Curriculum mapping to embed graduate capabilities

Graduate capabilities are an essential aspect of undergraduate development in higher education. Accordingly, La Trobe University's Design for learning has identified particular university-wide graduate capabilities and required all faculties to explicitly embed these in their curricula. The Faculty of Law and Management developed an approach to map the teaching and assessment of eight graduate capabilities across the first year of the faculty's degree programmes, allowing staff to evaluate the embedding of graduate capabilities and identifying where they might further develop their curricula. This article describes a process designed to collect, analyse and present data on current teaching and assessment of graduate capabilities. The discursive approach supports reflective practice in curriculum design while the resulting heat maps provide diagrammatic accounts of current practices and indicators of where redesign of curriculum should centre.     

Realising graduate attributes in the research degree: the role of peer support groups

This paper discusses the role of peer support groups (PSGs) in realising graduate attributes in the research degree. The literature indicates that top-down embedding of graduate attributes has met with only limited success. By taking a bottom-up approach, this paper shows that PSGs offer an opportunity to improve the graduate attribute outcomes of universities. This paper presents the experiences of research students in three PSGs in New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia, and the results of an exploratory opinion survey that required past and present PSG members to share their learning experiences about the development of graduate attributes. The participants favoured five attributes: communication, critical thinking, self-motivation, research organisation and teamwork. Viewing the development of graduate attributes through the lens of the students adds to our understanding of how PSGs help them to develop graduate attributes and contribute to university efforts to instil these attributes by taking into account experiential learning.     

Identifying the trends and impact of graduate attributes on employability: a literature review

Graduate employability has become an issue since there are broad mismatches between the acquired graduate skills from university and the required skills by employers. While previous researches have outlined the salient skills that need to be embedded in graduate education, to date no studies have attempted to methodically identify and synthesize the literature on graduate attributes. In this paper a total of 39 relevant studies on graduate skills and attributes in the subject areas of business and management, accounting, and computer science were extracted from Scopus^® (database). This revealed a total of 53 graduate attributes, with some being highly used, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, technological skills, creativity, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, self-management and flexibility/adaptability. The majority of studies used a quantitative survey method to collect and rank graduate attributes, and Australia emerged as the most active country in researching the domain.     

Challenges of assuring the development of graduate attributes in a Bachelor of Arts

All universities in Australia are asked to develop various attributes in their degrees. From 2011, the Australian Qualifications Framework has stipulated some of these attributes for the various levels of qualifications. There are many challenges that face assuring the development of graduate attributes in a Bachelor of Arts as the degree typically has very few core units (if any), a wide choice of subjects, a limited prerequisite structure and, unlike many professional degrees, the BA does not have an external accrediting body. This paper describes an approach used to identify the pathway undertaken by each individual student in a History major of the Bachelor of Arts. This pathway was used to identify the graduate attributes that each student should have developed, as articulated by the lecturers. Student perceptions were then compared with the graduate attributes that were intended to be developed through each individual's combination of units studied. In summary, through analysing the two methods (student perceptions and unit pathway) we found that they concurred with respect to only three-quarters of the graduate attributes. Possible reasons for the discrepancies and future research are discussed. The need for multiple methods of providing evidence of the development of graduate attributes is confirmed.     

Graduate learning outcomes in science: variation in perceptions of single- and dual-degree students

The development of transferrable skillsets, articulated in statements of graduate learning outcomes, is emphasised in undergraduate science degree programmes. Science students enrolled in dual (double) degrees comprise a significant minority of Australian science undergraduates. Research comparing perceptions of single and dual degree students on their science learning outcomes has rarely been explored. The Science Students Skills Inventory was used to compare the perceptions of single (n = 640) and dual (n = 266) degree undergraduate science students. The instrument explored science graduate learning outcomes across six indicators: importance; the extent to which outcomes were included; the extent to which they were assessed; improvement; confidence; and likely future use. Analysis of findings, employing the planned–enacted–experienced curricula framework, offers insight into potential avenues towards coherence of the experienced curriculum by arguing the need for shared perceptions of graduate learning outcomes for single and dual degree science students. The key contribution of this study is a shift towards progressive curriculum development that draws on both single and dual degree student perspectives to achieve graduate learning outcomes. Recommendations include: whole-of-programmes curricular pathways premised on progressive development of learning outcomes that are inclusive of dual degree students, explicit interdisciplinary learning opportunities, and adoption of dual/single status as a demographic variable reported in future research.     

