1. Assessing Employability Skills in the CurriculumFHSS Learning &Teaching conference 23 June 2011 Lindsay Macadam Guy Townsin Department of Employability

2. Graduate Academic and Employability Skills (from RAS 2012) Management of self, learning and tasks: • Study and self-management skills. • Thinking and reflective skills. • Problem-solving skills. Management and communication of information: • Writing skills. • Reading skills. • Oral communication skills. • IT/Information/Numeracy skills. • Research skills. Interpersonal skills • Team work. • Leadership skills.

3. The Portsmouth Graduate We expect that Portsmouth graduates will have acquired the knowledge and skills to enable them to: • 1. Demonstrate command of a significant body of subject knowledge and skills of sufficient depth. • 2. Make a successful transition into employment and/or further study. • 3. Be prepared for lifelong learning in pursuit of personal, academic and professional development. • 4. Display effective communication skills. • 5. Be an effective problem-solver, capable of applying logical, critical and creative thinking to a range of problems. • 6. Have developed competencies in information literacy. • 7. Work autonomously and collaboratively. • 8. Demonstrate an international and global awareness. • 9. Act ethically and in a socially responsible manner.

4. First Class Degree Students are able to demonstrate the following criteria relevant to their discipline: • comprehensive and deep understanding of key concepts and knowledge, and of a range of supporting evidence; • excellent, in-depth consideration of key issues, with skilful interpretation and use of a wide range of evidence; • excellent ability to integrate material from a variety of sources, and to deploy accurately and imaginatively established techniques of analysis and enquiry; • evidence of insightful analysis and of critical or imaginative thinking, and of the ability to question the validity of accepted approaches; • excellent skills in communicating the above knowledge and understanding and in the presentation of ideas; • a high level of command and application of the key specialised technical, professional, creative and conceptual skills; • an excellent level of competence Source: University of Sheffield

5. Generic Assessment Criteria

6. Exemplar Assessment • You should imagine that you have been commissioned to write a report. The results of the research should be presented in the form of a concise report (3000 words). • An executive summary - it is not an introduction - don't waste words • Background- the information should be quantitative: a good approach is to give details in tables. Be sure to cite the appropriate references in Harvard style. • A concise description and modelling of ......... Give details of parameters used and uncertainties, including chosen scenarios with reasons. Include a criticalappraisal of the reliability and interpretation of information and/or arguments presented. • Assessment of the specific impacts on ..........; where possible try to be quantitative – for example how much ....... .will be affected by ................. • Bibliography and references - including the url's of any web-sites used. You must use Harvard form for all reports/essays– or you can find the information on line from the library website. • References should be cited in the relevant place of your text and given in full in the list of references at the end.

7. GAE Skills Framework? • Getting Started • Managing Processes • Delivering Outcomes • Embedding Outcomes

8. Building GAE Skills Support • Promote parity with subject matter • Develop/teach GAE skills as part of course • Don’t force GAE Skills into all units • Provide opportunities to practise and refine GAEskills before assessing them • Assess GAE skills openly and accurately • Use formative feedback to help students improve • You stand to gain: engagement, achievement, improved DLHE stats

9. GAE Development Opportunities • Coursework • Tutorial Programme • Work Related learning • Extra-Curricular Activities • Career Management

10. Popular Approaches to Learning Learning that is: • Meaningful • Active • Challenging • Reflective • Collaborative • Assessed

11. Use Learning Outcomes • Level 1 : Remembering • Level 2 : Understanding • Level 3 : Applying • Level 4 : Analysing • Level 5 : Evaluating • Level 6: Creating

12. Assessment methods which promote GAE skills

16. Reflective and autonomous learners

17. Finally • GAE Skills doesn’t mean the end of academic freedom; not creeping vocationalisation • GAE has potential to produce more effective learners - +ve effect on degree achievement and employer appeal • Work done mainly by students – they claim GAE Skills evidence • Opportunities to develop, practise and assess GAE Skills have to be built in to courses • Graduate Abilities and Employability –critical success factors, not limiting factors.

18. Next Steps • We welcome contribution from Faculties • Further discussion contact: • lindsay.macadam@port.ac.uk – 6221 • guy.townsin@port.ac.uk - 2691