scholarly journals A structured reflective process supports student awareness of employability skills development in a science placement module

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciane V. Mello ◽  
Tunde Varga-Atkins ◽  
Steve W. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Summative Assessment ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Independent Research ◽  
Reflective Process ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
First Results ◽  
Personal Skills ◽  
Undergraduate Science

ABSTRACTPlacements are often an extra-curricular activity of a science degree. This study reports on the outcomes of a final year credit-bearing 6-week placement module that was specifically designed to develop and enhance students’ employability skills. A key element of this module was that the student placements were not just evaluated from a science perspective, but with an emphasis on meaningful reflection and evaluation of employability skills development. Students recorded their levels of confidence in skills before, during and after the placement via an Online Reflective Log, as part of a module’s summative assessment. First, results showed that taking part in the placement and conducting their own independent research helped students to make connections between their scientific knowledge, otherwise constrained within the walls of the undergraduate science lab, and the wider impact of their research on society. Another theme that emerged concerned career choices and aspirations, and the placement experience either confirmed prior choices or opened new horizons. The Online Reflective Log helped students to feel supported by their university supervisor who were at a distance, while feedback on their tasks challenged them to reflect on the scientific and personal skills as they were engaged in scientific activities during placement. Students agreed that they had further developed their employability skills during the placement. Students acknowledged it was challenging to have to acquire evidence of skills development but appreciated the usefulness of this reflection in relation to their future careers.

scholarly journals Interdisciplinary project-based learning as a means of developing employability skills in undergraduate science degree programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Louise Hart
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Size Perception ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Interdisciplinary Project ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Discipline Knowledge

Project-based learning units are often used for large scale work integrated learning (WIL) experiences in Liberal Studies Degrees as they offer scalability and sustainability of delivery to large cohorts. This systematic search and review evaluates the effectiveness of interdisciplinary project-based learning in Science Degree programs for developing discipline knowledge and employability skills. Education literature databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles that discussed undergraduate science-based degree programs with project-based learning units involving students from multiple disciplines. Data were analysed for evidence of a skill gain in 6 areas (Discipline knowledge, Communication, Teamwork, Interdisciplinary effectiveness, Critical thinking and problem solving, and Self-management). Projects were assigned to categories based on interdisciplinary breadth and depth. Data was analysed by cross-tabulations, Fisher’s Exact test and by calculating odds ratios (OR), which indicate the effect size. Perception of a skill gain was significantly more likely to be reported than an objectively measured skill gain (p<0.001). Real discipline skill gains were 6.6 times more likely in projects narrow in discipline mix (OR 6.6), however perceived discipline skill gains were high irrespective of project type. Projects with wide interdisciplinarity were significantly associated with perceived gains in interdisciplinary effectiveness (OR 32, p<0.05) and more likely to have perceived gains in communication (OR 2.5) and teamwork (OR 3.4) skills. When projects have greater interdisciplinary breadth or depth, perceived student employability skill gains increase, perceived discipline skill gains are unaffected, however actual discipline skill gains are less reported. Further research and evidence that project-based learning is meeting the desired WIL learning objectives of the curriculum is needed.

scholarly journals A professional development program with an assessed ePortfolio: A practical solution for engaging undergraduates with their career development in large student cohorts

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Choate ◽  
Maria Demaria ◽  
Michelle Etheve ◽  
Sandy Cran ◽  
David Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Biomedical Science ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Career Options ◽  
The University

