)
Mattsson, M. and Kemmis, S. (2007). Praxis-related research: Serving two masters?,
Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 15(2), 185 – 214
McKernan, J. (1996): Curriculum Action Research: A handbook of methods and
resources on the reflective practitioner (2nd edn.). London: Kogan Page
Limited.
McNiff, J. (2002.). Action Research: Principles and Practices. (2nd edn.). London &
New York: Rout ledge Falmer.
Mertler, C. A. (2009). Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the Classroom.
London: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Meyer (2000) An overview of the development and application of the Reflections on
Learning Inventory, paper presented at the RoLI© Symposium, Imperial College,
London.
Nelson, D. (2013). Action Research: An Appropriate Research Paradigm for
Practitioners. Language in India www.languageinindia.com ISSN 1930-2940 Vol.
13:10 October 2013

36
Ryan, T. G. (2013) The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Within Action Research
Promise and Possibilities. Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
Somekh, B. (1993). Quality in educational research – the contribution of classroom
teachers. In J. Edge, & K. Richards (Eds.), Teachers develop, teachers research:
Papers on classroom research and teacher development (pp. 26–38). Oxford:
Heinemann.
Verma, G., and Mallick, K. (1999). Researching Education Perspectives and
Techniques. London: Falmer Press.
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (1992a). Action research in higher education. Examples and
reflections. London: Kogan Page.
_______ (1992b). Professional development in higher education. A theoretical
framework for action research. London: Kogan Page.
________.(1996) Emancipatory action research for organisational change and
management development. In O. Zuber-Skerritt (ed.), New Directions in Action
Research. London, Falmer.

37
PART TWO: FIELD-BASED LEARNING (4HRS)
Overview

This Part of the Module deals with the concept of field-based learning, teaching-learning
strategies for field-based learning. It presents examples of field-based case studies. It
further discusses the nature, purpose and process of field-based research and field-
placement. It also highlights field-based project report preparation for presentations and
its assessment.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this Part, you will be able to:

 refresh your understanding of field-based learning;

 apply some of the field-based teaching-learning strategies in your field projects;

 prepare field-based research project;

 reflect on your field-based research project

 communicate the results of your field-based research project.

 conduct organizational placements in work-based learning

38
Unit Three: Understanding Field-based Learning

3.1. Field-Based Learning (FBL): the Concept

Reflective Activity 12

1. What is field-based learning? Explain it using examples of FBL activities.

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. What makes FBL different from instruction that simply occurs in the field?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. List out some of the major advantages of FBL?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Field-based learning (FBL) is commonly referred to as:

 Action-based learning
 Experience-based learning
 Practice-based learning
 Work-based learning
 Problem-based learning
 Project-based learning
 Context-based learning
 Community-based learning

FBL is about extending learning to a site outside of the classroom or laboratory and
expose students to a real world setting. Students learn better through direct interaction

39
with an environment that reflects taught concepts rather than learning through indirect
presentations of the setting such as textbooks or lectures. They have shown that real
world experiences:
 enhance students‘ motivation(Curtis, 2001);
 improve the quality to retain targeted core concepts (Lisowski & Disinger, 1991);
and
 broaden students‘ learning experiences and knowledge base (Kozar & Marcketti,
2008)
Practicum, internship, community servicing, field visits and organizational study are
some of the field-based learning activities. For example, practicum is a course that is
designed to give students a practical application of studied theory. Internships are periods
of structured work placements for trainee professionals. They engage students in a
process of active learning that links work experience with opportunities for critical
analysis and reflection. Internship involves higher education institution, intern site or
community, and the student. Service learning is a strategy that incorporates meaningful
community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience and
strengthen community ties. They provide real world experience and it is useful in
evaluating ability, support socialization within the profession, stimulate the development
of skills, provide a protected environment for experimentation, and allow new thoughts
and perspectives in addition to motivation for continuing education. Experiential learning
involves a direct encounter with what is being studied instead of merely thinking about it
(Firdisa, 2011a)

Field-based learning differs from instruction that simply occurs in the field in two ways:
it is learner-centred and inductive. FBL is learner-centred, where students make
discoveries by engaging in a learning experience; it is inductive, where students employ
the logic and reasoning of their discipline. Depending on learning outcomes, a field-based
experience could also be inquiry or project-based. FBL is essentially learning by doing.
In this regard, Davis (1993) cites the work of John Dewey, where it is pointed out that
experience itself is not enough. Field experiences are most likely to be academically and
intellectually valid if they are carefully planned and monitored, structured to serve

40
specific learning goals, and preceded by orientation and preparation. Students also need
ongoing opportunities to reflect actively and critically on what they are learning from the
field experience and to assess the results (Davis, 1993:167).

FBL is generally chosen because the experience:

 provides an opportunity to present materials, objects or phenomena that are not

accessible otherwise to students in a way that enables direct contact and
interaction;
 provides students with an opportunity to practice skills or techniques that cannot
be carried out elsewhere;
 stimulates higher understanding and reinforcement of previously learned
classroom material; and,
 stimulates an appreciation for, concern or valuing of the visited environment
(Lonergan &Andresen, 1988).

The wide variety of field-based learning definitions, theories and strategies poses
challenges to those conducting academic research on FBL. Despite the limitations, an
increasing body of knowledge in the field suggests that the approach benefits both
students and teachers. For example, the research by Dr. Fred Newmann, University of
Madison-Wisconsin shows that ―authentic intellectual work‖ – a strategy that shares
many of the features of high-level FBL – boosts student achievement, even when
assessed by standardized measures. Newmann used three criteria to define instruction that
is ―authentic‖:
 Construction of knowledge – authentic work asks students to engage directly in
experiences designed to build their understanding of new content.
 Disciplined inquiry– authentic work connects new learning to students‘ prior
knowledge base, requires them to develop an in-depth understanding of concepts,
and asks them to communicate their learning through oral and written methods.
 Value beyond school– authentic work ensures that student inquiry and work
products operate within a real-world context that students and adults outside the
classroom consider worthwhile. In addition, according to an analysis of FBL

41
 research completed in 2000 by Dr. John W. Thomas, where evidence can be
found to support the following:Source
 FBL is more popular with students and teachers than traditional methods.
 Compared to other instructional models, FBL enhances the quality of
student learning in subject matter areas.
 FBL seems to be equal to or slightly better than other models of
instruction for producing gains in general academic achievement.
 FBL is an effective strategy for teaching complex skills such as planning,
communicating, problem solving, and decision making.
 FBL can help increase student attendance, attitude, and self-reliance. For
teachers, PBL can help increase professionalism and collaboration.

