Guide to the Assessment of Work Based Learning (WBL)
Introduction
This guide is intended for use by all SSU staff involved in assessing student learning achieved through
work or employer based experience, including conventional student work placements. Work based
learning (WBL) is defined for this purpose as being achieved through experience gained through
carrying out actual work tasks in the workplace under normal operational conditions.
The duration of this experience may, of course, vary considerably, as may the type of organisation
acting as host. All these factors will influence the nature and scope of the activities, the potential
learning outcomes which might be achieved through them and the way in which these might be
assessed.
This is not a new dimension of Higher Education but one which is expanding and diversifying at an
increasing rate. There is consequently little in the way of settled terminology to describe it and care
should always be taken to be sure in writing course and unit documentation and agreeing
arrangements with colleagues, students and employers that a shared understanding of intentions has
been reached. If relevant, a specific section on assessment should be included in the documentation
for the WBL or placement arrangements agreed with the host organisation.
The body of the guide sets out relevant SSU policy and how to interpret it. However in light of this
fluid environment, an additional way to help those new to delivering WBL to fully understand what is
required may be through a range of examples of such assessment already in place at SSU and
elsewhere. Examples which are felt to work operationally and reflect best practice are therefore
given in the annex.
A range of references is also offered as a starting point for exploiting the considerable research and
practice literature available on this aspect of higher education course development and delivery.
WBL in context
The University is committed to developing a broad range of employability components in courses as a
means of enriching each student’s experience during their course of study. This is seen as a
contribution to increasing their likelihood of gaining employment which reflects their award and level
of qualification. This is consistent with the University Strategic Plan which includes statements about
the effective integration of theory and practice, and the pursuit of inclusive and flexible forms of
higher education that meet the needs of employers and prepare students to succeed in a fastchanging competitive world.
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There is a variety of ways in which WBL can be built into the curriculum. For this reason one of the
specific opportunities which University policy (Academic Handbook, Section 2B, Academic
Framework) establishes as desirable, is that all undergraduate courses should include work based or
work placement learning in either core or optional units.
The recent update to University policy also acknowledges this, and the growing consensus about its
value, by making assessed Real World Experience a required element of core assessed experience at
each Undergraduate level. WBL will be one way of meeting this requirement, and when this is the
case it will be necessary to ensure that effective assessment is in place.
Where such learning experiences are already formally assessed and contribute towards unit and
course assessed learning outcomes this guide may be of help in keeping the activities fresh; other
existing learning opportunities may need to be modified to meet the requirements of formal
assessment.
Alignment with national expectations and standards
These principles align with the precepts and guidance in the QAA Quality Code and in particular with
the section of the Learning and Teaching chapter concerned with work based and placement
learning. This explicitly recognises and welcomes the diversity of learning opportunities available
through this route and encourages innovative practice in assessment. It contains a range of practical
advice which can be applied in designing effective assessment. The following are especially important
when starting to design assessment of WBL to ensure consistency:

“In common with other elements of a course, it may not be possible for all students …… to
have exactly the same learning experiences. It is important, however, that they all have
opportunities to achieve the same learning outcomes, and that support is provided for the
student if circumstances change and s/he is no longer able to achieve the outcomes in the
agreed setting(s).”

“Well designed assessment can help to reinforce the relevance of (this) learning to other
parts of the programme and vice versa, and give students a range of opportunities to
demonstrate achievement of their learning in designing assessment for contexts where the
learning and/or assessment takes place off-campus. It is important that any assessment tests
the intended learning outcomes both accurately and fairly”.

