Ten Steps:Setting-up, validating and evaluating work-based learning modules and work experience using ECTS-credits focussing on work placements

Abstract

Setting up a placement, traineeship or entrepreneurship modules or learning units require a clear procedure. This paper offers a step-by-step approach to define, validate and evaluate both the design and its implementation. It offers insight how to select the set of competences and to formulate these as measurable learning outcomes for a specific mode of work-based learning (WBL), to relate these to the set of activities available and required in a practical setting, e.g. the work place, to validate / check the match between learning outcomes and assignments and to evaluate the experience. Key in this process is the need to design the experience in such a way that students can achieve the intended learning outcomes in the time reserved for this mode of learning expressed in ECTS credits.The focus in this guideline paper is on the work placement and in particular the integrated approach. The integrated approach is the most advanced form of a placement model, because it makes the WBL experience a regulated part of a degree programme. This tool should be read as an introduction of the much more comprehensive WEXHE work package report on work placements / integrated approach.3 This document and other relevant ones have been published on the WEXHE website and can be downloaded at https://wexhe.eu. In particular the full work package report offers the detail which is absent in this short guideline