3.2. When to Use Field-Based Learning

Reflective Activity 13

1. When do you usually use field-based learning activities? Why?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Field-based learning is a powerful tool in a teacher‘s repertoire of strategies. Given the

effort required to design and implement a good project, teachers need to ensure that they
are using the strategy at the right time and for the right reasons. Here are some key
questions that teachers should consider when deciding if a FBL experience is suited to
their instructional needs:
 Do the content standards call for demonstration, application, performance,
or understanding? FBL lends itself perfectly to performance-based assessments,
applied learning, and demonstration of deep content understanding. During the

42
 project planning phase, teachers must make sure that the project will result in
student-generated evidence of learning that aligns closely with intended skills and
content standards.
 Is there a way to capitalize on opportunities in the community through a
FBL approach? While beginning project design with the content standards can
work, some teachers find it more useful to start instead by uncovering timely
issues from their school or community. Using this approach, project ideas can
emerge from local environmental conflicts, regional development proposals, or
national political issues. Once they have found the ―hook‖ for the project, teachers
can ―backward map‖ their design to ensure that required content standards are
adequately addressed.
 Is there enough time and are the necessary resources available? Practical
considerations must be made when deciding if a project is appropriate. In terms of
instructional time, projects can actually save time if standards and content are
delivered through – and not separate from – the project. If resources are an issue,
project plans can often be scaled back to accommodate constraints while
preserving the power of the experience.
 Can standards, skills, and habits of mind be prioritized and sequenced so
that the project is doable? While FBL does enable teachers to meet
simultaneous outcomes in the classroom, project plans can become unwieldy and
undoable if too many standards and learning objectives are packed into a limited
timeframe. Through experience, teachers can learn to design and deliver projects
that fit and further their course objectives.
 Can all students be supported to produce high-quality work? Well-designed
projects include appropriate scaffolds that set students up for success. These
supports, which can include things such as peer tutoring on important concepts or
additional training on key technological skills, are often the difference-makers for
students on the margins. Examples of quality products, explicit feedback on draft
work, and careful sequencing of necessary skills are other key components in
helping all students to achieve at high levels.

43
 3.3. Conditions that Support Field-Based Learning
Reflective Activity 14
1. What do you think are the conditions that support FBL? How?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Field-based learning strategies thrive within classrooms that are learning-centered

environments. The classroom, school, and community conditions described here – many
of which are precursors to powerful instruction of any type – help teachers and students
alike in their FBL work. In the Classroom, conditions within the classroom itself have the
greatest impact on successful project design and implementation. Key factors include:
 Safe, respectful learning environments
 Personalized teacher-student relationships
 Productive peer relationships
 Transformed teacher roles
 Intensified teacher engagement and commitment
At the School
Beyond the classroom, FBL works best when the broader school environment provides
numerous supports. Schools can foster FBL through:
 Supportive school structures
 Professional collaboration
 Administrative support
In the Community
The broader local community is the final piece of the FBL support puzzle. Potential
supports that exist beyond the school grounds include:
 Parent involvement in learning
 Community partnerships

44
 3.4. Field-Based Teaching Learning Strategies

In order for FBL to succeed, teachers must provide support for students in skills such as
inquiry learning, effective technology use, metacognition, and workplace skills (for
example, time management). In doing so, the following are some of field-based learning
strategies:

 Personal Journal - freely writing about site experience and periodically submit
to the instructor or keep as a reference to write about a much bigger project.
 Dialogue Journal - submission of loose-leaf pages at regular interval of time for
instructor‘s comment and get continuous feedback and prompt new questions
based on it.
 Highlighted Journal - before submitting reflection journal reread their personal
entries and use highlighter to mark sections of their journal that directly relates to
concepts discussed in the text or class creating a relationship with course content.
 Key Phrase Journal - students are asked to integrate terms and key phrases with
their journal entries.
 Double-entry journal-students divide their page into left and right and write key
issues from class discussions on the right and their service experience on the left
and draw arrows indicating relationships between their personal experience and
course content. This helps for more integration of course content and their field
experience by writing one page entries each week.
 Critical incident journal - analysis of a particular event that occurred in the
week as part of their field experience and discuss how that experience will
influence their future behaviour.
 Three-part journal – students divide the page into three parts and write weekly
entries during the semester. In the top section, they describe their field experience.
In the middle of the page, analyse how course content relates to field experience.
At the bottom of the page, they write how the field experience and course content
taken together can be applied to their personal and professional life.
 Free association brainstorming - this reflection session should not be conducted
not earlier than one third of the project experience. In this strategy, you may use

45
 ORID model- Objective (begin with what they observe); Reflective (ask questions
exploring their affective experience); Interpretive (ask questions that explore their
cognitive experience); and Decisional (ask whether their experience helped them
to generate a new paradigm)

Field-based learning can also be taken as learning which accredits or extends the work
place skills and abilities of higher education staff. The discussion agenda provides the
outline structure for the institutional visits, and it sets the context for the case study of
identified practice.

Reflective activity 15

In pairs or small groups, try to answer the questions below in relation to field-based
learning agenda in your institution/college/school/department/unit. Then share your ideas
with your class.

