Embedding Graduate Attributes in ACU Programs

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Embedding Graduate Attributes in ACU Programs

• Associate Professor Mark Freeman

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Session outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning, implementing
   and assuring graduate attributes in ACU programs
2. Identify the steps to embed graduate attributes
3. Outline ALTC resources that can be used to assist
   in the embedding process
4. Reflect on next steps

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Session outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning, implementing
   and assuring graduate attributes in ACU programs
2. Identify the steps to embed graduate attributes
3. Outline ALTC resources that can be used to assist
   in the embedding process
4. Reflect on next steps

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Taking the pulse

• Consider your flagship UG degree.
• In 2 minutes
• How well is it hitting the mark?
• Whats your evidence?
• Convince your neighbour (1 minute each)

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Do our programs develop the right attributes in
our graduates so they can get the right jobs?
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Handout do activity

• Individually do both MCQ in 1 minute
• As a table debate and agree using scratchoffs
  until correct (indicated by )
• As a table choose best option - 2 minutes

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ACU graduate attributes

• (i) Intellectual
• Critical and analytical abilities.
• Enthusiasm to search for further knowledge and
  understanding.
• Open-mindedness and receptiveness to new ideas.
• Expertise in chosen academic field.
• (ii) Professional
• Knowledge and skills to meet relevant
  professional requirements.
• Understanding of and commitment to professional
  ethical standards.
• Information literacy, communication and
  interpersonal skills.
• (iii) Values
• Commitment to values consistent with the
  Universitys Mission.
• A spirit of service to the community.
• Commitment to good citizenship, including
  respect for individuals, empathy with persons of
  differing cultural and religious backgrounds,
  community responsibility and concern for the
  environment.
• A high regard for equity and human rights in
  the context of a broad understanding of
  globalization.

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Session outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning, implementing
   and assuring graduate attributes in ACU programs
2. Identify the steps to embed graduate attributes
3. Outline ALTC resources that can be used to assist
   in the embedding process
4. Reflect on next steps

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On your table, decide the steps needed to plan,
deliver and assure graduate attributes are
embedded in your ACU programs/courses
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Action research
Plan
Reflect
Act
Observe
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Planning and assuring our programs hit the mark

1. Define program learning goals and outcomesWhat
   are the most important things our students should
   learn in our program? What are our expectations?
2. Align curriculum with program goalsHow or where
   will they learn these things?
3. Identify instruments and measuresHow will we
   know they have learned them?
4. Collect, analyse and disseminate dataHow well
   have they learned them?
5. Use assurance data for continuous
   improvementWhat will we do if they have not
   learned them?

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Key guidelines
Do case study. Then identify on the grid where
your flagship PG coursework program lies.

• Define learning goals and objectives
• Check goals aligned to mission and program is
  distinctive
• Minimum 1 program goal for each of 11 graduate
  attributes
• Only 1 program learning outcome per goal
• Involve peers and/or industry
• Align curriculum with goals
• Use template for curriculum alignment across a
  program
• Identify where goal is introduced, developed,
  graduating and assured
• Consider incorporating a capstone unit
• Identify instruments and measures
• Use template align Unit learning outcomes,
  activities, assessment, criteria
• Measure program outcomes in embedded assessments
  in capstone
• Involve peers and/or industry in setting
  assessment criteria and intervention
  trigger/benchmark

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Key guidelines

• Collect, analyse and disseminate data
• Consider software to support data collection
• Involve peers and/or industry
• Use assurance data for continuous improvement
• Involve peers and/or industry to close the loop
• Identify improvement actions (eg. curriculum,
  pedagogy, measure)

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General Management Leadership
Discipline focused
Pre-experience career
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Curriculum alignment eg. Masters
M601 M602 M603 M604 M605 M606 M607 M608 M609/ M610
Learning goal 1 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Learning goal 2 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Learning goal 3 Intro Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Learning goal 4 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Learning goal 5 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 3
Unit
Program
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Program-wide planning matters

• Where there is a greater sense of the holistic
  programme students are likely to achieve higher
  standards than on more fragmented programmes
  (Havnes, p. 2007)
• Slowly learnt academic literacies require
  rehearsal and practice throughout a programme
  (Knight and Yorke 2004)

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Curriculum alignment eg. Masters
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 3
M601 M602 M603 M604 M605 M606 M607 M608 M609/ M610
Learning goal 5 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Unit
Program

• Note
• Development is iterative not additive (hence
  arrows overlap)
• Assurance is typically undertaken at graduating
  level when program learning goal is achieved or
  mastered.

