This document summarizes a discussion on assessing work-based learning placements in politics and international studies programs. Key points included how to structure student reflection papers to connect their experiences to academic literature and different definitions of politics. Participants debated whether placements should be integrated at the 5th or 6th academic level and what constitutes a "politics" placement. Developing research skills and addressing employer needs were also discussed, as was balancing the workload of work-based learning with degree programs.

1. Workshop
on
Work-­based
Learning
in
Politics
and
International
Studies,
Oxford
Brookes
University
7
April
2014
Breakout
session
on
Academic
Content
and
Assessment
Notes
summarising
key
themes
of
the
discussion
Assessment
-­‐ Students
reflecting
on
experience
-­‐ Connecting
to
politics
and
academic
discourse
-­‐ Related
to
definition
of
politics
-­‐ Managing
student
perceptions
-­‐ How
do
we
interpret
reflection?
-­‐ Focus
on
specific/structured
questions
-­‐ Engage
with
literature
on
reflection
-­‐ Different
ways
of
approaching
our
subject
to
give
students
a
different
tool
kit
to
make
sense
of
politics
and
IR
and
work
placement
Level
of
delivery
-­‐ Level
5
or
6?
-­‐ Level
5
too
early?
-­‐ Level
6
alternative
for
dissertation
-­‐ Raises
question
of
programme
as
a
whole
What
is
a
‘politics’
placement
-­‐ Practice
in
the
broadest
sense
-­‐ Organisation
focused
-­‐ Volunteering
–
more
elastic
Research
methods/skills
-­‐ Employer
needs
-­‐ Move
from
‘placement’
learning
to
more
active-­‐oriented
learning
–
better
opportunities
for
research
skill
development
Mode
of
delivery
-­‐ Various
experiences
outside
of
just
placement
-­‐ Continuous
embedment

2. -­‐ Non-­‐credit
bearing
career
service
module
Workload
-­‐ Political
will
–
depends
on
structure
of
degree
-­‐ Division
of
labour