Institution: ____________________________________________________________

School/department/unit:__________________________________________________

Contact name:__________________________________________________________

1 Thinking about the strategic Interviewer notes

context for field-based learning at
the institutional level
1a How important is field-based What is the rationale? How is it
learning to your institution‘s expressed? What is the focus? Where is it
strategy? articulated?
1b What is actually happening in What policies are in place to support this
practice across the institution? area of work? What is going on now?
Where is it happening? Who is doing
what?
1c How is field-based learning being What support is available centrally? What
supported in practice in your support is available in the
institution? schools/faculties? How is the support

46
 resourced?
1d How successful has the response Is there widespread support? What volume
been? of activity is underway? What proportion
of the institution‘s income is generated
through FBL?
1e At an institutional level what has
been working well? And what has
not been working so well?
2 Thinking about how your Interviewer notes
college/school/department/unit
has responded to field-based
learning
2a How important is field-based What is the focus? What is the rationale?
learning to your How/where is it expressed? How
school/department/unit‘s strategy? important is it now? What plans do you
have for FBL in future?
2b What is actually happening in How have you responded? What is the
practice? volume of activity? How is the activity
funded? How much income is generated?
2c How is field-based learning Who does it? What is their background
supported in practice? and experience? How are training needs
assessed and met? What links exist with
external bodies (e.g. employers)? How are
programs funded?
2d What are the main barriers and What are the key issues, challenges and
enablers to your sensitivities? What is working? What is
school/department/unit engaging in not working so well?
field-based learning?
2e How does your How does your school/department/unit
school/department/unit identify and maintain a contemporary picture of
agree opportunities in relation to employer needs ( i.e., horizon scanning)?

47
 field-based learning? How are opportunities prioritized( e.g.
market research)? How are funding
opportunities identified? For each: Who
does it?
3 Thinking about the future of field- Interviewer notes
based learning
3a How can the nature and extent of Who needs to do what? Could there be:
field-based learning provision in Changes in policy?
higher education be improved? Changes to practice?
Changes in funding?
3b Where does attention need to be What future research needs to be
focused in order to build our undertaken?
understanding of how to enhance the
experience of field-based students?

Field-based learning can also help to accredit or extend the workplace skills and abilities
of employees. FBL can be characterized by means of determining a position along a
number of continua. The questionnaire below focuses on exploring the nature of practices
in this area of learning.

Reflective Activity 16

Please answer each of the questions below in relation to an identified field-based learning
program. For each continuum, please put an ‗x‘ in the relevant box that best describes the
position of the example under consideration.

Institution: ____________________________________________________________

Contact name:__________________________________________________________

School/department/unit:___________________________________________________

Learning program:_______________________________________________________

48
Level (e.g. Higher Education Level 4):________________________________________

Number of students:______________________________________________________

Nature of students (e.g. profile, background, employer):___________________________

No Questions Responses

1. What are the learning outcomes of the

programs you are running?

2. How are/were the learning outcomes for

those programs determined and agreed?

3. How are the programs structured and

delivered in practice (e.g. nature of learning
activities, use of resources)?

4. How is learning assessed in practice (e.g.

methods of assessment)?

5. How are students supported in practice (e.g.

mentor support, use of ICT)?

6. How are the program recognized and

accredited?

7. How are the program reviewed and

evaluated?

49
Unit Four: Organizational/Field Placement
4.1 The Process of Organizational Placement for Field-Based
Learning

Institutional arrangements for organizational placements are based in the relevant

colleges, schools, faculties and departments which are responsible with assisting students
in CV preparation and applications. Securing placement can be seen as a joint endeavour
between the institution and the individual student. Students are expected to take the lead
in placement seeking opportunities. In some cases institutions come to the university or
college to interview potential students. It is also, sometimes, the college or university that
arranges organizational placement.

4.1.1. Types of Organizational Placement

Organizational placement can be:

 Paid or unpaid or mixture of the two

 Optional: when student has enough experience in the course content area.
 Compulsory: when a student lacks experience in the content area.
4.1.2. Length of Organizational Placement
Range and scope of activities in the field will determine the length of placements.
 Short (6-week placement) – linking academic study to ‗real-world‘ employment;
the Purpose is to enhance skills and abilities, improve confidence, provide the
basis for situated academic reflection and sharpen students‘ motivation.
 The ‘thin’ sandwich arrangement (comprising two six-month placements-the
first at beginning of second year and the later part at the end of third year); good
for highly professional fields such as law, medicine and also management.
 One year-long placement is the predominant sandwich type. 1 & 2 are usually
compulsory but 3 is either compulsory or optional. All of them can be paid or
unpaid. Reasons for placement could be to get insight into an industry or type of
work. Work placements can enhance employability of your students. In most
countries of the world, high CGPA and work placements are the most determinant
factors for employability. Employers are also not just looking into academic

50
 records but also some work experience. Most students are beginning to ask for a
kind of curriculum or program with a placement element.

4.1.3. Placement request process:

Students who wish to pursue the placement must submit to their department:
 contact information for them, including name, phone number, e-mail address, etc.
 contact information for the organization‘s contact person, including name, phone
number, e-mail address, town and street address, etc.
 a copy of organization‘s mission statement
 any additional supporting information about the organization such as brochures,
URL for the organization‘s website, supporting documents, etc.
 a clearly written individual learning plan (see a form attached at the end of this
section) for field experience that addresses:
4.1.4. The process of organizing and managing placements:
This process involves a negotiation between the department, the placement provider and
the student. Students should, for example, develop a log, which include learning
outcomes and is designed to encourage reflective learning. The process can be subject or
institution-specific. Students should:
 submit monthly logs of what they are doing-a simple list of what they are doing
 determine what they are learning technically and professionally
 ponder what individual specific achievements they have made

The placement tutor should confirm the achievements have actually been made by way of
observation at placement organization. They have to be observed and signed off by the
placement tutor at the department and their supervisor at placement organization. The
preparation process is as important for a short placement as for the long one. A six week
placement requires an intensive two-week preparation period. The curriculum or program
should consider and count placements as part of the training and as pre-requisites for
further training in that subject with credit allocation to it.

51
 4.1.5. Training during the placement

Evolution of placement jobs is usually supported by some sort of training. Short term
placement means there is no time for training. Instead short- term placement organization
provides background reading materials prior to taking up the placement while another
placement organization provides on-the-job guidance and training. Others use senior
placement student as a mentor. A web-site developer can be hired to provide on-line and
ongoing training to placement students. Some placement organizations prepare in-house
training sessions.

