Science Internship A outline PDF

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SUBJECT OUTLINE 60702 Science Internship A (6cp) Course area

UTS: Science

Delivery

Autumn 2018; City

Subject Elective classification Credit points 6cp Result type

Grade and marks

Attendance: approximately 100hrs Other requisites: Recommended studies: 72 credit points of UTS: Science undergraduate subjects

Subject coordinator A/Prof. Barbara Stuart Room: CB04.05.336 Phone: 95141790 Email: [email protected]

Teaching staff Internship Administrator: Donna Bell Project Officer (External Engagement) Room: CB07.07.25 Phone: 95148328 Email: [email protected] The UTS Careers Service: http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/opportunities/career-development/careers-service The service can provide both general career and internship advice as well as tailored guidance and counselling.

Subject description In this subject, students undertake an internship with an external organisation (e.g. business, external research institute) or UTS unit, department or school, in a capacity relevant to their academic studies. This assists in developing their professional attributes related to employability, discipline knowledge and professional networks which can contribute to their career goals. Through their internship, students are exposed to a subset of the professional functions and activities relevant to their field of study. Students must undertake approximately 100 hours of work in their professional placement. The specific terms and timeframe of the internship experience may be negotiated as a learning contract between the student and the host organisation in consultation with the subject coordinator. Students develop an appreciation of how education and training in the sciences is applied in a workplace by reporting on the outcomes of their internship. The internship must be based on an agreed and approved program of work which aims to achieve predetermined learning objectives.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

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Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to: 1. Apply disciplinary knowledge and scientific practice in a workplace 2. Engage, liaise and communicate professionally with their workplace supervisor, business management, colleagues and clients (if applicable) in a workplace setting 3. Critically reflect on workplace experiences and use this to both respond to feedback and to develop a series of steps for career planning 4. Work according to occupational health and safety guidelines consistent with current Acts and Regulations; as well as the ethical and legal practices relevant to the internship workplace 5. Demonstrate appropriate professional performance, conduct and attitudes in a working business environment 6. Communicate outcomes of the internship via a report in a format consistent with the practices of that particular workplace.

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes This subject contributes to the following graduate attributes in the Faculty of Science: Graduate attribute 1 – Disciplinary knowledge and its application Students have a unique opportunity to engage in experiential learning in the workplace and will apply and extend their disciplinary knowledge within authentic tasks as directed by their supervisor at their host organisation. Graduate attribute 3 - Professional skills Students will develop, employ and integrate a range of skills within the professional context, autonomously and collaboratively. This subject will help students to develop and apply generic skills such as time management, personal organisation, teamwork and negotiation with co-workers in the workplace. An awareness of the ethical and regulatory space in which scientists operate will also be developed. Graduate attribute 4 - Ability and motivation for continued intellectual development Reflective practice is a key skill that students will develop throughout the subject. In the employability task students reflect upon what contribution the internship experience to their developing employability. This is in the context of evaluating the learning achieved against selection criteria for an advertised vacancy for graduate of their discipline. Students are also encouraged to undertake self-directed, curiosity-motivated learning to achieve their personal and professional learning goals. Self-directed learning also includes engagement with the UTS Online discussion forums and online modules.. Graduate attribute 6 - Communication skills Students will extend their development of communication skills through authentic workplace communications, including formal and informal oral and written forms, and to a range of audiences. Workplace communications include meetings, small group presentations, collaborative work and written reports, which will help students to develop their communication skills in the professional context. Written communication is further developed with the internship report, which draws on developing communication skills relating to the host organisation, their discipline and their practice. Improving communication in the workplace also enhances team building skills, reduces cultural differences and improves employee morale

Teaching and learning strategies The student will learn by way of induction programs, workplace training, online collaborative activities, independent learning and reflection. The nature of the internship is unique to each student, and relies heavily on the student to be self-directed and motivated, seek feedback, and make the most of their workplace learning opportunities through interactions with the student’s supervisor and workplace colleagues. Online or on-site. The student will complete any induction procedures on workplace issues before commencement of any work, as required by the internship provider. This should include environmental/occupational health and safety, ethical and legal responsibilities. Workplace training. During the internship, the student will learn about the application of science to the workplace,

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participate in workplace tasks, and receive ongoing onsite evaluation and feedback from their workplace supervisor during their placement. Reflections on the student’s work and response to feedback will form part of employability assessment task. Online learning. Students on internship will have access to a discussion forum on UTS Online throughout the period of the internship. In this way each intern is a member of a supportive peer community of interns who can share their progress with their peers. These online discussion forums can also serve to help students with their critical reflection. Information regarding netiquette as well as scaffolding as to the sorts of threads that are expected will be provided as resources linked to the forum. . Students will also undertake an online learning module on reflective practice Independent learning. Each student will engage in a unique independent learning journey. This gives them the opportunity to treat their workplace as a learning environment. Learning in the workplace encompasses critical reflection and will be documented in the employability assessment task.

