Errores de comprensi ´on

Intended learning outcomes

Respondents reported a wide range of intended learning outcomes for their credit-bearing careers education units (Figure 4.22). Many reported

multiple intended learning outcomes.

The learning outcomes reflect the emphasis on the DOTS framework in terms of the theoretical underpinning identified in the responses to the institutional questionnaire 1 (section 3.3k).

Figure 4.22 Intended Learning Outcomes for the Credit-Bearing Careers Education Units

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Awareness of EO issues Vocation/prof.-specific training

Understanding labour market Additional qualities and skills

Graduate employability Career development planning Resource awareness

Transition skills Opportunity awareness Occupational awareness Decision-making skills Job acquisition skills Self-awareness

Intended learning outcomes

What students gained

Respondents reported a wide range of aspects where they felt students had gained from the credit-bearing careers education (Figure 4.23).

Many reported multiple gains. It should be remembered that the respondents to the questionnaire were often those teaching the unit in

question and so likely to have a positive view of the contribution of the units. It should also be remembered that the views below represent staff

perceptions of what the students gained. It would be interesting to undertake follow up perception studies on how useful the provision is to students themselves and whether it impacts significantly on their employability.

Figure 4.23 Students’ Gains from the Credit-Bearing Careers Education Units

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

No more than informal provision Knowledge of equal opportunities

A formal transcription Understand work/society links Awareness of the labour market Improved interview techniques Transferable skills An enhanced curriculum vitae Understanding of pg employment Credit towards their qualification Increased employment awareness Increased self-confidence

Student learning

Content of the units

Question 12 in the unit questionnaire asked respondents to indicate the content included in their unit. Respondents reported a wide range of content (Figure 4.24) and many reported multiple aspects of content.

Unsurprisingly, there is a clear relationship between the data provided for questions on the theoretical underpinning, the learning outcomes and the content of the credit-bearing careers education units.

In most of the substantive content categories suggested in our

questionnaire (self-awareness, opportunity awareness, decision-making, transition skills, personal development planning, the labour market and available opportunities, employment environments, and career theories), we can see little difference between the different institutional types.

However, in a few cases, there appear to be some rather surprising differences.

Figure 4.24 Content of the Credit-Bearing Careers Education Units

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Informal work-related experience Formal work-based learning Entrepreneurship and enterprise

Career theories The employment environment

Networking Labour market opportunities

Decision-making Transition skills Opportunity awareness Personal development planning

Self-awareness

Aspect of content

In the case of entrepreneurship and enterprise, 42% (10) of pre-1992 universities mentioned this as part of the content of their credit-bearing careers education whereas only 20% (4) of post-1992 universities did so. Similarly with networking, 71% (17) of pre-1992 universities mentioned this as part of the credit-bearing careers education they offered, while only 50% (10) of post-1992 universities did so. Formal work-based learning was also more commonly mentioned in pre-1992 universities, in 25% of cases (6) while only one post-1992 universities indicated it in their responses.

Informal work-based learning, however, was more often mentioned by post- 1992 universities 30% (6) than pre-1992 universities (2). See p.218 for detailed cross-tabulations.

One key informant gave us a flavour of the variety of credit-bearing careers education available in her institution, a former university college in England. We have courses where credit-bearing careers education is integrated into disciplinary courses. They are not usually comprehensive in coverage in terms of the DOTS model with its self-awareness, opportunity awareness, decision making and transition skills elements. Most programmes follow this. In an integrated unit, it is usually difficult to cover all the elements. At [my institution], we might focus on professional practice, or on a placement practice unit. Or it might be a way of delivering PDP. Or it might be more in-depth industry understanding. For example, one of our honours programmes has a course on networking and campaigning within the advertising industry. It has a lot of details about the sector. It increases opportunity awareness, but there is not a lot on decision making explicitly. We have a lot of those types of courses.

Vignette 11 provides an example of content that one credit-bearing careers education unit might have.

Vignette 11

Institution: University of Wales, Aberystwyth Award: Undergraduate degree

Programme Title: Mathematics (Honours) degree Unit title: Career Planning and Skills Development

The unit provides an opportunity to develop an integrated range of transferable skills, not directly connected with Mathematics, but designed to enhance students learning experience and their employment prospects.

This unit introduces these first year undergraduate students to a number of IT packages: a word-processing package, a presentation package, a spreadsheet

package and a statistics package illustrating simple uses of these packages in the workplace. The Careers Advisory Service provides, as part of this unit, a skills awareness programme during which each student prepares a Curriculum Vitae. Working in teams, students will research the careers available to graduates in their discipline and the relation of the skills they acquire in their course to these

careers. The teams will give group presentations on their findings which make use of the presentation package to which they have been introduced. On an individual basis, students will also prepare and make a short presentation on a topic in Mathematics. An integral part of this unit is the preparation of a Personal

Development Portfolio, which forms the basis of discussion during a meeting with the Personal Tutor.

The skills awareness programme, the group presentation and the production of a Personal Development Portfolio provide opportunities for career planning and reflecting on personal development. All but the Personal Development Portfolio are assessed. In producing a PDP, the students will be required to reflect on their learning experiences and record how they should benefit from this reflection. Additionally, problem solving skills are developed in this unit in dealing with the spreadsheet and statistics assignments and in preparing for the

presentation of a topic in Mathematics. Research skills are developed in researching the presentation topic and in researching the skills needed for various forms of employment. Written communication is developed and tested by the written assignments, CV and PDP. Oral communication is developed and tested by the presentation.

Work leading to the group presentation is done in teams. The students also use a variety of computer packages. Numerical concepts and techniques are addressed in connection with the spreadsheet and statistics packages.