“It is important that the impact of failure or non-completion of any such learning on
progression within an overall programme, and the provision of re-assessment
opportunities, are considered when developing the assessment strategy.”
This section of the Code also emphasises the crucial importance of putting effective operational
management arrangements in place for all learning activities which involve third parties and/or off
campus locations. Clearly, assessment arrangements need to be included as a major item in all
briefing materials provided for students, SSU staff, host employers and any others involved.
Employer involvement
In certain situations, particularly where students are permanent employees in the learning location,
the issue of employer involvement in assessment, both informal and formal (formative and
summative), will arise. Such involvement is possible provided certain principles are followed to
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ensure the University meets its obligations to safeguard academic standards and the quality of the
student experience. If this is the case, further guidance should be sought from the Quality team in
Academic Services.
Designing WBL assessments
Because WBL learning activities are drawn from live, current working situations they are less easy to
fit neatly into a structured and progressive learning programme than those which have been used
historically as part of a traditional classroom based programme. However, the same principles apply
to designing assessment of this type of learning as to all other types, i.e.:
A curriculum structure that:
 has clearly defined learning outcomes, which reflect the academic, professional and
employment demands of the discipline;
Assessment that:



is explicitly aligned with student learning;
is clear and equitable;
enables students to demonstrate the achievement of the learning outcomes.
Provided the course and level learning outcomes are taken as a guide it is easier than might be
imagined to resolve any issues that WBL may throw up, and there are a number of frameworks
available as benchmarks for this process.
In common with designing any other assessed unit of learning, the framing of learning outcomes
appropriate to WBL is the key, remembering that these should flow from the course learning
outcomes and contribute to the achievement of them. This then forms the basis of the assessment
design. Clearly there will be occasions when a particular set of attractive learning experiences is
available which is taken as the start of the design process, but the link still needs to be constructed
through the hierarchy of learning outcomes so the experience and its assessed activities integrate
fully into the course and are not seen by the student as disconnected. Defining skill levels, identifying
appropriate assessment activities, and writing clear marking criteria are all key factors.
Defining learning objectives at different levels
An important aspect of developing placement learning and work based learning is making sure that
skills being demonstrated are appropriate for the level of learning, that they show progression, and
that comparability can be ensured between cohorts and courses. The QAA’s FHEQ framework gives
some basic guidance about how levels should be distinct. The SSU generic level descriptors in the
Academic Framework are written to translate easily into learning outcomes and may also be of help.
Another useful set of descriptors for more vocational learning are those published by SEEC, which
were developed partly to address the need for level descriptors for work based learning.
As well as more traditional skills such as knowledge and understanding and conceptualisation and
critical thinking, the SEEC descriptors include:


Operational context
Autonomy and responsibility for actions
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





Adaption to context
Performance
Team and organisational working
Ethical awareness and application
Personal evaluation and development
Interpersonal and communication skills
For example for the descriptors for the skill of Performance include:
Level 4 – Undertakes performance tasks that may be complex and non-routine engaging in selfreflection.
Level 5 – Undertakes complex and non-routine performance tasks. Analyses performance of self and
others and suggests improvements.
Level 6 – Seeks and applies new techniques and processes to own performance and identifies how
these might be evaluated.
Level 7 – Autonomously implements and evaluates improvements to performance drawing on
innovative or sectoral best practice.
(SEEC 2010. Credit level Descriptors for Higher Education. Southern England Consortium for Credit
Accumulation and Transfer see www.seec.org.uk).
Further examples of these can be found at
http://www.seec.org.uk/sites/seec.org.uk/files/SEEC%20Level%20Descriptors%202010_0.pdf
Developing these into learning outcomes can be as simple as changing the structure of the sentence,
for example a level 4 learning outcome could be “undertaken and reflected upon performance
tasks”, while a level 5 learning outcome would be more demanding “undertaken and analysed
complex and non-routine performance tasks, and suggested improvements”.
Typical assessment tasks
There are various types of assessment that have become associated with work based learning. They
can be roughly divided into two types, those that are the products of the period of work itself (e.g.
reports completed in the job, leaflets, webpages, presentations to colleagues), and those that are
extra pieces of work (e.g. portfolios, reflections, videos of practice). The nature of these will be
dependent on the subject studied, the learning outcomes, the size of the assessment and the unit
level.
These are examples of types of assessment that are appropriate for assessing placement or workbased learning modules.
1. Reflection – the student undertakes the work as normal, then reflects upon it.
2. Portfolios of evidence – these are a combination of shorter pieces of work, possibly including
some evidence that work has been completed, with some reflective element.
3. Presentations – the student completes the work and then does a presentation on their
experience to an audience which might include employers.
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4. Videos of practice behaviour.
5. Project – a defined piece of work that is part of the normal job, that has a clear beginning and
end, but which contributes to the job.
6. Case study – a piece of work that is drawn from normal work but which exemplifies some key
principles/ theories.
7. Research project – this is research on the workplace, which is outside the normal role of the
job.
For most 20 credit, level 5 or 6 WBL units, a reflection, portfolio or presentation would be an
appropriate way of evidencing that learning has taken place, with learning outcomes set at the unit
level as with a traditional unit. Some work based learning may require a slightly more complex
process of assessment that responds to the individual circumstances of each student and employer. In
these cases, while the learning outcomes for a unit will be set at a general level, the specific
activities and the way that they will be assessed will need to be worked out on a cohort-by-cohort or
even student-by-student basis. In these instances, a Learning Agreement or Learning Contract will
have to be drawn up.
What is a Learning Agreement or Learning Contract?
A Learning Agreement or Contract is a formal document that defines what is expected from learner,
tutor and employer. They are core to many WBL units, in that they set out the parameters for the
tasks the student will undertake in order to meet the assessment criteria. The key generic
components are:

