Assessment of student learning in WIL: Workload implications for university staff

Assessment of student learning has been identified as one of the biggest challenges facing WIL practitioners. Assessment of WIL differs to assessment in other university classroom-based courses because of the involvement of an external partner as well as the complexities of assessing learning in WIL, which is often more holistic in nature. This paper investigates workload implications of WIL assessment for staff at an Australian University, with findings sourced from a broader study examining the amount of time and types of tasks involved in the teaching, administration and support of WIL courses. Over two years 34 courses were surveyed and 18 staff participated in individual interviews. Analysis of survey data reveals assessment of student learning is the largest single contributor to staff workload in WIL courses, with qualitative data providing some insight into the reasons for this. This paper reports preliminary findings from the study, noting implications for policy and practice, as well as future research.