Self-directed,genuine graduate attributes: the person-based approach

This paper examines the current understanding of the development of graduate attributes in higher education. The current understanding is rooted in the system-based, behaviouristic approach that emphasises the identification of graduate attributes and curriculum mapping. This approach gives little consideration to more relational-holistic, person-based approaches that emphasise students' agency in determining which graduate attributes they develop, why they choose to develop them and through what means. Although the system-based approach is necessary, this paper suggests that the person-based approach supplements it by addressing the development of meaningful graduate attributes for students in their evolving life and career circumstances. The development of quality graduate attributes involves more than the alignment of what is intended, taught and learned; rather, it occurs through students developing personal graduate attributes in a self-directed and genuinely engaged manner. This person-based perspective, stressing student self-directedness, has important implications for higher education that has as a principal goal the enrichment of student graduate attributes.     

Factors influencing students’ perceptions of graduate attribute acquisition in a multidisciplinary honours track in a Dutch university

This article studies the relationship between students’ perceptions of teaching and learning in a multidisciplinary honours programme and their impact on graduate attributes acquisition. The study, conducted among 73 honours students in a Dutch research university, evaluates perceived improvement in graduate attributes through annually collected survey data pertaining to student motivation, perception of the teaching and learning environment, engagement in the programme and registered course marks. The evaluation study reveals that to the extent of the perceived development of graduate attributes, three factors play crucial roles: students’ performance motivation, the amount of teacher support in creative and critical thinking, and students’ inclination to approach the honours track as a learning community.     

强化专业学位研究生实践环节路径探析

《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要(2010-2020年)》提出了加快发展专业学位研究生教育的战略。按照教育部先期提出的硕士研究生从学术型向应用型转变的要求,依托高校学科特色优势和校企长期友好合作关系,建立了多学科研究生教育创新基地。在分析掌握企业科技创新和人才需求计划的基础上,采取多种形式强化了专业学位研究生的工程实践环节,探索并形成了管理保障机制,达到了全日制专业学位研究生培养要求,并为地方教育主管部门政策制定和研究生培养机制改革提供了决策依据。     

Major influences on the teaching and assessment of graduate attributes

Efforts to systematically integrate graduate attributes across university curricula have relied on academic staff acceptance and ability to translate top-down policy into teaching practice. The literature and anecdotal reports over the past two decades show limited success in the area using this approach. Why is this so? Teaching staff across 16 Australian universities were surveyed, as part of an Australian Learning and Teaching Council-funded grant, regarding their beliefs about graduate attributes and their willingness and confidence to teach and assess them. The study found that although 73% of academic staff surveyed believed graduate attributes were important, there was a substantial difference between beliefs and actual emphasis reported in practice. We consider the major influences on the teaching and assessment of graduate attributes, the implications for policy development and implementation, and propose a rethink in relation to how to work towards improved graduate attribute outcomes in universities.     

Reaching Graduate Students at Risk for Suicidal Behavior Through the Interactive Screening Program

Suicidal behavior is a significant concern among graduate students. Because many suicidal graduate students do not access mental health services, programs to connect them to resources are essential. This article describes the Interactive Screening Program (ISP), an anonymous, Web-based tool for screening and engaging at-risk graduate school students. We include qualitative responses from participating graduate students providing information on their symptoms or circumstances, desire for treatment, and gratitude for services. Concluding remarks highlight ISP's benefits for graduate students and ways to implement this protocol for other graduate student populations.     

Training Health Fitness Professionals in Human Interaction Skills: The Link to Physical Education Graduate Education

The author argues in a personalized statement that exercise science graduate degree programs ought to include attention to the questions of how people develop and maintain persistent exercise habits, and how health fitness professionals can help them do so. Recommendations are made for two-tiered graduate preparation in exercise science: master's degrees that focus on preparation of health fitness professionals trained in human interaction skills as well as exercise physiological bases for conducting fitness programs, and doctoral degrees that continue to focus on preparation of researchers and faculty members trained to expand the knowledge base in exercise physiology and to prepare both the new master's and doctoral candidates though graduate education programs.     