What are you going to learn?

How are you going to learn it?

Target date(s) for completion

How are you going to know that you learned it?

How are you going to prove you learned?
While these headings are generic, the nature of each student’s WBL placement will be individual, and
hence the responses to the headings will be particular to each student. An example of this is included
in the Appendix through the example of a completed Learning Agreement from the Curriculum Plus
Work Based Learning unit. In this you can clearly see how the student sets out what activities are
going to be undertaken, and what information needs to be collected, to meet the learning outcomes
of the unit. Obviously, this involves some negotiation between employer, student and tutor, and
especially between student and tutor, and this activity may contribute to the assessment itself. In
order to set up a Learning Agreement or Learning Contract there should be a planning meeting
between the student and their supervising tutor to establish a transparent, feasible and verifiable set
of activities by which the student will be able to achieve the criteria for the assessment.
Setting up a Learning Agreement or Learning Contract
This type of Learning Contract can be very time-consuming for the lecturer, demanding individual
tutorial time with each student in order to ascertain the specifics of each placement. However, there
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will be a number of generic requirements for evidence, such as academic referencing to theories and
their application in the work place, and guidance on how to write a reflective report, which can be
dealt with in a group or whole class setting. The advantage of this type of learning contract is that
the student and their assessor have held a discussion about what the student will do during their time
on placement. The student will have a clear, focused framework to guide their project, and a clear
structure to enable them to meet all the LOs for their assessed work.
‘The assessment tasks need to require students to apply the principles of learning, to identify
where learning has occurred, and to demonstrate how it was achieved. They need to establish
the validity of the conclusions they come to through the analysis of their experiences and
consequent learning, so the tasks will also require them to reflect critically and effectively.’
(Brodie and Irving 2007 p14)
Assessment marking criteria
These will flow from the nature of the task and from the learning outcomes, but especial care needs
to be taken to make them transparent and relevant to the situation in hand. Only then will the
student recognise them as authentic and, if an employer is involved, will they and the student
commit to the assessment task with enthusiasm. The clear intention should be to tie the WBL
experience into the learning outcomes for the unit and the course.
The SSU Generic Grading Criteria set out in the Assessment Policy in the Academic Handbook may be
of help in framing the desired assessment outcomes and performance criteria.
Supporting successful achievement
As placements and projects take place in real time, students will need timely, phased support for the
development of the skills to enable them to be successful in the achievement of their Learning
Agreement. Students are likely to need induction into academic skills such as data collection,
analysis, relation of theories to practice, evaluation, and reflection in and on learning. There may
well be a need for support for transferable skills such as planning and organisation, team working,
communication and problem-solving.
A mid-point review is recommended to ensure that the project is on track and will be accomplished
on time.
Consideration should also be given to re-assessment opportunities.
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References
Brodie P. & Irving, K. 2007 Assessment in work-based learning: investigating a pedagogical approach
to enhance student learning’. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. 32: 1, 11-19
QAA 2011 Quality Code for Higher Education Part A: Setting and Maintaining Threshold Academic
Standards. Chapter A1: The National Level.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality-Code-ChapterA1.pdf Accessed 31st January 2012. (FHEQ).
QAA 2011 Quality Code for Higher Education Part B: Assuring and enhancing academic quality.
Chapter B3: Learning and Teaching
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality%20Code%20%20Chapter%20B3.pdf Accessed 31st January 2012.
SEEC 2010. Credit level Descriptors for Higher Education. Southern England Consortium for Credit
Accumulation and Transfer
http://www.seec.org.uk/sites/seec.org.uk/files/SEEC%20Level%20Descriptors%202010_0.pdf
Accessed 16th November 2011. SSU Academic Handbook 2011/12 http://portal.solent.ac.uk/support/policies-andprocedures/official-documents/academic-handbook.aspx Accessed 16th November 2011
Further reading, frameworks and audit tools