Content (topics) Pre-internship. The internship proposal. Any workplace induction procedures. During the internship Staged and scaffolded guidance in developing reflective practice. Online discussion forum. Post-internship Employability task. Internship report. Supervisor’s evaluation.

Additional information This subject is to be undertaken only when an internship has been secured and approved. The approval process requires the student to have completed and submitted the Application to Undertake an Internship for Academic Credit, Faculty of Science form, including a Workplace Health & Safety checklist, and an Internship Proposal (see [web-page in construction]).

Additional subject costs The student is expected to arrange, and pay for, their own travel to and from the workplace. Internships are commonly unpaid and so the student will need to have financial arrangements sorted out for the period of the internship, particularly if the student usually undertakes part-time work during normal business hours.

Assessment Assessment task 1: Employability task Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute: 4. Ability and motivation for continued intellectual development.

Objective(s): This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 3 Type:

Report

Groupwork: Individual Weight:

25%

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Task:

1. The student is to conduct a search of employment sites to identify a potential job they would consider applying for upon graduation. The position does not have to be available at the time and may be sourced from archived positions advertised on employment sites. 2. She or he then is to review the selection criteria or required attributes of the position and identify a criterion (or criteria) that she or he do not currently satisfy or could improve upon. 3. The student then should consider strategies for improving her or his capacity to address the criterion (or criteria) that are relevant to the project the student is currently undertaking. 4. At the conclusion of the project, the student is to prepare a 1000 word reflection on how the project has assisted her or him in developing the capacity to address the identified criterion (or criteria) ..

Length:

One thousand words in length

Due:

**A draft is to be submitted by the end of week 1 (July Interns) or the end of week 3 (Autumn, Spring and Summer Interns) for feedback from the subject coordinator. Submission is via the designated link on the Assessment page of the UTS online forum for Science Interns. The file name should be Employability Task [name] draft** Final version is to be submitted within two weeks of completion of the internship. Submission is via the same link as used for the draft. The fine name should be Employability Task [name] FINAL

Criteria:

The reflection will be accessed on the following criteria: 1. Depth of critical reflection 2. Appropriateness of strategies to improve capacity to address the selection criterion including evidence and examples 3. Quality of written communication skills

Assessment task 2: Internship Report Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute: 1. Disciplinary knowledge and its appropriate application 3. Professional skills and their appropriate application 6. Communication skills

Objective(s): This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 6 Type:

Report

Groupwork: Individual Weight:

50%

Task:

At the conclusion of the internship the student will prepare a report that documents the work completed during the internship. The purpose of the report is to document the student’s work undertaken during the internship. This report will be prepared in consultation with the internship supervisor and with the agreement of the subject coordinator. The report constitutes a piece of authentic assessment that the student can include in her/his portfolio for potential employers as it is a demonstration that the student is capable of producing outcomes commensurate with the position for which they have applied. REPORT STRUCTURE

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This will vary substantially from workplace to workplace. Generally, it will take one of three forms: Where this is a research internship the report will take the form of a research paper formatted in accordance with the disciplinary practices Where this is a non-research internship which focusses on, or includes, producing an item or items (e.g. a brochure, an instructional video, standard operating procedures, a typical report) the item(s) (or some facsimile of it) would be submitted along with an explanation of the item and a description of the production process highlighting her or his role in the production A non-research internship which does not focus on, nor include, producing an item or items. Examples of these would be internships largely involving “shadowing” staff or providing a service.In this case the student is to identify a process or practice at work where he or she sees a problemor issue and come up with possible solutions or describe how the problem is currently dealth with. A guide which explains the different types of reports (and how they will be marked) is provided on UTS Online, with examples. STATEMENT OF CONTRIBUTION In cases where the student was part of a team to produce the product (item, report, research paper), a statement that details the student’s specific contribution must be submitted with the product/report. The statement of contribution should be no more than one A4 page and signed by the Internship supervisor. It must be clear that the student’s contribution is equivalent to a substantive report, forming 50% of the total assessment of the 6 credit point subject Length:

This will be commensurate with the requirements of the place of the internship but 3000 to 5000 words would be a general guide

Due:

To be submitted within two weeks after the end of the internship

Criteria:

Detailed guidelines and marking criteria will be provided on UTS Online. The student will be assessed on their ability to evaluate and synthesise their internship outcomes, demonstrating the application of their disciplinary knowledge and communicating these clearly in a document relevant to the internship industry With regard to those reports that are the product of a research internship, the final mark will be an aggregated mark whereby 80% of the mark will be determined by the subject coordinator using the linked rubric; while 20% will be provided by the supervisor of the intern as an assessment of the scientific content.

