VA7020 - Work Placed Learning

You learning on this module will result from carrying out the work of a preventive conservator, discussing it with team members, your module tutor and student colleagues. In line with the ethos of the programme the learning is led by you. This module provides an invaluable opportunity for you to make the connections between theory and practice referring back to the content of previous modules as necessary. You will further develop your critical judgment, practical skills and communication skills as a member of a team whilst involved in planning, developing, implementing and managing strategies for the care and preventive conservation of collections of moveable cultural heritage. This learning will be facilitated by engagement with the day to day work, discussions with team members, the completion of a weekly e journal followed by feedback from your tutor, engagement with the discussion boards and completion of the placement assignment. The placement also enables you to better understand the dynamics of professional practice and the role that you would like to play within in it in terms of your future employment. In the event that a placement is not possible a commensurate virtual experience will be arranged in which you develop an assignment at a distance in partnership with an appropriate institution.



During the placement you have one day a week to work on the assignment that you have negotiated prior to the placement with the institution and had approved by the module tutor. In addition you need to contribute to discussion boards in order to discuss issues related to preventive conservation and collections care with your fellow students. These will be read by the module tutor who will moderate as appropriate but this is essentially an opportunity for you to develop the networking skills that play an important role in professional practice. You also need to maintain a weekly electronic journal. The journal is hosted in a private blog on the elp and provides an opportunity for you to describe what work you carried out during the previous week, reflect upon it and raise any queries. It also provides an opportunity for the module tutor to support your learning during the placement and they will respond to your comments and raise questions where necessary each week. Should any additional queries arise they can be discussed with the module tutor by e mail. The placement will be supported by the Student Placement Team once you have secured an offer in principle and it has been approved by the module tutor. The module tutor will provide feedback on the summative assignment within the timescale required by the University.

During the placement you have one day a week to work on the assignment that you have negotiated prior to the placement with the institution and had approved by the module tutor. In addition you need to contribute to discussion boards in order to discuss issues related to preventive conservation and collections care with your fellow students. These will be read by the module tutor who will moderate as appropriate but this is essentially an opportunity for you to develop the networking skills that play an important role in professional practice. You also need to maintain a weekly electronic journal. The journal is hosted in a private blog on the elp and provides an opportunity for you to describe what work you carried out during the previous week, reflect upon it and raise any queries. It also provides an opportunity for the module tutor to support your learning during the placement and they will respond to your comments and raise questions where necessary each week. Should any additional queries arise they can be discussed with the module tutor by e mail. The placement will be supported by the Student Placement Team once you have secured an offer in principle and it has been approved by the module tutor. The module tutor will provide feedback on the summative assignment within the timescale required by the University.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding (K&U):
1. Understand the relevance of the history, materials, creation, deterioration, vulnerability as well as the physical and chemical characteristics of items/collections of movable cultural heritage to their care, preventive conservation and interpretation
2. Understand, develop and implement appropriate strategies, policies and procedures for the care and preventive conservation of items/collections of movable cultural heritage
3. Understand the responsibilities of the professional practitioner and demonstrate conversance with any legislation or ethics policies governing the care and preventive conservation of items/collections of movable cultural heritage

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
4. The ability to use critical thinking and reflective practice in an independent pro-active manner that draws upon and synthesises a wide range of knowledge and understanding in order to develop and implement appropriate strategies for the care and preventive conservation of items/collections of movable cultural heritage

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Demonstrate enthusiasm, curiosity, integrity, ethical and professional awareness in all aspects of work, communication and engagement with others

Formative feedback is provided weekly in response to your e journal. Additional formative feedback is provided via e mail in response to any queries that you might have. An online blog is used to provide formative feedback on the development of your dissertation topic as and when required by you during the semester.

The summative assignment requires you to plan, research, develop and present the placement assignment topic. The assignment should be written to the standard of the final dissertation within a 5000 word count. This enables you to get feedback on the style and format in advance of presenting the final dissertation

Electronic submission and swift high quality feedback is provided for both formative and summative assignments according to University guidelines

Module Learning Outcomes
K&U):1,2,3
(IPSA): 1
(PVA):1

VA0717, VA 0740, VA 0719

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This exciting module provides a challenging immersive learning experience in professional practice in which you work as a member of a preventive conservation team for four days a week over a six week period. You keep an e journal describing and reflecting on the work carried out each week for which you will receive feedback. You share your experiences with your fellow students via discussion boards, which reflects the networking that is so important in professional practice. This module provides an invaluable opportunity for you to make connections between the theory and practice learnt in previous modules and further develop your knowledge and understanding. You must negotiate the placement and the assignment topic with the guidance of your tutor and the Placement and Partnership team. In the event that a placement is not secured a commensurate virtual experience will be provided