Understanding how students develop their skills for employability

Gesa RUGE, Coralie MCCORMACK

Research output: A Conference proceeding or a Chapter in BookConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The international debate on student skills development for employability has advanced institutional initiatives for teaching and learning, but to date lacks detailed research studies mapping disciplinary implementation linked to student learning feedback. This paper reports on a five year higher education research study from Australia framed by a reflective practice–based methodology. Students in the undergraduate discipline of building and construction management monitored the development of their academic attributes and skills for employability. This paper contributes new knowledge on constructive alignment and implementation of assessment for learning and early professional skills development. Research findings indicate that student skills for employability are facilitated through: (1)Discipline-based curriculum design linking university and industry skills expectations; (2)Clear interweaving of learning contexts and assessments for students to experience and identify academic and professional learning dimensions (metacognition);(3)Constructive alignment for skills development through scaffolded assessment learning;(4)A ‘constructive, explicit and reflective’ teaching approach engaging students in their own generic and professional skills development. Keywords: Graduate employability, constructive alignment, assessment for learning, graduate skills, authentic learning. Reference to the full study published by Taylor & Francis online www.tandfonline.com Ruge, G., & McCormack, C. (2017). Building and construction students’ skills development for employability–reframing assessment for learning in discipline-specific contexts.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStudents, Quality, Success: Second Annual TEQSA Conference 29 November - 1 December 2017, Melbourne: Conference Proceedings
PublisherHigher Education Publishing Company
Pages1-14
Number of pages14
Edition1
ISBN (Print)9780646978970
Publication statusPublished - 2018
EventTEQSA Conference 2017: Students, Quality, Success - Second Annual TEQSA Conference - Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 29 Nov 20171 Dec 2017
https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/articles/teqsa-conference-wraps

Conference

ConferenceTEQSA Conference 2017
Abbreviated titleTEQSA 2017
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityMelbourne
Period29/11/171/12/17
Internet address

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