Putting Learning to Work
Committee Report
June 30, 2000
Participating Committee Members
Rebecca Burch, Jim Coates, Brent Hussin, John Katers, Peter Kellogg, Anne Kok, KarenLacey Dan Mitchell, Linda Peacock-Landrum (subcommittee chair), Denise Scheberle (committee chair and subcommittee chair), Jan Thornton
Committee Charge
The Putting Learning to Work Committee was asked to develop and detail aspects of Recommendation X and Recommendation XI in the Report of the Task Force on the Compelling Idea. The committee was assigned responsibility for developing guidelines for the units to follow in order to tailor these recommendations to the needs of students.
Recommendation X outlines an expectation that all students will have a professional learning experience. Recommendation XI outlines an expectation that all students will have a citizenship experience as part of their learning. Recommendations X and XI appear as appendices to this report.
Committee Process
The committee met as a whole to identify the goals for each of the two recommendations and to establish the characteristics of successful professional learning and citizenship programs. This work occupied meetings during the month of April and the first part of May. After agreement was reached on the goals and characteristics of successful programs, the committee divided into two subcommittees. Each subcommittee was charged with the responsibility of translating this initial work into specific guidelines for one recommendation. The committee met as a whole in May and June to provide feedback to the subcommittees. This report is the culmination of the work that was done.
Committee's Proposed Plan for the Professional Practice Experience
Purpose
The purpose of this experience is to engage students in hands-on professional practice in a workplace environment that promotes personal and professional development by linking academic knowledge with professional skills.
To accomplish this purpose, students will complete a professional practice equivalent to a three credit course which includes participation in a seminar. Although professional practices will vary, all professional practices should contain the characteristics listed below.
Educational Characteristics of a Professional Practice Experience
$ It engages students in hands-on professional practice in a workplace environment.
$ It closely corresponds to skills needed by a professional in that area.
$ It contributes to student learning, links to a student's learning plan and is reflected in the portfolio.
$ It enhances the student=s understanding of a profession/career.
$ It includes structured time for the student to reflect on his/her experience and structured sharing of the experience with the university community by way of the seminar.
$ It recognizes that evaluations are essential and should be shared with the student.
$ It offers on-going feedback to the student by someone who has professional expertise (faculty liaison or faculty coordinator and/or site supervisor).
Rationale
The standards for the professional practice are the first four bullets in the educational characteristics listed above. These standards will drive the outcomes for students completing the professional practice. The proposed model will provide an experience for all students that will aid in developing graduates who will be productive members of society. This model strongly supports the UW-Green Bay Idea of an educated person by providing an opportunity to explore depth and breadth of knowledge in the experience, to develop skills and tools, to have commitment and engagement with a site and to develop insight and understanding of workplace issues.
In developing a model for professional practice, it was important to have a model that is:
$ assessed and evaluated by the University community and participants
$ flexible: not a one-size fits all approach that allows for a wide variety of options for students as well as student-generated experiences
$ easily coordinated and administered on campus
$ provides support systems on campus for students and hosts to address problems
$ communicates simple and clear expectations and responsibilities for students and participating organizations
$ occurs during a student's final four semesters
$ based upon a learning agreement
$ provides a mutually beneficial experience for students and for the organization
Challenges of a Professional Practice Program
Clearly any program that involves students in a professional practice prior to graduation will have challenges that need to be addressed for the program to be successful. In developing a model for the professional practice, programmatic challenges were reviewed and discussed at length. The model that is proposed addresses the following challenges:
$ creating enough professional learning experiences to meet student demand
$ coordinating these experiences across campus
$ disseminating information about these experiences
$ dealing with transfer students who may have already had these experiences
$ creating sufficient incentives for organizations to participate
$ creating appropriate documentation
$ accommodating students who are not developmental prepared, unmotivated or poorly-performing
$ acquiring sufficient resources at the budgetary unit and institutional level to accomplish the work
$ Incorporating existing programs and experiences into professional practice experience; these existing experiences would serve as a professional practice as long as the criteria were met.
Model for Professional Practice
Learning Outcomes of Professional Practice
In order to provide the entire student body at UW-Green Bay with a meaningful professional practice, core learning outcomes are essential. This ensures fairness and equity for students participating and completing professional practices. Core learning outcomes will also allow for evaluation and assessment of the program university-wide in order to modify and adapt the program to provide the best possible experience for students. These outcomes were determined by reviewing the top ten skills important to all majors at UW-Green Bay (as compiled by Assessment and Testing for BASE feedback sessions). Recognizing that students have different interests, goals and abilities, the learning outcomes reflect the flexibility to allow for learning tailored to the individual students. In addition each professional practice may not address all areas listed in the seven categories, but it is expected that any meaningful professional practices would provide opportunity for development in the seven areas.
Learning Outcomes for a student in a professional practice would be:
I. Application of Learning in the Profession
Demonstrates a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the profession. Ability to understand the connection between academic knowledge and practical work in the field. Looks for new responsibilities and takes initiative. Demonstrates active desire to learn from and contribute to the organization.
II. Decision Making and Problem Solving
Able to assimilate appropriate information as part of problem solving and decision making. Asks appropriate questions that demonstrate critical thinking. Shows judgment about when to seek further guidance and when to be self-reliant.
III. Organization and Planning Skills
Uses time productively and efficiently. Demonstrates the ability to be flexible and adaptable. Follows through on assigned duties and tasks. Able to plan an implement a special project well. Demonstrates independence in the completion of projects and assignments.
