Transcript An overview of the Higher Education Academy’s Academic

Giving students the skills they
need: who does what, and how?
Dr Alison Grieg: Global Sustainability Institute
Ella Wiles: Global Sustainability Institute
Dr Julian Priddle: Anglia Learning & Teaching
Sarah Janes: Student Services, Employability
Jane Murray: Student Services, Employability
Gabbi Foreman: Students’ Union
CBI and NUS 2011 Working towards your future Making
the most of your time in higher education CBI
CBI and NUS 2011 Working towards your future Making
the most of your time in higher education CBI
CBI and NUS 2011 Working towards your future Making
the most of your time in higher education CBI
http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/GraduateAttributes.htm
Graduate attributes
‘Graduate attributes are the qualities, skills and understandings
a university community agrees its students should develop
during their time with the institution. These attributes include
but go beyond the disciplinary expertise or technical knowledge
that has traditionally formed the core of most university courses.
They are qualities that also prepare graduates as agents of
social good in an unknown future.’
Bowden J, Hart G, King B, Trigwell K & Watts O 2000 Generic Capabilities of ATN University Graduates. Canberra:
Australian Government Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
http://bejlt.brookes.ac.uk/article/widening_the_graduate_attribute_debate_a_higher_education_for_global_citize/
Abstract
There is more to life than simply doing a job. The graduates of
our higher education system will be more than employees/
employers, they will also be future leaders in our world and our
neighbours and so affect our lives at all levels. What do we want
these people to be like? This paper considers the idea of
educating global citizens and offers suggestions for possible
graduate attributes, …….
http://bejlt.brookes.ac.uk/article/widening_the_graduate_attribute_debate_a_higher_education_for_global_citize/
The current research findings reinforce the conclusions of the 2010 research. Overall, the results for first and second-year students in
2011 showed no notable differences except where these are mentioned explicitly throughout the report. The research demonstrated
the following key findings:
• Over two thirds of 2011 first and second-year respondents (66.6% and 70.3% respectively), as in 2010 (70%), believe that
sustainability should be covered by their university;
• There is a continued preference among students for a reframing of curriculum content rather than additional content or courses
however this needs to be considered amongst the range of options available to policy makers and curriculum planners for
incorporating sustainability into their individual university’s curriculum (65% stated this method was extremely relevant or somewhat
relevant in 2010 and 67.4% of first-years and 69% second-years agreed in 2011);
• There is evidence to suggest that students become increasingly focused on employability throughout their time at university.
Second-year students (49.7%) expressed a slight preference for employability over furthering their subject specific knowledge.The
situation is reversed among 2010 (47%) and 2011 (46.9%) first-year responses, indicating that first-year students are considering
employability less within their university experience;
• In terms of the skills seen as valuable by future employers, a wider range of core skills are seen as most important, relevant and
valued by future employers rather than sustainability-specific skills which suggests a need to reframe
the debates surrounding inclusion of education for sustainabledevelopment (ESD) (eg 17.8% of second-years in 2011 ranked the
ability apply environmental and social skills as most important for employers compared to 53.4% ranking communication skills as
most important);
• Alongside this, further work is needed with the business community to communicate the tangible benefits of ESD more widely, and
to identify the most valuable skills, to ensure skills for SD are valued and demanded.
• A role for communication of company ethics and environmental performance exists throughout the student journey: two thirds of
respondents would sacrifice £1,000 from salary to work in a responsible company.