Becket, N. & Kemp,P. (eds.) 2006. Enhancing Graduate Employability in Business Management,
Hospitality, Leisure and Sport Tourism. Newbury UK, Threshold Press.
Durrant, A., Rhodes, G. & Young, D. (eds.) 2009 Getting Started with Work Based Learning Hendon:
Middlesex University Press.
GMSA nd Work-based Assessment: A Handbook for Employers Manchester: Greater Manchester
Strategic Alliance.
Hardacre, K. & Workman, B. 2010 Planning and Reviewing Work Based Learning: A Practical Guide
Faringdon: Libri
HEA 2006 Pedagogy for Employability Learning and Employability Series One
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/employability/id383_pedagogy_for_employability_
357.pdf as well as many other publications on employability and work-based learning.
HEA 2008 Work-based Learning. Workforce Development: Connections, frameworks and processes.
York: HEA
Helyer, R. 2010 The Work-based Learning Student Handbook Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Laycock, M. 2011 Learner Engagement: A Guide to Negotiated Work-Based Learning. SEDA Special 29.
London: SEDA.
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Lemanski,T., Mewis, R. & Overton,T. 2011. An Introduction to Work-Based Learning. HEA, UK
Physical Sciences Centre. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/subjects/physsci/Practiceguide-intro-to-work-based-learning
Williams, A. & Thurairajah, N. (eds) 2009 Employer Engagement Series One Work Based Learning
Working the Curriculum: Approval Delivery and Assessment. York: HEA. p38 The Work Related
Learning Audit can be downloaded from the Centre's website:
www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/audit.aspx
The HEA has many resources on Work Based Learning. There is also a journal Higher Education, Skills
and Work-based Learning and the proceedings from the Work-based Learning Futures Conferences
Work-based Learning Futures, which contain many case studies.
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Appendix 1
SSU Examples of different types of Work-based Learning activities and assessment
Example 1
At Solent, Curriculum Plus includes a 20 credit unit called Work Based Learning. Students find their
own employment and agree a learning contract with their tutor and the employing organisation (see
below for an example). The learning objectives outlined in this will vary depending on the student’s
level of experience and the opportunities available within the employing organisation. Students are
expected to learn about the organisation, its structure, culture, working practices and objectives,
and to reflect upon their contribution to the organisation, relating what was learnt from the work
experience to their own personal and professional development. Employing organisations must be
approved by the University and meet all EU standards relating to employment, including Health and
Safety. The specific areas of study depend upon the nature of the work placement. Preparation for
undertaking work based learning, including the production of learning contracts, learning logs,
reflective statements and portfolios for assessment are covered during timetabled induction sessions.
There is also formal input on experiential learning and legislative and ethical considerations of workbased learning. Assessment is via a portfolio including the learning contract and a learning log (min
800, max 1,000 words), selected evidence of work-based learning, and a reflective statement (min.
2,000-max 2,500 words).
Assessment Brief
400 words maximum, using the template provided, 10% of final mark.
Using the template provided, produce a learning contract, with a maximum of 400 words. The
learning contract is a kind of action plan stating how you intend demonstrating that you have met the
five outcomes of the unit. It may well change during the year and, if so, you should put any updated
plans in your final portfolio. For the purpose of this assessment, however, your initial contract will
be marked and used to provide you with feedback as regards to how realistic and sufficient your
learning objectives are, at this stage.
An example of a completed template is on the following page.
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Action plan for Curriculum + Work‐based learning: Learning outcomes for the unit What will I do (did I do) to demonstrate that I have met the outcome? Understanding and knowledge
Research organisation’s aims K1 Describe your job/role and relate it to the structure, aims and purposes of the organisation you are working for and to your own Relate job role and personal objectives to organisation
objectives for the placement K2. Identify learning theories and methods useful and relevant in helping you to carry out the placement and to review your achievements; Cognitive Skills C1.
Analyse the relevance and
value of the work
experience for your
chosen field of academic
study and/or your
