Abstract:

The MTU School of Business has a 30-credit industry placement included in all undergraduate programmes. The module assessment structure is comprised of four components - career preparation, industry supervisor assessment, academic supervisor assessment and reflection. Students’ career preparation is assessed via submission of their placement curriculum vitae (CV) and answers to common placement interview questions. This paper outlines the enhancements undertaken to improve the students understanding of this authentic assessment. The case study explores the use of exemplars as an effective way of clarifying students' expectations when it comes to industry placement application assessments. Exemplars allow educators to provide samples of what performing a task both proficiently and sub optimally would look like. They can be constructed from previous student work, current student work or created by teaching staff. However, when faced with the challenge of demonstrating a sample interview, a gap emerged. To address this, the intervention involved recording students engaging in mock interviews, simulating job candidates and responding to common placement interview questions.

In addition, the paper will highlight the transformative practice of engaging students as partners in education, moving away from the traditional, instructor-centric model of education. There is a growing recognition that students can play a central role in shaping their learning experiences. This paper explores the practice of engaging students as partners through the co-creation of exemplars, which involved students and staff collaboratively designing and portraying model answers to interview questions which enhanced the learning outcomes of both themselves and others.

Drawing upon a literature review and a compelling case study, this paper explains the theoretical underpinnings, practical applications, and the positive impact of this pedagogical approach on students enrolled in the Bachelor of Business in Information Systems programme at Munster Technological University. The study showcases the successful integration of student partnership in the co-creation of exemplars, contributing to a more authentic and effective educational experience.

Keywords:

Students as partners, exemplars, authentic assessment, role playing.