Employability planning worksheet - intranet.ecu.edu.auintranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/word_doc/...Employ… · Web viewThis document is designed to help you identify where a particular

Centre for Learning and DevelopmentTel: +61 8 6304 2554 | Email: [email protected] | Web: http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/learning/overview

Skills for Success Employability Toolkit

How to use this document

Skills for Success Employability Toolkit is designed to assist you in various aspects of applying

employability to your unit. Please use the elements of this resource that best suit your needs.

Table of Contents

How to use this document....................................................................................................................1

Employability planning worksheet...............................................................................................2

Holistic Rubric for Employability Skills..........................................................................................7

Skills for Success for Students....................................................................................................12

Edith Cowan UniversityCentre for Learning and Development

mailto:[email protected]

Employability planning worksheet

This document is designed to help you identify where a particular employability skill is embedded by noting what students are doing. You may wish to

include some of these phrases in marking criteria for specific tasks, or in learning activities and evaluation of ECU Graduate Attributes.


Academic/ Employability Skills aligned with ECU Graduate Attributes

Examples of teaching and learning activities Examples from your unit

Ability to communicate: Writing to the needs of the audience; Speaking in a public forum; Academic writing; Effectively using numeracy skills to

complete assignments and other tasks; Communicating respectfully (using voice

and body); Listening actively; Empathising; Persuading effectively; Being assertive; Persuading effectively; Completing oral presentations/ reports;

and Critically reading and engaging with

texts.

Analyse a range of communication formats in class and consider suitability for various purposes/audiences. Talk about what needs to change for different purposes, different audiences and different formats.

Compare formal reports to a business ]

Critique a document.

Paraphrasing of aural material- lecture notes, film clip, podcast.

Debating critical issues within the discipline.

Explaining general theories and principles.Ability to work in teams:

Establishing and using networks; Collaborating with others to achieve

team goals; Coaching and mentoring; Leading with integrity. Recognising and adopting roles within

teams; Committing to a team for the period

required to complete the task

Development of a group contract by students.

Creating an industry related blog.

Engage in impromptu classes (or online) activities in assessment scheme that require collaboration with others. Students to work alone first, then share with others and agree a group position.




Marks for individual contribution and group solution.

Critical appraisal skills – plan and organise: Establishing clear goals and plans of

action; Prioritising tasks according to need; Planning and managing workloads

efficiently; and Allocating time and resources effectively. Aligning work and learning with personal

vision and goals; Self-assessment

Develop a study plan for the unit/semester.

Students select from different options for assessment task.

Critical appraisal skills - solve problems: Capacity to engage in logical and orderly

thinking; Ability to complete research; Willingness and ability to proactively

make decisions; Identifying opportunities not

immediately obvious to others; Creating innovative solutions to given

problems; Accurate analysis and synthesis of

information.

Students engage in games involving risk to develop decision making abilities.

Development of mind maps to order and organise information.

Write a research proposal.

Ability to generate ideas: Generating a range of options; Translating ideas into action; Students engage in games involving risk to




Maintaining sense of humour and positive self-esteem under pressure;

Willingness and ability to proactively make decisions;

Creating innovative solutions to a given problem;

Accurate analysis and synthesis of information.

develop decision-making abilities.

Problem based learning activities as central themes to tutorials. I.e. tutorials are based around a real life problem and students work to solve the problem based on provided materials and prior knowledge.

Cross-cultural and international outlook: Observing communication protocols and

conventions Consulting with others to obtain diverse

cultural perspectives Adapting language and tone to build

cross-cultural rapport

Students research impact of cultures on work practices

Students adapt an Australian report for an international audience

Students write reflections on failures and successes in cross-cultural interactions

Ability to manage self and learning Taking responsibility; Managing own learning. Evaluating and monitoring own

performance; Giving and receiving feedback. Adapting to new situations; Being open to new ideas and techniques.

Complete a professional portfolio as one of the assessment tasks.

Students to develop own assessment task to demonstrate outcome.

Students to select different roles for new tutorial




activities depending on the task.

Summarising, paraphrasing, creating analogies, metaphors.

Students engage in a self directed small research project.

Ability to use technology: Using computer technology

appropriately Staying familiar with up-to-date

equipment, facilities and materials; and Using IT to communicate and complete

given tasks effectively.

Assignments to be submitted electronically.

Use IT tools to create presentations/ brochures etc

Compare formal reports to a business with multimedia presentations to a live audience or with presentation of information on an interactive website.