Analyse learning styles Relate other learning theories to workplace Analyse personal/ professional goals Research career paths What evidence could I provide to prove that I met the outcome? Mission statement PEST analysis Job description Organisational chart Notes of meeting with director Honey and Mumford/Northumbria VAK questionnaire Grid showing theories in relation to workplace learning SWOT Careerbox results Aspirational job adverts Date Nov/Dec Nov/Dec Oct Jan Oct Nov Dec Page 10 of 18
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professional and personal
goals and aspirations;
Practical and Professional Skills
P1. Research reflective techniques Reflect on your performance during the work placement and on what you have learned, applying appropriate theories of Write reflectively using theoretical models learning and reflective techniques, and providing evidence to support your conclusions; Transferable and Key Skills
T1.
Operate effectively in the
work situation, exercising
behaviours, attitudes and
work skills (e.g.
communication, teamworking, problem solving,
motivation and selfmanagement) appropriate
to your job/role and work
environment.
Work on areas identified as needing improvement :  Dealing with complaints – research assertiveness and employer’s policy  Leading the team – research team leadership and use every opportunity at work Provide evidence of improvement Annotated documents/lit search* Learning log Reflective statement Nov Dec March SWOT Work skills questionnaire Annotated documents/lit search* Placement review form e.g. of team training event I ran Witness testimony from team Nov Jan March *i.e. Not just webdumps – show where the theories/techniques have proved useful (150 words, not including outcomes) Page 11 of 18
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Example 2
This is also taken from the Curriculum Plus unit Work Based Learning, and shows a completed
Learning Contract. This piece of work was completed by a student in an earlier version of the unit,
when the Learning Contract was not assessed and there was no word limit associated with it. The
student undertook a placement of 124 hours (minimum requirement is 50 hours) at a league football
club as an Academy Analyst, and was awarded a first for this unit.
Comments by the assessor are included here as guidance on marking this type of work.
“Outcome P1 and T1 were less well addressed than the others. P1 focuses on reflective theory and
reflective writing technique and yet there is no mention of the learning log or reflective statement
in the evidence column and no plan to research reflective theory so as to better understand the role
it plays in learning at work. Similarly, T1 is a bit too general and thus the evidence that might
demonstrate improvement in communication skills and team leadership etc is all a bit bland.
Witness testimony from colleagues or supervisors would provide more authentic and valid evidence.
T1 would also have been improved if it included an objective to research the theory of
communication skills and team leadership so that the candidate's actions at work would be based on
well- tried principles rather than happenstance.”
“In general, there is good alignment between the outcomes and the planned actions and a measure
of initiative and autonomy in the ways in which the candidate plans to demonstrate learning. The
plan is realistic, time-wise, and the evidence is current, valid, relevant and authentic; but slightly
limited in its range”.
With learning contracts or action plans, part of the difficulty is in writing SMART objectives so it is
important to introduce students to that acronym. A tight word count is deliberately meant to
dissuade students from being discursive and, as this example 1 shows, contracts, with slightly
different headings but the same outcomes, can be both cogent and concise, without losing the
breadth of activity or evidence.
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Example 3
As part of the Health and Fitness Programme at Solent, students have to undertake a work
placement between levels 4 and 5. Support is given through level 4 towards this, and it is
assessed in a 20 credit level 5 unit Work Based Professional Studies. The student has the
responsibility of finding the placement (equivalent to 6 weeks full time) and it is a pre-requisite
of the unit that they have completed it. The placement must be accepted by the unit tutor prior
to commencement and deemed suitable to meet all the learning outcomes. All work placements
are checked by a work placement officer through LIS Employability Team who will support
students through their placement. The unit is supported by seminars and tutorials where a
variety of topics surrounding the work placement experience are discussed and analysed. The unit
is assessed via a group presentation (25% of final mark) and an individual portfolio (75% of final
mark, 3,000 words). A section of the portfolio is research based, integrating theoretical and
practical aspects. The presentation is reflective and analytical in nature, and assesses key skill