If the number of students for placement are less or equal to ten they can be sent for
external training courses. For year-long placements, general induction sessions can start
at the beginning of placement for two to three days covering company/industry-specific
aspects as well as social events or much longer periods of induction which can last up to
six weeks -include induction into company/industry–specific data base and IT systems,
job-specific training and more general awareness about overall company aims and
objectives and its place in the industry and wider markets.

Specific trainings include trainings such as carbon-14 and radioactivity training for
laboratory assistant, anti-money laundry test for financial services, wine-tasting courses
for catering/hospitality manager, interviewing skills for human resources intern, manual
handling and safe handling of children for classroom assistants, training on software and
reporting tools for administrator/IT support to interrogate in-house database, training on
industry-specific software for promoting merchandise, more general IT skills training
such as spreadsheets, databases, and general presentations skills. In addition to these
formal trainings, on-the-job training is supported by the placement organization. If the
placement requires use of software, students should first pass an exam on that tool.
Otherwise it results in wastage of company‘s time and money. Students should follow a
principle that they can teach themselves anything and know that experts/supervisors can
only guide them.

4.1.6. Supervision and mentoring

In many cases students have a clearly identifiable supervisor whilst on placement who
often acted as a mentor. A mentor, in short placements, can be a tutor from a higher

52
learning institute or can be a work-based learning mentor or a trainee can have both. A
clear mentoring and induction process should be identified. A mentor should be a
resourceful/huge library of information-a knowledgeable and skilful person. To which a
student can turn at any time. The mentor should not leave the student to his/her own
device.

The following formats may help to plan FBL:

4.2. Activities and Reflection on Field-Based Learning

Reflective thinking comprises phases in thinking - a state of doubt, hesitation or mental

difficulty in which thinking originates, followed by an act of searching or inquiry to find
material that resolves the doubt. Reflection-on-action-trainee‘s thoughtful consideration
and retroactive analysis of their performance in order to gain knowledge and experience
(Schӧn, 1983).

Reflection-in-action-trainee‘s tacit process of thinking which accompany doing, and

which constantly interact with and modify ongoing practice in such a way that learning
takes place (epistemology of practice) (Schӧn, 1983).

Reflective Activity 17:

In a group of four or five discuss the definitions of ‗reflective practice‘ given below.
Which one/ones do you think would be more relevant to field-based learning in higher
education? How?

 Reflective practice is an acquisition of a critical stance or attitude towards one‘s

own practice and that of one‘s peers (Johnston & Badley, 1996:4). Engaging in
reflective practice is a means of helping individuals towards greater self-
knowledge and self-challenge-a useful way of achieving personal development
(Ibid: 5).

53
  Reflective practice helps in professional development of teachers through
personal analysis of own values and theories that underlie teaching.
 Reflective practice is a dialogue of thinking and doing through which one
becomes more skilled (Schön, 1987).
 Reflective practice is a process that helps teachers think about what happened,
why it happened, and what else could have been done to reach their goals
(Cruickshank & Applegate, 1981).
 Reflective practice (RP) is an inquiry approach that involves a personal
commitment to continuous learning and improvement (York-Barr, Sommers,
Ghere & Montie, 2001). It is the practice of analyzing one‘s actions, decisions, or
products by focusing on one‘s process for achieving them (Killion & Todnem,
1991).
 RP is a critical, questioning orientation and a deep commitment to the discovery
and analysis of information concerning the quality of a professional‘s designed
action (Bright, 1996).
 RP is a willingness to accept responsibility for one‘s professional practice (Ross,
1990).
 It is a systematic and comprehensive data-gathering process enriched by dialogue
and collaborative effort (Osterman & Kottkamp, 2004).
 It is the use of higher-level thinking, such as critical inquiry and meta-cognition,
which allows one to move beyond a focus on isolated facts or data to perceive
broader context for understanding behaviour and events (Hatton & Smith, 1995).
 RP is the capacity to think creatively, imaginatively and, eventually, self-critically
about classroom practice (Lasley, 1992).
 It is an ongoing process of examining and refining practice, variously focused on
the personal, pedagogical, curricular, intellectual, societal, and/or ethical contexts
associated with professional work (Cole & Knowles, 2000).

The above definitions show that reflection goes much deeper than thinking about how to
keep students quiet and on task.

54
Reflective Activity 18:

Discuss the following quotation taken from a newspaper with a partner using the example
reflective questions below. Put your responses in the box next to the questions.

―The best thing any education can bequeath is the habit of reflection and
questioning.‖ (AC Grayling, The Guardian: 22/07/00)

Examples of Reflective Questions

 What (will you be/ have you been doing)? Who have you been serving?
 So what (will you be/ have you been learning)? Why is your service work
needed?
 Now what (Should others do about it)? What are you going to do about it)?
 Can you talk more about that? Why do you think that happens?
 What evidence do you have about that? What does this remind you of?
 Do you see a connection between this and what you have learned in your
classroom course work or_____?
 How else could you approach that? What do you want to happen?
 How could you do that?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________-
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

55
Hilsdon (Nd) developed a model of critical thinking:

Step 1: Description-what? When? Who? Where?

Step 2: Analysis-why? How? What if?

Step 3: Evaluation-so what? What next?

He also provided example Formulating questions for reflection:

 Who was there? (descriptive)

 What did s/he say? (descriptive)
 What did I say? (descriptive)
 Why I did I respond in that way? ( analytical/reflective)
 How did each of us feel as a result? (analytical/reflective)
 What if I had chosen my words more carefully? (analytical/reflective)
 So what? Would that have made any difference to the outcome?
(reflective/evaluative)
 Where can I go from here in my interactions with this person?
(reflective/evaluative).