 Undergraduate biomedical science degree-programs are considered to be non-vocational, with a diverse range of career outcomes. At our university, student and academic feedback indicated that biomedical science students were anxious and uncertain about their career options. In response to this careers anxiety, an in-curriculum, course-wide and assessed professional development program (PDP) was developed and delivered into the biomedical science degree-program by an integrated team of careers educators and biomedical academics. This program aimed to engage a large cohort of biomedical students (>1000) with their career development, improving their careers awareness and reducing their anxiety about careers options. The impacts of the program on students’ career and employability skills development, as well as their self-reported levels of psychological distress, were evaluated with on-line anonymous student surveys. Student engagement with the program was linked with program assessment submission rates and student interactions with the University Careers Service. Completion of the program increased students’ careers knowledge and confidence, enhanced their awareness of career options and employability skills and increased their engagement with the University Careers Service. It did not alter students’ self-reported levels of depression, anxiety and stress, but students who rated themselves poorly on careers awareness and confidence statements were more likely to have severe depression, anxiety and stress. This program provides a practical approach for students’ career and employability skills development in large cohorts, but could be expanded to include an intervention to reduce student anxiety.

Skills Development in the Field of Next Generation Networked Media Over 4G+ Infrastructures: The Nereus Approach and its First Results

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelos Pallis ◽  
Carl J. Debono ◽  
Daniel Negru ◽  
Constandinos X. Mavromoustakis ◽  
Christos Politis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skills Development ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
First Results

scholarly journals Computer-simulated experiments and computer games: a method of design analysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome J. Leary
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulations ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Design Analysis ◽  
Practical Work ◽  
Fourfold Increase ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
The University ◽  
Method Of Design

Through the new modularization of the undergraduate science degree at the University of Brighton, larger numbers of students are choosing to take some science modules which include an amount of laboratory practical work. Indeed, within energy studies, the fuels and combustion module, for which the computer simulations were written, has seen a fourfold increase in student numbers from twelve to around fifty. Fitting out additional laboratories with new equipment to accommodate this increase presented problems: the laboratory space did not exist; fitting out the laboratories with new equipment would involve a relatively large capital spend per student for equipment that would be used infrequently; and, because some of the experiments use inflammable liquids and gases, additional staff would be needed for laboratory supervision.DOI:10.1080/0968776950030106

scholarly journals Am I Fit for Tomorrow’s Labor Market? The Effect of Graduates’ Skills Development during Higher Education for the 21st Century’s Labor Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7746
Author(s):  
Omar Habets ◽  
Jol Stoffers ◽  
Beatrice Van der Heijden ◽  
Pascale Peters
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
21St Century ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Perceived Fit ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Higher Education Curriculum ◽  
New Graduates

This study contributes to the employability skills debate by investigating how students’ self-perceived 21st century skills relate to the self-perceived fit between their higher education curriculum and their future labor market for a sustainable entry to this labor market. Survey data from 4670 fourth-year students over a period of four years were analyzed. Furthermore, out of this group, 83 students were monitored longitudinally over their full educational student careers. Results showed a positive relationship between students’ self-perceived 21st century skills and their self-perceived “education-future labor market fit”. Among more recent cohorts, a significant improvement in their self-perceived 21st century skills was found. Overall, this study indicated that in order to deliver “employable” graduates, students need to be thoroughly trained in 21st century skills, and their development should be retained and expanded. This is one of the few studies that uses a vast amount of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data on skills and labor market perspectives among new graduates.

scholarly journals Exploring Finnish Guidance Counselors’ Conceptions of Career Management Skills

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402096877
Author(s):  
Jaana Kettunen ◽  
Jeong Lee ◽  
Raimo Vuorinen
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Skills ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Guidance Counselors ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Career Management ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Personal Skills ◽  
Practice Assessment ◽  
Dimensions Of Variation ◽  
Critical Aspects

This article reports the findings from a phenomenographic investigation into guidance counselors’ conceptions of career management skills (CMS). The results show that CMS was conceived as (a) information-based knowledge, (b) personal skills development, (c) interpersonal skills development, and (d) autonomous application of skills. The differences appeared along six dimensions of variation that included awareness of CMS, emphasis, promotion of CMS, teaching practice, assessment, and attitude. The findings give us a more profound understanding of critical aspects that may have an important role in the development of individual’s CMS.

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