BMSC302 - Industry Immersion 2

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

The skills developed by students studying the sciences are valued by employers and these graduates can enter a wide range of employment fields, including further study, after their courses. Employers, particularly those in the rapidly-developing fields of science, health and medicine, are looking for more than merely technical ability, with attributes such as problem-solving and communication skills ('employability skills') considered very important for success in the industry. Even when students have developed these abilities in their biomedical science classes, it can be difficult to demonstrate to potential employers how they can put them into practice.

Work-integrated-Learning (WiL) is recognised as a valuable way to help students to adapt and apply the skills and knowledge they have gained duing the course to a high-skills workplace, and to understand how such workplaces function, including 'workplace culture'. This unit builds on the skills and techniques developed in BMSC301 Industry Immersion 1, as it encourages students to seek workplace experiences that will enable them to further develop the skills they identify as important for their future careers. The learning activities and assessments in the unit are designed to support students as they do this, to gain evidence of these skills and of their ability to contribute to a workplace that they can provide for potential employers.

The aim of this unit is for students to develop some of the skills their future careers may require and at the same time, by contributing something of value to the organisation through a project or designated activity that they undertake, embody the notion of reciprocity as a means of attaining the common good. A learning contract agreed by the student, Lecturer-in-Charge (LiC) and an appropriate workplace contact will explain the student's desired learning outcomes, and the student's role and contribution to the organisation during the internship. This will assist students to gather evidence of their expertise and employability skills to provide to potential future employers.  

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 Through regular reflection, evaluate how their knowledge and skills have developed during the program (GA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10);  

LO2 Explain how the work-place skills, practices and attitudes required in their workplace relate to the purpose of the host organisation and how it operates (GA 3, 4, 5, 6, 8);  

LO3 By demonstrating professional behaviour, attitudes and self-reflection, describe how and what they have contributed to the host organisation (GA 1, 2, 3, 5, 6). 

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Using the knowledge gained in BMSC301, students will meet with the Lecturer-in-Charge to discuss the skills or attributes that they wish to develop in the internship, appropriate learning outcomes for these and suitable organisations where this learning might be possible. Students will find their own internship placement for the LIC to approve, although ACU staff will help where possible.  Regular reflection is an essential part of the Internship component as it is the basis for the unit’s assessment, and the learning activities on LEO will provide practice in reflective writing as well as other aspects of the employability skills. The Faculty of Health Sciences has specific requirements that must be met by all students who undertake any form of placement or professional work experience, so students enrolled in this unit need to be compliant with these before they can begin the internship.   

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Students are expected to complete 105 hours, or fifteen (15) days of Professional Work Experience (Internship) for this unit.  

This unit is designed to meet the needs of each student in their internship placement and associated processes. Each student, in collaboration with their placement host, will develop learning outcomes for the placement that address the student’s specific learning contract and the way the student expects to contribute to the organisation (for example, by taking over part of a project, or assisting in particular workplace activities).    

Supporting materials in this unit are offered in online mode to enable students to access the learning activities at the times best suited to different aspects of the progress of their internship. Students are able to participate in asynchronous interactive learning activities that develop the skills important in undertaking the assessment tasks, including practice in reflective writing which is valued by employers as it is increasingly necessary in many scientific and technical careers. The learning activities encourage interaction and collaboration between students, and between students and staff as they encourage sequential development of relevant skills with expert support. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy of this unit supports the student’s transition from University to the workforce. Scientific training prepares students for work-place activities including researching issues or problems in a workplace and preparing a report that identifies contributing factors and discusses potential solutions.

The purpose of the unit is for students to develop skills that are important in their ideal future career, and at the same time, provide something of value to the agency. 

Where students undertake a placement in a workplace, they will complete a structured learning journal that enables them to complete the activities and assessment tasks requiring them to think critically about their role in their own workplace-learning, as they prepare to solve problems in an increasingly complex and connected world.

Where students cannot undertake a workplace placement, they will build on the learning activities from BMSC301 to research in depth the activities that they may undertake in a role in a potential future career with a focus on the transferable skills and attributes that this role requires. They will also research agencies or institutions where such roles may be located. 

Students may investigate a project that an agency is undertaking or an issue relevant to the industry. They will prepare a report on an aspect of this relevant to their skills, attributes and aspirations that provides value and is appropriate to present to an agency. This investigative process will assist students in recognition of important connections between their chosen role, the relevant organisations within a specific field of interest, and contemporary issues associated with the organisations within this field. The resulting report will be a useful artefact for students when seeking future employment opportunities after graduation.

Overview of assessments

STANDARD ASSESSMENT TASKS:;

ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT TASKS:

Representative texts and references

Anderson, G., Boud, D. and Sampson, J. (1996) Learning contracts London : Kogan Page. 

Boak, G. (1998) A complete guide to learning contracts Aldershot, Hampshire, England ; Brookfield, Vt. 

Boud, D. and Walker, D. (1991) Experience and learning : reflection at work Geelong, Vic. : Deakin University 

Universities Australia, ACCI, AiGroup, Business Council of Australia, ACEN (2015) National Strategy on Work Integrated Learning in university education. http://acen.edu.au/resources/national-wil-strategy/ 

Williams, K., Woolliams, M. and Spiro, J. (2012). Reflective Writing. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan 

Yorke, M. and P. Knight (2006). “Embedding employability into the curriculum.” Higher Education Academy, York.