It is important to start from clear work placement competencies. These should be clearly phrased and transparently communicated to students. They can be a starting point for letting the students phrase their own work placement objectives that accentuate, concretize or deepen the learning outcomes, thus increasing engagement and motivation. This way, the work placement objectives are connected to the competencies that the students have already acquired as well as their interests. 

 

If these objectives are clearly phrased, they should also be transparently communicated to the students. 

 

It is recommended to engage the students in setting the objectives they should meet during their work placement. These own objectives can accentuate, concretize or deepen the learning outcomes. This way, the engagement and motivation of the students are boosted because the work placement is better connected to the already acquired competencies and the interests of the students. 

The following elements can be guidelines towards these own objectives: 

• the learning outcomes and study programme competencies of the work placement
• the characteristics of the work placement, if they have already been described
• the field of interest of the student
• the strengths of the student
• the work placement supervisor and the work placement mentor
• the areas of improvement of previous assignments, projects, work placement, …
• information from feedback consultations, supervisor consultations, …

 

Include the objectives of the work placement in the work placement guide.