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A Study Exploring Soft Skills in Higher Education
Get PDFThere is a need for improved skills development within the UK’s Higher Education Institutions (HEI) stemming from the disconnect between the expectations of employers of the skills graduates have and the skills graduates have gained during their degree. It is well-known now that there is a clear skills gap. The present study aims to explore the effect of graduates and students' perception of skills development in HEI in the UK. A total of 420 participants completed an online survey to explore their perception as well as their confidence of skills development by rating each skill on a Likert scale. The paper discusses the results in light of pedagogical strategies developed to teach soft skills in HE. The paper concludes with recommendations for teaching practice. 
Le rôle du gouvernement local pendant une pandémie mondiale : une leçon du Népal
Get PDFThis paper critically analyses the scope of leadership in Nepal at the local government level when tackling the wider impacts of COVID-19, with a particular focus on health service delivery in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) frameworks. In-depth interviews with 66 representatives from local governments (LG) in the Madhesh and Sudurpaschim provinces were conducted, along with analysis of routine data from health management information systems. We found that Maternal Child Health (MCH) services at local health institutions were largely unimpacted, stocks of essential medicine were available, and the LGs exhibited determination and capability in getting to grips with the crisis, despite inadequate knowledge and resources. Nevertheless, there was sizeable shrinkage in the utilisation of services, which triggered public health concerns of a different nature, the LGs were inadequately prepared in regards to the capacity and availability of human resources, and there were explicit gaps in terms of coordination among all three tiers of government and a lack of role clarity that delayed the response to the pandemic at the local level. Our recommendations include continued investment in local MCH services, capacity building for local leaders with a focus on human resource management in emergency contexts, and the simplification of public procurement processes, particularly during crises, enabling LGs and other local actors to expediate procurement and improve response times.Cet article analyse la portée du leadership au Népal au niveau du gouvernement local dans le contexte de la pandémie de COVID-19 et de ses impacts plus larges. L’analyse se concentre plus particulièrement sur les prestations de services de santé conformément au cadre de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS). Des entretiens approfondis ont été menés auprès de 66 représentants de l'administration locale dans les provinces de Madhesh et de Sudurpaschim, ainsi qu'une analyse des données de routine provenant des systèmes d'information pour la gestion de la santé. Nous avons constaté que les services de santé maternelle et infantile (SMI) des établissements locaux n'avaient pas été touchés, que les stocks de médicaments essentiels étaient toujours disponibles et que les administrations locales avaient fait preuve de détermination et d’une grande capacité à faire face à la crise, malgré des connaissances et des ressources limitées. Néanmoins, les visites dans ces services se sont considérablement réduites, créant alors des préoccupations de santé publique d'une autre nature. En ce qui concerne la capacité et la disponibilité des ressources humaines, les administrations locales n'étaient pas suffisamment préparées et il y a eu d’importantes lacunes en termes de coordination entre les trois niveaux de gouvernance ainsi qu’un manque de clarté des rôles, retardant ainsi la réponse à la pandémie au niveau local. Nos recommandations incluent un investissement continu dans les services locaux de santé maternelle et infantile, un renforcement des capacités des dirigeants locaux en mettant l'accent sur la gestion des ressources humaines dans les contextes d'urgence et une simplification des procédures publiques d’approvisionnement, en particulier pendant les crises. Ceci permettait aux administrations et autres acteurs locaux d'accélérer l’approvisionnement et d'améliorer les délais de
A career research module promotes career exploration and understanding of the labour market and transferable skills
Get PDFStudents, the public, and government expect university graduates to find meaningful employment and contribute to the economic and social prosperity of society. Universities have a responsibility to support students to develop their career management skills. An assessed career research module was embedded into a second-year human physiology subject taken by students in health-science related undergraduate STEM degrees. Students conducted research on the logistics of entering their preferred career, the Australian labour market for this career, and the transferable skills and personal attributes required. They communicated their learnings in a video and completed reflection activities comprised of Likert-scale and open-ended questions. The aims of this study were to determine students’: 1) ability to research the logistics of entering their preferred career and the labour market; 2) perceptions of the most important skills and attributes for their preferred career, and development of these; 3) perceptions of module activities and career planning, and perceived career management skills. To address the aims of the study, 265 student videos and reflection activities were analysed. Results indicate that the module supported students in gaining career management skills that were a focus of the curriculum. Most students identified their current university course as the main way they were developing important skills and attributes, with their course, volunteering and further study the main ways they planned to continue skill and attribute development. In conclusion, a career research module is an effective career development tool for students in a range of undergraduate courses
Buendgens-Kosten, J. & Elsner, D. (2018). Multilingual computer assisted language learning. Multilingual Matters
No full textMultilingual computer assisted language learning
Buendgens-Kosten, J. & Elsner, D.