基于控制论的研究生教育质量保障体系研究——以西南交通大学为例

质量是学位与研究生教育的生命线,研究生质量保障体系是保障和提高研究生教育质量的基础和根本。针对研究生培养的关键环节,在控制论指导下,从研究生生源选拔开始进行“超前式”前馈控制,对培养过程进行“试点化”实时控制,并通过“预输出”方式实现研究生输出质量的反馈控制,从整体、宏观的角度保证研究生质量保障体系的控制效果,全面提高研究生的培养质量。     

Quantitative skills as a graduate learning outcome: exploring students’ evaluative expertise

In the biosciences, quantitative skills are an essential graduate learning outcome. Efforts to evidence student attainment at the whole of degree programme level are rare and making sense of such data is complex. We draw on assessment theories from Sadler (evaluative expertise) and Boud (sustainable assessment) to interpret final-year bioscience students’ responses to an assessment task comprised of quantitative reasoning questions across 10 mathematical and statistical topics. The question guiding the study was: do final year science students graduate knowing the quantitative skills that they have, and knowing the quantitative skills that they do not have? Confidence indicators for the 10 topics gathered students’ perceptions of their quantitative skills. Students were assigned to one of four categories: high performance-high confidence; low performance-low confidence; high performance-low confidence; or low performance-high confidence – with those in the first two categories demonstrating evaluative expertise. Results showed the majority of students effectively evaluated their quantitative skills as low performance-low confidence. We argue that the application of evaluative expertise to make sense of this graduate learning outcome can further the debate on how assuring graduate learning outcomes can enhance student learning.     

专业学位研究生教育的实践与思考

探索专业学位研究生教育规律,加快发展好专业学位研究生教育对高校尤其是地方高校来说具有重要意义。在分析安徽工业大学近几年发展专业学位研究生教育面临的问题基础上,从健全组织机构、完善管理规章制度和加强职业性、淡化学术性、强化实践性以及产学研联合培养等方面：就如何深入把握专业学位特点和规律,提高认识,统筹规划,进一步做好专业学位研究生教育工作进行思考和总结,为今后做好专业学位研究生教育工作理清了思路。     

Curriculum development for quantitative skills in degree programs: a cross-institutional study situated in the life sciences

Higher education policies are increasingly focused on graduate learning outcomes, which infer an emphasis on, and deep understanding of, curriculum development across degree programs. As disciplinary influences are known to shape teaching and learning activities, research situated in disciplinary contexts is useful to further an understanding of curriculum development. In the life sciences, several graduate learning outcomes are underpinned by quantitative skills or an ability to apply mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning. Drawing on data from a national teaching project in Australia that explored quantitative skills in the implemented curricula of 13 life sciences degree programs, this article presents four program-level curricular models that emerged from the analysis. The findings are interpreted through the lens of discipline-specific research and general curriculum design theories to further our understanding of curriculum development for graduate learning outcomes. Implications for future research and to guide curriculum development practices in higher education are discussed.     

调整结构 改革培养模式 提高培养质量——哈尔滨工业大学应用型人才培养的探索与实践

本文阐述了哈尔滨工业大学通过加强学校层面的组织协调,有效配置学校资源,改革奖助体系,建设高水平专业学位研究生教学体系,多种渠道进行实践基地建设等举措,调整硕士生培养结构,大力发展工程硕士研究生教育,提高研究生培养质量的探索与实践。     

加大改革力度 提高研究生创新能力——安徽工业大学研究生教育的探索

提高研究生培养质量,加快推进研究生教育结构调整,是当前国家学位与研究生教育改革与发展的重点工作,具有重要的战略意义。本文从培养模式、导师制度、管理队伍建设等方面系统介绍了安徽工业大学近年来在学位与研究生教育工作中的改革创新举措,并结合学校定位提出了进一步改革的重点和方向。     

专业学位研究生教育质量问题成因探析——基于服务质量差距模型的分析

质量问题是制约专业学位研究生教育内涵式发展的重要因素。由于专业学位研究生教育具备无形性、生产与消费一体性、过程不可储存和服务效果差异化等服务的基本属性,故可采用构建专业学位研究生教育服务质量差距模型的方法,从培养单位认知差距、培养标准差距、教育服务传递差距和沟通的差距等方面分析造成专业学位研究生教育质量问题的主要原因,最终提出通过重视利益相关者的需求、合理制定培养方案、加强人事管理和教育督导、强调内部沟通和对外宣传的一致性等来缩小差距的对策和建议。