University of Technology Sydney

48110 Engineering Experience 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Engineering: Professional Practice and Leadership
Credit points: 0 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Pass fail, no marks

Requisite(s): 48121 Engineering Practice Preview 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 48100 Professional Practice (BE) AND 94680 Entering Professional Life (6cp) AND 94681 Entering Professional Life (8cp)

Description

This is a 0-credit-point subject that supports students while they are working in industry or the community for the purpose of gaining experience in the practice of engineering. Through engaging in practice-oriented education and regular reflection, students are provided with the opportunity to discover engineering workplace culture and to develop their basic technical and professional skills.

Engineering educators, as well as engineering employers, have long recognised the value of integrating practical experience with academic studies. Each student's experience is unique. Employer or host organisations are not expected to provide formal training although some may choose to do so. Students are instead required to become active learners and seek opportunities to fulfil the objectives of this experience module. It is expected that students gain this level of experience early in their academic program.

The Professional Program is based on two cycles centred around industry-based internships. Each cycle consists of a preparation subject, an internship experience subject and a review subject. This is the internship (middle) subject in the first cycle of the program. This subject involves students observing, practicing and reflecting on their development in basic technical and professional competencies.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Learn, through practice, the fundamental workplace skills required of a professional engineer.
2. Conduct critical self-review to identify personal and professional development needs
3. Reflect on personal and professional experience within their professional context
4. Document personal and professional development in an ePortfolio

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

  • Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
  • Reflective: FEIT graduates critically self-review their performance to improve themselves, their teams, and the broader community and society. (F.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

Although this is an internship with no formal classes, opportunities exist for students to collaborate and discuss their experiences through an online discussion forum. Through active learning students develop their lifelong learning skills by making regular entries into an online reflective learning journal. Extensive resources and guidance are provided for students through videos, readings and information provided in the subject on UTSOnline. Collaborative learning takes place on the work site between student and workforce. The collaboration they experience here is embedded in the online reflective learning journal entries. A random sample of journal entries are authentically assessed on a regular basis through the internship for structure and relevance according to a rubric and marks awarded accordingly. Formative feedback is provided to students through feedback comments provided in the rubric when a journal entry has been assessed, and through email communication with students. This assists students to improve in their reflective writing and journal keeping. As each student's internship experience is unique, the subject of fortnightly reflections can vary, however, in general, students should aim to develop some of the Engineers Australia stage 2 competencies. All students should develop the competency of communication to a 'developing' level during their first internship.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Find a job suitable for an internship

Intent:

Students must secure an internship before undertaking this subject.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

E.1

Weight: Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark
Criteria:

Completeness – a suitable engineering job is obtained that meets the criteria outlined above for Assessment Task 1.

Assessment task 2: Submit your internship documentation

Intent:

To gain timely enrolment in this subject and provide the necessary insurance cover.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

E.1

Weight: Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark
Criteria:

Completeness – forms are filled out correctly.

Timeliness – forms are submitted within the required time.

Assessment task 3: Keep a reflective learning journal

Intent:

To provide a framework for developing and documenting graduate attributes and competencies during internship

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

E.1 and F.1

Type: Reflection
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 100%
Criteria:

completeness - minimum requirement of six entries as per instructions

quality - entries are assessed according to the published rubric

timeliness - entries must be submitted according to your schedule as determined on the spreadsheet on UTSOnline. Any entries submitted late will incur a marks penalty

originality - must be student's own work

Assessment task 4: Submit your internship finish documentation

Intent:

To provide a trigger for final assessment and completion in the subject.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

E.1

Weight: Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark
Criteria:

Completeness – forms are filled out correctly.

Timeliness – forms are submitted within the required time.

Minimum requirements

To pass this subject once enrolled, you must do all of the following:

  1. Work as per your approved Placement Summary Form.
  2. When you reach the end of your internship, you must finalise the placement by completing the Evaluation Form in the FEIT Placement Workflow on CareerHub and ensuring your employer completes the Host Organisation Evaluation Form within two weeks of your internship finish date.
  3. In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.

References

Biggs, John & Collis, Kevin. 1982. Evaluating the Quality of Learning: The SOLO Taxonomy. New York: Academic Press.

Dowling, D., Hadgraft, R., Carew, A., McCarthy, T., Hargreaves, D., Baillie, C., & Male. S. (2019). Engineering your future: An Australasian guide (4th ed.). Melbourne: Wiley.

Engineers Australia > Competency Standards Stage 2 Revision, viewed 18/02/2015 - <http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au//membership/competency-standards-stage-2-revision>.

Engineers Australia > Professional Development > Chartered Status viewed 18/02/2015 - <http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/professional-development/chartered-status>.

Engineers Australia. 2010. Code of Ethics, viewed 18/02/2015 - <http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/shado/About%20Us/Overview/Governance/codeofethics2010.pdf>

Engineers Australia. 2012. Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2 – Experienced Professional Engineer, viewed 18/02/2015 - <http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/shado/Education/echartered/competency_standards_june.pdf>.

Fleddermann, C.B. 2012. Engineering Ethics. Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice Hall. [UTS Library call no. 174.962 FLED]

Gray, D., Cundell, S., Hay, D. & O'Neill, J. 2004. Learning Through the Workplace: A Guide to Work-based Learning. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. [UTS Library call no. 371.227 GRAY]

Lannon, John M. 2006. Technical Communication, 10th ed. Boston (MA): Pearson Longman. [UTS Library call no. 808.0666 LANN (ED.8) - version 8 only available]

Neugebauer, John & Evans-Brain, Jane. 2009. Making the Most of Your Placement, Ch. 8: Learning From Your Placement. London: SAGE, pp. 100-124. [Available online at the UTS Library at http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/?R=OPAC_b2794905.]

Spier, R.E. 2001. Ethics, Tools and the Engineer. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press. [UTS Library call no . 174.962 SPIE]

UTS: Engineering. 2015. FEIT48110 Engineering Experience 1 - Learning Guide (available on UTSOnline > 48110 EE1 > Subject Resources)

Vallero, D. & Vesilind, P. 2007. Socially Responsible Engineering: Justice in Risk Management. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons. Available online at the UTS Library at http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/?R=OPAC_b2311828. UTS Library call no. 174.9628 VALL]

Other resources

Refer to UTSOnline for more information.