Information Technology Reference
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United States to countries such as Mexico or
Canada where the students were often returning
as citizens or residents of the neighboring country
to do their placement. In Australia this applies to
countries in theAsia Pacific region some of which
attract a greater student interest than others, be-
ing countries in the spotlight owing to political
unrest and a high refugee population (e.g. East
Timor, Thai Burma border). Factors inhibiting
the organization of placements in some of the
neighboring countries (Asia Pacific) may relate
to the level of safety rating issue by the Foreign
Affairs Department/ Government or access to
appropriate resources for accommodating and
supervising students.
One student on placement in Cambodia relied
heavily upon the extended role of her supervi-
sor, a former university staff member; access to
telephone and Internet being less unreliable in
isolated areas in rural Cambodia where the student
was located.
organizations in isolated rural villages. Telephone
liaison was therefore limited to occasions when
students returned to the city where Pattanayak
resided, and where group and individual supervi-
sion was mostly provided.
The ICT methods used for international field
education, in addition to printed information packs
and additional reading material, in this instance
were; telephone/ teleconferencing, Internet access
the university library and peer communication via
computer and mobile phone. While previously
there was greater reliance on teleconferencing,
video conferencing, using skype, is planned for
the near future.
One student reported that:
The Internet … has been really important to
my placement…. as it's an important source of
information to back up field learning and more
importantly a link to home. I don't think the previ-
ous group of students used Internet or other things
as much as I do.
3. on-Site model
The web has been used as a great source of
information in the remote locations where stu-
dents are on placement as well as a link to the
outside world. Information to support various
pieces of work students are pursuing as part of
their placement is also sourced from the Internet.
For example, legislations involved in the forma-
tion and functioning of NGO's, case studies of
similar programs being undertaken in different
parts of the country and the world and the lessons
learnt, background material on local issues such
as trafficking, to name a few are often quoted by
students.
Where students have possessed mobile phones
they have been able to contact their supervisors
and liaison persons when required besides keeping
in touch with families. To date it seems that the
use of mobile phones has been under explored
and under utilized, especially SMS.
Our findings are consistent with the American
experience, of students benefiting from greater
This third model identified by Pettys et al (2005)
is based upon an adjunct faculty member in the
host country who is delegated to the supervisory
and sometimes liaison roles. Our example of
this model is coordinated by Pattanayak who has
hosted groups of students in India during the past
few years. In contrast with the American model
which places attention on student screening and
selection we have found the pre-departure brief-
ing program a more appropriate method which,
on a few occasions has resulted in student with-
drawal from the international placement program.
An important early link with students has come
from Pattanayak's participation each year in one
of the pre-departure briefings in Australia. Her
continuing relationship with the University staff
has helped to address the isolation and limited
ICT access of students for certain periods dur-
ing placement in pairs in rural villages in India.
Students were placed in pairs with two different
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