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The Higher Education Academy Subject Network Pedagogic Research Day March 2005

The Higher Education Academy Subject Network Pedagogic Research Day March 2005. Using pedagogic research in the curriculum: a case of employability skills Angela Maher. Aims of session. To present a brief overview of employability research

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The Higher Education Academy Subject Network Pedagogic Research Day March 2005

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  1. The Higher Education Academy Subject NetworkPedagogic Research Day March 2005 • Using pedagogic research in the curriculum: a case of employability skills • Angela Maher Business School

  2. Aims of session • To present a brief overview of employability research • To share some of the findings from my survey on graduate attributes for employability • To provide an example of how research findings have influenced curriculum developments at Oxford Brookes Business School

  3. Stakeholder perspectives • Employers – employability is about someone having the basic skills and experience to ‘hit the ground running’ • Students – employability is about having skills, knowledge and experience AND an ability to articulate this to employers so they get recruited • HE - employability is about enhancing students learning, broadening their perspectives and experience in a way that enables them to contribute to society Business School

  4. Employability definitions (Harvey, 2005) Getting a job Getting a graduate job Getting and retaining a graduate job Getting and retaining a graduate job and progressing Developing a range of attributes employers want Developing a range of attributes to become a critical lifelong learner Exhibiting a range of attributes that employers anticipate will be necessary for the future effective functioning of their organisation First set, equate institutional graduate employment rates with employability Second set, focus on the development of attributes and job-getting skills: audits of activities

  5. Employability defined • “A set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy”. • (Yorke and Knight 2003:7) Business School

  6. USEM model • SUBJECT UNDERSTANDING • SKILFUL PRACTICES • EFFICACY BELIEFS • METACOGNITION • (Knight & Yorke 2004) Business School

  7. Graduate attributes approach • Personal qualities • Core skills • Process skills Business School

  8. Approaches to embedding employability in the curriculum • Employability through the whole curriculum • Employability in the core curriculum • Work-based or work-related learning interspersed within the curriculum • Employability related modules within the curriculum Business School

  9. Graduate attributes: survey results • Importance for careerDeveloped in degree • (% ranked very/quite (% ranked developed a • important) lot/somewhat developed) • Self-confidence 97% 57% • Prioritising 97% 63% • Adaptability 96% 58% • Stress tolerance 94% 52% • Independence 94% 70% • Self management 94% 80% Business School

  10. Developing the curriculum • U54089 Career Planning for Hospitality & Tourism • 15 credits at level 3 • Compulsory honours module • Runs over 2 semesters in final year of study • Semester 1 focuses on analysing strengths and weaknesses, researching the graduate labour market and confidence building • Semester 2 on practical skills and experiential learning activities, including mock assessment centre • Assessed by portfolio Business School

  11. How are graduate attributes addressed within the module? • Self-confidence – confidence in dealing with the challenges in employment and life • Specific activities include: • Internet Work Attitude Motivation (iWAM) assessment • Work Values self-assessment exercise • Self presentation skills workshop • Selling oneself in the labour market • Hosting employers events • Labour market research • Practice assessment tests/interviewing Business School

  12. How are graduate attributes addressed within the module? • Prioritising – ability to rank tasks according to importance • Specific activities include: • Teach and practice time management techniques as part of module • Assessment activities at mock assessment centre such as in-tray exercise, team challenge exercise • Development of personal career plan as part of portfolio Business School

  13. How are graduate attributes addressed within the module? • Adaptability– ability to respond positively to changing circumstances and new challenges • Specific activities include: • Encouraging students to reflect in and on action using portfolio approach • Evidence of understanding of labour market opportunities • Identification of strengths and weaknesses in relation to career aspirations and graduate attributes • Evidence of action planning for attribute development and career planning Business School

  14. How are graduate attributes addressed within the module? • Stress Tolerance– ability to retain effectiveness under pressure • Specific activities include: • Practice assessment tests administered under test conditions • iWAM assessment provides feedback on stress tolerance • Time management techniques taught and practised • Mock assessment centre activities Business School

  15. Conclusions • Feedback from students has been very positive • Input from external experts and employers is crucial • Accessing funding for both research and curriculum development can make a significant difference • Ongoing feedback and development will be important Business School

  16. Conclusions • Looking towards next year: • Curriculum audit on employability • Focus groups discussing graduate attributes for key stakeholders • Using feedback from this year to improve module • Making more use of ICT in module delivery and assessment • Experiment with alternative assessment formats (audio visual portfolios, students setting their own learning outcomes for the module, etc) Business School

  17. Useful resources • HE Academy subject centre for Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Employability Resource Guide • http://www.hlst.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/employability.html#top • HE Academy Resources • http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ • The Learning and Employability Series • Employability Briefings • Developing Institutional Strategies for Employability • Key Publications • Knight, P and Yorke, M (2004). Learning, Curriculum and Employability in Higher Education. London: Routledge-Falmer • Knight, P and Yorke, M (2003). Assessment, Learning and Employability in Higher. Maidenhead:Open University Press Business School

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