Technological Framework

Employability “Gap”?

COLLABORATE"Bringing together staff, students and employers to create employability focused assessments enhanced by technology"

Work-Integrated Assessment

The concept of work‐integrated assessmentis assessment where the tasks involved resemble those carried out in employment. By focusing on assessments which naturally include ‘authentic’ tasks performed in ‘authentic’ ways, students have the chance to blend theory and practice.

Six ‘Dimensions’, illustrated on the right, help to frame thinking about assessment re‐design. Different Audiences help develop skills in articulating and evidencing thinking. Using a light Structure promotes project management and innovative approaches. Collaboration provokes negotiation and role management. Peer review helps to develop critical thinking. The use of a Real world data/problem situates learning within a community of practice. Time promotes self‐management and feed‐forward.

Employability is often well served in HE, yet still there seems to be a ‘gap’ in provision, something missing from graduates that employers are looking for. It goes beyond skills, such as team working and project management, and relates to a sense of awareness  and attitude.Collaborate is attempting to unravel what this gap entails, in order to close it.

Technology can be used to support Work‐Integrated Assessments by both fostering digital literacy and by harnessing new abilities for collaborative working and knowledge representation.Collaborate is not focusing on one specific technology, instead it is using a modular approach that bolts technologies together to suit specific need. For example, YouTube and Blogger can be combined to create a “video wall” of tag related thinking.

“Does a Gap exist? Massively, the rift couldn't be any bigger.  We’re completely out of kilter with the expectations of a lot of our employers.  For skills above and beyond effective writing and presentations...”  Steve Gaskin, Employability and Professional Development Manager

“...and when they do get in and undertake the work, it’s very rare that they will be undertaking elements like essay writing and have to develop a new range of skills...”  Rachel Coombes,  Employability and Graduate Development, Careers Consultant

“I think employers are always looking at ways in which new generations are using technology and in ways they haven’t necessarily thought of.  So even making a film instead of an ordinary power point presentations shows different initiatives and skill sets”.  Final year English student

Work Experience Module?Key Skills Training?Placement/ Internship?

Liz Dunne, Richard Osborne & Stuart RedheadContact r.m.osborne@exeter.ac.ukhttp://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/collaborate/

Time

Audience

Problem /Data

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Time

Audience

Problem /Data

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Time

Audience

Problem /Data

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

1. Analyse

2. Plan

3. Evaluate

Technology

“TopTrumps”

~ 100 ‘Top Trump’ technology cards (digital and/or real):Easy to use summaries matched to the ‘Dimensions’, with rich descriptions on the flip side and case studies detailing examples of best practice

Time

Audience

Problem / D

ata

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Initial D

esigned Feedback

Dim

ensions of a Work Integrated A

ssessment

Real World Problem

/ Data

Purely academic learning m

ight require a theoretical problem

in order to test a theoretical understanding. In em

ployment though problem

s tend to be very real. The individual pieces of data that you need to w

ork with

in employm

ent rarely come in coherent, standard form

s. They are usually in 'm

essier' formats that need to be

interpreted to be of use. Set a real w

orld problem, supported by real w

orld data

Multiple A

ssessment Points

Move to a m

ore distributed pattern of assessment;

consider introducing ‘surprise’ points A

ssessments are often delivered in the form

of one sum

mative assessm

ent, e.g. an exam, at the end of

learning. In employm

ent however, ‘assessm

ent’ points tend to occur frequently. In addition tim

ing is often out of individual control, and consequently it can be necessary to juggle com

peting tasks at short notice.

Varied A

udiences A

im to set audiences explicitly for each assessm

ent point In higher education the audience for an assessm

ent is im

plicitly the academic that sets it. This contrasts w

ith em

ployment, w

here the audience for work done is m

ore usually a client. Focusing on different audiences for an assessm

ent provokes reflection over content, and requires new

types of synthesis.

Light Structure Lightly structure the overall assessm

ent; reward student

approaches Current thinking on assessm

ent practice advises that assessm

ents should be well structured, w

ith clear guidance to students. H

owever in em

ployment part of

the challenge of a task is to create the process(es) necessary to achieve it. U

sing a light structure approach encourages students to set their ow

n shorter term tasks

and goals in order to solve a bigger problem

Peer Feedback / Review

Include peer review and/or assessm

ent as part of the overall process In em

ployment m

uch of the review process com

es in the form

of informal peer feedback. Including this form

ally as peer review

and/or peer assessment allow

s students to practice this skill, and in addition helps students to develop critical thinking skills.

