Bartlett, Debbie

Salmon, Elysia

Sims, Deborah

Greenwich Academic Literature Archive

Developing a New Approach to  Assessment Strategy to Increase EmployabilityDr Debbie Bartlett CMLI FCIEEMPrincipal Lecturer, Programme Leader MSc/PGDip Environmental ConservationDeborah Sims MSc FCIHT CEng FHEASenior Lecturer, Engineering Employability Champion Elysia Salmon BSc Student member of CIEEM MSc Environmental Conservation student University Education Knowledge for knowledge’s sakeAll degrees provided a basis of transferable skills Only a few ‘vocational’ subject areas had defined career paths Jumping off point for deciding on your career US graduation as ‘commencement’ The future is uncertain... Brexit  ….? ApprenticeshipsEmploymentContraction of HE sectorBut some things are certain and not likely to change:Students’ investment in their future Higher fees = greater expectations = complaints?Professional body accreditation Students want jobs -how are we preparing them for this?   Competition for jobs is tough “On average I have a few seconds to look at CVs, and if it’s a good one, I’ll then spend maybe a minute more! It’s massive difference between someone getting a job and someone who doesn’t. So any poor training is jeopardising people’s potential careers….” Philip Rogers BSc (Hons) PhD MCIEEM MRSB CBiol Jacobs Divisional Director, Ecology  Environment, Maritime and ResilienceSo are we preparing our students for jobs?  This is the basis of degree apprenticeships that are being designed and led by employersWhat do exams demonstrate? http://www.justintarte.com/2015/06/is-it-time-to-eliminate-final-exams.htmlThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SAESSAYS VS WORKPLACE SKILLS  But how long? 3000 words?  As short as possible? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SAThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYCOMMUNICATING INFORMATION EFFECTIVELY…. Executive summaries Graphs Tables Photos Visualisation Infographics As few words as possible?WORKPLACE READY?What knowledge skills and behaviours do our students need in the workplace? Will they be sitting exams? Writing long essays?What will our graduates be doing in the workplace in 2021? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SACOMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS A transcript is not enough… We need to use competency based assessment. Standard in medical disciplines - acronym CBME Attitude, skills and behaviours that are needed in the professional context Increasingly our students face competency based interviews Scenarios Case studies Assessment centres Need to evidence their skills and demonstrate competenciesEXAMPLES setting assignments that reflect tasks likely to be encountered in the workplace, thus equipping students with demonstrable evidence to enhance employabilityENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY Removed exam Respond to a scenario by advising a client Peer feedback to the presentation Written up as a client briefingThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYPRINCIPLES & PRACTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Critically evaluate a current policy presented by an outside speaker, the author  Pull out main details  Using cross referencing Produce a summaryThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SATECHNIQUES IN APPLIED ECOLOGYhttps://owa.gre.ac.uk/owa/service.svc/s/GetFileAttachment?id=AAMkAGQ2ZTcwNWI4LTc1NGItNDFmNS1iZDkxLTYxZDU5NDFjMTJlYwBGAAAAAABzfv9G0xNpSKQdpT32ch3oBwDO0quEZ72YRIA1M%2Fm7KQ2IAAKqOjlgAADuagCL3blqSKAlINxSlwHuAAHi8qfPAAABEgAQAPy7Om%2F7%2FoNAp6GIt4XC2Q8%3D&isImagePreview=True&X-OWA-CANARY=5pothH_UnkaRG6NKyKkUT71Gcy4K0tUIahn87neVyAHhuro7H-x0jfWJ6l252PBD0t3JDDKu4rQ. A portfolio indexed against the Chartered Institute competency framework  Reflecting on learning, preparation for professional CPD recording Each student selected a species  Compared and contrasted survey methods Wrote a method statement, as required for planning and licence applications Shared across the classThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SACCS MONITOR REPORT Second year civil engineering students undertake a mock CCS auditor’s inspection on a real site Find the site Arrange a visit Complete a risk assessment Carry out an inspection Present findings to the site team Present findings to class Prepare a report Submit feedback formCASE STUDIES & ROLE PLAYMSc Civil Engineering students these skills are taught through a real-life case study based on a civil engineering disaster (e.g. the collapse of Carillion) where students are required to take on the role of a team of management consultants and analyse the circumstances leading up to the disaster and formally present their findings in a role play situation"Through this task the group learnt new things about the construction industry."WHAT DO THE STUDENTS THINK?"This was the best coursework we'd done all year""exams aren’t representative of employment related activities""a particular highlight was the phase 1 / management plan, EIA critiquing published environment statements and Law scenario advising clients""assessed work has given me great grounding and the confidence for my future career""The visit was incredibly informative, we were walked around the site and all our questions were answered in depth."YOUR TURN ….In groups  What are the assessment challenges for your programmes?  Is there anything you could adapt for create a more employability focused outcome?  Do you have any concerns about the way we prepare students for the working environment? FEEDBACKKEEP IN TOUCH! Debbie Bartlett Principal Lecturer D.Bartlett@gre.ac.uk Deborah Sims Senior Lecturer D.j.sims@gre.ac.uk

New Approach to Assessment for Employability

http://gala.gre.ac.uk/21518/7/21518%20BARTLETT_New_Approach_to_Assessment_for_Employability_2018.pdf

New Approach to Assessment for Employability

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Greenwich Academic Literature Archive