Reflective Activity 19: Choose your own topic/issue/title of project for your FBL
task/project and formulate/develop questions for reflection which involves
description, analysis and evaluation?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

56
The phrase reflective practice is the culmination of all other forms of reflection

Ten attributes of a Reflective Practitioner:

 Reflects on and learns from experience

 Engages in ongoing inquiry
 Solicits feed back
 Remains open to alternative perspectives
 Assumes responsibility for own learning
 Takes action to align with new knowledge and understandings
 Observes self in the process of thinking
 Commits to continuous improvement in practice
 Strives to align behaviours with values and beliefs
 Seeks to discover what is true

Key elements of Reflective Practice

 A deliberate pause, a purposeful slowing down, to allow for higher-level thinking

processes
 An open-minded stance, recognizing that there are many ways to view a particular
circumstance, situation, or event
 Receptiveness to changing viewpoint and letting go of needing to be right or
wanting to win
 A mindful state, being conscious of both thought and action
 An acknowledgement that doubt, perplexity, and tentativeness are part of the
process

Three essential attitudes of reflective practitioners are:

 Open-mindedness
 Responsibility
 Wholeheartedness

Three essential practices for becoming a reflective practitioner are:

 Solitary reflection
 Ongoing inquiry

57
  Perpetual problem-solving

Reflective Activity 20: With a partner look at the following description of a reflective
practitioner:

A person who is inherently curious; someone who does not have all the answers and
isn‟t afraid to admit it; someone who is confident enough in his/her thinking in public
and therefore subject to discussion; someone who is a good listener; someone who likes
other people and trusts them to make the right decisions if given the opportunity;
someone who is able to see things from another‟s perspective and is sensitive to the needs
and feelings of others; someone who is able to relax and lean back and let others assume
the responsibility of their own learning. Some experience desirable but not as important
as the ability to learn from mistakes (Osterman & Kottkamp, 1993).

1. Identify the qualities that are more important for a higher education teacher.
Explain briefly how they are more important.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Which of those qualities do you possess, and which ones do you want to develop?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

58
The three levels of reflection are:

An initial level (surface reflection): focuses on teaching functions, actions or skills,

generally considering teaching episodes as isolated events-teachers focus on strategies
and methods used to achieve learning outcomes.

A more advanced level (pedagogical reflection): considering the theory and rationale
for current practice-connections between theoretical principles and practice.

A higher order (critical reflection): where teachers examine the ethical, social and
political consequences of their teaching, grappling with the ultimate purposes of
schooling (Day, 1993; Farrell, 2004; Handel & Lauvas, 1987; Jay & Johnson, 2002;
Larrivee, 2004; Van Manen, 1977).

In surface reflection, typical questions are:

 Did I spend too much time on group work in FBL today?

 How can I keep students on-task?
 Did I have enough (too many) FBL activities?
 How can I get students to pay better attention?

In pedagogical reflection, typical questions are:

 How can I improve for my FBL for all my students?

 How can I build in better accountability for FBL tasks?
 Am I giving my students the opportunity in FBL to develop decision-making
skills?
 What else can I do to help students make connections to prior knowledge in FBL?
 Is there a better way to accomplish this goal in FBl?

In critical reflection, typical questions are:

 Do all students in my class have FBL opportunities to be successful?

 Who is being included and who is being excluded in the FBL practice?

59
  How might the way I group students affect individual student‘s FBL opportunity
for success?
 Does the FBL practice promote equity?
 Do I have FBL practices that differentially favour particular groups of students
(e.g. males, females?)

In all of these levels of reflection, critical reflection represents the highest aim.

There is considerable debate whether to include self-reflection under critical reflection or

not. However, in self-reflection teachers learn to:

 Slow down their thinking and reasoning process to become more aware of how
they perceive and react to students.
 Bring to the surface some of their unconscious ways of responding to students

________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Reflective Activity 21: Reflect on what you are supposed to in these types/levels of
reflection. Please, write your brief response in the space below.

 Reflection-in-action
 Reflection-on-action
 Reflection-for-action
 Reflection-within
 Reflective practice
 Reflective thinking
 Critical reflection

60
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

4.3. Reflection on Organizational or Field Placement

When you are to present your FBL out comes to your audience, the tables and questions
below may guide you well.

Key issues and possible actions

Group Key Issue Possible action to improve the quality

of training

61
Group Presentations

 What topic will our group present?

 What are the key issues?
 What active learning methods will we use in our presentation?
 What are my contributions to the group?

Group Presentations: Key issues and possible actions

Group Topic and active learning methods Key issues from presentation and
used possible action for our institution

Looking back on group presentations

 What was most successful about your group‘s presentation?

 How do you feel about your part in the group‘s presentation?
 Which do you think was the best presentation? Why?

Final Reflection on the Organizational or Field Placement

 What did you learn from your Organizational or Field Placement?

 What did you learn about yourself?
 What did you learn about how to organize a training and development workshop
in a local organization?
 How will this experience affect how you work in the university?

62
 4.4. Field Work Report Writing
Writing a fieldwork report that summarizes your experiences, observations and
preliminary conclusions helps clarify both qualitative and quantitative data collected
while offering insight into how different sets of data work together to answer the research
questions or test hypotheses implied in your objectives of FBL.

A well written report will help to assess the design of your research project and assess the
reliability of the information you acquired to solve the problem under investigation.
Choose your approach to report your findings and drawing conclusions. Feedback from
your tutors/facilitators will assist you to organize the final report. A field-based project
could be a visit by geology participant (s) to an active volcano site and collect data about
the distribution of sulphate in the downwind direction or a medicine participant (s) can
visit a hospital and collect data to see the effect of placebo treatment on psychiatric
patients.

Section Project 3: Now produce your field-based learning report

i. Organize your fieldwork data

Review and evaluate your fieldwork/project experience in terms of the methodology you
developed in your field placement plan/proposal. Were you technically prepared? What
about organization? Did you have a fieldwork plan, budget and administrative procedures
in place? Did your plan work?

ii. Summarize and evaluate your experience in no more than two pages.

