Glossary

Professional Education

This term refers to professional entry education at undergraduate degree or graduate-entry level. Professional Education in broad terms includes a wide range of educational endeavours that prepare graduates for professional work after graduation. Professional education:

  • socialises students into the community of practice they will enter by helping them understand this practice world, prepare for workplace realities and expectations, develop a professional or vocational identity, and understand the norms and expectations of this practice community

• helps students develop the attributes, commitments and capabilities of professionalism (including self appraisal, self directed learning, ethical conduct, taking responsibility for one’s decisions and actions) and social and environmental responsibility.

Practice-Based Education (PBE)

PBE refers to grounding education in strategies, content and goals that direct students’ learning towards preparation for practice roles after graduation. PBE includes curriculum, subject, stream and activity level approaches such as goal setting and curriculum design as well as workplace learning (WPL) induction and placements. PBE can occur in on-campus, workplace, distance and e-learning components of curricula.

Practice-based Based Education occurs:

  • in the classroom, in fieldwork and practicum education, in self-directed learning and in distance learning
  • in the explicit and hidden curriculum, in the intentional and unintentional learning experiences that students encounter, and in the ethos of the university and practice learning environments
  • in the planned and unplanned behaviour of formally appointed educators and other practitioners that students encounter in the field
  • through the interventions of academic, fieldwork and general staff who knowingly and unknowingly influence the infrastructure, learning community and direct learning experiences of students as well as their aspirations and dilemmas
  • when students are learning together or alone, through the power of peer example
  • in the expectations of external stakeholders including professions, industry partners, the community and interest groups
  • through learning experiences within and across different disciplines
  • through real, virtual and reflexive learning experiences.

Workplace Learning

Workplace learning, also known as work-integrated learning, practicums and professional practice, professional experience, internships, intra-mural and extra-mural placements, fieldwork and clinical placements, allows students to learn through direct implementation of their professional roles in real workplace settings. Workplaces may encompass on-campus and off-campus facilities. Commonly such learning involves supervision to provide safeguards and ensure duty of care towards clients and students. (CSU Academic Senate May 2010).