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Projects
External Funding
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A learning package to develop and assess employability of bioscience students taking work placements
| Project Leader |
Dr Jim Cunningham |
| Organisation |
University of Brighton |
| Contact |
j.m.cunningham@brighton.ac.uk |
| Partners |
- Dr David Holmes, School of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University
- Dr Anne Loweth, School of Life Sciences, Keele University
- Dr Janice Harland, School of Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University
- Dr Sarah Pitt, Department of Pathology, Royal Sussex County Hospital
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| Grant type |
Teaching Development |
| Completed |
Complete |
Description
Inclusion of work-experience (placement) within a HE curriculum can develop not only specific vocational skills but also the generic employability skills valued by employers such as self-confidence, political awareness, communication, team-working and interpersonal skills. Reflective practice is increasingly recognised as an enhancer of good quality academic achievements, including some that underpin employability skills. We have designed a learning package which develops and assesses employability and reflective practice skills for application within placement programmes taken by students on BSc biosciences programmes. The learning package includes an investigation into the relevant career pathway and evaluation of staff perceptions and opinions by arranged interviews with professional staff in the placement laboratory. A structured 'reflective' document based on self evaluation is also incorporated to assess generic employability skills developed by students. A trial version of the learning package was evaluated by student outcomes and questionnaire data from programme leaders for BSc biosciences courses regarding transferability of the package. Students were found to be generally less able to achieve high grades for reflection and self analysis compared to other learning outcomes tested, which included planning, team working and critical appraisal of professional roles. Feedback from programme leaders suggested that the package is suitable for use across biosciences courses with some amendments that have been included in the final version.
The learning package is available for use by Bioscience course providers.
Links
Learning package to develop and assess employability of bioscience students taking work placements
Poster presented at the Science Learning and Teaching Conference 2007: A learning package to develop and assess employability of bioscience students taking work placements.
Profile – A Flexible, Generic System to Support the Assessment for Academic Credit of Work–Based Learning.
Read more on improving the employability of bioscience students
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