Multilingual Matters, 2018
Il est temps pour les organisations non gouvernementales internationales de quitter le nid familial
No full textDrawing on Michel Foucault’s philosophical theory of a power triangle, this paper explores the relational dynamics between International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), the United Nations (UN), and sovereign states. It reflects on the emergence of multilateral aid after World War Two and how aid became institutionalised and professionalised, resulting in a relational dynamic between INGOs, the UN and Western governments that is akin to a parent and child. The paper then considers how different actors in humanitarianism occupy different power types, and the impact this will have on the relevance of INGOs in the future. It concludes with a proposition for repositioning and rethinking INGOs in the next era of aid, as part of a reidentification of their role in humanitarianism.En s'inspirant de la théorie du triangle de pouvoir de Michel Foucault, cet article explore les dynamiques relationnelles entre les organisations internationales non gouvernementales (ONGI), l’ONU et les États. L’article se penche sur les débuts de l'aide multilatérale après la Seconde Guerre mondiale et analyse la manière dont l'aide s'est institutionnalisée et professionnalisée, entraînant une dynamique relationnelle entre les ONGI, les Nations Unies et les gouvernements occidentaux, que nous pouvons comparer à celle existant entre un parent et un enfant. L’article examine ensuite la manière dont les différents acteurs du secteur humanitaire occupent divers types de pouvoir et le futur impact sur la pertinence des ONGI. L’article se termine sur une proposition visant à repositionner et à repenser les ONGI pour réidentifier leur rôle dans le secteur de l'humanitaire
Commercialisation in Australian public education and its implications for the delivery of English as an Additional Language/Dialect: An EAL/D teacher perspective
Get PDFPrivatisation and commercialisation in education encompass a range of interrelated practices, including the outsourcing of educational services as well as increased reliance on commercially produced resources for the delivery of learning and assessment. An increase in these practices has accompanied the shift from centralised systemic management of schools and specific programs like English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D), to school autonomy whereby principals control budget expenditure decisions, ostensibly in response to the needs of their school population. The intersection between school autonomy, commercialisation and delivery of the specialised service of EAL/D is the focus of this paper. This paper presents the findings of a survey with EAL/D teachers in Australia, in relation to the extent to which they are experiencing commercialisation and the impact this is having on the delivery of a longstanding service designed to ensure equity of outcomes for English language learners. The data suggests that the use of commercial products in schools may not be aligned with appropriate educational practices which target language learning needs. There is a strong need for further research in the uptake and use of commercial products for specialist language support. This will elucidate the extent to which EAL/D as a specialisation is being impacted by the use of commercial products both in the appropriacy of the products and in the deprofessionalisation of specialist EAL/D teachers
Storied Cities: Geocriticism and Literary Cartography about Real Places
No full textThe intention of this discussion is to explore how a sense of place can emerge when narrative inclusions are aligned to topographical mapping to create literary cartography artefacts after a geocritical review of a real place: Walyalup/Fremantle, Western Australia. This discussion will explore the underlying methodology of geocriticism (Tally Jr. 2013; Westphal 2011) applied through experimental mapping processes (De Nardi 2014; Pearce 2008; Powell 2010) to construct narrative maps that offer perspectives on how Walyalup/Fremantle’s districts have distinct thematic patterns emerging from the geocritical review and can be used to support the creative writing of real places. The district covered here is the West End, which also was the original location of the Swan River Colony and represents interesting collisions between the past and the present. This district is then used with an excerpt of creative writing to demonstrate the application of this model. The larger intention of this analysis is the development of literary cartographic maps to be utilised in a place-based creative writing project that intends to contribute to the storied history already in existence in Walyalup/Fremantle
