LEVEL 4 ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION
|
Programme: |
CertHE
Skills for the Workplace |
|
Module: |
Academic
And Employability Skills |
|
Module
code: |
BMSW4001 |
Contribution
to Overall Module Assessment (%): |
100% |
|
Lecturer: |
Sylvia
Hoffmann |
Internal
Verifier: |
Barbara
Chinyani |
|
Assignment
Title: |
ACE
Practical Portfolio |
Word count
(or equivalent): |
5-10 mins
presentation and 2000 words report |
|
Submission
deadline: |
To be
announced by the Assessment team |
Return
date of provisional marks & written feedback: |
After the
Exam Board |
|
Submission
method: |
All written
assessments, where practical and possible, must be submitted via Turnitin
unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer. (Please DO NOT put this assessment
specification into Turnitin or it will match many similarities with other
students’ submissions.) Alternative
submission method (if applicable): Late
submission of the assessment will result in a late penalty mark.
Penalties for late submission: Up to one week late, maximum mark of 40%. Over
one week late, 0%. Only the Extenuating Circumstances Panel may approve a
change to submission dates |
||
|
Academic
honesty / referencing: |
Academic
honesty is required. In the main body of your submission you must give credit
to authors on whose research and ideas your work is based. Append to your
submission a reference list that indicates the books, articles, etc. that you
have used, cited or quoted in order to complete this assessment. |
||
|
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 |
Volume |
Weighting |
|
Practical
portfolio of work (which may include: evidence generated during classroom
activities / reflective reports / structured academic reports / case study
analysis / abstracts etc.) |
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-todate, 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.
|
STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM |
This section details the extent
to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, which in turn
determines your mark. The marks available for each category of skill are shown.
Lecturers will use the space provided to comment on the achievement of the
task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that
would benefit from development/improvement.
|
Generic
Assessment Criteria |
Marks
available |
Marks awarde |
|
1. Engagement
with Literature Skills |
20 |
|
|
2. Knowledge
and Understanding Skills |
20 |
|
|
3. Cognitive
and Intellectual Skills |
20 |
|
|
4. Practical
Application Skills |
20 |
|
|
5.
Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice |
20 |
|
|
GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
|
Level 4 |
|
In accordance
with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 4
students will be expected to have demonstrated knowledge of the basic
underlying concepts and principles of a subject, and an ability to evaluate
and interpret these within the context of that area of study. They 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 their subject(s) of study. They will have
learned how to evaluate different approaches to solving problems, and will be
able to communicate the results of their study/work accurately and reliably,
and with structured and coherent arguments. They will be able to undertake
further training and develop new skills within a structured and managed
environment and will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for
employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. |
|
Level 4 |
FAIL |
MARGINAL
FAIL |
SATISFACTORY
(3rd / Pass) |
GOOD (2.2
/ Pass) |
VERY GOOD
(2.1 / Merit) |
EXCELLENT
(1st / Distinction) |
EXCEPTIONAL
(1st / Distinction) |
|
Category |
0-29% |
30-39% |
40-49% |
50-59% |
60-69% |
70-84% |
85-100% |
|
Engagement
with literature (including reading, referencing, academic conventions and
academic honesty) |
Little or no
evidence of reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Views and
findings mostly unsupported and nonauthoritative. Referencing conventions
used incoherently or largely absent. |
Poor
engagement with essential reading. No evidence of wider reading. Reliance on
inappropriate sources, and/or indiscriminate use of sources. Heavily reliant
on information gained through class contact. Inconsistent and weak use of
referencing. |
Engagement
with a limited range of mostly relevant and credible sources but with some
reliance on information gained through class contact. Some omissions and
minor errors. Referencing conventions evident though not always applied
accurately or consistently. |
Engagement
with an appropriate range of literature, including sources retrieved
independently. Some overreliance on texts rather than other sources.
Referencing may show minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies |
Engagement
with a wide range of literature, including sources retrieved independently.
Selection of relevant and credible sources. Generally sound referencing, with
no/very few inaccuracies or inconsistencies. |
Engagement
with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature. Consistently
accurate application of referencing. |
Exceptional
engagement with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature.