Holistic Rubric for Employability Skills

A rubric for broad, holistic assessment of employability skills, aligned with ECU Graduate Attributes, is presented below. This rubric is designed as a general guide

only and does not claim to suggest that a student has mastered any single skill. Rather it serves as an organiser for the student and lecturer/tutor to gather

evidence about student skills during a specific teaching period and over the duration of a course. This rubric is based on the Core Skills for Work Framework

(DEEWR, 2013) performance features for ‘Advanced Beginner’, ‘Capable Performer’, ‘Proficient Performer’ and ‘Expert’.


http://www.ithacagroup.com.au/102


Skill/Graduate Attribute

C CR D HD

Ability to communicate

Attends to communication practices and protocols

Communicates with some understanding of purpose and audience

Uses appropriate communication conventions, paying attention to others

Provides relevant information

Adjusts communication to context and situation.

Considers subtle implications when selecting what to communicate, with whom and how

Selects written/visual format, tone, language and content to suit purpose and audience.

Demonstrates a finely nuanced understanding of what to communicate, with whom and how

Builds constructively on input of others

Tailors every communication to achieve its purpose

Ability to work in teams

Seeks to cooperate with others

Recognises barriers

Uses some practices for building rapport.

Pays attention to diverse perspectives

Shares information and resources

Looks for strengths in others

Actively seeks to build rapport and genuine understanding with others

Provides useful feedback and seeks feedback to enhance own performance.

Cultivates relationships to build networks.

Acknowledges the points of view of others without compromising integrity.

Uses high level influencing skills to motivate others

Actively builds strategic networks.



C CR D HD

Critical appraisal skills

Plan & organise

Makes some decisions regarding sequencing and timing of tasks

Starts to coordinate some activities with others

Begins to seek guidance

Plans sequencing and timing of tasks, links with work of others

Makes realistic commitments

Recognises and adjusts to deadlines are reached.

Takes responsibility for workload

Balances competing demands (own and others)

Reassesses priorities when circumstances change

Organises time and effort around priorities

Monitors performance in relation to goals

Renegotiates if necessary while managing expectations of others.

Solve problems

Make decisions

Addresses unfamiliar problems by applying past solutions

May reflect on outcomes

May seek assistance to develop an improved approach

Applies formal problem solving processes

Identifies and evaluates several options

Seeks feedback or advice before implementing a solution.

Redefines problems and identifies underlying causes when necessary.

Clarifies key issues and generates possible solutions,

Establishes criteria for deciding on a course of action.

Uses nuanced understanding to recognise surface indicators of deeper problems

Invests time in defining the real problem, using a variety of techniques

Uses formal techniques to generate and evaluate solutions



C CR D HD

Ability to generate ideas

Identifies how ideas in other contexts might be applied.

Applies a formal lateral thinking technique.

Supports adoption of ideas that appear to produce minimal change.

Contributes to design of new approaches

Seeks different perspectives in designing solutions to problems.

Supports ideas that appear to produce some radical change.

Considers radical as well as incremental change to current approaches

Combines lateral and analytical thinking

Supports ideas that contribute to broader goals and uses clear criteria to assist decision-making

Challenges beliefs and assumptions that may be shaping thinking

Facilitates a climate in which creativity and innovation are integral

Addresses issues that may affect implementation

Ability to manage self and learning

Some insight into personal aptitudes and preferences,

Targets some skill development

Seeks advice and feedback when confronted by barriers.

Reflects on past experience and feedback

Uses a systematic process to develop skills and knowledge

Pro-actively seeks assistance to address identified gaps.

Formally reflects on performance

Seeks and uses feedback, takes on new challenges,

Develops strategies to address factors that limit achievement,

Treats every activity as an opportunity to learn,

Actively seeks feedback from a wide range of sources

Devises innovative ways of sharing knowledge with others.



C CR D HD

Ability to use technology

Applies a small set of operating principles

Uses technology in routine ways to enter, store, retrieve and present information.

Uses technology to access, organise, analyse and display information and improve efficiency.

Interacts, collaborates and creates online

Takes responsibility for security of online information.

Uses a broad range of technologies to improve productivity

Uses online profile and social networking to engage with others in virtual environments.

Uses technologies to access and filter data and to extract, organise, integrate and share information effectively

Actively seeks out technologies with potential to meet current and future needs

Uses digital tools to filter and synthesise meaningful information from multiple sources.

Evaluates benefits and risks when collaborating with others.