Writing Non-Human Humans: A Creative Examination of Robots in Ian McEwan's Machines Like Me (2019)
No full textThis research paper contributes to speculative fiction creative writing practice through its investigation into the ways in which storytelling techniques and literary devices are used to depict non-human characters, with a focus on robots and androids. This study examines Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me (2019), evaluating the language and literary techniques used to characterise robots, the effects of its post-humanist theme, and the ways it adheres to conventions of the speculative fiction genre. A literature review provides a contextual understanding of key philosophical concepts related to the novel, as well as contemporary discourse on robotics, specifically the sociocultural integration of advanced machinery. A textual analysis identifies and investigates McEwan’s application of narrative techniques, including allusion and anthropomorphism. The discussion showcases McEwan's exploration of human-computer interaction and relationships and draws attention to key literary devices used in the characterisation of the robot as a non-human
A novel employability embedding framework for three-year bachelor’s programs
Get PDFEmployability skills and capabilities are equally important as academic and technical knowledge in the current job market. Consequently, universities are increasingly focusing on providing employability skills to their students. While universities in Australia are experimenting with various methods for employability embedding, we could not find any framework for embedding employability at the course level. Mapping employability at the course level is non-trivial but necessary to scaffold employability.
e-portfolios form an integral part of employability; however, it is not well defined in the literature how to embed and assess an e-portfolio into a tertiary academic program. Unless an e-portfolio is embedded and assessed in the academic program, the uptake by the students cannot be guaranteed; hence students miss out on the benefits of such an important tool. This paper addresses these two key challenges. It develops an employability embedding framework targeted for a three-year bachelor’s program. This framework also enables the embedding and assessment of e-portfolios. The framework is novel as it offers a scaffolded and organic way to embed employabilit
Do alumni practise what you teach? Impact of Science master-tracks: preparation for academic careers versus preparation for societal-oriented careers
Get PDFCareer development of Science students seems dependent on more than disciplinary education, such as the nature and focus of career preparation. In this study we compare graduate outcomes of science students at the University of Groningen, completing two master-level program streams with different focal points, by using career progress surveys from alumni (n=242) with self-reported societal development data. The first program is a classical research-oriented master (ROM), that aims to prepare students for a career within academia. The second program, called Science, Business and Policy (SBP) focusses on a societal profile and aims to prepare for a career outside academia.
SBP is different from ROM because it has a practical and multidisciplinary orientation (vs a theoretical and mono-disciplinary orientation in ROM) and it includes a long work-placement outside academia, a form of work based learning. The differences in the tracks translate to differences in career paths. Both profiles resulted in good but distinct career opportunities, corresponding to alumni’s discipline and sector. Although ROM-alumni felt especially prepared for an academic career, only a quarter actually continued in academia and many we employed in education. In contrast, most SBP-alumni were employed in business or policy. Targeting specific job preparation seems more successful with a societal profile. Reflecting on skills, in both groups research-related skills decreased during careers while soft skills increased. Alumni were generally satisfied with their first job and also with their current job, with SBP-alumni scoring significantly higher on satisfaction with income, status, appreciation and perspective. It can be concluded that diversification in educational profiles changes the societal career paths of science students