Student Experiences of Work-Based Learning in Planning Education

Of various approaches to teaching planning in practice, work-based or integrated learning retains vital relevance in many planning programs. There are strong rationales in pedagogic, professional development, employment, and personal terms. But what of student experiences of work experience? How do student planners approach, experience, and reflect on workplace engagements? This article explores these experiential dimensions through a survey of a cohort of Australian students involved in a yearlong paid placement as part of an accredited undergraduate planning degree. It discusses the changing expectations of students and whether these were realized, their major learning experiences, and an overall evaluation of off-campus learning. The findings have wider relevance for evaluating student assessments of work-based learning in planning education.