Carl Senior and Robert Cubbidge
The purpose of this paper is to place all of the contributions to this special issue into a theoretical framework and to highlight the role that the so‐called “information age…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to place all of the contributions to this special issue into a theoretical framework and to highlight the role that the so‐called “information age mindset” has in the facilitation of employability skills.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses the major themes of this special issue.
Findings
Undergraduate students do see the importance of technological innovation in the classroom but they see the development of experiential or work‐based skills to be more important.
Practical implications
Future curriculum design should consider the expectations and attitudes of the modern day undergraduate student to ensure that potential employability is maximised.
Originality/value
The findings are placed into the wider context of the emerging field of evolutionary educational psychology.
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Rowena Yeats, Peter Reddy, Anne Wheeler, Carl Senior and John Murray
Academic writing is often considered to be a weakness in contemporary students, while good reporting and writing skills are highly valued by graduate employers. A number of…
Abstract
Purpose
Academic writing is often considered to be a weakness in contemporary students, while good reporting and writing skills are highly valued by graduate employers. A number of universities have introduced writing centres aimed at addressing this problem; however, the evaluation of such centres is usually qualitative. The paper seeks to consider the efficacy of a writing centre by looking at the impact of attendance on two “real world” quantitative outcomes – achievement and progression.
Design/methodology/approach
Data mining was used to obtain records of 806 first‐year students, of whom 45 had attended the writing centre and 761 had not.
Findings
A highly significant association between writing centre attendance and achievement was found. Progression to year two was also significantly associated with writing centre attendance.
Originality/value
Further, quantitative evaluation of writing centres is advocated using random allocation to a comparison condition to control for potential confounds such as motivation.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survey study of the achievement of twenty‐first century skills in higher education.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survey study of the achievement of twenty‐first century skills in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a quantitative survey design.
Findings
The findings indicate that the basic scientific and technological skills of reading critically and writing persuasively as well as accessing and using information efficiently have been achieved to a great extent in the context of the study; whereas, mathematical and scientific skills and global awareness and cross‐cultural issues still need more attention. Variations in the level of mastery as well as gender differences in the achievement of certain skills clusters were also identified and discussed in light of the robustness of the theory of the “universal digital native”.
Research limitations/implications
The results cannot be generalized into other contexts and the data were basically self‐reported and not corroborated by evidence from triangulated sources.
Practical implications
Effective dealing with the basic and technological skills should be continued; however, more attention should be given to the development of the skills in mathematics and the sciences. Likewise, the visual‐literacy skills and the levels of global awareness and cross‐cultural understanding and appreciation should be improved.
Originality/value
This exploratory study fills a knowledge gap and may set the stage for further research into the extent to which the twenty‐first century skills are being realized by institutions of higher learning given the scarcity or non‐existence of this research.
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The paper aims to explore the nature and purpose of higher education (HE) in the twenty‐first century, focussing on how it can help fashion a green knowledge‐based economy by…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the nature and purpose of higher education (HE) in the twenty‐first century, focussing on how it can help fashion a green knowledge‐based economy by developing approaches to learning and teaching that are social, networked and ecologically sensitive.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a discursive analysis of the skills and knowledge requirements of an emerging green knowledge‐based economy using a range of policy focussed and academic research literature.
Findings
The business opportunities that are emerging as a more sustainable world is developed requires the knowledge and skills that can capture and move then forward but in a complex and uncertain worlds learning needs to non‐linear, creative and emergent.
Practical implications
Sustainable learning and the attributes graduates will need to exhibit are prefigured in the activities and learning characterising the work and play facilitated by new media technologies.
Social implications
Greater emphasis is required in higher learning understood as the capability to learn, adapt and direct sustainable change requires interprofessional co‐operation that must utlise the potential of new media technologies to enhance social learning and collective intelligence.
Originality/value
The practical relationship between low‐carbon economic development, social sustainability and HE learning is based on both normative criteria and actual and emerging projections in economic, technological and skills needs.
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Muhammad Nizam Zainuddin and Mohd Rozaini Mohd Rejab
The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of undergraduates' specialised entrepreneurship programmes in Malaysian universities that have been made available to “ME…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of undergraduates' specialised entrepreneurship programmes in Malaysian universities that have been made available to “ME generation” students. By analysing the antecedents and predicting self‐employment intention, the paper evaluates the impact of such programmes upon the employability value of undergraduates who are part of the ME generation in a developing country such as Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
A census survey was conducted on final and penultimate year students from major public and private universities in Malaysia. From these data, analyses of variables that affect self‐employment intention were performed, and the prediction of self‐employment intention was obtained.
Findings
The results show that the students do not perceive self‐realisation as their most salient beliefs and perceived that their entrepreneurship lecturers' expectations towards them to become self‐employed are not highly influential and need to be complied with. However, they believed that specialised entrepreneurship education (SEE) contributes to increasing entrepreneurial self‐efficacy and subsequently towards their self‐employment intention, and thus increases their employability value.
Research limitations/implications
This research only studies students' self‐employment intention in their respective universities and not their actual behaviour. Results from the paper are limited in ability to demonstrate “actual” outcomes that result from the interaction of the antecedents in universities' confinement.
Practical implications
The paper provides an important analysis of the current status of entrepreneurship students in Malaysian universities. The findings provide insight on the development of effective entrepreneurship programme deliveries and methodologies.
Originality/value
The paper provides a basis to improve the effectiveness of SEE in Malaysian universities and in turn produce highly employable graduates.
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Keywords
Employability includes the ability to find employment and remain employed. Employability includes both hard and soft skills, including formal and actual competence, interpersonal…
Abstract
Purpose
Employability includes the ability to find employment and remain employed. Employability includes both hard and soft skills, including formal and actual competence, interpersonal skills, and personal characteristics. This paper aims to focus on illuminating perceptions engineering graduates have regarding employability. More specifically, the aim is to explore how engineering graduates perceive, invest in, manage, and develop their employability.
