Rigorous and relevant? The challenge of managing and assessing learning on a work placement

This paper is based upon the experiences of a group of employers and students on a work placement module. It forms part of the evaluation of an accredited module within a programme leading to the award of a pre-vocational competence-based degree at a post-1992 university. Although this particular course focuses on health and social care, the work placement element involves principles which are applicable to a wide range of programmes; evidence-based assessment through the use of a learning portfolio is a feature of this degree