Kevin Forde (Medicine) talks about embedding graduate capabilities development in a course.
Developing graduate capabilities – Kevin Forde
Why graduate capabilities are important
UNSW promotes particular Graduate Capabilities, and most faculties have also developed a set of graduate capabilities that are more discipline-specific. When you are designing a course, it is important for you to incorporate these capabilities into the learning outcomes, activities and assessments.
Obviously, not all courses can cultivate all graduate capabilities, but the achievement of graduate capabilities should be coordinated across a program. Online learning can be very helpful in supporting the development of some graduate capabilities, so consider this in your course design.
Students need to know that learning outcomes, whether or not they are subject-specific, will be useful to them in their professional life. Keep them informed about which capabilities are being developed or assessed by each online activity and assessment task, and why.
LMS (Moodle) tools to support graduate capabilities
Many of the communication, collaboration and group-work tools in the UNSW Moodle learning management system can be used to engage students in the kind of learning activity that will develop graduate attributes.
Table 1: Examples of using Moodle tools to support graduate capabilities
|
Teaching strategy |
Learning activity |
Pedagogical rationale |
LMS tools |
Graduate capability supported |
|
Prepare students for class work |
Online reading/activity with quiz |
Face-to-face classes provide an opportunity for interactive learning and feedback. If students access and work with the material prior to class, less class time needs to be spent on delivering information, and both you and the students are aware of which areas need more focus. |
Content areas Discussion Test/quiz |
"capable of independent and collaborative enquiry", "information literate" |
|
Collaborative learning |
Use a peer-review activity to write a report on a field trip and associated laboratory activity. |
To effectively assimilate and apply new knowledge, students need to be actively engaged in learning, to reflect on what they have learned and to be able to communicate it in an appropriate academic context. Reviewing the work of their peers helps them to be able to critically review their own work. |
Collaboration and group tools Self- and peer assessment/workshop Assignment submission |
"understanding of their discipline in its interdisciplinary context", "capable of independent and collaborative enquiry", "rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection", "collaborative and effective team workers", "capable of effective communication" |
|
Research project |
Locate, evaluate and use information to develop understanding of a topic. |
It is not possible to learn all the information relevant to a subject area, so it is important that students develop information literacy and independent study skills. |
External links Discussion Blog/journal |
"capable of independent, self-directed practice", "understanding of their discipline in its interdisciplinary context", "rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection", "capable of independent and collaborative enquiry", "information literate" |
|
Problem-based, |
|
Authentic and ill-structured problems require students to develop the skills to research knowledge and apply it in a broad, real-world context. Working in groups to do this also supports the development of communication and teamwork skills. |
Discussion Collaborative tools External links, discussions, group tool, self- and peer assessment/workshop, blogs, journals. |
All |