Highlevel referencing skills consistently applied. |
|
Knowledge and
understanding (Knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles of a
subject.) |
Major gaps in
knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles
of the subject matter. Inclusion of irrelevant material. Substantial
inaccuracies. |
Gaps in
knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles, with flawed or superficial
understanding. Some significant inaccuracies and/or irrelevant material. |
Limited
knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles
within the subject area. Some elements may be missing. |
Knowledge of
the basic underlying concepts and principles is accurate with a good understanding
of the field of study but lacks depth and/or breadth. |
Competent
knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles. Exhibits very good
understanding. |
Excellent
knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles
of the subject. |
Exceptional,
detailed knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and
principles |
|
Cognitive and
intellectual skills (Evaluate underlying concepts and principles of a subject
and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of
argument and make sound judgements.) |
Wholly or
almost wholly descriptive work. Little or no evaluation of the underlying
concepts and principles. Failure to develop arguments, leading to illogical
or invalid judgements. Minimal or no use of evidence to back up views. |
Largely
descriptive work, with superficial evaluation of the underlying concepts and
principles. Weak interpretation of data, flawed development of arguments and
judgements. Information accepted uncritically, uses generalised statements
made with scant evidence and unsubstantiated opinions. Ideas sometimes
illogical and contradictory |
Limited
attempt at evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles, tending
towards description. Can interpret qualitative and quantitative data but with
some errors. Some evidence to support emerging arguments and judgements but
these may be underdeveloped or with a little inconsistency /
misinterpretation. |
Good
evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret
qualitative and quantitative data, with minor errors. An emerging ability to
use evidence to support the argument. Mostly valid arguments and logical
judgements. |
Sound
evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret
qualitative and quantitative data accurately. Ability to devise arguments
using evidence to make mostly appropriate and valid judgements. |
Excellent
evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret
qualitative and quantitative data accurately and with some insight. Excellent
ability to devise arguments using evidence and make appropriate and valid
judgements. |
Exceptional
evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles based evidence.
Outstanding interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data. Exceptional
ability to devise arguments using evidence and make wholly appropriate and
valid judgements. |
|
Practical
skills (Different approaches to solving problems in particular contexts.) |
Limited or no
use of taught, basic methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Little or
no appreciation of the context of the application. Very weak evidence of
different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts. |
competence.
Flawed appreciation of the context of the application. Weak evidence of
different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts. |
An adequate
awareness and mostly appropriate application of basic methods, materials,
tools and/or techniques Basic appreciation of the context of the application.
Can identify problems in particular contexts and propose basic alternative
approaches or solutions though there may be errors. |
A good and
appropriate application of basic methods, materials, tools and/or techniques.
Clear appreciation of the context of the application. Good evidence of
different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts and proposes
mostly appropriate solutions. |
A very good
application of a range of basic methods, materials, tools and/or techniques.
Very good consideration of the context of the application. Very good evidence
of different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts and
proposes appropriate solutions |
An advanced
application of a range of taught, basic methods, materials, tools and/or
techniques. The context of the application is well considered, and
insightful. Excellent evidence of different approaches to problem-solving in
particular contexts and proposes appropriate solutions. |
Exceptional
levels of application and deployment skills in particular practical contexts.
Outstanding identification of problems in particular contexts and formulation
of wholly appropriate, thoughtful solutions / different approaches. |
|
Transferable
skills for life and professional practice (Communicate the results of their
study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent
arguments; the qualities needed for employment requiring the exercise of some
personal responsibility within a structured and managed environment.) |
Work is
poorly structured, disorganised, inaccurate and/or confusingly expressed.
Very weak use of language and/or very inappropriate style. Failure to work
effectively individual or as part of a group. Little or no evidence of the
skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. |
Work is
poorly presented in a disjointed manner. It is loosely, and at times
incoherently, structured, with information and ideas often poorly expressed.
Weak use of language and/or inappropriate style. Flawed approach to
individual or group work, meeting only partial obligations to others. Limited
evidence of the skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal
responsibility. |
Mostly
ordered presentation and structure in which relevant ideas / concepts are
reasonably expressed. Work may lack coherence and/or accuracy in places. Can
work as part of a group, meeting most obligations to others but perhaps with
limited involvement in group activities. Demonstrates the basic skills for
employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility, with some
areas of minor weakness. |
Mostly
coherent, organised and accurate work, in a suitable structure and is for the
most part clearly expressed. Can work effectively independently and/or as
part of a team, with clear contribution to group activities. Demonstrates the
skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility,
with some areas of strength and some of minor weakness |
Work is
accurate, coherent, fluent, well-structured and organised. Can work
effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with very good
contribution to group activities. Demonstrates very good skills for
employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility, with just
occasional minor weakness. |
Work is
coherent, very fluent and is presented professionally. Can work effectively
independently and/or as part of a team, with an excellent contribution to
group activities. Demonstrates excellent skills for employment requiring the
exercise of some personal responsibility with an appetite for further
development. |
Work is
accurate, exceptionally coherent, very fluent and presented well. Can work
effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with an exceptional
contribution to group activities. Demonstrates exceptional skills for
employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility with an
appetite for further development. |
