Introduction/Background:
Workplace learning (WPL) and work-integrated learning (WIL) are terms often used interchangeably. WIL is an umbrella term describing andragogy involving the student, educational institution, and external stakeholders. It includes WPL, which is the authentic acquisition of knowledge and skills by formal or informal heuristic means that occurs in the workplace. In order to develop a deliberate professional, assessment too needs to be authentic, to enhance hermeneutic approaches to learning, and to meet professional and accreditation requirements.
Podcasts, etymologically derived from iPod and broadcast, are primarily an audio communication in digital format for download over the internet, that relate to a specific theme. Videos are visual, and audio, digital recordings. These digital affordances allow students to engage in the use of technology, and the relevant subject matter, to illustrate deep understanding of the subject in a fun and creative manner.
Video formative assessment was introduced into a pre-clinical WIL subject (AHEMS) in 2020. Generally, the presentations were excellent, with student feedback extremely positive. As a result of academic collaboration, summative video assessments were introduced in a clinical WIL subject. Serendipitously, excellent podcasts were also submitted.
The benefits of these digital affordances is to enhance originality, creativity and variation in assessment, and to decrease the possibility of academic misconduct whilst meeting several CSU GLO’s (GLO 1, 2, 3, 5&6)
Aims/Objectives of the roundtable:
We aim to propagate the idea of videos/podcasts as a means of assessment in students undertaking regional WIL. We propose this as an agentic and authentic assessment task that develops a deliberate professional (GLO 5). These assessment tasks are undertaken by CSU veterinary students with the aim of developing graduates for our WIL footprint in regional Australia. Our focus is ‘creating deliberate, profes¬sional-enabling, productive learning in complex environments resulting in thoughtful, courageous, and morally responsible life long learners (GLO 6).’
Discussion with colleagues embedding digital literacies into subjects, hearing of their experiences, encouraging others to incorporate digital assessment and ensuring our assessments are robust form the basis of this roundtable opportunity.
Questions/ideas for discussion/debate/exploration:
Are videos or podcasts valid assessment tasks for regional WIL?
How best to ensure efficiency and marking equity of digital assessments
How to optimise the andragogy of the assessment task?