Drayson R, Bone E & Agombar A 2012 Student attitudes towards and skills
for sustainable development HEA
There is evidence to suggest that students become
increasingly focused on employability throughout their
time at university. Second-year students (49.7%)
expressed a slight preference for employability over
furthering their subject specific knowledge.The situation
is reversed among 2010 (47%) and 2011 (46.9%) first-year
responses, indicating that first-year students are
considering employability less within their university
experience;
Drayson R, Bone E & Agombar A 2012 Student attitudes towards and skills
for sustainable development HEA
Over two thirds of 2011 first and second-year respondents
(66.6% and 70.3% respectively), as in 2010 (70%), believe
that sustainability should be covered by their university;
Drayson R, Bone E & Agombar A 2012 Student attitudes towards and skills
for sustainable development HEA
There is a continued preference among students for a
reframing of curriculum content rather than additional
content or courses however this needs to be considered
amongst the range of options available to policy makers and
curriculum planners for incorporating sustainability into
their individual university’s curriculum (65% stated this
method was extremely relevant or somewhat relevant in
2010 and 67.4% of first-years and 69% second-years agreed
in 2011);
Drayson R, Bone E & Agombar A 2012 Student attitudes towards and skills
for sustainable development HEA
http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/index.html
http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/index.html
http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/carp.html
Do students get the skills that
they need?
• National Student Survey (NSS) 2011 Results
Positive, particularly Q.1-4 and online service provision.
• Student Experience Survey (SES) 2011 Results
Poor Sustainability outlook
8.6.1 My experience at
Anglia Ruskin University
is making me more
aware of acting as a
responsible citizen
8.6.3 My experience at
8.6.2 My experience at
Anglia Ruskin University is
Anglia Ruskin University is
making me more aware
making me aware of using
global environmental
resources efficiently
challenges
8.6.4 My experience at Anglia
Ruskin University is making me
aware of global and local social
challenges
Do students get the skills that
they need?
No. of
respondents
Course Title
Personal Responsibility
Resource use awareness
8.6.1 My experience at
Anglia Ruskin University is
making me more aware of
acting as a responsible
citizen
8.6.2 My experience at Anglia 8.6.3 My experience at Anglia
Ruskin University is making Ruskin University is making
me aware of using resources me more aware global
efficiently
environmental challenges
Global Enviro. Challenges
ARU is making me more aware
8.6.4 My experience at Anglia
Ruskin University is making me
aware of global and local social
challenges
Law
76.0
57.9
73.7
27.6
42.1
Legal Practice Course (LPC)
14.0
28.6
21.4
14.3
14.3
International Business Law
12.0
66.7
66.7
75.0
75.0
Visiting Exchange (Law)
5.0
40.0
60.0
20.0
40.0
Photography
Computer Games and Visual
Effects
20.0
70.0
80.0
35.0
60.0
9.0
55.6
88.9
11.1
11.1
Fashion Design
12.0
75.0
91.7
41.7
58.3
Film and Television Production
16.0
37.5
75.0
6.3
37.5
Fine Art
20.0
30.0
60.0
30.0
30.0
Graphic Design
29.0
62.1
69.0
31.0
37.9
Illustration
18.0
50.0
55.6
44.4
22.2
Illustration & Animation
6.0
50.0
50.0
16.7
16.7
Interior Design
8.0
25.0
87.5
0.0
25.0
MFA Fine Arts
8.0
25.0
50.0
0.0
12.5
Printmaking
9.0
55.6
44.4
33.3
22.2
Children's Book Illustration
23.0
17.4
39.1
13.0
8.7
English Language & Linguistics
English Language and English
Language Teaching
15.0
60.0
66.7
13.3
33.3
9.0
55.6
88.9
44.4
33.3
Mean
Median
50.3
19.6
70.8
40.0
61.3
50.0
17.9
70.8
40.0
65.0
41.7
66.7
39.1
37.5
50.0
43.1
33.3
34.4
21.9
38.9
19.6
43.3
33.3
66.7
37.5
30.0
50.0
47.2
33.3
25.0
18.8
38.9
15.2
46.7
55.6
50.0
Student Skills Survey
Asked: Students what sustainability skills and attributes
are important and where they look to receive these skills from
Asked about 11 skills/attributes developed from Change Agents i.e.
Ability to assess and critique information sources,
Capable of engaging in self-assessment, self reflection and analysis,
Understanding of how to act as a responsible citizen
280 students surveyed across Cambridge & Chelmsford in all 4 faculties, both UG and PG
Faculty
ALSS
FST
LIABES
FHSCE
Total:
No.