Collaborative Working

Create teams of students from

the outset M

any forms of assessm

ent require working alone, yet

employm

ent tasks invariably require some form

of collaboration, and often w

ith unknown individuals.

Encouraging students to work w

ith in teams w

ith peers helps build their collaborative skills .

Time

Audience

Problem / D

ata

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Initial D

esigned Feedback

Dim

ensions of a Work Integrated A

ssessment

Real World Problem

/ Data

Purely academic learning m

ight require a theoretical problem

in order to test a theoretical understanding. In em

ployment though problem

s tend to be very real. The individual pieces of data that you need to w

ork with

in employm

ent rarely come in coherent, standard form

s. They are usually in 'm

essier' formats that need to be

interpreted to be of use. Set a real w

orld problem, supported by real w

orld data

Multiple A

ssessment Points

Move to a m

ore distributed pattern of assessment;

consider introducing ‘surprise’ points A

ssessments are often delivered in the form

of one sum

mative assessm

ent, e.g. an exam, at the end of

learning. In employm

ent however, ‘assessm

ent’ points tend to occur frequently. In addition tim

ing is often out of individual control, and consequently it can be necessary to juggle com

peting tasks at short notice.

Varied A

udiences A

im to set audiences explicitly for each assessm

ent point In higher education the audience for an assessm

ent is im

plicitly the academic that sets it. This contrasts w

ith em

ployment, w

here the audience for work done is m

ore usually a client. Focusing on different audiences for an assessm

ent provokes reflection over content, and requires new

types of synthesis.

Light Structure Lightly structure the overall assessm

ent; reward student

approaches Current thinking on assessm

ent practice advises that assessm

ents should be well structured, w

ith clear guidance to students. H

owever in em

ployment part of

the challenge of a task is to create the process(es) necessary to achieve it. U

sing a light structure approach encourages students to set their ow

n shorter term tasks

and goals in order to solve a bigger problem

Peer Feedback / Review

Include peer review and/or assessm

ent as part of the overall process In em

ployment m

uch of the review process com

es in the form

of informal peer feedback. Including this form

ally as peer review

and/or peer assessment allow

s students to practice this skill, and in addition helps students to develop critical thinking skills.

Collaborative Working

Create teams of students from

the outset M

any forms of assessm

ent require working alone, yet

employm

ent tasks invariably require some form

of collaboration, and often w

ith unknown individuals.

Encouraging students to work w

ith in teams w

ith peers helps build their collaborative skills.

Time

Audience

Problem / D

ata

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Initial D

esigned Feedback

Dim

ensions of a Work Integrated A

ssessment

Real World Problem

/ Data

Purely academic learning m

ight require a theoretical problem

in order to test a theoretical understanding. In em

ployment though problem

s tend to be very real. The individual pieces of data that you need to w

ork with

in employm

ent rarely come in coherent, standard form

s. They are usually in 'm

essier' formats that need to be

interpreted to be of use. Set a real w

orld problem, supported by real w

orld data

Multiple A

ssessment Points

Move to a m

ore distributed pattern of assessment;

consider introducing ‘surprise’ points A

ssessments are often delivered in the form

of one sum

mative assessm

ent, e.g. an exam, at the end of

learning. In employm

ent however, ‘assessm

ent’ points tend to occur frequently. In addition tim

ing is often out of individual control, and consequently it can be necessary to juggle com

peting tasks at short notice.

Varied A

udiences A

im to set audiences explicitly for each assessm

ent point In higher education the audience for an assessm

ent is im

plicitly the academic that sets it. This contrasts w

ith em

ployment, w

here the audience for work done is m

ore usually a client. Focusing on different audiences for an assessm

ent provokes reflection over content, and requires new

types of synthesis.

Light Structure Lightly structure the overall assessm

ent; reward student

approaches Current thinking on assessm

ent practice advises that assessm

ents should be well structured, w

ith clear guidance to students. H

owever in em

ployment part of

the challenge of a task is to create the process(es) necessary to achieve it. U

sing a light structure approach encourages students to set their ow

n shorter term tasks

and goals in order to solve a bigger problem

Peer Feedback / Review

Include peer review and/or assessm

ent as part of the overall process In em

ployment m

uch of the review process com

es in the form

of informal peer feedback. Including this form

ally as peer review

and/or peer assessment allow

s students to practice this skill, and in addition helps students to develop critical thinking skills.