Examples of questions to ask more: Did you function well as a group? Were all members
of the team active? Did your budget cover expenses?

iii. Discuss technical preparations such as training of field assistants. Did you do
a pre-test or pilot study? A pilot study is a pre-test done before the beginning of research
or field investigation. How long did the pilot study take? Did you need to make major
revisions of the data collection tools and/or the research procedures? Analyse and
interpret data carefully? Produce tables and graphs, if possible? Etc.
iv. Submit a neat and well-organized field-based research work report

63
 4.5. Assessing Field-based Activities

Field-based activities or research projects are rich venues for building student‘s
conceptual knowledge and procedural skills. Real world experiences in the field show
students that field projects are much more complex than figures in a textbook. As such
they provide the opportunity for faculty and graduate teaching assistants to engage
students in the process of developing field-based interpretations of a given set of data.
The faculty can combine field observations with academic tasks to develop, say, a
geologic map.

They should understand the relationship of the contents they use in teaching courses and
the actual situation on the ground which gives depth of teaching/learning. The faculty
also develops interpretive quality of actual situations than written scripts.

Developing Assessment Rubrics for Field-based Activities

Field-based activities require students to perform complex tasks that include collecting
and interpreting data. Assessing a student‘s performance is also a complex task for the
faculty charged with fairly assessing a student‘s achievement of the activity‘s learning
objectives. Rubrics are a tool to make the task easier and fairer for both the student and
faculty because they can measure such complex tasks as writing and the interpretation of
data directly. Handed out prior to the activity or project, rubrics will focus what is
important for students to do and produce.

Here is an example developed for students working to develop a geologic map and cross-
section of folded and faulted sedimentary rock units. As you can see in the example,
Table below, each of the learning objectives of the activity has a corresponding set of
grading criteria ranging from a high of 4 to a low of 1. The scores for each learning
objective may be summed and divided by the number of learning objectives (in this case
3) to obtain a final grade for the activity.

64
65
4.6 Portfolio of Evidence for this Module

Make sure that you have organised your work in this module for moderation

Use this checklist below:

Evidence My HDL/HDT
Check Check

A Reflective activities showing development of reflective

thinking and its effect on practice

B Evidence that project or training reports have been

submitted after organizational or field placement showing
development of field-based learning strategies and
assessment

C Records of 4 formal session observations by the HDL or

HDT

D Evidence of managing Field-based Learning Project

E Evidence of well-written School/Organisation /Field

Placement Report

F Action Research Project report submitted

G Overall evidence that Continuing Professional Development

Plan worked as far as this module is concerned

H The Final Self-Assessment for this module has been worked

out

66
References
Anonymous Author (Accessed July 2013). Field-based Learning.

http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htp

Anonymous Author (Accessed July 2013). Learning through work placements and
beyond.

Anonymous Author (Accessed July 2013). Assessing field-based activities.

Bright, B. (1996). Reflecting on “reflective practice” studies in the education of adults.

28(2), 162-184.

Borzak, L. (Ed.) (1981). Field Study: A source book for experiential learning. Beverly

Hill, CA:Sage Publications.

Cengage Learning (Accessed July 2013). Defining Reflective Practice.

Cole, A.L. & Knowles, J.G (2000). Researching teaching: Exploring teacher
development through reflective inquiry. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Curtis, D. (2001). Project-based learning: Real-world issues motivate students.

http:www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-student-motivation.

Cruickshank & Applegate, J. (1981). Reflective teaching as a strategy for teacher

growth. Educational leadership, 38(7), 553-554.

Davis, G.B. (1993). Fieldwork. In Tools for teaching (pp.166-174). San Francisco:

Jossey-Base.

Department of Human Services, Elon University (Accessed July 2013). Field

Placement Guidelines.

Dewey, J.(1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking

to the education process. Lexington, MA: Heath.

Dewey, J.(1938). Logic: The theory of inquiry: Troy, MO: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

67
Day, C. (1993). Reflection : A necessary but not sufficient condition for professional

development. British Educational Research Journal, 19, 83-93.

Farrell, T.S. (2004). Reflective practice in action: 80 reflective breaks for busy
teachers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Handal, G. & Lauvas, P. (1987). Promoting Reflective Teaching. Milton Keynes, UK:

Open University Press.

Hatton, N. & Smith, D.(1995). Reflection in Teacher Education: Towards definition and

implementation. Teaching & Teacher Education, 11(1) : 22-49. Jay, J.K. &
Johnson, K.L. (2002). Capturing Complexity: A typology of reflective practice

for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18(1), 73-85.

Johnston, R. & Badley, G. (1996). The Competent Reflective Practitioner. Innovation and

Learning in Education, 2. Pp.4-10.

Kendler, B.S. & Grove, P.A. (2004). Problem-based learning in the biology curriculum.

American biology teacher, 66: 348-354.

Killion, J. & Todnem, G. (1991). A process of personal theory building. Educational

Leadership, 48(6), 14-17.

Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as a source of learning and

development. Prentice Hall, Inc.

Kozar, J.M. & Marcketti, S.B. (2008). Utilizing Field-based Instruction as an effective
teaching strategy. College Student Journal, 42(2): 305-311.

Learning Development with Plymouth University (Accessed July 2013). Reflection.

http://www. Learning development. Plymouth.ac.uk

Lasley, T.J. (1992). Inquiry and reflection: Promoting teacher reflection. Journal of
Staff Development, 13(1), 24-29.

Larrivee, B. (2004). Authentic classroom management: Creating a learning

community and building reflective practice. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

68
Leitch, R. and Day, C. (2000). Action Research and Reflective Practice: towards a
holistic view. Educational Action Research, Vol.8, No. 1

Lisowski, M. & Disinger, J.F. (1991). The effect of field-based instruction on student
understanding of ecological concepts. Journal of Environmental Education, 23(1):
19-23.

Lonergan, N. & Marcketti, S.B. (2008). Field-based Education: Some Theoretical

Considerations. Higher Education Research & Development, 7(1): 63-77.

Loughran, J.J. (1996). Developing reflective practice: Learning about Teaching and
Learning through Modelling (pp.25-39). London : Palmer Press.

Mireles, S.(Accessed July 2013). How to write a field work report.

Osterman, K.P. & Kottkamp, R.B.(2004). Reflective practice for educators: Improving
schooling through professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York, NY: Basic books.

_______(1991). The Reflective Practitioner. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.

The Higher Education Academy (2006). Work-based learning, illuminating the higher

education landscape. www.hefce.ac.uk/reacout/casestudies/list.htm

Van Mannen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowledge with ways of being practical.

