Teaching and Learning Generic Skills in Universities: The case of 'sociology' in a teacher education programme

Abstract

The paper examines the links between a recent focus in Australian universities on 'generic skills' or 'graduate qualities', and national employment policies directed at developing employment-related 'key competencies'. It examines the attempt by a team of teacher educators in Australia to develop curricula that would meet the goals of national workplace policy initiatives, while retaining the traditional university concern of teaching critical evaluation of information and social practice. The speci c example is the teaching of sociology within a teacher education programme. However, the examples and analysis offered here would be of interest to university teachers working with students in any professional degree programme where there is an expectation that students will be able to understand and apply sociological knowledge within their professional eld. The project was framed within the policy context of 'meeting students' needs'.

Action research and reflection on student approaches to learning in large first year university classes

“…However, the findings suggest that teaching style did not influence adopted learning approaches. It would seem that other factors, such as course structure, delivery and assessment activities may not communicate the need for (and reward) the use of deeper, self-regulated and cognitive organisation strategies (Patterson & Bell, 2001). This is in support of previous research suggesting that students will adopt surface learning approaches if that is seen to be what is (visibly) rewarded (Deeter-Schmelz, Kennedy, & Ramsay, 2002;Ramsden, 1992).…”

Student and staff perceptions of the importance of generic skills in science

“…They found that commitment from staff, signi®cant investment in staff development, and procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of the framework were considered vital for the success of this project. Van Schalkwyk (2002) and Patterson and Bell (2001) reiterated these points and also highlighted the need for assessment to re¯ect the resulting changes in course content. Alverno College in the USA is an exemplar in this area.…”

“…Consideration of non-content-related skills is not new, with papers on the topic dating from the 1950s (Leveson, 2000). However, in Australia, the level of attention focused on skills has increased signi®cantly over the last 10 years (Clanchy & Ballard, 1995;Lake & Kemp, 1996;Dorfman & Taylor, 1998;Patterson & Bell, 2001). Given this long history, it is interesting that we are still talking about the importance of these skills, graduates' lack of them and how best to teach and promote them.…”

“…More recently, several universities or faculties in universities have taken a more holistic approach, where a range of skills are identi®ed, taught and developed throughout the three/four year degree program (De La Harpe et al, 2000;Patterson & Bell, 2001;Van Schalkwyk, 2002). De La Harpe et al (2000) reported on how a business school (Curtin University, Western Australia) identi®ed a set of generic skills to be taught in the disciplinary context to all undergraduate students and then integrated the teaching of these skills into the three-year program.…”