Collaborative Working

Create teams of students from

the outset M

any forms of assessm

ent require working alone, yet

employm

ent tasks invariably require some form

of collaboration, and often w

ith unknown individuals.

Encouraging students to work w

ith in teams w

ith peers helps build their collaborative skills .

Time

Audience

Problem / D

ata

Collaboration

Structure

Peer Review

Initial D

esigned Feedback

Dim

ensions of a Work Integrated A

ssessment

Real World Problem

/ Data

Purely academic learning m

ight require a theoretical problem

in order to test a theoretical understanding. In em

ployment though problem

s tend to be very real. The individual pieces of data that you need to w

ork with

in employm

ent rarely come in coherent, standard form

s. They are usually in 'm

essier' formats that need to be

interpreted to be of use. Set a real w

orld problem, supported by real w

orld data

Multiple A

ssessment Points

Move to a m

ore distributed pattern of assessment;

consider introducing ‘surprise’ points A

ssessments are often delivered in the form

of one sum

mative assessm

ent, e.g. an exam, at the end of

learning. In employm

ent however, ‘assessm

ent’ points tend to occur frequently. In addition tim

ing is often out of individual control, and consequently it can be necessary to juggle com

peting tasks at short notice.

Varied A

udiences A

im to set audiences explicitly for each assessm

ent point In higher education the audience for an assessm

ent is im

plicitly the academic that sets it. This contrasts w

ith em

ployment, w

here the audience for work done is m

ore usually a client. Focusing on different audiences for an assessm

ent provokes reflection over content, and requires new

types of synthesis.

Light Structure Lightly structure the overall assessm

ent; reward student

approaches Current thinking on assessm

ent practice advises that assessm

ents should be well structured, w

ith clear guidance to students. H

owever in em

ployment part of

the challenge of a task is to create the process(es) necessary to achieve it. U

sing a light structure approach encourages students to set their ow

n shorter term tasks

and goals in order to solve a bigger problem

Peer Feedback / Review

Include peer review and/or assessm

ent as part of the overall process In em

ployment m

uch of the review process com

es in the form

of informal peer feedback. Including this form

ally as peer review

and/or peer assessment allow

s students to practice this skill, and in addition helps students to develop critical thinking skills.

Collaborative Working

Create teams of students from

the outset M

any forms of assessm

ent require working alone, yet

employm

ent tasks invariably require some form

of collaboration, and often w

ith unknown individuals.

Encouraging students to work w

ith in teams w

ith peers helps build their collaborative skills.

Tutor perceptions:

Tutors organised their tutorials in different ways, sometimes having a whole group tutorial for 2 hours, and later on as the projects progressed arranging for team meetings at the tutorials, lasting about 20 minutes for each team. The team of tutors had to agree ways to deal with issues as the projects progressed, taking into consideration the expectations of all stakeholders. Tutors assessed progress, gave advice and feedback and gave encouragement to the team. Assessment of the teams was very time consuming, as each project was unique, and the grading criteria needed to be interpreted according to the teams’ experience of the project.

Live Projects Scheme: Strengths:

◦ Projects provided by external organisations,

◦ Multi-disciplinary projects,

◦ Many tutors involved.

Weaknesses:

◦ Difficult to get projects of similar scope and size,

◦ Assessing project products or processes,

◦ Quality of outside clients is variable.

Tutors agreed that the Expo was an excellent event,

with a real buzz of enthusiasm from the students,

who put considerable effort into their team stands.

Student teams addressing authentic business problems

Dr Janice Whatley, Salford Business School, University of Salford. j.e.whatley@salford.ac.uk

Employability Skills

“effective performance, within a team environment,

including leadership, team building, influencing and project

management skills” ( Quality Assurance Agency for Higher

Education, General Business and Management priorities 2007)

Benefits for students:

“Working in a team of people I have never met before”, “learning to work as a team” “Working with a real client” “Being put in groups with team members from different timetable arrangements” “Having to work in groups with people who have very poor English” (Quotes from students)

Organisation issues:

“We struggled to meet due to different timetables Feedback provided by tutors was appreciated by students. The lectures were not useful or were badly timed. Poor contribution from some team members. The need to sometimes travel to meetings with the client.