Design/methodology/approach
The study highlighted in the paper draws on a longitudinal qualitative study and the empirical data include recurrent interviews with 20 recent graduates from Master's level engineering programs in information technology.
Findings
The results of the paper indicate that hard formal and technical vocational skills are considered to be of declining importance. Generally, these skills are considered less important in relation to one's individual employability compared to different forms of soft skills and personal attributes. The meaning of employability is typically viewed relationally and contextually and is associated with the specific place in which one works. The responsibility for managing and developing one's employability lies with each individual.
Practical implications
The results have practical implications for higher education and engineering curriculum design related to the enhancement of graduate employability.
Originality/value
The results of the paper indicate that engineering graduates have educational expectations that are not entirely consistent with current university practices. The study respondents indicated that the educational program should focus less on the substantive content of the engineering curriculum, and instead focus more on generalist competence and soft employability skills, including interpersonal skills.
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The purpose of this paper is two‐fold; first, to explore the Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) programme, which aims to help students gain real business…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is two‐fold; first, to explore the Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) programme, which aims to help students gain real business start‐up experience whilst at university and second to examine the impact of SPEED on the students.
Design/methodology/approach
For the first part of the paper, the author explores the SPEED programme in the context of “experiential learning”. Second, the “critical incident technique” approach is explored and found to be a suitable approach towards obtaining “real‐life” insights into students' business start‐up experience.
Findings
The paper finds that the “experiential learning” approach and all “critical incidents” have been valuable learning experiences for the students on SPEED. SPEED has provided a platform for students to gain the experience, knowledge and confidence to either set up a business or use their new‐found experiences to succeed in securing a job upon graduation.
Research limitations/implications
As this programme is delivered across 13 higher education institutions in the UK, there is a need for further research on SPEED and for comparisons to be drawn for future practice.
Originality/value
This paper provides an insight into student entrepreneurs within a university context, a relatively unexplored area. The results also indicate the value of “experience” and the “experiential learning” approach within an enterprise programme.
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Linda Riebe, Dean Roepen, Bruno Santarelli and Gary Marchioro
The purpose of this paper is to present a case study on improvements to professional teaching practice within an undergraduate university business programme to more effectively…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a case study on improvements to professional teaching practice within an undergraduate university business programme to more effectively teach an employability skill and enhance the student experience of teamwork.
Design/methodology/approach
A three‐phase approach to teaching teamwork was introduced. Tuckman's model of team development was explicitly taught and used as the conceptual framework for the student teamwork process. Assessments were constructively aligned to address team skills and engage students in team processes. A questionnaire was developed to guide team member expectations of teamwork. Two online surveys tracked the development of student team skills and were used in feedback loops for student learners and facilitators. The use of reflective weblogs provided insights to student perspectives.
Findings
Student engagement in teamwork was aided by the use of team surveys to assist students to explicitly make connections with the generic skills underpinning effective teamwork and a questionnaire to establish team norms. The teaching strategies employed developed a greater level of awareness in students, contributing to the development of their team skills.
Practical implications
The student experience of working in teams can be enhanced by providing a clear, conceptual framework for developing team skills. The teaching practices implemented can be replicated and address student perceptions of working in teams in order to effect positive change and develop transferable team skills.
Originality/value
The case study highlights the applicability of explicitly teaching team skills to positively enhance the student experience in a unique generic skills programme.
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Michael J.R. Butler and Lidia Gheorghiu
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how a UK business school is addressing the Government's skills strategy through its Graduate Certificate in Management, and to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how a UK business school is addressing the Government's skills strategy through its Graduate Certificate in Management, and to identify good practice and development needs and to clarify how the Graduate Certificate is adapting to the needs of Generation X and Millennial students. The paper also aims to test Kolb and Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT) in a business school setting.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study methodology was adopted. In order to get a cross‐section of views and triangulate the data, three focus groups were held, supported by reading documentation about the programme of study.
Findings
The skills strategy is not just an ambition for some business schools, but is already part of the curriculum. Generation X and the Millennials have more in common with the positive attitudes associated with older generations than stereotyped views might allow. ELT provides a useful theoretical framework for evaluating a programme of study and student attitudes.
Research limitations/implications
The research findings from one case study are reported, limiting the generalisability of the study.
Practical implications
Good practice and development needs are identified which support the implementation of the Government's skills strategy and address employer concerns about student skills.
Originality/value
New empirical data are reported which supports the use of ELT in evaluating programmes of study and student attitudes to work.
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Simon Stephens, Camelia Gabriela Balan and Shaun Callaghan
The paper aims to explore the experience of graduates in the workplace. The aim is to study how these experiences differ from the expectations of the graduates and the aspirations…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the experience of graduates in the workplace. The aim is to study how these experiences differ from the expectations of the graduates and the aspirations of their academics.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved two phases: first, a survey was conducted of marketing academics. This survey examined how the academics conceived the relevance of their teaching strategies to the work environment in small‐to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Second, marketing graduates who are employed by SMEs were interviewed. The interviews explored the experience of graduates in the SME workplace environment.
Findings
The findings from this paper indicate that a graduate's perception of the skills and competencies they will use in the workplace are different to the reality of working in an SMEs.
Practical implications
Graduates need to be cognisant that although academic theory and principles have value in the planning of workplace activities their employers will focus appraisal on the outcomes/outputs of their actions rather than the theoretical basis for these actions. Furthermore, the reality of the workplace is that the application of theory and subject‐specific knowledge is only one element of the activities required by SMEs.
Originality/value
The paper focuses on research that seeks to enhance the understanding of the experience of graduates in the workplace.