TABLE OF CONTENTS Although strictly speaking the acquisition of the fieldwork project is not part of the TSP, its strong influence on the fieldwork project is so important that it is appropriate to discuss it here. To elucidate, we go back to one of the design criteria of the TSP, namely open contracting. This criterion concerns the formulation of the most desirable assignment via dialogue with the organization. It implies that the student must have the leeway to carry out the task.
In educational institutions, fieldwork projects and assignments can be obtained in widely diverging ways. Some can affect a student s freedom of contract more than is desirable for a successful application of the TSP model.
In practice, we have observed two main scenarios for obtaining a fieldwork project:
After consultation with the supervisor, the student acquires a project and formulates an initial assignment completely independently
The educational institution acquires the project, formulates the initial assignment and allocates it to the student.
Between these two extremes there are variations and combinations, depending on the specific arrangements institutions have established. A scenario is effective if it leaves the student with a reasonable level of freedom of contract. In the orientation phase, the student must have the freedom to test the validity of the draft formulation of the assignment and to make any changes or further specifications in consultation with the assignment principal.
Usually, the freedom of choice of the organization and the assignment will be restricted for good reason by the requirements of...
