Teaching biology students transferable skills

Promoting Engagement: Using Species Action Plans to bring together Students and Conservation Professionals

“…The experiential learning component of the task, the opportunity to: practice a skill (SAP production) immediately following training; reflect upon their SAP during the initial feedback session and subsequent re-writing period; and, the chance to re-formulate their ideas (for submission) is likely to have facilitated deeper learning (Millenbah and Millspaugh, 2003) (although we acknowledge that we have not directly assessed this). As a whole the exercise provided students with an opportunity to develop/demonstrate competence in a wide range of the practices/competencies/skills that they are required to demonstrate as part of their graduateness (QAA, 2007) and that they will require in working life (Clarkeburn et al, 2000).…”

Thoughts on attitude measurement

“…For example, in a some work looking at the educational outcomes from some new curriculum material for biology students, it was noted that, with two consecutive year groups (550 and 750) of biology students, the overall picture on each of the nine questions asked (Likert-type questions) was found to differ by less than 1% in every category of response (see Clarkburn et al, 2000, for an outline of the investigation). Agreement of this order is very high and confirms that, with large samples, survey data can be robust.…”

Selection pressures on zoology teaching in Australian universities: student perceptions of zoological education and how to improve it

“…It is clear that students and teachers of zoology desire the opportunity to learn and teach in field contexts and that the benefits of expanding these elements in curricula would be reflected in graduate outcomes enhancing employment opportunities. These activities, coupled with the increased emphasis on skills that can be transferred into job markets (Clarkeburn et al 2000) are essential to make the undergraduate experience both enjoyable and productive.…”

“…In addition to being competent in a range of disciplinespecific techniques and skills , employers expect graduates to be proficient in "generic" or "transferable" skills". Essentially it is required that they are proficient writers, speakers, thinkers and problem solvers (Clarkeburn et al 2000) and capable of adapting to a number of different tasks in their workplace. Consequently, the expectations of zoology training at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels are likely to be distinctly different.…”