CertHE Skills for the Workplace

 

Module Learning Outcomes (from module syllabus)

 

MODULE AIM

 

1.    To provide students with the underlying study/research strategies and software skills to facilitate effective study in Higher Education.

2.    To enable students to take responsibility for their own learning.

3.    To enable students to gain confidence and competence as effective employees by developing a range of employability skills such as reflection, time management and presentation skills.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

Upon the successful completion of this module, the student will be able to:

 

1.    Analyse published literature relating to a specific topic or subject area and produce a fully referenced, appropriately structured academic report.

 

2.    Reflect on their learning using recognised models of reflection.

 

3.    Research and present their findings in a variety of formats on a range of employability skills and collect and analyse feedback on their delivery.

 

 

 

 

Assessment Component 1

Mode of assessment Practical portfolio of work (which may include: evidence generated during classroom activities / reflective reports / structured academic reports / case study analysis / abstracts etc.)

Volume

Weighting

4000

words

or

equivalent

100%

 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the assessment brief for October 2020 term reflects the need for the entirety of the assessment to take place online.

 

TASK DESCRIPTION

 

Task 1: Individual presentation (5-10 minutes) - 50% of the final mark for the module

 

Based on your intended career, prepare a PowerPoint presentation of 5-10 slides which you will use to help you analyse your academic and employability skills, also referring to published literature.

 

Further guidelines :

 

·         This will be a spoken presentation on camera, using Microsoft Teams, for no more than 10 minutes.

·         Presentations will be held in week 9 online, so you are required to make sure that you have all the necessary equipment and technical setup to deliver your presentation on the scheduled date.

·         The PowerPoint slides should be converted into a PDF/WORD document and uploaded to Turnitin/Moodle.

·         Make use of the tools you learned in class (e.g. SWOT analysis, time management tools, PDP) and apply them to your own situation.

·         Show an understanding of the world of work by citing relevant articles or advice from recruitment agencies, job centres, etc.

Task 2: Report (2000 words) - 50% of the final mark for the module

 

Write an appropriately structured academic report where you reflect on your learning in this module, using a recognised model of reflection (one). Discuss 3-4 topics from those covered during the term (listed below) and reflect on how useful they have been to you, taking into consideration what you already knew and any learning you undertook outside of the classroom. You will need to explain the chosen model of reflection and apply it to each topic. You will also need to analyse published literature relating to the specific topics you discuss and use the feedback you received on all in-class activities.

 

Topics covered:

1.         Time management / Organising study

2.         Academic Writing

3.         Paraphrasing

4.         Summarising

5.         Referencing

6.         Reflection

7.         CV writing

8.         Cover letter writing

9.         Public speaking and giving presentations

10.      Analytical and critical thinking skills

11.      Online Learning Experience

 

Please note: at the end of the module, the marks from both tasks will be merged into one overall mark.

GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF TASKS

 

NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five generic assessment criteria overleaf.

 

1.    Engagement with Literature Skills

Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to- date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable referencing system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of your work.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment:

 

Your research for both tasks can be based on different online articles that discuss academic and employability skills from sources such as business magazines, recruiters’ websites, academic analyses, government reports, advice from job centres, etc. Please note: there is no requirement to use academic journals in this particular case. If in doubt about the suitability/relevance of the source, please consult your lecturer and/or the Academic Support tutor.

 

 

2.    Knowledge and Understanding Skills

At level 4, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated with your area(s) of study. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment:

 

For the presentation, you need to show that you understand what each skill discussed means and be able to give examples.

 

For the report, you need to show that you understand the chosen reflection model and the usefulness of the topics discussed, with detailed examples.

 

 

3.    Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

You should be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of your subject(s) of study. You should be able to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems related to your area(s) of study and/or work. Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At what cost? You should provide justification for your arguments and judgements using evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area and that you are able to make sound judgements and arguments using data and concepts. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment:

For the presentation, explain why you think you possess the skills you discuss and draw appropriate conclusions, suggesting how you plan to improve them.

 

For the report, you need to demonstrate the ability to reflect on your learning experience (both in and outside of the classroom) by making logical connections between the material presented by the lecturer, your feelings about it, your thoughts during the class activities and your predictions as to how useful they will be for you in future.

 

4.    Practical Skills

At level 4, you should be able to apply the basic underlying concepts and principles to evaluate and interpret these within the context of your area of study. You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real world artefacts, examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others based on stated criteria.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment:

 

For the presentation, you need to be able to evaluate your own skills in light of industry expectations. Make use of the different tools and techniques discussed in class or discovered through reading.

 

For the report, you need to be able to apply the reflection model to your learning experience, as well as any other relevant tools and techniques discussed in class or discovered through reading.

 

5.    Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. This includes demonstrating: that you can communicate the results of your study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments; that you can initiate and complete tasks and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively; fluency of expression; clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in presentation and organisation.

 

 

Guidance specific to this assessment:

 

Your presentation should be well structured; it should have an introduction, a middle part and a conclusion. You should be able to communicate clearly and demonstrate a good level of public speaking/presentations skills. Your slides should have a consistent font and layout, mainly bullet points and be to the point.

 

Your report should be appropriately structured; it should have a cover page, a table of contents and logical sections. It should be written using formal language, in clear paragraphs, in a way that conveys the meaning intended. You should ensure the grammar, spelling, punctuation and use of vocabulary are correct and reflect the way you normally write in English. The use of translation and/or paraphrasing software is discouraged but you are welcome to use a dictionary/thesaurus.