Graduate Attributes Roadshow

A chance to find out more …..

June, 2011

Name the five Brookes graduate attributes

Look briefly at each Graduate Attribute - what does it mean?

Illustrate one Graduate Attribute in action, through a case study

Set out implications for programme design

Note action from September 2011 [ with help from resources, people, workshops etc]

In this session we aim to:

Some perspectives on what it is to be a graduate

Brookes TV Video clips on the graduate attributes

Student Vox pops on what they want to leave Brookes with …..

Pro-VC Student Experience, Prof John Raftery, speaking about Graduate Attributes

Videos produced by John Twycross and 2011 PCTHE participants

What are graduate attributes?

‘These attributes include, but go beyond, the disciplinary expertise or technical knowledge that has traditionally formed the core of most university courses.

They are ability, dispositions, qualities which enable knowledge gained to be translated into a discipline and work place context.

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

The SESE sets the context

4.1 Supporting the objectives

Every undergraduate programme will include the development of the following five core graduate attributes:

a) Academic literacy

b) Research literacy

c) Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

d) Digital and information literacy

e) Global citizenship

4.1 Supporting the objectives

Every undergraduate programme will include the development of the following five core graduate attributes:

a) Academic literacy

b) Research literacy

c) Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

d) Digital and information literacy

e) Global citizenship

There are many moreThere are many more

Yes: How to use GAs? Where to plan for GAs?

No: Why have GAs at all? Why have these 5 GAs?

Yes: How to use GAs? Where to plan for GAs?

No: Why have GAs at all? Why have these 5 GAs?

Implications of these being graduate attributes

students develop them over their time in a programme. ‘What they leave with….’

students’ development is staged, progressive

require planning, tracking and checking to be sure that all 5 have been / will be achieved.

requires programme-level action

Programme mappings

1. Academic literacy

2. Research literacy

3. Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

4. Digital and information literacy

5. Global citizenship

What does each one mean?

Academic literacy

‘Disciplinary and professional knowledge and skills,

understanding the epistemology and ‘landscape’ of the discipline,

and what it means to think and behave as a member of that disciplinary and/ or professional community of practice.’

[Strategy for Enhancing the Student Experience 2010 – 2015]

…developing academic or professional literacy

‘… supporting an argument with evidence’.

‘…taking an analytical approach’

‘…using the scientific method’

‘… critical understanding of power’

What it might be What contributes to the GA development

Undergraduate dissertation

Requiring use of citation and referencing

Reports on practical task or problem solved

Debates

…. And more

Disciplinary knowledge & skills

NO

Not Free-standing.

Not Context-free and generic (‘solving problems’)

Not just functional (i.e. spelling, grammar)

YES

Academic Literacy interacts w. all GAs (‘using tools for referencing and citation’)

Rooted in the discipline-specific epistomology (eg. 1 might say ‘Numbers and data are essential to make good decisions …’ whilst for another, ‘Understanding the context is….)

Using the language of the discipline ‘Writing like a lawyer’ ‘Sounding like a historian’

1. Academic literacy

2. Research literacy

3. Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

4. Digital and information literacy

5. Global citizenship

Five graduate attributes

Research literacy

‘Ability to be a critical consumer of research, and also, where possible, to design and undertake at least a small-scale research project in the discipline, using appropriate methodology.’

Brookes SESE, 2010

Students developing research literacy

Learning about: … current (and past) research issues in the discipline

(paradigm shifts, etc.) … research done by lecturers in the departmentLearning how: issues are investigated in the discipline

(epistemology/academic literacy) to critically appraise research (to be a consumer of

research)Learning by: using research methodologies helping lecturers/PGs with their research carrying out ‘own’ research

…by carrying out research

‘…the approach should be “to make the experience students have in learning the same as the one staff have in researching”

(Brown in Swain, 2007)

1st Yr module on Academic Literacy & Practice

Identify ‘Research Skills’ in module descriptions

A Research Methods module

Small-scale research experiences in Year 2 module/s

Rename the dissertation/double honours module as a ‘Research Project’

integrated

1st Yr module on Academic Literacy & Practice

Identify ‘Research Skills’ in module descriptions

A Research Methods module

Small-scale research experiences in Year 2 module/s

Rename the dissertation/double honours module as a ‘Research Project’

Five Graduate Attributes

1. Academic literacy

2. Research literacy

3. Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

4. Digital and information literacy

5. Global citizenship

Digital and information literacy

“ The functional access, skills and practices necessary to become a confident, agile adopter of a range of technologies for personal, academic and professional use.”

“ To be able to use appropriate technology to search for high-quality information; critically to evaluate and engage with the information obtained; reflect on and record learning, and professional and personal development; and engage productively in relevant online communities.”

Adapted from the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy model

2 literacies, 1 linked developmental framework

A taxonomy: 7 categories

being confident, agile adopters of a range of technologies for personal, academic and professional use

confidently and competently analysing information needs (personal, academic, or professional)

devising effective strategies and choosing appropriate tools for locating information

evaluating information obtained and assessing its appropriateness for one’s needs

using digital tools to reflect on and record learning and professional and personal development

engaging productively in relevant online communities integrating information obtained into one’s own personal,

academic or professional understanding, managing and communicating it effectively and ethically

Refer to handout for examples

Five Graduate Attributes

1. Academic literacy

2. Research literacy

3. Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

4. Digital and information literacy

5. Global citizenship

Global Citizenship

“Knowledge and skills, showing cross-cultural awareness, and valuing human diversity. The ability to work effectively, and responsibly, in a global context.

[text cut here – see SESE for more examples of knowledge and skills]

….. and responsible citizenship, actively engaging with issues of equity and social justice, sustainability and the reduction of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination.

Global Citizenship: the disciplinary context

Questions might be…

How is ‘our’ disciplinary knowledge represented and understood in other cultures?Can we question one’s own values and others’ responsibly and ethically?How can all students develop cross-cultural capabilities?

Activities

Add in or track ‘international’ elements (case studies, reading, guest speakers etc) Group tasks in diverse groups Teaching cross cultural skillsPlacements and field trips

And more ….

Five Graduate Attributes

1. Academic literacy

2. Research literacy

3. Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

4. Digital and information literacy

5. Global citizenship

Critical self-awareness and personal literacy

“Understanding how one learns, the ability to assess the work of oneself and others, and to identify one’s strengths and weaknesses.

The ability to organise oneself and perform as an autonomous, effective and independent learner.

The ability to relate to other people and function collaboratively in diverse groups, including the development of appropriate interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence and adaptive expertise.”

SESE 2010

Developing critical self-awareness

What develops the GA?

‘Learning to learn’ sessionsSelf evaluation and reflection tasksPersonal development included in assessment [eg. providing evidence on time management, interpersonal skills]

Where development can happen

Academic advising (‘I ask structured questions then students will plan …’)

Programme-level PDP (‘In the Business & Mgt BA we require all students to ….’)

Peer mentoring/buddying (‘Our PAL scheme pairs up ….’)

Team based assessed projects

‘Building a graduate identity’

"A goal of all formal education should be to graduate students to lead lives of consequence."

John Henry Brookes

Attribution: m.a.x’s photostream, 2006

Programme mappings

What do we need to do?

Not ‘one hit’ – it works step by step

Progression – over time at Brookes

Address all five –GAs are not discrete; can ‘double count’ .

Range of experiences all shaped by the disciplinary context

To help you implement GAs in programmes