Practicum Education Policy

PRACTICUM EDUCATION POLICY Classification:

Academic

Responsible:

Students, Clinical Instructors, Operations Team members (including Practicum Team Members), Practicum Site Preceptors and Site Supervisors

Executive Sponsor:

Vice President, Product & Operations

Approval Authority:

Robertson College Leadership Team

Date First Approved:

May 7, 2022

Date Last Reviewed:

May 15, 2023

Scheduled Review Date:

2024-05-07 or as needed

A.

PURPOSE The Practicum Education Policy provides a framework for ensuring high quality, practical and relevant educational experiences for students in partner agencies and organizations.

B.

SCOPE This Policy applies to all Practicum experiences affiliated with Robertson diploma and certificate Programs.

C.

DEFINITIONS Term

Definition

Practicum Experience

The Practicum Experience is a practical training-related work experience in industry, business, government, and social service organizations that

complements the student’s program of study.

D.

Practicum Team

The Practicum Team includes Practicum Coordinators who facilitate the placements of the practicum experience at the College and also includes the Coordinator of HCA Alberta, EC, including ECE, ELCC, ELCD, and PT programs.

Practicum Prerequisite Team

The Practicum Prerequisite Team is responsible for communicating the required prerequisite documentation to learners specific to the program and ensuring learners have provided all documentation prior to the first day of their practicum experience.

Reasonable Options

A practicum site that is recommended by the Practicum Team as being industry relevant and within a 100 km radius of the students’ city of residence. This radius may be extended as needed with the acknowledgement of the practicum student.

POLICY Robertson College is responsible for ensuring that Practicum experiences are high-quality, relevant educational experiences that support the teaching and learning objectives of Robertson Programs. All students enrolled in practicums are protected under the College’s Respectful Environment policy.

1.

PRACTICUM CRITERIA 1.1 1.2

The Practicum experience is a graduation requirement of each Robertson College certificate and diploma program.

Programs at Robertson may have more than one practicum block required for graduation.

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1.3 1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11

1.12

1.13

1.14

The Practicum experience is developed and approved by Robertson College.

Practicum sites are screened and approved by the Practicum Team. For the Schools of Business, Technology and Community Services, site screening selection and affiliation partnerships may be facilitated in collaboration with Robertson’s Workforce Team in collaboration with the Practicum Team..

Students are encouraged to be involved in the search for a practicum site that meets the site selection requirements and aligns with the job profile of the program in which they are studying if they are enrolled in a Business, Technology, or Community Service program.

Practicum placements are prescribed by the Practicum Team for learners enrolled in specific School of Health programs; these programs include HCA Alberta, HCA, Manitoba. NRSA, MLA and PT. Practicum placements for all other practicum placements are jointly procured.

The Practicum Team is reasonable for providing Reasonable Options for practicum placements for students to assist them in completing the practicum component of their program.

Students must begin and end their Practicum Experience as per the start and end dates on their enrolment contract.

The Practicum Experience is a full time commitment as prescribed by the site. Full-time hours range from 37- 40 hours per week.

Students will be engaged in productive and meaningful work during the Practicum Experience.

The student will not receive financial remuneration for work performed during the Practicum Experience unless otherwise communicated in writing to the student by Robertson College.

Prerequisites for the practicum will be confirmed during the practicum placement process. Students are required to provide all required practicum prerequisite documentation no later than two weeks from the start of their practicum start date. Associated costs are the responsibility of the practicum student.

The student is responsible for completing Practicum related training and assessments that are required by the site and as specified by the Practicum Coordinator from Robertson College.

Please note that assessments per program differ as outlined below in Section 2: Practicum Evaluation.

Students are expected to conform to the Practicum workplace policies, terms of employment and site specific requirements.

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1.15

2.

Students are responsible for any expenses incurred for travel, accommodation and costs of special clothing, tools or other items that may be required.

PRACTICUM EVALUATION 2.1 2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

Robertson College has the responsibility to assess the successful completion of the Practicum Experience.

Evaluating successful completion of practicum is the responsibility of the Practicum Team in collaboration with the site supervisor, preceptor or clinical instructor.

Students must receive a “Successfully Complete” on the Practicum Evaluation Checklist by their site supervisor, clinical instructor or preceptor for their program to be considered for successful completion.

While site supervisors, preceptors and clinical instructors inform the evaluation of the practicum experience, Robertson reserves the right to award a student a successful completion of the Practicum Checklist on a case by case basis. Instructors inform the successful completion of the practicum For accredited or endorsed programs, summative practicum assessments specific to the program may also be required for successful completion. Successful completion of each assessment is required for completion of the respective practicum block.

