How Placements Work

We ensure our Pre-Service Teachers are classroom ready by delivering a well-rounded, high-quality education that encourages students to develop professional skills as they learn.

We actively prepare our students so they can be engaged in the placement process – an important graduate attribute. Students and Supervising Teachers are encouraged to meet before the placement starts, ensuring both parties are comfortable and well-prepared.

Swinburne Online students are enrolled in a professional experience (practicum unit) while on placement where they engage with theory that will enable them to complete their placements at your school or early learning centre.

During this time, they are supported by Online Learning Advisors (OLAs), who are also current or recent teachers themselves. They are passionate professionals with years of industry experience, specially trained for teaching online students. They will help to guide the student through their course content and are on-hand to support the Supervising Teacher and student with any placement questions they might have.

Each unit is studied as part of an online learning group, where collaboration is encouraged. Facilitated by OLAs, this is an ideal forum to network with other students and utilise the knowledge of the group to support learning.

Online Learning Advisors (OLAs) are the primary source of academic support, and are available to answer questions and help students through their assessments. They work collaboratively with both Supervising Teachers and Pre-Service teachers to provide support in putting theory into practice while they are completing the placement component of this unit.

• Secure the placement: The placement details are finalised via the Acceptance of Placement form. It is recommended that students arrange a meeting to complete this form with the Pre-Service Teacher Coordinator. Please note: Pre-Service teachers in Victoria, South Australia, and NSW wishing to secure a placement in a government school are supported to access placements via our mediated process.
• Confirmation email: After the placement has been approved, the Pre-Service Teacher Coordinator and Supervising Teacher will receive a confirmation email, which will include an outline of the placement details.
• Before the placement starts: A welcome email will be sent from the OLA to the setting/school to the Supervising Teacher and Pre-Service Teacher Co-Ordinator. This contains resources to support the placement including key contacts, interim and final report templates plus the expectations and requirements pack.
• End of placement: Three days before the end of placement the Pre-Service Teacher Coordinator will receive an email with the Claim for Payment form.

Professional experience (practicum) units are embedded with relevant theoretical content together with a practical placement in order to prepare our students to apply theory into classroom practice.

Each unit has specific unit Learning Outcomes and relevant assessments. Working towards and demonstrating the Graduate attributes are a key focus.

• Verbal communication
• Communicating using different media
• Collaboration and negotiation
• Teamwork roles and processes
• Information literacy
• Technical literacy

It is a requirement that students pass both the theoretical component and the placement component in order to successfully complete the unit.

• Have a valid Child Safety Screening Clearance;
• Have a valid Mandatory Reporting training module certificate of completion;
• Complete no more than two placements in each education setting;
• To support diversity in the placement experiences and to show an understanding and appreciation of diversity in education complete placements:
  • Across different age groups/year levels within the scope of the requirements detailed in the expectations and requirements pack.
• Complete placements at a variety of education providers and with students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds;
• Complete the required number of placement days during the approved dates and ensure any missed days are made up;
• Complete the placement in an education setting that follows the Australian Curriculum or Early Years Learning Framework where English is the primary language of instruction.

The number of placement days each student must complete depends on the course.

• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood): 3 x 20 days, 1 x 21 days, 1 x 10 days. Total: 91 days
  Note: From TP2 2025: 3 x 20 days, 1 x 21 days, 1 x 15 days. Total: 96 days
  
• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching): 4 x 20 days. Total: 80 days
• Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary): 3 x 20 days, 1 x 21 days, 1 x 10 days. Total: 91 days
  Note: From TP2 2025: 3 x 20 days, 1 x 21 days, 1 x 15 days. Total: 96 days
  
• Bachelor of Education (Primary): 3 x 20 days, 1 x 21 days. Total: 81 days
• Master of Teaching (Primary): 3 x 20 days. Total: 60 days
• Master of Teaching (Secondary) 3 x 20 days. Total: 60 days