74
89
32
84
279
Student Year
1st
2nd
3rd
4th +
Total:
No.
152
77
31
19
279
Student Skills Survey:
all questions
Extremely important
Neutral
Very important
Rating current importance
Student Skills Survey:
all questions
Extremely important
Very important
Rating importance on graduation
Student Skills Survey:
all questions
Extremely important
Very important
Rating importance for employment
Student Skills Survey:
individual questions
Student Skills Survey:
individual questions
Student Skills Survey:
individual questions
Student Skills Survey:
• Students clearly appreciated the values
of the skills covered by the survey
• Skills were seen as more important in
employment than currently
Student Skills Survey:
all questions
Wider life outside University
Throughout my Course
In a specific module
University Clubs and Societies
Where do you acquire these skills?
Student Skills Survey:
individual questions
Q9
Q10
Q7
Q5
Q4
Q3
Q11
Very wide variation in perception
Q8
Q1
Q6
Q2
Student Skills Survey:
• Students saw most skills acquisition
happening outside the curriculum
• Huge variation in the importance of the
curriculum for acquiring skills
Employability Strategy 2012-14
1. To further enhance our reputation as a leading
national institution for student Employability
2. To increase the visibility of employability within our
academic, support service and student culture
3. To raise students awareness of the need to
experience and learn from a wide range of
opportunities to develop and practice high level
employability skills
4. To support students in taking responsibility for their
personal, professional and academic development.
5. To increase the range and availability of student
real-world work experience opportunities, develop
an enterprise and entrepreneurship culture and
increase the quality depth and range of work with
employers
Examples of good practice
2. To increase the visibility of employability within our academic, support service and student
culture
• ES delivered induction/introduction talks to a large number of first year students in core
lectures between weeks 4-6 academic year 2012-13.
• We will be rolling this out with the support of academic colleagues cross faculty in ALL first
year core modules this coming year
• Developed employability guides for students and academic staff.
•
•
•
Including Student Employability time line to help
students manage the way they develop their
employability
ES Consulted at ALSS departmental employability
strategy meetings lead by the Deputy Dean to
continue to work towards embedding employability
into the curriculum for academic year 2013-14.
Recommendation: A minimum of one employability
session/event per year group, per semester to be
included in all courses.
3. To raise students awareness of the
need to experience and learn from a
wide range of opportunities to develop
and practice high level employability
skills.
•All first year students provided with
Employability Guides via their personal
tutors.
•77 employer/student events run Aug
2012 – April 2013
•Careers in ………days. Ran a number of
days focusing on professional areas such
as Law. Invited speakers from national
and regional law firms, barristers
chambers and support groups to give real
life-story experiences.
4. To support students in taking responsibility for their personal, professional
and academic development.
•
All final year students offered the opportunity to engage with ES to ensure they
were are and able to articulate evidence of their employability skills
•
Created an employability portal within VLE which is accessible to all students.
Offer practical advise and guidance as well as advertising jobs and work placement
opportunities.
5. To increase the range and availability of student
real-world work experience opportunities, develop
an enterprise and entrepreneurship culture and
increase the quality depth and range of work with
employers
Citrix Experience Project
Computing and Technology students work as part of
Citrix Team which suit their area of interest.
They took part in real-life project for half a day for 6
weeks. The focus of each project ranged from
programming, to testing the latest cloud products. At
the end of the 6 week project, pairs took part in a
poster presentation and showcased their work to senior
contacts at Citrix.
Throughout the Citrix Experience
Programme, students are supported by a
Citrix mentor and will take part in a
number
of skills
workshops,in
such
as
Current
developments
employability
support – centrally provided versus
presentation
training.
embedded in curriculum – signposting skills in the curriculum – evidencing
•
•
skills – Anglia Award and HEAR
Worked closely with Anglia Ruskin
Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
department to offer workshops and
specialist information.
Start up Britain Campaign bus visit. A
national government backed campaign
to help raise awareness amongst
students and young people as well as
advising on financial support packages