Browsing by Author "Zegwaard, Karsten"

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    Employer and academic staff perceptions of science and engineering graduate competencies
    ((University of Waikato), 2018) Adam, Aminath Shafiya; Khoo, Elaine; Zegwaard, Karsten
    This paper reports on the findings from a study investigating science and engineering employers and university academic teaching staff perceptions of the competencies science and engineering recent graduates require in the workplace. Data were collected through surveys and focus group interviews of science and engineering employers and academic teaching staff. Participants rated 26 graduate competencies on how important they are for graduates entering the science and engineering workplace across three aspects: important today, important in 10 years’ time, and, the perceived competency performance level of recent graduates that have entered the workplace. The findings revealed that employers thought teamwork, written communication, problem solving, oral communication, and interpersonal relationships were particularly important for today while academic teaching staff, however, viewed problem solving, written communication, critical thinking, conceptual thinking, and oral communication to be important today. The findings offer insights into the extent current preparation of science and engineering students are meeting employer expectations and highlight shifts in perceived future competencies to enhance support for student learning and employability outcomes. Implications are offered for strengthening curriculum, pedagogy and assessment approaches for workplace preparation. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the present study and how future research might resolve those limitations.
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    Employer and lecturer perceptions of science and engineering graduate competencies : implications for curricular and pedagogical practice
    (The University of Waikato, 2018) Khoo, Elaine; Zegwaard, Karsten; Adam, Aminath Shafiya
    CONTEXT The University of Waikato has embarked on a major curricular review and redesign, making it compulsory for all students enrolling in an undergraduate degree to complete at least one paper/course in work-integrated learning, with the intent of developing workplace competencies and increasing employability outcomes. An investigation into the kinds of competencies valued by key stakeholders involved in supporting student learning and preparation for the workplace was, therefore, warranted as an initial step for (re)designing student university and workplace experiences to ensure coherence and foster more authentic application of theoretical ideas in real-world contexts. PURPOSE This paper reports on the findings from a study investigating science and engineering employers’ and university lecturers’ perceptions of the essential graduate competencies to be successful in the workplace. Their views and suggestions for enhancing current curriculum, pedagogy and assessment approaches were also sought. APPROACH Using a mixed-method approach, an online survey was conducted for science and engineering employers and science and engineering academic teaching staff. Participants rated 26 graduate competencies in terms of how important they are for graduates entering the workplace across three aspects: important today, important in 10 years’ time, and, the competency performance level of recent graduates that have entered the workplace. A follow up focus group interview provided further insights including strategies for strengthening student workplace preparation. RESULTS Employers thought competencies such as Teamwork, Written Communication, Problem Solving, Oral Communication, and Interpersonal Relationships to be particularly important for today and included competencies such as Computer/ICT use as well as Self-Management to be more important for 10 years’ time. Academic teaching staff, on the hand, viewed competencies such as Problem Solving, Written Communication, Critical Thinking, Conceptual Thinking, and Oral Communication to be important today and added Data Analysis to this list of important competencies for 10 years’ time. Both groups agreed that the biggest gap between the important competencies today and graduates’ level of competence were in the areas of Written Communication, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and SelfManagement Skills. Strategies were offered for enhancing student preparation for the workplace. CONCLUSIONS The findings provide insights into the extent current preparation of science and engineering students are meeting employers’ expectations and highlight shifts in perceived future competencies. This study can inform the university’s review of current curriculum, teaching and assessment activities to enhance support for student learning and employability outcomes.