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Curriculum alignment effectively work in
multi-cultural team
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 3
M601 M602 M603 M604 M605 M606 M607 M608 M609/ M610
Learning goal 5 Intro Extend Extend Extend Extend Mastered and assured
Unit
Program
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A common myth

• It is a common belief that tertiary students
  acquire intercultural communication competence
  through interacting with each other in
  multicultural classrooms. Much research
  undertaken in Australia, however, indicates that
  having culturally diverse classrooms will not, by
  itself, necessarily promote student development
  in this area (Briguglio, 2005)

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Pay strong attention to assessment

• From our students point of view, assessment
  always defines the actual curriculum
  (Ramsden, P.,1992)
• Assessment defines what students regard as
  important, how they spend their time and how they
  come to see themselves as students and then as
  graduates.........If you want to change student
  learning then change the methods of assessment
  (Brown, G et al, 1997)
• Assessment patterns may be a much better
  predictor of student effort than teaching
  patterns. Students may skip classes and may not
  prepare well for classes but they make sure that
  they submit the necessary assignments
  (Gibbs,THES, 28 Sept 2007, p.6)

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• Conventional assessment procedures are unable to
  do justice to the most important outcomes of any
  educational process worth the name (Raven
  1991, p1)
• Even when lecturers say that they want students
  to be creative and thoughtful, students often
  recognise that what is really necessary, or at
  least what is sufficient, is to memorise
  (Gibbs, 1992, p. 10)
• Many research findings indicate a declining use
  of deep and contextual approaches to study as
  students progress through their degree
  programmes
• (Watkins Hattie, 1985 Kember et al,
  1997 Richardson, 2000 Zhang Watkins, 2001)
• The pressures of increased student numbers and
  the growing demands of QA procedures has changed
  the nature of assignments and tests, making them
  less open ended and less likely to foster a deep
  and thoughtful approach to studying (Gibbs
  cited in Bryan and Clegg, 2006, p.21
• The types of assessment we currently use do not
  promote conceptual understanding and do not
  encourage a deep approach to learningOur means
  of assessing them seems to do little to encourage
  them to adopt anything other than a strategic or
  mechanical approach to their studies.
  (Newstead 2002, p3)
• This quest for reliability tends to skew
  assessment towards the assessment of simple and
  unambiguous achievements, and considerations of
  cost add to the skew away from judgements of
  complex learning (Knight 2002b p278)
• students become more interested in the mark and
  less interested in the subject over the course of
  their studies. (Newstead 2002, p2)
• Our current systems focused on marks and grades
  arent working
• (Rust 2007 Elander Hardman, 2002 Laming,
  1990 Yorke et al, 2002 Bridges et al, 2002
  Newstead and Dennis, 1994)

