Transcript Graduate attributes and career readiness: challenging

Elizabeth Deane
WIL symposium July 2014
One definition:
The broad skills that a University expects that graduates will
have acquired and be able to demonstrate to an appropriate
level whatever their program of study.
Are linked to employability skills and program learning
outcomes.
An example of how presented:
XXX is committed to producing graduates who demonstrate
the Graduate Attributes.
Students are presented with appropriate learning, teaching,
and assessment experiences to enable them to develop and
demonstrate the XXX Graduate Attributes.
The XXX Graduate Attributes are explicitly communicated to
staff and students in all course and unit documentation.
Why?
(i) The regulatory environment and public accountability
The AQF, TEQSA and Professional registration
requirements
Requires universities to be able to measure and capture
information about graduates’ acquisition of generic
learning outcomes as part of their program of study
(ii) Competitive employment market
Making your graduates stand out
(iii) Marketing and positioning
Making your University stand out
Learning outcomes for each level and qualification
type
Knowledge, Skills and their application
Generic learning outcomes:
Fundamental skills (literacy and numeracy)
People skills (team work and communication skills)
Thinking skills (learning to learn, decision, making
and problem solving)
Personal skills (self direction and acting with
integrity).
Provider Course Accreditation Standards
S1: Course design is appropriate and meets qualification
standards
S5: Assessment is effective and student learning
outcomes are achieved
Qualification Standards
HE awards are delivered to meet the appropriate criteria
Graduate attributes (TEQSA definition)
Generic learning outcomes: transferable, non-discipline
specific skills that a graduate may achieve through
learning that have application in study, work and life
contexts.









Apply discipline knowledge, principles and
concepts;
Think critically, creatively and reflectively;
Access, evaluate and synthesise information;
Communicate effectively;
Use technologies appropriately;
Utilise lifelong learning skills;
Recognise and apply international perspectives;
Demonstrate intercultural awareness and
understanding; and
Apply professional skills.
Command multiple skills and literacies to enable adaptable
lifelong learning
Demonstrate knowledge of Indigenous Australia through cultural
competency and professional capacity
Demonstrate comprehensive, coherent and connected
knowledge
Apply knowledge through intellectual inquiry in professional or
applied contexts
Bring knowledge to life through responsible engagement and
appreciation of diversity in an evolving world
We enter the labyrinth!
The world of learning outcomes, constructive
alignment and curriculum mapping
The world of standards, of benchmarking and
moderation
The world of graduation statements, ancillary
certifications and portfolios






Graduate Attributes must be included on the
website;
Orientation may include information on the
Graduate Attributes;
Graduation statement must reference the
Graduate Attributes;
Unit assessors must inform students explicitly
about Graduate Attributes embedded in the Units
at the commencement of a Unit and;
in the Unit website, Unit learning materials or in
classes;
in assessment tasks in which a specific Graduate
Attribute is assessed.





Course learning outcomes are contextualised using the Graduate
Attributes- Course Learning Outcomes Matrix and YY Graduate
Attributes Descriptors Table as guides.
The Graduate Attributes shall then be mapped across the whole
Course curriculum using the Course Learning Outcomes as a guide
to ensure a whole-of-Course approach.
Each Unit must include at most 3 of the Graduate Attributes
explicitly articulated in the Unit learning Outcomes, except, for
example, in double weighted Units and Capstone Units which may
include more.
Each of the Graduate Attributes identified through the Unit Learning
Outcomes must be explicitly assessed and included in the marking
criteria for the assessment task
The interrelationships between the Graduate Attributes, Unit
Learning Outcomes and assessment tasks must be displayed for
each Unit.
For
For
For
For
For
employers?
accreditation and professional bodies?
Universities?
university staff?
students?
Have we ever asked?
Shifting the focus to Students
1.
2.
Student reflection's on attainment
Personal development portfolios
Reality checks
1.
2.
Capstones
Workplace embedded projects
A structured and supported process by which
students reflect upon their own learning,
performance and/or achievement.
Aims to provide support for students in
planning their personal, educational and career
development
Students can identify goals for the future and
record their achievements and skills
development
Mandatory in UK HE
Specific tools which allow students to step through a
reflective assessment process:
Example 1 (ACEN MQ)
Pre-activity self-rating
Evidence gathering, collation and presentation
Post activity self rating
Reflection and analysis guided by prompts
Example 2 (Liverpool UK/Griffith tool kit)
Online self assessment tools
(https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentex/studentex_docs/Grad
uate_Skills_Diagnostic_13.html)
http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2
90817/Professional-skills.pdf
Helps students:
Synthesise their learning across the program;
Demonstrate holistically their development of
graduate capabilities;
Successfully negotiate the transition to work
Enables the institution:
To assess final graduate capabilities from a
program of study.
design and assessment pivotal
Work integrated learning
Structured and purposefully designed learning and
assessment activities
Integrates theory with the practice of work.
Allows students to learn, apply and demonstrate skills
and knowledge applicable to the course of study being
undertaken
Students interact with industry and community within a
work context or similar situation, includes service
learning
UWS has the heres and many of wheres?
◦ WIL is alive and well. Can we do more? Increase our
community and industry connectedness?
◦ Some programs have capstones – should we have
more?
◦ How much self reflection occurs? How much nonprogram based credentialing do we do?
Can we do better?