IV. Communication Skills (interpersonal, oral, written and listening)
Interacts positively with peers and staff. Adjusts to a variety of new circumstances, expectations and people. Communicates verbally in a clear, understandable manner. Uses appropriate language when communicating with professionals, clients/customers and the public. Writes in a neat, clear and concise manner. Listens carefully to diverse points of view.
V. Professional Behaviors (attendance, ethics and confidentiality)
Has respect for other people's different skills and life experiences. Dresses appropriately for the profession. Respects the time constraints and the job responsibilities of the site supervisor.
VI. Professional and Personal Development
Demonstrates ability to accept corrective feedback and suggestions for improvement. Shows openness to self-evaluation and identifies personal goals. Has tolerance for ambiguity. Understands difference and strikes balance between roles of worker/student and between organization goals/own goals. Accepts responsibility and consequences for own actions and decisions.
VII. Other Skills and Behaviors
In consultation with the cluster coordinator, faculty liaison and site supervisor the student may identify additional skills and behaviors specific to the profession and/or student career goals.
Overview of the Professional Practice Experience
In order for the professional practice to be meaningful for students, there must be some minimal standards that are established and there must be some consistent manner to ensure that students have completed it. The expectation would be that all students would pass the professional practice because of structured support and on-going evaluation that would be at the core of the program.
Core Elements of the Professional Practice
· 3 credit, repeatable pass/no-credit experience with a seminar
· Minimum of 120 hours completed with 10 hours class/advising time in the Seminar for the semester (the committee acknowledges a need for a minimum number of hours completed for fairness and that this number may need to be adjusted)
· Interim progress report/evaluation completed to ensure student success
· Students would register for practice/seminar to track completion/participation
· To be eligible student must have junior standing and have declared major
· Students would complete this experience during one of the last four semesters prior to graduation
· Internships, student teaching, fieldwork in social work and other existing experiences could meet the criteria for professional practice
· Criteria/competencies would allow for evaluation of prior experience for non-traditional students and accepting transfer credit for transfer students
· Sites would have the option to have input into the student selected to serve a professional practice. Professional practices may be competitive requiring that students participate in an interview and selection process at the site
· Efforts would be made to identify and document opportunities that exist currently and that could be developed on campus for professional practice
It is important to acknowledge that students will be assisted and supported in completing this experience. For students engaged in a professional practice this support and assistance will be in the form of the seminar, the interim progress report/evaluation, the site visit/consultation by university and the support provided by the site supervisor. For Pre-Practice Students, support and assistance will be critical as well. Therefore the following elements would be important
Support for Pre-Practice Students
· Required meeting with Cluster Coordinator and/or Faculty Coordinator in advance
· Required attendance at a professional practice seminar in advance to help with decision making
· Would complete a self-assessment along with review of the learning plan to provide information to a Cluster Coordinator about what type of professional practice would be appropriate
· Good communication would need to exist between Cluster Coordinator and student's adviser in order to link with learning plan
It should be noted that the opportunity exists for students to not take a professional practice seriously. Conversely, the opportunity exists for a site to not offer the expected type of professional practice. A procedure would need to be implemented to remove a student from a professional practice should the need arise for either reason.
With numerous quality experiences already documented and engaging students, departments may choose to substitute the professional practice experience for existing experiential programs.
The Professional Practice Seminar
Currently some professional programs (social work and education) have seminars that allow students in the field to meet regularly to review experiences, learn from others' experiences and receive on-going professional development. Other units, such as PEA, have internship forums at the conclusion of field experiences. Students regularly voice their support for sessions as a way to bring closure to an experience, as an avenue for on-going support and as an opportunity to learn from their peers. If departments such as Social Work and Education have currently existing seminars, students would not need to co-enroll in two seminars but would participate in the department's individual seminar for professional practice students. Units and departments could collaborate with other units/departments to provide seminars for students.
Core Elements of the Professional Practice Seminar
· Students attend one two-hour seminar per month.
· Seminars are facilitated by Cluster Coordinator or Faculty Coordinators.
· Students would discuss and share experiences with peers.
· Seminars would include topics such as organizational culture, professional ethics, current employment trends, various leadership and management styles, organizational communication and design, conflict resolution, etc.
· Seminars would be interdisciplinary, unless sponsored by a budgetary unit.
· Seminars offered by clusters or majors (depending on the model) and students enroll in a specific seminar based upon their practice site.
· Maximum enrollment of 20 students per seminar.
Benefits of the Professional Practice Seminar
· It is interdisciplinary
· Students have the opportunity to share experiences and learn from peers.
· It provides a support structure for students in the experience that is regular and constant.
· Students can receive regular feedback on issues that arise during their experience.
· It provides an opportunity for structured reflection on the experience.
Sites for Professional Practice Experiences
Based upon data from the Graduating Senior Survey for 1998, approximately 46% of the respondents participated in an internship, field experience or practicum. In addition, data from Institutional Research was obtained that examined registration for the internship 497 course by major. It is approximated that an additional two hundred experiences may need to be identified for a given semester and that on average 400 students per semester would be participating in the professional practice. As stated previously, sites would have the option to select the students completing a professional practice within their organization. This may involve a competitive process of resume submission and interviews.
Recognizing that site involvement and support is critical to the success of this program, some incentives for sites/organizations to participate would be important. A unit/department (professional practice program office) should be responsible for overall public relations and recognition of site support. Some incentives for organizations to participate may include:
· Recognition of site participation and support --such as a large thank you ad in the newspaper each semester acknowledging placements and campus recognition in the Log.
· Students could nominate individual/organization for "best" site/mentor.
· Certificates presented to site mentors for their efforts in creating meaningful professional practice experiences.
· Continued excellent communication between coordinators and sites.