Client satisfaction and student satisfaction with clients:

“The team have worked hard to complete the project on time and come up with some interesting and relevant proposals.” “On the whole, I have found the team to be professional & committed”. In one case the project was withdrawn, as not suitable for the students’ levels of expertise. Some clients were slow to give feedback, and found it difficult to devote the time required for supporting the project team.

There is a long tradition of using team projects in Salford

Business School and previously in the Information Systems

Institute. Local businesses, large and small play a key role in

providing business problems for the student teams to solve.

Project based learning is “...designed to engage

students in investigation of authentic problems”.

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Team Projects in Teaching Career Development Planning

in China

Dr SU, Wenping (Susan) Visiting Scholar in Kingston Business School

Associate Professor in SEM, BUAA

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Difficulties as well as the successes � Organising: team size and composition, supporting

lectures and tutorials, sourcing projects. � Managing: tools for teams to use for project

management, ways tutors can monitor progress. � Assessment: issues of individual participation, how

to assess skills developed, assess product or process.

� Differences from the work place: preparing students for global team working.

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Difficulties as well as the successes in Organising � The ideal team size is 6, while the team activities

could be active enough meanwhile it won’t take too much time.

� However, while the class size is bigger than 40, it becomes difficult to keep the team size since it will take too much time to ask the team representatives share their ideas with others. The alternative is to select some of the teams to share their ideas. But the risk is that others will lose motivations to listen.

� Another dilemma is to organise the teams before the class or to permit the students find their teammates in the class themselves.

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Difficulties as well as the successes in Managing

� To motivate the students participate the team activities is very important.

� The tutor must control the time of the team activities strictly from the first class.

� During the discussion process, the tutor should walk around in the classroom. Once s/he find any student absent-minded, tutor could ask the reason and encourage her/him to participate.

� The difficulties happen while the class is too big and too noisy. Tutor couldn’t pay attention to all the students and may be lose the control.

� All the rules should be announced clearly in the first class.

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Difficulties as well as the successes in Assessment � I think it too difficult to assess skills developed. � The performance of the team should affect the

individual’s marks. � Usually, I’ll invite the students to participate evaluate

the final presentation for the course. � Meanwhile, I’ll ask the students to vote the most

active team members, who will obtain extra scores. The teams are also required to rank their members according to their contributions to their team.

SEM, Beihang University (BUAA)

Difficulties as well as the successes in Workplace � I introduce the different cultures in SOEs (State-

Owned Organisations), joint-ventures and private companies.

� Furthermore, I also tell the students how they should get long with colleagues with different background.

Preparing Students for Global TeamworkingPreparing Students for Global TeamworkingPreparing Students for Global Teamworkingp g g

Types of ProjectsIssues: Assessment & Contribution Types of ProjectsIssues: Assessment & Contribution yp j

• Logistics software for Procter and GambleAnonymous Peer Percentages total/5 to 1dp • Logistics software for Procter and Gamble

A i ith GPS f t ki1 2 3 4 5 • A running app with GPS for tracking progress1 2 3 4 5

Student 1 24 20 25 16 28 22 6 • Geo‐caching app – virtual treasure hunt ‐ IBMStudent 1 24 20 25 16 28 22.6

• Mobile app for holiday companyStudent 2 15 20 17 20 20 18.4

pp y p y• Campus map and route finder ‐ IBMStudent 3 16 20 17 19 16 17.6 Campus map and route finder IBM• Application for teaching modern languages NCLStudent 4 20 20 26 16 15 19.4 • Application for teaching modern languages NCL

C b F t i t A f A tStudent 5 25 20 25 29 21 24 • Carbon Footprint App for AccentureStudent 5 25 20 25 29 21 24

100 100 100 100 100

Employer EngagementEmployer Engagement

• Case Studies of real projectsp j• Adaptation of problems for UG levelAdaptation of problems for UG level• Workshops on project management• Workshops on project management• Judging of performance• Examining documents and prototypesExamining documents and prototypes• Running focus groups and feedback sessions• Running focus groups and feedback sessions

E l d i f f• Employer and peer review of performance

Di t ib t d TDistributed Teams

Consultancy Project Trainee management consultants

Support materials

60% Client report 10% Reflective report

30% Presentation

Teams of 2-3 (1 & 4 possible),

supported by supervisor

Application of concepts, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, research, communication, planning, self reflection, teamwork.

