Engagement With a Custom-Made Online System Designed to Support Undergraduate Work Placement

Abstract

This paper describes an online system that was custom-made to allow BSc Optometry undergraduates to submit work electronically, while off-campus on work placement. One of the main aims of the system was to allow internal (college) supervisors to provide students with timely, formative feedback on work submitted. The system was piloted in academic year 2013-14 and an intrinsic case study was carried out to examine the engagement of the students, the external placement supervisors and the internal supervisors with the system. Engagement was gauged by examining all subjects’ interaction with the system and by asking them to complete a post placement questionnaire. The results showed a high level of engagement from both the students and external supervisors but a lower level of engagement from the internal supervisors, in particular with regard to the provision of formative feedback. Possible reasons for the different levels of engagement are discussed and changes to be made to the system for academic year 2014-15 (based on the findings of the case study) are outlined

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