If a student does not successfully complete their practicum their file will be sent to the Learner Review Committee for decision. In some instances, due to regulatory regulations, the student may be required to withdraw from the program and may apply for re-enrolment. Students may also receive an extension to repeat their practicum placement at their current or a new host site if approved by the Committee. Please note that extensions are not permitted for HCA Alberta placements as per the Alberta Health Licensed Curriculum Policies.

Students who do not successfully complete their practicum block as per the evaluation criteria will be required to submit an application for re-enrolment as per Robertson’s Re-enrolment Policy within 6 months of practicum completion if they wish to retake their practicum in order to pursue successful program completion. In these instances, if their re enrolment application is approved by Robertson’s Learner Review Committee, they may be

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required to pay additional tuition to retake the practicum again as outlined in the policy.

3.

COMMUNICATION AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION 3.1 The Practicum Coordinator is responsible for providing all required information to the site around each student practicum placement experience and serves as the site contact throughout the duration of the practicum experience.

3.2 Students in all programs will receive program specific emails regarding their practicum and required prerequisite documentation throughout the program by email. Students can also find program specific practicum information in their Program Information Course (PIC).

3.2 The Practicum Coordinator is responsible for conducting an informal mid-point check in with the site supervisor for each student on site midway through each student’s program.

3.3. In the event a site has concerns about a student’s conduct or behaviour as outlined on Robertson’s Practicum Code of Conduct Waiver or Student Code of Conduct, we ask that they contact their Practicum Coordinator.

3.4 In the event that a site has concerns about a student’s performance or skills development during the practicum experience, as per the Skills Evaluation Checklist provided, we ask that they contact their Practicum Coordinator.

3.5 Students who have concerns regarding their practicum site, supervisor or experience are required to communicate their concerns directly to the applicable party and notify their Practicum Coordinator in a timely manner.

3.6 Students are encouraged to submit a formal complaint using the Student Complaint Form should they have grounds to do so. Formal complaints will follow the process outlined in the complaint policy.

E.

RELATED LEGISLATION None

F.

PROCEDURE Action

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Responsibility

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Communicate to learners periodically from the start of their program regarding general practicum information and practicum prerequisite information.

Practicum Team

Within the first week of program start date, refer to Practicum Prerequisites Workbook & Guide (in Brightspace) to identify and coordinate completion of required practicum prerequisites.

Review prerequisite information in the Program Information Course.

Learner

Collaborate with industry partners to build relationships and ensure site placement partnerships and availability.

Practicum Team

Actively work with learners to secure on site placements for BTCS for jointly procured placements.

Practicum Team

Practicum Prerequisite Team

Learner

Match students to host sites for prescribed SOH placements.

Complete all practicum prerequisites and submit to Practicum Prereqs Team for verification.

Learner

Communicate receipt of prerequisites and missing or out of date documentation to learners.

Practicum Prerequisite Team

Send Practicum Evaluation Checklist, Practicum Student Guide and practicum scheduling details to Learners once placement is confirmed.

Practicum Team

Review program schedule, Evaluation Checklist and identify all practicum start/end dates

Learner

Review program schedule and identify practicum Learner duration in weeks and hours Complete all practicum prerequisites and submit to Practicum Prereqs Team for verification

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Learner

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G.

Ensure all academics are completed, and financial obligations (tuition payments) are up to date prior to practicum start date

Learner

Attend practicum shifts as scheduled

Learner; Practicum Coordinator to verify with host and learner

Adhere to all policies, procedures and protocols as expected by host site for practicum

Learner; Practicum Coordinator to verify with host and learner

Submit final completed Practicum Evaluation checklist (signed by host supervisor) along with any corresponding assignments (if applicable) on the last day of practicum.

Learner; Practicum Coordinator will review and verify completion

Complete the practicum completion survey (which will be sent via email post-graduation)

Learner

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Practicum Evaluation Checklist(s) (specific to program) Practicum Prerequisite Guide Practicum Prerequisite Overview (Included in Program Information Courses)

H.

RELATED POLICIES Respectful Environment Policy Graduation Requirement Policy Student Code of Conduct Policy Practicum Code of Conduct Waiver Student Concern and Complaint Process

I.

RELATED MATERIALS

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Approved: October 7, 2022 Approved by: Robertson Leadership Team Last Reviewed: May 15, 2023

Signatures:

Terena Caryk VP, Product and Operations

Belinda Loschiavo VP, International and Special Projects

Jason Locke VP, Business Development

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