Curriculum Inquiry, 6(3), 205-228.

York-Barr, J., Sommers, W.A., Ghere, G.S, & Montie, J. (2001). Reflective practice to
improve schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

69
 End of Module Self-Assessment
General Observations

Write a reflective comment on your overall performance and achievements in this Module

Would you say that for your overall performance in the HDP you should receive a

PASS or REFER/

Signature of candidate: _____________________ Date: __________________________

70
Appendix A: Organizational Placement Plan
Participant Information

Name:______________________________________________________

E-mail Address:______________________________________________

Current Field of Study or Profession:______________________________

If professional, number of years of experience in field:___________________

Type of Degree or Certificate:_____________________________________

Date awarded or expected:________________________________________

Training/placement dates: From _________________ to ________________

Site of Activity/placement Information

Name of supervisor: ______________________________________________

Title:__________________________________________________________

E-mail:____________________________________________________

Telephone Number:__________________________________________

Host organization/employer:______________________________________

Contract agreement

Trainee/intern-I certify the following.

I hereby acknowledge that I have reviewed, understood, and will follow this
training/internship plan;

I will inform my HEI at the earliest possible opportunity if I believe that my Sponsor or
Supervisor is not providing me with a legitimate internship/training/or project, as
delineated on my placement plan;

If my report is plagiarized or if the data are fictitious or cooked or the statement is

fraudulent, I will be punished by academic regulation of my HEI?

Signature of trainee/intern:_____________________ Date:______________

71
 Supervisor-I certify the following:

I hereby acknowledge that I have reviewed, understood, and will follow this
training/placement plan;

I will adhere to all applicable regulatory provisions that govern this research/ training
project;

I will notify the designated sponsor contact regarding any concerns about, changes in, or
deviations from the placement program at the earliest available opportunity, including
change of supervisor and/or institution;

That I am participating in this placement program in order to provide the above listed
individual with training/support for his project/or placement;

If trainee‘s report is plagiarized or if the data are fictitious or cooked or the statement is
fraudulent, I will notify, immediately, the sponsor otherwise I will be punished by
academic regulation of my institution?

Signature of the
supervisor:_______________________________Date:_____________________

Sponsor- I certify as the sponsor that the attached training/project/ or placement plan is
approved and that:

I hereby acknowledge that I have reviewed, understood, and will ensure that the
supervisor follows this training/project/or placement plan;

I will adhere to all applicable regulatory provisions that govern the placement program
(HDP);

Signature of an officer representing the sponsoring organization: ___________

Date:______________________

72
Appendix B: Training/Internship/Project Placement Plan

Each placement plan should cover a definite period of time and should consist of definite
phases of training/project work or tasks performed with a specific objective for each
phase along with how the trainee accomplishes those objectives (e.g. classes, individual
instruction, shadowing, etc.). Each phase must build upon the previous phase to show a
progression in the training.

Trainee/Intern Name:_______________________________________________

E-mail Address:____________________________________________________

Field of Training or Title of Project Work:_______________________________

Name of Phase:___________________________________________________

Start date of this phase: ______________________

End date of this phase:_______________________

Phase___________ of_______________.

Brief description of Trainee Role for this

Phase:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Specific Goals and Objectives for this

Phase:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

73
Knowledge, skills, or techniques to be imparted during this phase

What specific knowledge, skills or techniques will be learned?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

What plans are there for the trainee to participate in local cultural activities?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

How, specifically, will these knowledge, skills or techniques be taught? Include the
specific tasks and activities to be completed for this phase or methodology of training and
chronology/syllabus for this phase.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Methods of Supervision

Who will provide daily supervision of the trainee and what are their qualifications to
impart the planned learning during this phase?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

74
Methods of performance evaluation

How will the trainee's acquisition of new skills and Competencies be measured during
this phase?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Repeat the above points for all other phases.

End date of the project:__________________________________________________

Dead line for submission of the training/project

report:____________________________________________

75
Appendix C: Individual Field-Based Learning Plan

The purpose of this survey is to develop a useful template for an individual learning plan
in field-based study taking account of their current formal and experiential learning,
career aspirations, and the availability of suitable programs of study.

Learner details

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________

Phone number: ___________________________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________________________________

Current Employment & Employment History

Please complete or tick (√) the appropriate box

Male
Gender

Female

Under 20 31-40 51-60

Age
range 21-30 41-50 Over 60

Employer: _______________________

Commencement date:___________________________________________________
Job title/role: __________________________________________________________

76

Title From To
Department/function:____________________________________________________

Previous job titles/roles with current employer: _____________________________

Key duties/responsibilities in my present role

Previous Employment History

Employer Position Held From To

Education & Training Completed Leaving certificate (or yes

equivalent) completed
no
Inter/junior certificate yes

77
(or equivalent) no
completed

Post-leaving certificate/third level education (include degrees/diploma

/certificates/trade certificates etc.)
Award College/university Awarding body NFQ Level Year

Professional body membership level year

Additional training/continuous professional development (please include all types of

training: in-house, online course/modules, workshops, evening courses, part-time
courses, etc.)
Course title Duration Accrediting body Certification Motivation

How has this training benefited you in your job? Please be as specific as possible.

78
 Additional comments

Career & Learning Progression Goals

In the next 12 months, do you plan to: Y N If yes, please

specify.
stay in current post?
seek promotion/progression?
seek opportunity to change role?
other-specify:

What do you need to achieve in your 1st year career Y N If yes, please
plan? specify.
Additional transferable skills
Additional discipline skills
Additional academic qualification (s)
Training courses: (internal or external)
Additional workplace experience
Other-specify:

What post do you hope to hold 5 years from now? Y N If yes, please
specify.
Same as now
Higher level
Transfer into a new post
Transfer to a related post
Other-specify:

79
What will you need to achieve in your 5 year career Y N If yes, please
plan? specify.
Additional transferable skills
Additional discipline skills
Additional academic qualification (s)
Training courses: (internal or external)
Additional workplace experience
Other- Specify:

Transferable skills/Competences

Please indicate your current and desired proficiency level for each of the following skills
with a tick (√) mark on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is limited proficiency and 5 is a high
level of proficiency.