Centre for Learning and DevelopmentTel: +61 8 6304 2554 | Email: [email protected] | Web: http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/learning/overview

Skills for Success for StudentsSkills for Success for students is designed to assist contextualisation and articulation of

employability skills in an academic context. In accredited courses with professional competencies

we suggest that the document be adapted to reflect those professional competencies.

Using the Skills for Success document

raises awareness for lecturers and students of employability skills (or professional competencies) that are embedded in specific tasks;

identifies links to graduate attributes; and offers a basis for organisation of students’ portfolios.

Here is a suggested process for using the Skills for Success document:

1. Before the task

Tick skills students will use to complete the task. Hand out ticked sheet with task and marking guide. Students discuss the skills as they relate to the task, the extent to which they already

have the skills or perhaps need to acquire them, and resources or support they could access.

2. On task due date

Students tick the skills they used on a clean Skills sheet. Students share what they have identified and how the skills were used. This helps

them articulate the skill in the context of a specific task.3. Later

The student can refer to the task when addressing selection criteria in job applications, or when developing a portfolio of evidence against professional competencies.

The lecturer can compare the skills he/she anticipated would be important with those the students found to be important and use the feedback for future tasks.




Skills for Success for StudentsGA Skills and capabilities, aligned with ECU Graduate Attributes This task

Abili

ty to

com

mun

icat

e

Communicate

Use appropriate communication protocols and conventions

Adapt writing style, language and conventions to audience

Adapt language, tone and body language to build rapport

Listen and observe respectfully to clarify, revise or confirm understanding

Use technical terms, discipline-specific language and abbreviations appropriately

Interpret and present numerical/statistical information

Use communication technologies to suit purpose and audience

Abili

ty to

wor

k in

team

s

Collaborate

Coordinate tasks and activities with others

Take responsibility for own workload

Share knowledge, experience, information and resources with others

Sensitively provide feedback that is specific and actionable

Handle differences sensitively and discuss alternatives to find a way forward

Make decisions in a collaborative or consultative manner where appropriate

Engage and collaborate with others in a virtual environment

Cultivate relationships and build networks

Criti

cal a

ppra

isal s

kills

Plan and organise

Clarify required skills, knowledge and resources and determine how to bridge gaps

Determine priorities and develop an action plan to fit a timeline

Regularly review progress against key task requirements

Adjust plans and actions to cope with contingencies

Make decisions

Evaluate validity and reliability of information, considering bias, evidence and assumptions

Use analytical processes to establish criteria for deciding between options

Monitor effectiveness of solutions/outcomes of decisions

Solve problems

Clarify nature and extent of problems

Investigate underlying causes of problems

GA Skills and capabilities, aligned with ECU Graduate Attributes This task

Research solutions and generate range of options

Monitor effectiveness of processes used to solve problems

GA Skills and capabilities, aligned with ECU Graduate Attributes This task

Abili

ty to

gen

erat

e id

eas

Create and innovate

Reframe and redefine problems to get new perspectives and generate new ideas

Use lateral thinking processes to generate possible solutions to problems

Question current approaches and identify new approaches that could be beneficial

Contribute to creating a safe climate for exploration of new ideas

Use formal thinking techniques to generate new ideas

Identify and seek to address issues that may impact on successful implementation of an idea

Cros

s-cu

ltura

l and

in

tern

ation

al o

utlo

ok

*

Obtain diverse cultural perspectives

Observe culturally sensitive communication protocols and conventions

Question own assumptions about observed cultural differences

Adapt communication to international audience

Consider cross-cultural and international implications and interpretations of work/task

** Manage self and learning

Identify and use personal skills, aptitudes and learning/working preferences

Prioritise commitments with awareness of what is personally achievable in a timeframe

Monitor outcomes of learning processes and identify implications for future situations

Use strategies to clarify and extend understanding such as paraphrasing and concept mapping

Seek and use assistance and feedback to improve learning

Develop academic voice and take responsibility for personal, professional and academic integrity

** Use technology

Attend to online social protocols and manage online presence, mitigating risk

Use digital technologies and applications to access, manipulate and manage information

Use digital technologies and applications to present and interact with complex information

* Items in this section are drawn from various parts of the Core Skills for Work Framework (DEEWR, 2013)

** These clusters have been identified as important foci in the Core Skills for Work Framework (DEEWR, 2013). They do not match (exactly) our Graduate Attributes so are kept separate. However, there is some overlap.

Documents

Employability planning worksheet - intranet.ecu.edu.auintranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/word_doc/...Employ… · Web viewThis document is designed to help you identify where a particular