Further In most cases submissions will be via UTS online using the assignment link, the exception being any information: physical item and arrangements can be made with the subject coordinator in those cases.

Assessment task 3: Workplace Supervisor’s Evaluation Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute: 1. Disciplinary knowledge and its appropriate application 3. Professional skills and their appropriate application 6. Communication skills

Objective(s): This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2, 4 and 5 Type:

Report

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Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

25%

Task:

This task is an appraisal of the student’s performance in the workplace by the host organisation. This does not require a formal submission on the part of the student. Instead this is an online survey that will be completed by the intership supervisor

Due:

Within two weeks of the end of internship

Criteria:

Workplace supervisors will be asked to complete a short online survey which assesses the student’s performance along the following criteria: Professionalism Was on time and kept to the agreed upon work hours Was dressed in accordance with the expectations of the supervisor and workplace and in accordance with EHS requirements Displayed ability to organise and plan Completed tasks in timely manner Completed tasks effectively and achieved defined goals Behaved respectfully and worked well with others in the organisation Worked in accordance with work place EHS, legal and ethical requirements Accepted tasks willingly Actively sought and was alert to potential learning opportunities Understood and followed organisation rules and policies Accepted suggestions and criticism readily Professional performance: Clearly communicated ideas and concerns verbally Demonstrated initiative in conducting duties Solved problems that arose Professional knowledge: Displayed appropriate basic knowledge initially Learnt effectively on the job Applied knowledge in a practical way

Use of plagiarism detection software Turnitin plagiarism detection software may be used for all assessment tasks containing a written component.

Minimum requirements Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s final total marks. Additionally, in order for students to have deemed to pass the subject: all assessments must be submitted and the mark for the final report must exceed a minimum score equal to 40% of the total possible marks.

Support UTS Library The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you throughout your studies including textbooks, subject readings, old exam papers, academic writing guides, scientific literature databases, workshops, a gaming room and bookable group study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with all your questions. w: lib.uts.edu.au facebook: utslibrary twitter: @utslibrary ph: 9514 3666 Mathematics & Science Study Centre 15/03/2018 (Autumn 2018)

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The Mathematics and Science Study Centre (MSSC) operates a Drop-in Room located on UTS City Campus, in Building 4, level 3, room 331 (CB04.03.331). Academic staff members are available for one-to-one assistance. For timetabling and other MSSC resources see: w:https://tinyurl.com/UTS-maths-study-centre

Statement on copyright Australian copyright law allows you as a student or researcher to copy and use limited amounts of other people's material in your study or research without their permission and free of charge. This applies to any sort of published or unpublished work, and includes written material, tables and compilations, designs, drawings (including maps and plans), paintings, photographs, sculpture, craft work, films (such as feature films, television programs, commercials and computer video games), software (such as computer programs and databases), sound recordings, performances and broadcasts (including podcasts and vodcasts of these) and text, including books, journals, websites, emails and other electronic messages. It is important to remember that you can only use a limited amount for your study or research purposes and that you need to correctly acknowledge the author and reference their material when you use it in your work. Incorrect or improper use of copyright protected material could result in breaking Australian copyright law, for which significant penalties apply. Incorrect or improper use of copyright protected material at UTS would result in consideration under the UTS Student Misconduct rules. UTS Rules and the UTS Student Charter require that students familiarise themselves and comply with UTS student policies and procedures. Student should also see the copyright information advising what you can copy and how much you can use. Copyright notice concerning teaching materials Please remember that teaching materials and resources provided to you at UTS are protected by copyright. You are not permitted to re-use those for commercial purposes (including in kind benefit or gain) without permission of the copyright owner. Improper or illegal use of teaching materials may lead to prosecution for copyright infringement.

Statement on plagiarism The University and Faculty of Science encourage students to undertake their academic studies with the highest integrity and take seriously any inst...