Challenges of assuring the development of graduate attributes in a Bachelor of Arts

Fraser, Kym; Thomas, Theda

doi:10.1080/07294360.2012.704594

Cited by 34 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…This study is situated in the planned-enacted-experienced curriculum model ( These results are perhaps unsurprising considering that graduate learning outcomes for whole of program curriculum development are a recent phenomenon and the flexible nature of generalist degree programs complicates notions of progressive development (Fraser and Thomas 2013). Furthermore, academics' conceptions of curriculum are typically focused on unit-level activities (Fraser and Bosanquet 2006) and graduate learning outcomes are largely invisible to science students with the exception of content knowledge .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Placing those outcomes and intentions within a curriculum in a meaningful way presents many challenges, particularly in more generalist degree programs. Such programs, including the Bachelor of Science (BSc), typically have few core compulsory units, a huge variety of subject choices, little pre-defined structure, and no external accrediting body (Fraser and Thomas 2013) -all of which make coherent curriculum planning and the development of a prescribed set of broad skills difficult.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward curriculum convergence for graduate learning outcomes: academic intentions and student experiences

Matthews

Mercer-Mapstone

2016

Studies in Higher Education

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Graduate learning outcomes in undergraduate science degrees increasingly are focussed on the development of transferrable skillsets. Research into, and comparisons of, the perceptions of students and academic staff on such learning outcomes has rarely been explored in science.This study used a quantitative survey to explore the perceptions of 640 undergraduate science students and 70 academics teaching into a Bachelor of Science degree program on the importance, the extent to which outcomes were included and assessed, the improvement and likely future use of science graduate learning outcomes. Analysis of findings shed light on potential pathways toward curriculum convergence by arguing the need for shared perspectives of academics and students on graduate learning outcomes and drawing on the planned-enacted-experienced curriculum model. Moving toward coherent curriculum planning that draws on both student and academic perspectives to achieve graduate learning outcomes is the key contribution of this study. Resulting recommendations include: the need to consider the development of each complex graduate learning outcome as distinct from other outcomes in both curricular and pedagogical approach, and the need for a programmatic framework for assessment practices to facilitate the constructive alignment of assessment with learning outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward curriculum convergence for graduate learning outcomes: academic intentions and student experiences

Matthews

Mercer-Mapstone

2016

Studies in Higher Education

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“…Evaluating the attainment of graduate attributes is not straightforward (Hughes & Barrie, 2010), and using complementary types of data, including curriculum documentation, student perceptions and longitudinal studies involving alumni and employer responses, is perhaps the optimum way to achieve this (Fraser & Thomas, 2013;Hughes & Barrie, 2010;SpronkenSmith et al, 2015). Such triangulation overcomes the weaknesses of individual methods.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Graduate attributes: implications for higher education practice and policy

Hill

Walkington

2016

Journal of Geography in Higher Education

101

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“…In universities, innovations and transformations are often met with distrust or even open resistance in particular when they are organized top-down (see in Fraser & Thomas, 2013;Anderson, 2008;Neame, 2013). This resistance can prove to be a real challenge for implementing a curriculum mapping tool.…”

Section: Challenges and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Often mapping tools are used to report data on student outcomes on generic attributes (Bath, Smith, Stein, & Swann, 2004;Fraser & Thomas, 2013;Spencer, Riddle, & Knewstubb, 2012;Sumsion & Goodfellow, 2004). Such approaches towards curriculum mapping reveal an increasingly dominant focus on outcome-based education (see also Wang, 2015), where quality assurance is based on being able to demonstrate that expected learning outcomes have been realized.…”

Section: The Relevance Of Curriculum Mapping Toolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving curriculum alignment and achieving learning goals by making the curriculum visible

Meij

Merx

2018

International Journal for Academic Development

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Curriculum alignment is crucial in realizing learning objectives, but in higher education the alignment is often challenged by practical problems. The adverse effect of misalignment is further amplified by the lack of student awareness of their position within the curriculum. We argue for the importance of the visibility of learning trajectories across the curriculum and discuss the implementation of a digital curriculum mapping tool. We use four case studies to discuss how the tool was employed along four themes: curriculum development, visibility, assessment, and learning enhancement. This article discusses the pitfalls and best practices in the process of introducing a new method of enhancing curriculum visibility.

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Challenges of assuring the development of graduate attributes in a Bachelor of Arts

Cited by 34 publications

References 6 publications

Toward curriculum convergence for graduate learning outcomes: academic intentions and student experiences

Toward curriculum convergence for graduate learning outcomes: academic intentions and student experiences

Graduate attributes: implications for higher education practice and policy

Improving curriculum alignment and achieving learning goals by making the curriculum visible

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