12.5 Intended Learning Outcomes At the end of the module, learners will be expected to have achieved those parts of the following programme learning outcomes that are relevant to this module:

A: Knowledge and Understanding. 5 Appreciate the concept of luxury from a historical and cultural perspective.

B: Intellectual and Cognitive Skills. 1 Demonstrate critical thinking and creativity when analysing business and management

issues. This includes organising thoughts, analysis, synthesis, and critical appraisal.

2 Demonstrate problem solving and decision making skills. This includes establishing criteria, using appropriate decision-making techniques and designing systematic solutions to business and management problems within the luxury context.

3 Conduct research into business and management issues relevant to luxury. This includes research design, data collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting.

C: Practical and Professional Skills. 1 Communicate effectively complex ideas and arguments, utilising a range of media

appropriately.

D: Key Transferable Skills.

1 To plan and implement projects in a self-directed and autonomous manner.

2 Engage in active critical self-reflection.

3 Operate effectively within team environments.

Learning and teaching strategy The focus throughout the module will be on the key components of the consultancy project, which are the client, the issue, the student team and the supervisor. Students will be required to learn and apply a set of behaviours and practices, which are expected in the role of a management consultant. The students will have developed a good understanding of luxury brand management by this stage, and this client project is a good opportunity to apply what has been learnt. It is intended that during the consultancy project, the content from other modules may be reinforced and, at the same time, can be tested and questioned to enhance their understanding in a real luxury brand management situation. By the end of the module, the students should have developed a set of skills that they can apply in a consistent, professional and confident manner. The project focuses on the rapid collection and assimilation of data, to gain a detailed understanding of organisations’ needs and their issues. This is essential in any work-based assignment regardless of the nature of the work or the functional area of expertise being applied. Students will be expected to interact with the organisation as if it were a real commercial relationship which will include recording activities and reporting to the client.

12.6 Indicative content Students will spend the majority of their time researching their consultancy project topic, both in liaison with their client and in an independent study mode. The sessions with the academic supervisor are student-driven in the sense that they will focus on questions and problems that the student has highlighted. These may relate to the choice of topic, research methods and tools, reviewing literature, or the requirements with regard to structure and format. At the same time the supervisor will monitor the progress the student is making and draw the student’s attention to problems with the points mentioned above, and give feedback on work that is submitted. The supervisor may also liaise with the client from time to time. The purpose of the following is to clarify what is expected of the students, the supervisor and the client during the over the 12 week semester consultancy project. Key features: � Each student and client to sign a non-disclosure agreement if necessary. � Each client will have a team of up to 3 students working on the project, starting in

Week 1. � The output of the project will be that each team produces a 10,000 word

consultancy report for the client and for Regent’s College by the end of the Week 11. At the same time, each individual student must also submit a 2,000 word Individual Learning Reflective Report. The team will also outline its findings to the client in the form of a 30-minute presentation.

� Both the students and the clients have certain rights and responsibilities during this process: Each can expect the other to act in a professional manner at all times. For the student, this means good teamwork within their group and with the client, suitable dress code, accurate timekeeping, correct channels of, and clear, communications. In return, the client can be expected to provide the necessary information and support needed to progress the project effectively.

� The Consultancy Project Supervisors will actively encourage the student teams to meet their clients’ expectations of them and may also liaise with the client representative to ensure that the clients’ needs, and the students’ needs of the client, are met wherever possible, resolving issues as necessary.

As examples, recent clients and topics have included an integrated media plan for Frey Wille in London (Austrian artistic jewellery), a plan to access the Indian luxury market for Little Emperors (Bespoke private members’ virtual club), establishing and promoting the Damiani brand and boutique in London (Italian luxury jeweller), and developing an own-label fashion brand for Harrods (Luxury store headquartered in London). The consulting report is often laid out with an executive summary, an introduction, the main body of the report, the summary and recommendations, and the appendices. Typical content includes a complete situation analysis profile of the project, potential way forward scenarios and any contingency plans, budgets and accounts where applicable to support the report and presentation, a completed SWOT analysis and detailed analyses supporting the SWOT, a record of client interactions with agendas, meeting minutes etc. in the appendices, plus a record of the time spent on the project.

Dr Simon O’Leary, Regent’s College London, October 2012.