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Unit of Study curriculum alignment (incl
assessment criteria)
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Assessing and assuring a relevant program
learning goal effectively work in
multi-cultural team
Instrument Student activity Criteria Unacceptable/ Fail Acceptable/ Pass Exceed/Credit/ Distinction
Expert uses rubric (containing assessment criteria) to assess individual students observed working in teams and dealing with feedback (including peer assessment) at several points over semester and improving. NB. The assessment criteria (rubric) might be paper-based or electronically completed (using the Facultys tool ReView or SPARK) or via a paper-based sheet. Students complete assessment task in multi-cultural teams. Students undertake self- and peer-assessment of team process on formative basis early in team task and on completion for summative purposes. Students have in-class discussion after each self and peer assessment. Teams discuss both team processes and team tasks, referring also to aggregate self and peer feedback. Eg. Various relating to expert observing in-class how students work completing team assessments Eg. Various relating to peers feedback on team process (eg. effective listening) and tasks (eg. Pre-meeting reparation) out of class Eg. Various relating to expert observing in-class how student reflects on peer feedback develops improvementt strategy Eg. Student observed poorly contributing or engaged in team assessment Eg. Peers provide negative feedback on students contribution Eg. No evidence of student participating in peer feedback during in-class discussion (or self /peer assessment process) Eg. Student observed interacting inclusively in team assessment Eg. Peers provide positive feedback on students contribution Eg. Student observed actively participating in class discussion of peer feedback Eg. Student observed harnessing members to focus on team assessment Eg. Peers provide highly affirmative recognition on students contribution as leader Eg. Student develops improvement strategy after reflecting on peer feedback.
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ReView in practice at USyd

• Graduate attributes at University of Sydney and
  reflected in ReView

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Session outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning, implementing
   and assuring graduate attributes in ACU programs
2. Identify the steps to embed graduate attributes
3. Outline ALTC resources that can be used to assist
   in the embedding process
4. Reflect on next steps

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Elements of the ALTC Strategy
Teaching Quality Indicators
Promoting Excellence
Competitive Grants Program
Discipline Networks
Special Initiatives
Leadership Program
ALTC Exchange
Australian Learning Teaching Council
Learning Networks
Grants Scheme
Priority Projects Program
International Links
Fellowship Scheme
Awards Scheme
Awards (Teaching Programs)
National Teaching Fellows
Teaching Fellows
Citations
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ALTC graduate attribute initiatives

• Funded one national Fellow
• Funding national event late 2009 (early 2010)
• Funded 24 nationally collaborative projects
• Projects cover wide range of disciplines
• Community of practice developing (Oct 08
  Symposium)
• See handout

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ALTC Business

• Appoint Discipline Scholar
• Funded range of projects including
• Completed (EDIC), nearly completed (EGA, AFF),
  started (GS,PR)
• Develop ALTC Exchange resources
• Summaries of projects and themes
• Useful project resources (eg. developing
  intercultural competence)
• Develop collaboratively with deans council (ie.
  ABDC) a Discipline Support Strategy
• Collaboratively follow up national issues
  identified Dec08 Leading Change Symposium
• 2009 Curriculum and engagement
• 2010 Student leaning experience
• 2011 Staff engagement

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ALTC Accounting for the Future Project goals

• To identify the range of non-technical skills
  expected and required of accounting graduates,
• To identify stakeholders views on the relative
  importance of the technical v non-technical
  skills required and on the respective
  responsibilities of employers and universities
  for their development.
• To identify examples of best practice by which
  non-technical skills can be embedded in
  accounting programs and their learning is
  assured.

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On your table, rank the following

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Self-management
• Planning and organising
• Technology
• Life-long learning
• Initiative and enterprise
• Ability to deal with diversity

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ALTC Accounting for the Future Importance of
the non-technical skills

• Communication 1
• Problem solving 2
• Teamwork 3
• Self-management 4
• Life-long learning 5
• Initiative and enterprise 6
• Planning and organising 7
• Ability to deal with diversity 8
• Technology 9

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ALTC Accounting for the Future How well do you
consider you are able to develop and assess these
skills? NB 1not at all 5excellent
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ALTC Accounting for the Future External
stakeholder interviews

• Common themes that have emerged across the
  country
• Views on technical skills ability of graduates
  varied by size and location of employers.
• Views on importance of non-technical skills
  varied by size and location of employers
• Communication, team work and self management were
  deemed to be the most desirable.
• Communication and problem solving being the most
  inadequate and posing the greatest limitations on
  graduates in both their skill sets and their
  career development.

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ALTC Accounting for the FutureGood practice
example of programs with embedded graduate
attributes

• Macquarie university
• language for professional communication in
  accounting
• embedding skills in 10 of the 13 MPA units
• evidence to support success in relation to
  improvement in communication skills.

