ARTICLE # 5 | 93
A CASE OF EMBEDDING EMPLOYABILITY IN THE CURRICULUM
through the application of appropriately structured analytical approaches.
• Utilisation of knowledge, understanding and skills through the application of appropriate methods to critically analyse evidence and provide appropriate alternatives and / or recommendations.
• Demonstration of an ability to undertake independent study and management of own learning, time and continuous professional development.
• Ability to perform as a self-managing individual and a collaborative member of working groups.
• Communicating ideas to others.
• Demonstration of critical and reflexive thinking and ability to engage with personal development planning.
This stage was based on Knight and Yorke’ s( 2004) USEM framework that outlines employability as four inter-related components:
• Understanding involved topics like understanding of HRM as a profession, and analysing the business and external contexts of HRM and their implications for employment practice.
• Skillful practices involved activities like student-led lectures, and group-based primary research mini projects.
• Efficacy beliefs involved awareness of graduate attributes, personal development plans( PDPs), and self and peer review.
• And, meta-cognition involved the use of critical and reflexive thinking as part of PDP.
Stage 2 involved detailed planning in terms of delivery and assessment. This stage was based on the‘ capability envelope approach’ that provides a framework of support for the process of students’ taking responsibility for the overall strategy of their learning( Stephenson and Yorke, 1998; Stephenson, 2001). Within this framework, specialist content is provided through a variety of learning modes, including:
•‘ Exploration’, where students are supported in planning and delivering module activities through drop-in sessions and online forums.
• A series of‘ learning engagements’, like student-led lectures, group research projects, and engagement with HR practitioners.
• A‘ progress review’ aiming to support reflective activity, self and peer assessment, the creation of learning logs and PDPs.
In terms of assessment, the framework involved‘ demonstration’, where students are expected to integrate what has been learnt in a portfolio of evidence. The use of a portfolio for assessing student learning is consistent with the self-development and reflective practice philosophy underpinning the module( Kolb, 1984), and is