Keywords
skills
transferability
learning outcomes
meta-skills
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Much has been written about the necessity for graduates to be aware of their skill set and transferability for the workplace. Degree programs in Scotland have long relied on guidance from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on the taxonomy or wording of level learning outcomes (LLOs), which are the building blocks of degrees. More recently, a meta-skills framework created by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers clarity around meta-skills and suggests relevant wording, but these do not always align with academic taxonomies. The current research sought to explore the relationship between LLOs and meta-skills further from an academic and student perspective. A qualitative approach consisting of staff interviews and student focus groups from a range of creative business courses was adopted. A thematic analysis revealed gaps in staff and student understanding of LLOs and meta-skill terminology. The findings support the argument that skills should be linked more obviously to modular learning and recommendations are made as to how these could be communicated effectively to aid understanding around the transferability of university-acquired skills to the workplace.
References
Advance HE (2024). Fit for the future: enhancing and adapting practice for new paradigms of high education.
Ajjawi, R., Tai, J., Huu Nghia, T. L., Boud, D., Johnson, L., & Patrick, C.J. (2020). Aligning assessment with the needs of work-integrated learning: The challenges of authentic assessment in a complex context. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(2), 304–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1639613
Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D., Airsian, P., Cruickshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E., Pintrich, P., Raths, J., & Wittrock, M. C. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives in a taxonomy for teaching and learning. New York: Longman.
Behle, H. (2020). Students’ and graduates’ employability. A framework to classify and measure employability gain. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 4(1), 105-130. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2020.1712662
Billet, P. & Martin, D. (2018). Engaging students in co-creation of sociological knowledge and curriculum design as a form of deep engagement. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 15(5). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.15.5.7
Bowman, S., Salter, J., Stephenson, C & Humble, D. (2022). Metamodern sensibilities: toward a pedagogical framework for a wicked world. Teaching in Higher Education, Critical Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2022.2151835
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2022). Conceptual and design thinking for thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychology, 9(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000196
Bremner, P. A., & Air, C. (2023). Innovative interdisciplinary pedagogical approaches to enhance students' learning experiences and to benefit them in their future development. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2023-0290
Bremner, P. A., & Laing, A. (2019). The disrupted workplace: are the digital and group skills needs of employers being addressed by universities? Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 16). https://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/535
Blessinger, P. (2020). Making sense of pedagogy. Linkedin.
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. New York: Longman Group.
Chan, C. S. C. (2021). University graduates’ transition into the workplace: How they learn to use English for work and cope with language-related challenges. System, 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102530
Creswell, J.W. & Creswell, J.D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Dewey, J. (1902), The child and the curriculum. University of Chicago Press, Education.
Drew, C. (2023). 13 examples of metacognitive strategies. Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/metacognitive-strategies/
Elias, N. (1987). Involvement and detachment. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Ewing, D. R., & Ewing, R. L. (2017). Leveraging experiential learning to encourage role transition from “student” to “professional”: Insights from identity theory. Journal of Marketing Education, 39(3), 132–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0273475317724844
Fusch, P.I., & Ness, L. R. “Are we there yet? data saturation in qualitative research” The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408–1416. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281
Goldie, K., Ironside, R., & Pirie, E. (2023). “It feels real”: Events management and online experiential learning in COVID-19. Distance Education, 44(2), 230–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2023.2198490
Heinrich, W. F., Louson, E., Blommel, C., & Green, A. R. (2021). Who coaches the coaches? The development of a coaching model for experiential learning. Innovative Higher Education, 46(3), 357–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09537-3
Hepburn, J. (2021). Future skills: Action plan. The Scottish Government. https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/foi-eir-release/2021/07/foi-202100208933/documents/foi202100208933---information-released-e-g/foi202100208933---information-released-e-g/govscot%3Adocument/FOI202100208933%2B-%2BInformation%2Breleased%2BE-G.pdf
Honigman, J. J. (1982). Sampling in Ethnographic Fieldwork. In R. G. Burgess (Ed.), Field research: A source book and field manual. Routledge London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203379998
Kali, L., Feng., P & Rustam., S. (2021). Understanding the mediating effect of learning approach between learning factors and higher order thinking skills in collaborative inquiry-based learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(5), 2475–2492.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.
Lewin, K. (1944). Constructs in field theory. In D. Cartwright (Ed.): Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers (pp. 30–42). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Newton, P. M., Da Silva, A., & Peters, L. G. (2020). A pragmatic master list of action verbs for Bloom's taxonomy. Frontiers, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.00107
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Piaget, J. (1936). The Origin of intelligence in the child, London: Routledge.
Quality Assurance Agency, (2023). Subject benchmark statements. https://www.qaa.ac.uk/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements
Race, P. (2019). The lecturer's toolkit: A practical guide to assessment, learning and teaching. Oxfordshire: Routledge.
Scottish Government (2019). Creative industries policy statement. https://www.gov.scot/publications/policy-statement-creative-industries/
Scottish Government (2021), Climate emergency skills action plan. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/w0ulewun/climate-emergency-skills-action-plan-2020-2025.pdf
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (2023). About the framework. https://scqf.org.uk/about-the-framework/
Skills Development Scotland (2023). Digital economy skills action plan 2023-2028. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/pq5fwkcb/digital-economy-skills-action-plan.pdf
Soproni., Z (2023). Employability skills: Rethink your learning. GILE Journal of Skills Development, 3(2), 53-65. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2023.v3.i2.pp53-65
Stanny, C. (2016).Reevaluating bloom’s taxonomy: What measurable verbs can and cannot say about student learning the effectiveness of using revised bloom’s taxonomy-oriented learning activities to improve students’ metacognitive abilities. Education Sciences, 6(37). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci6040037
Sudirtha, I.G., Widiana, I. W., & Adijaya. M. A. (2022). The effectiveness of using revised Bloom's taxonomy-oriented learning activities to improve students’ metacognitive abilities. Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, 9(2), 55–61. https://doi.org/10.20448/jeelr.v9i2.3804
Suri, H. (2011). Purposeful sampling in qualitative research synthesis. Qualitative Research Journal, 11(2), 63–75.
Suryanti, H. & Supeni, S., (2019).A problem-based learning (PBL) Model in developing students’ soft skills aspect. International Journal of Higher Education, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v8n8p62
Turner, T., & Pirie, E. (2015). Problems of involvement and detachment: a critical approach to researching live event experiences. In Lamond, I.R. and Platt, L. Critical event studies: approaches to research. London: Palgrave Macmillan [online], pages 17–35. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52386-0_2
Vickers, B., Pirie, E., & Reid, C. (2023). The trials and triumphs of running cross-year experiential modules: blending theory and practice to advance student professional development and academic practice. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.56433/jpaap.v11i3.590
Villarroel, V., Bruna, S., Bruna, D., Bruna., C & Herrera-Seda., C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(5), 840–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396
Washburne, J. N. (1936). The definition of learning, Journal of Educational Psychology, 27(8), 603–611. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0060154
World Economic Forum (2023). These are the top 10 skills of tomorrow – and how long it takes to learn them. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/top-10-work-skills-of-tomorrow-how-long-it-takes-to-learn-them/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 Dr Pauline A M Bremner , Dr Elliot Pirie, Dr Madeleine Marcella-Hood, Mrs Anne Singleton