Embedding 21st century employability into assessment and feedback practice through a student-staff partnership

Zainudden, D. A., Broom, M., Nousek-Mcgregor, A. , Stubbs, F. and Veitch, N. (2022) Embedding 21st century employability into assessment and feedback practice through a student-staff partnership. Access Microbiology, 4(3), 000329. (doi: 10.1099/acmi.0.000329)

Abstract

In-course assessments are an essential part of any coursework because they represent both a physical output of the skills and knowledge acquired at university, but also have the role of supporting student transitions into prospective careers. Therefore, assessments could be used as a conduit to encourage student awareness of the skills needed for the workplace and verify their attainment of these skills, particularly at foundation levels within a degree. Within a second-year Microbiology and Immunology course, students struggled to engage with standalone timetabled careers-related sessions, yet they showed enthusiasm when employability was embedded into assessments. A staff–student partnership project explored these issues, with the overall aim of understanding how to effectively embed employability skills into assessment and feedback and support students positioning themselves for the future. Through a focus group, this project investigated the reasons for low student engagement with timetabled employability sessions and used student views to develop digital initiatives and 21st-century competencies that could be applied more widely within assessment and feedback practice. These initiatives were then implemented as pre-session self-directed activities, with the objective of helping students to link course feedback with employment skills and future career planning, followed by a newly developed in-class reflective feedback session that allowed students time to consider what skills they have developed and make links with future careers. Project evaluation was conducted using a quantitative survey of the students involved.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mcgregor, Dr Anna and Stubbs, Fiona and Broom, Miss Miranda and Zainudden, Mr Dzachary Adnan and Veitch, Dr Nicola
• Authors: Zainudden, D. A., Broom, M., Nousek-Mcgregor, A., Stubbs, F., and Veitch, N.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; University Services > Student and Academic Services > Student Services
• Journal Name: Access Microbiology
• Publisher: Microbiology Society
• ISSN: 2516-8290
• ISSN (Online): 2516-8290
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Access Microbiology 4(3):000329
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons Licence