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• ALTC Embedding the Development of Intercultural
  Competence in Business Education
• See handout
• See ATLC Exchange

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ALTC Exchange
http//www.altcexchange.edu.au/1-embedding-develop
ment-intercultural-competence-business-higher-educ
ation
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3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Knowledge
Attitudes
Skills
Applies basic skills or directions to
routine tasks and interactions to accommodate
(a) specified cultural difference/s
Identifies cultural foundations of own and
others norms, values, experiences and
interactions
Acknowledges the practical significance of own
and others cultural identity (beliefs, values,
norms and biases) and their impact on behaviour
and interactions
Awareness
Implements appropriate processes and behaviours
for interactions with different cultural
settings and audiences
Analyses how diversity influences interaction
(and how culture manifests itself in interaction)
Adapts to differences between oneself and
others in interactions in varying cultural
contexts
Understanding
Selects or creates complex skill sets in
interactions under conditions of uncertainty,
risk and change in professional business
situations
Reflects and self-evaluates ones own and
others capabilities and limitations in
interactions in varying cultural contexts
Values intercultural interactions and
experiences with those from other cultures to
further ones own understanding and interactions
Autonomy
Ridings, Simpson, Leask et al. 2008
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Session outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning, implementing
   and assuring graduate attributes in ACU programs
2. Identify the steps to embed graduate attributes
3. Outline ALTC resources that can be used to assist
   in the embedding process
4. Reflect on next steps

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Next steps

• Reflect quietly on todays discussion.
• Identify the top three actions you intend to take
  to get graduate attributes really embedded in the
  programs in your school
• Share around the table briefly one priority

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Challenges to embedding graduate attributes

• Achieve wider buy-in
• Leaders, program directors, academics
• Employers/peers
• Establish suitable policies and procedures to
  support it
• Develop appropriate reward systems for academic
  buy-in
• Appoint empowered program directors
• Establish a QA sub ctee?
• Develop a plan for defining goals, planning
  curriculum and assurance points
• Agree rubrics for embedded assessments
• Develop procedure to obtain and use data on
  actual student development for continuous
  improvement
• Obtain suitable support resources and tools
• Curriculum mapping templates and tools
• Access emergent research eg. ALTC collaborative
  projects

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• Q A

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Need for Change (3)The nature of standards

• An indispensable condition for improvement in
  student learning is that
• the student comes to hold a concept of quality
  roughly similar to that held by the teacher
  (Sadler, 1989)
• Standards are often communicated to students
  using criteria.
• Regulative and logical criteria standards can be
  defined in terms of well-defined outcomes
  (Sadler, 1987, p. 70)
• Prescriptive and constitutive criteria refer to
  matters of degree and It would be difficult or
  impossible to guess the educational level at
  which they are applicable (Sadler, 1987, p.
  70). Such types of criteria are often
  interdependent and can only be assessed using
  holistic/professional judgement (Sadler, 2008)
• Such criteria are socially constructed requiring
  the sharing of tacit knowledge over time
  (ODonovan et al, 2004 Rust et al, 2005)

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Need for change (5)Coming to understand
standards

• The achievement of high-level learning requires
  integrated and coherent progression based on
  programme outcomes
• The most significant factor in student academic
  success is student involvement fostered by
  student/staff interactions and student/student
  interactions (Astin, 1997)
• The only common factor in a study of departments
  deemed excellent in both research and learning
  and teaching is high levels of student
  involvement (Gibbs, 2007)
• Where there is a greater sense of the holistic
  programme students are likely to achieve higher
  standards than on more fragmented programmes
  (Havnes, p. 2007)
• Slowly learnt academic literacies require
  rehearsal and practice throughout a programme
  (Knight and Yorke 2004)
• Students need to engage as interactive partners
  in a learning community, relinquishing the
  passive role of the instructed within processes
  controlled by academic experts (Gibbs et al,
  2004)