Work Integrated Learning Portal

Introduction

The Department of Co-operative Education is responsible for the management of work integrated learning at the University.  

The management of work integrated learning involves managing the placement of students, managing the academic departments in the supervision and monitoring of students, quality assuring the monitoring and assessments of students engaged in work integrated learning, ensuring that student’s portfolios and progress reports are properly managed, ensuring that work integrated learning is appropriately structured, ensuring that employer work stations are accredited and certified, ensuring that the all students and Mentors complete a Feedback Report at the end of the training period, ensuring that the Feedback Report is used in the curriculum development and quality management processes of the University. 

The WIL Portal generates Operational System Alerts to remind all Users of the tasks that are due.  If a User ignores any deadlines, the Portal generates Supervisory System Alerts for the attention of the Management of Co-operative Education.  

The Work Integrated Learning Portal

The University Work Integrated Learning Portal facilitates the management of work integrated learning by providing an online interface between the Department of Cooperative Education, the Academic Departments, University Academics, Employers, Mentors and Students.

This interface is supported by the Online University Management System (OLUMS) which links the information from the University database with that of the management processes of work integrated learning. 

 The online management system manages the management of work integrated learning.   

Employer

The Employer assigns a Mentor to supervise, guide and coach the students during their work integrated learning experience at the workplace. 

The Work Integrated Learning Portal a user friendly management system that provides online access to Employers and Mentor to manage students engaged in work integrated learning.

The Mentor and the Academic Assessor collaborates in the assessment of the student’s performance.  The Mentor can monitor and assess the student’s progress and provide feedback to the Academic Assessor and Student. 

Upon completion of the work integrated learning training, Mentors and Students completes Feedback Reports on curriculum issues.  These Reports are collated and presented to the respective Departments for consideration during the curriculum review process.

Student

Students have online access to continuously submit progress reports and upload supporting documents, conduct self assessments and provide feedback to the Mentors and Academic Assessors in real time.  

The student can view in real time, all the Mentor’s and Academic Assessor’s comments and assessment of tasks completed by the student. 

 At the end of the work integrated learning training, students provide feedback to the University on curriculum and performance related issues.    These feedback reports are an essential component to improving the quality and relevance of the qualifications offered by the University.

Academic Assessor

The University appoints an Academic Assessor to monitor and assess students engaged in work integrated learning. 

The Academic Assessor is also responsible for approving the Employer workstations and conducting onsite visitations to monitor the student’s performance.

The Academic Assessor performs the following functions online:

Approval of the student work integrated learning registration; assessment of student’s progress reports; gives feedback to students and Mentors; plans onsite the visitation schedule; completes onsite visitation report; receives work integrated learning portfolio; receives student and Mentor feedback report.

Department of Co-operative Education

The Co-operative Education Department of the University monitors and follows up on all non-compliance of work integrated learning activities, manages the Certification of Accredited Employers, tracks all students who are ready for WIL placement, tracks the graduation of students who had completed WIL, tracks the WIL statistics per qualification in the format as required by professional councils and bodies such as the Engineering Council of SA and the Council on Higher Education.