Current proficiency Desired proficiency

Skills level level
Limited Limited
High High
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Communication
Presentation
Creativity
IT
Leadership
Management
Negotiation
Numeric
Conflict resolution
Problem-solving
Report writing
Team work
Time management
Stress management

80
If there are any other transferable skills that you have or desire to enhance, please add in
the table below.

81
 Current proficiency Desired proficiency
Skills level level
Limited Limited
High High
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Discipline Specific Skills-Business Knowledge

Please, indicate your current and desired proficiency level for each of the following skills
with a tick (√) mark on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is no knowledge and 5 is advanced
knowledge.

Current proficiency level Desired proficiency

Skills level
None None
Advanced Advanced
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Management accounting
Law
Business planning
Economics
Consumer behaviour
Financial accounting
Government & policy
Management
Marketing
Information systems
Taxation

If there are any other areas of Business Skills that you have or desire to enhance, please
add in the table below.

82
 Current knowledge level Desired knowledge level
Skills Limited High Limited High
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Business Specific Skills-Recognition of Knowledge

Please specify if your current knowledge level is recognized by a qualification or not.

(Please tick (√) the appropriate box).

Business Knowledge Recognized Not Recognized

Management accounting
Law
Business planning
Economics
Consumer behaviour
Financial accounting
Government & policy
Management
Marketing
Information systems
Taxation

If there are any other areas of Business relevant to you that you have or desire to enhance,
please add in the blank spaces provided and indicate your current and desired knowledge
levels.

Business Knowledge Recognized Not Recognized

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Future Directions

From the previous pages, in your opinion should you:

Seek formal awards or qualifications and academic progression?

Seek recognition for learning acquired informally in the workplace?

Seek additional workplace relevant skills?

Seek career guidance assistance in setting career goals?

Additional comments:

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*The above sample ILP relates to a business discipline. ILPs are available for various
other disciplines.

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Appendix D: Record of Organizational Placement

Date: _________________ Time: ________________

Name of organization: _____________________
Type of business: ___________________
Name: _________________________ Position: _______________________________
Number of employees:________________ Males: __________ Females: ___________
Name of HDP Candidate: ____________________________________
University: _______________________________________

Record of time spent in the organization:

Date Brief summary of what you did Hours spent

Total Hours*
* This should be at least 12 hours

I confirm that the record above is an accurate statement of the time I have spent in the
organization completing my Organization Placement for the Higher Diploma Programme.

Signature of candidate: __________________________ Date: __________________

I confirm that to the best of my knowledge the above is a true statement of the candidate.

Signature: _________________ Position in organization: ______________________

Organization stamp

Date for student reflective classroom discussion on field experience:________________

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Final tutor/supervisor placement evaluations

Summary of student‘s abilities

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Areas where growth is most evident

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Future learning needs and recommendations

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Student Comments

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix E: Partnership Questionnaire

General Information

1. Organization's name?
2. Type of business and number of employees?
3. Which higher education institution you are partnered with?
4. Contact name (s) for workplace partnership?
5. Which academic departments do you interact with for this partnership?
6. When has this partnership established?
7. Who has prime responsibility for the partnership?
8. What stage of development is your partnership (on the relationship continuum)?

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Activities

1. How are CPD requirements of your staff identified and managed?

2. How are staff training needs addressed?
3. Has your workplace approached the higher education institute ( HEI) to source
training/development expertise?

II. Helping Higher Education Institution students in experience sharing

1. Has your organization sponsored undergraduate projects in HEI?

2. Have you helped an HEI staff in doing research project in your organization?
3. Does your organization engage in a planned placement activities of students from
HEI?
4. Do you envisage further growth of this partnership?
5. Are individual learning plans developed and used in your organization?
6. Do you check individual learning plans of both your employees and HEI
students?

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Final Higher Diploma Programme Self-Assessment

Assess your own achievement of the HDP using the following guideline.

Area Focusing Developing Establishing Enhancing

(poor) (fair) (good) (excellent)
Reflective Beginning to Developing Reflective Very
Activity identify strengths skills in critical activities reflective;
and areas for self-evaluation, identify identifying
development open to new strengths and strengths and
ideas, areas for areas for
beginning to development; development
apply concepts evidence of and action;
and skills progress in progress
planning and evident
teaching through self-
monitoring
Session plans, Mainly teacher Developing Well structured Confident use
evaluation, centred with planning; using sessions, of a variety of
formal summative some active awareness of ALMs;
observations assessment learning different Assessment
of teaching methods and learning styles; matches
and continuous appropriate objectives and
assessment assessment active learning supports and
and assessment challenges
methods: students‘
progress
Contributions Initially found Takes a Takes on work Ability to help

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to group work group work reasonable within the the group
challenging; share of group group; achieve tasks;
beginning to tasks, usually occasionally involves group
develop an when asked to helping to members;
awareness of the do so; listens to organize; active encourages
needs of group others and listener and others to speak
members makes contributes well good
contributions to enables the facilitation
discussion group to move skills
forward
Projects Projects do not Most objectives Objectives met; Objectives met
meet the met; recognizes aware of areas fully;
objectives; little strengths and for progressing
reflection; lack of areas for development; CPD
coherent development; well structured effectively;
structure to the beginning to reports well
reports; focus structured,
communication coherent
unclear reports
Attendance Attended less Attended 80% Attended 90% Attended
and than 80% of of sessions with of sessions with every session;
punctuality sessions; lateness absence for absence for always
and incomplete unavoidable unavoidable punctual for
work reasons reasons (with sessions and
inadequately accepted by agreement of with work
explained HDL; usually HDL);
punctual any punctual; work
lateness submitted on
explained time

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 Higher Diploma Leader’s Final Assessment
General comments on Candidate‘s contribution to and achievement on the HDP

The overall performance of the candidate in the HDP:

PASS or REFER

Signature of HDL: _______________________________ Date:_____________________

________End of the HDP Modules______________

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