Individualised Self-assessment to Enhance Employability in postgraduate students Dr Debbi Marais

Employability ‘a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes - that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy’

Link with Retention How does enhancing employability improve retention? For Postgraduate students - Non-progression main reason for discontinuing Proven relationship between learning and employability skills that facilitate learning such as being able to analyse data, solve complex problems and to communicate effectively, can also enhance an individual’s employability Improving chances of progression = better student retention

Why postgraduate? PGT students - unique group Induction programmes Short intensive period of study Diverse graduate/professional backgrounds and nationalities Previous experience and skill levels Educational experiences English language proficiency Induction programmes To ease the transition of international students into new learning environment Not individualised or reflective in nature

Aim Develop an online resource to extend employability provision for PGT students self-awareness employability questionnaire on MyAberdeen individualised feedback and links to supportive employability resources

Process 1. Skills Audit 2. Reflection 3. Articulation Self-assessment Tailored feedback Signposting to supportive resources 2. Reflection 3. Articulation

1. Skills Audit Critical Thinking & Communication Academic Excellence Self-assessment of employability skills based on HEA employability profile for Health Studies & UoA Postgraduate Attributes Academic Excellence Critical Thinking & Communication Learning & Personal Development Active Citizenship

1. Skills Audit Complete prior to self-assessment questionnaire Existing non-credit bearing courses Academic writing skills (AW1001) Summarising a given text in ≤150 words within 1 hour Different article extracts for different programmes Assessed by Programme Coordinators using standardised rubric ito accuracy of summary AND language (grammar, punctuation and spelling) Skills info (SK5003) 50 Questions regarding basic IT skills required (e-mail, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, internet) Yes (score 1), No (score 0) or Unsure (score ½) Psychometric testing – Profiling for success

Profiling for Success University Careers Centre acquired via the ‘Profiling for success’ website Freely available to registered students 4 identified for I-SEE Abstract reasoning skills Numerical reasoning skills Verbal reasoning skills Type Dynamics Indicator Form ~10 min each

Feedback Academic writing skills IT Skills Psychometric testing CAS uploaded in MyGrades with standardised feedback and signposting to either online support (CAS 6-8) or SLS language workshops (CAS <6) IT Skills Score (/50) in MyGrades automatically Automated feedback of ‘correct’ if answered YES and signposting to specific online guides and page reference for specific section if NO/UNSURE Psychometric testing Score and individualised feedback emailed to student from website

1. Skills Audit Self-assessment Questionnaire Provide scores from various sources for: Academic writing skills; IT Skills; Abstract, Numerical and Verbal reasoning skills and Personality Typing results Self-rating of: Communication skills/academic writing (essays, exams, oral and poster presentations, publications, referencing) IT skills (basic word processing, TurnitInUK, track changes, data base search) Group work Personality typing (awareness of strengths and weaknesses) Social/civic responsibilities/engagement

Feedback Self-assessment questionnaire Automated and Individualised Best responses as correct Identifying development areas Signposting for links to supportive employability resources Online Workshops/courses within the University

2. Reflection Record progress in e-portfolio Directions on how to create own e-portfolio provided Reflect on progress using a checklist After 6 months Identify development areas What has been done? What do you plan to do?

3. Articulation CV template Supportive documentation with tips Link to Career Services

Implementation Division of Applied Health Sciences PGT students 2013/14 academic year As a Compulsory non-credit bearing induction course

Progress E-mail reminders

Academic Writing scores CAS Range - 6 to 20 Mean Score – 13.95 5 Below CAS 9 [Signposted to Online Resources] Not reported accurately in Skills Audit -12 Unanswered and 7 Don’t know

Rating of English Language Poor self-rating Excellent [8-20] Good [6-17] Average [9-14] Poor [20/unanswered]

IT skills N = 37 Range 21 – 50 (/50) Mean score – 43.38 3 poor skills Not reported accurately in Skills Audit -9 Unanswered and 7 Don’t know

IT Self-rating Poor self-rating Excellent [>48] Good [19-50] Average [32-43] Poor [25]

Self-confidence

4 unanswered Strengths and weaknesses 3 Don’t know and 5 unanswered what friends and peers would describe 6 unanswered Personality typing, 2 can’t find, 5 only 1 letter

Challenges Not accurate self-reporting / don’t remember Poor self-rating Not understanding feedback

Possible Development Area Checklist Possible Development Area Yes Attended/Done No but support Communi-cation Oral 12 9 2 Verbal reasoning 1 Written 11 IT PP 8 Posters 6 Word Excel 7 4 www 5 e-mail Literature search Referencing 10 Active Citizenship Attributes UK CV 3

Checklist vs Skills Audit Possible Development Area Yes Skills Audit Communi-cation Oral 12 3 Never, 11 classmates/lay audience, 17 Nervous public speaking Verbal reasoning 25 Below/Average Written 11 Only 2 published, 5 poor/average language skills IT PP 15 irregular/never used Posters 21 never Excel 7 7 identified e-mail 6 2 identified Literature search 4 identified Referencing 3 identified UK CV 3 18 Don’t have

What did the students think? 19 7 MSc Human Nutrition MSc Nursing/ Midwifery 5 MSc Public/ International Health Do you think I-SEE had any impact? What did you find most helpful? [prompts for specific stages in the process – skills audit, reflection and articulation] What did you find least helpful? What do you think could help or be added? How can we improve engagement? Do you think improvements/development should be on your own initiative or followed up by programme coordinators? 30-60 min depending on time available to students

This is needed in the ‘real world’ so everyone should do it Impact of I-SEE I already have a job and a career, so I did not see the use of it for me - it was a bit of a waste of time for me - but I can see it can be useful for others who have not had this at undergraduate level. It was helpful to me but I wasn't really sure what it was for, perhaps if we knew earlier on, we would have taken part more. Initial responses were fairly unsure to this question - a lot of shrugging and some head shaking Students seemed divided according to their previous exposure or experience (local vs international students) Not a total waste of time as it did reaffirm what I already knew, but perhaps more useful to others who have not done this before. This is needed in the ‘real world’ so everyone should do it

Comments on usefulness Responses differed between International and Home students English home language speakers or 2nd language Practical problems with MyAberdeen MyGrades, e-portfolios and submitting Online support (guides) not helpful Improve engagement Explaining aim overall and for each assessment Better timing of assessments (course workload) Reflection least useful ... in the real world this is what you need to do (reflect) ...

Improvements Introductory session Importance of I-SEE Use of MyAberdeen especially Mygrades, e-portfolios Timing of assessments Induction week When needed Workload of courses taken into consideration Rather all do together at one time for checklist Additional Interview skills Using social media to market yourself Career information eg. Job adverts

... actually I suppose it is really our own responsibility ... Improvements Incorporated into Generic Skills Course Some sessions less useful/superficial, some very useful but opinions differ between students – should be tailored to previous exposure and skill levels Prevent overlap Support in terms of workshops / presentations rather than online support Provide an opt-out for students who do not want to complete Own initiative or not? ... actually I suppose it is really our own responsibility ...

Way forward Improvements as suggested by students where possible Extend to College PGT programmes and PGR students Staff engagement

Acknowledgements HEA – Individual Teaching Development Grant Support from colleagues in the DAHS & CLSM Graduate School Research assistant – Ettienne Marais