Discussion paper: an innovative multidisciplinary assessment model for work-placement assessment

This paper presents an innovative assessment model developed for application in multidisciplinary workplace settings. The model was developed to address current trends in higher education surrounding workplace assessment, for students undertaking Swinburne University of Technology's Industry Based Learning Program (IBL) within the Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. IBL is an optional program enabling students from science (biotechnology, public and environmental health and biomedical sciences), multimedia, games, social science, psychology and psychophysiology to undertake a 6 or 12 month paid learning experience in a discipline relevant workplace. The paper will discuss the strategy adopted to formulate the model, which included reviewing an existing model of assessment developed and applied over many years in one discipline area and identifying how this could be adopted for use in multidisciplinary work place settings. The strategy aimed at enhancing the student's ability to provide greater evidence of the development of graduate attributes and employability skills, whilst achieving greater consistency and clarity amongst academics and industry partners regarding the requirements for workplace assessment. The assessment tool was trailed in 2010 and the paper will also present some of the learnings and outcomes from its first application in the various industry settings.