areas attained during their work placement.
Example 4
The High Performance Coaching unit as part of the BSc Sport Coaching includes a coaching
placement, which accounts for 70% of the unit mark. It is assessed via a portfolio of work which
allows students to:
1. Experience and reflect upon two coaching placements in a sport of their choice
2. Identify a gap in their coaching skills, set goals and develop an individual area of coaching
weakness
3. Demonstrate their practical coaching ability
Part 1 is completed via organising 2 x 20 hour coaching placements, of which at least some must
be planned or run by the students. A reflection must be written at the end of each session. Each
page of the coaching record has to be signed off by the head coach or mentor at the placement.
They must also provide a written reference. A summary of each placement, including the biggest
lessons learnt must be included.
Part 2 is addressed through a written report, which covers: the identification and introduction of
the skill gap, a literature review of strategies to improve this skill, an evidence based reflection
on the goal setting process and strategies to improve this skill, and a reference list.
Part 3 is a practical assessment. This involves being videoed by a peer. The video is 45 minutes
long, and includes a session introduction, a warm up, the main body of the session and a cool
down. Consent needs to be gained from the club, coaches and the players (or parents if under
18).
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Example 5
Level 5 Social Work students at Solent complete a 100 day placement in their Developing
Competence in Practice Unit. Students are assessed through the compilation of a portfolio,
demonstrating their competence against the National Occupational Standards, in relation to
expectations appropriate to this level. They are required to demonstrate understanding, analysis,
and application of the appropriate evidence base within the context of the specific area of
practice. The learning outcomes for this unit are:
Knowledge and Understanding
K1 Develop an understanding of the legal, social, economic and ecological context of social work
practice for their particular setting
Cognitive Skills
C1 Analyse appropriate social work theories, models and methods in order to inform and evaluate
practice
Practical and Professional Skills
P1 Assess people’s needs and circumstances appropriately and plan, carry out, review and
evaluate social work practice with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities, and
other professionals within a real-work context, under supervision and with guidance.
P2 Support individuals, families, carers, groups and communities to represent and effectively
communicate their needs, views and circumstances whilst managing risk to them, self and
colleagues, under supervision and with guidance
P3 Manage and be accountable for their own ethical social work practice within a particular
organisation, under supervision and with guidance.
Transferable and Key Skills
T1 Communicate effectively with a range of individuals and groups in a variety of contexts, using
verbal and written formats and behaviour appropriate to the context, audience and function of
the communication.
T2 Locate, store, retrieve, process and analyse information, evidence and opinion from a range of
sources using appropriate methods of research, investigation and recording, including interviews
and CIT.
T3 Work co-operatively and constructively with others, liaise and negotiate across organisational
and professional boundaries and difference of culture and identity.
An individual learning agreement is negotiated between student, tutor, practice assessor and,
where appropriate, on-site supervisor. This agreement identifies a range of work encompassing
appropriate learning opportunities in order to enable the student to be able to evidence their
competence against the National Occupational Standards. Expectations are made clear via a set
of Level statements relating to each NOS Key Role that, at this level, students are not expected
to perform at the qualifying level. The learning agreement will build upon work completed for
the level 4 Preparation for Practice portfolio and incorporate any future learning needs identified
at that time.
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The assessment involves:

Four written practice analyses

Four direct observations of practice with written reflections/self-assessments, including
service-user feedback

Practice Teacher’s report

Compilation of a portfolio of evidence for interim and final assessment and submission to the
Practice Assessment Panel
The interim (mid-way) assessment provides opportunities for formative feedback to the student
and the practice assessment process allows for adjustments to be made if necessary at this stage
to the learning opportunities offered.
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