Maria Dawson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Maria Dawson
Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready... more Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by developing one's skills, techniques and experience to become employable or progressing within a fulfilling career. Harvey (2003) argues that learning should emphasise less the 'employ' and more the 'ability' in order to prepare the ground for " developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner ". Building upon this vision, I have conducted a pilot study (Dawson, 2012 & 2013) the outcomes of which were presented at the ICERI2012 and EDULEARN13, which employs a student-subject oriented approach to enable Undergraduate students to work on Personalised Projects (Personal Employability Skills Portfolios (PESP). These are designed in a specific manner to give them the opportunity to build the relationship between Higher Education and graduate employability in a way that makes sense to them. The students embark upon a journey of investigation and exploration of a variety of potential employment paths as well as a journey of self-discovery encompassing their strengths and limitations in terms of transferable skills in order to make informed decisions for their future career. Presently, the study has grown further with particular focus on embedding employability in education for sustainable development. It considers education as the 'primary switch' which could accelerate the evolution of one's informed choice which could lead to a sustainable future. Hence, emphasis is given on the individuals' personality and characteristics allowing learners to critically examine their priorities, habits, beliefs, values, principles and practices to foster a balanced personal development, explore their alternatives and communicate their experiences effectively with a community of people aiming to strive to balance the needs of such community and hence society. The study results reveal that students, who undertook the Personal Employability Skills Portfolios as part of a detached, stand-alone Undergraduate module, evidenced their journey from an 'unaware' phase to 'informed' progression in graduate employment and made " informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, for now and in future years and acted upon them " (UNESCO, 2011). It emphasizes the need for HEIs to adopt an educational approach to teaching and learning which exploits, human capital for sustainable development. It concludes that it is imperative for the research-active curriculum to incorporate in-depth examination of the role of the human productive capabilities (individual skills, abilities and competences) in particular, as a determinant of sustainability.
Iceri2013 Proceedings, Nov 20, 2013
Iceri2013 Proceedings, Nov 20, 2013
Edulearn13 Proceedings, Jul 1, 2013
EDULEARN proceedings, 2016
Research undertaken on students' transition from Higher Education (HE) to employment (Dawson, 201... more Research undertaken on students' transition from Higher Education (HE) to employment (Dawson, 2012) highlights the need for HE staff to step back from day-today concerns and rethink their approaches to students' preparation from undergraduate status to graduate 'work-ready'. It emphasises the importance of recognising that one's journey from student to graduate standing requires high intensity support from both academic and student-centred staff. It claims that stepping outside of our 'student-tutor' stereotype and being perceived as the facilitators, the mentors, who know their field well enough to help students deal with the challenges ahead, assists their development of critical instinct. It also urges members of staff to recognise that we are undoubtedly influential figures on the development of students and that sharing our experiences, whether good or bad, can be invaluable in shaping students own graduate identity. The findings of this study were validated and evolved (Dawson, 2013 & 2014) into further investigations into students' development and transformation (in terms of ability and skills) whilst still in HE and in preparation for the 'world of work'. The study shows that reviewing, re-engineering and reapplying existing literature and approaches to suit the demand of a new generation of students increases their involvement and empowerment. It also evidenced how building on personal experiences reinforces their efficacy beliefs, improves their self-esteem, social skills and resilience and signposts the path for lifelong learning and a sustainable development. As a result of these, both students and I have evidenced that the principles of sustainable development apply equally to all aspects of life, from personal, social to economic and professional. Thus, we claim that, through participation in challenging academic activities which provide students with the opportunity to design, deliver and assess their own learning, we gain knowledge which we can and will pass on to others, as a student quotes "…I will never lose sight of the importance of adding value and ensuring my actions have a progressive impact on others.". In the academic year 2014/15, students embarked on a journey of deeper and more critical pathways. They explore personal and social identity, attitude, personality, values and principles which contribute to their transformation from students to graduates and from graduates to employees. Through active and collaborative learning, formative communication with staff and involvement in intellectually stimulating activities, students are seeking answers to questions, such as how to achieve transformation; how to keep a 'positive' attitude and generate a sense of belonging; how to pursue and find happiness in HE and beyond. The realities unveiled from such journeys are invaluable to both students and staff as they signpost the paths for an enriched educational experience for all.
Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by dev... more Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by developing one's skills, techniques and experience to become employable or progressing within a fulfilling career. Harvey (2003) argues that learning should emphasise less the 'employ' and more the 'ability' in order to prepare the ground for " developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner ". Building upon this vision, I have conducted a pilot study (Dawson, 2012 & 2013) the outcomes of which were presented at the ICERI2012 and EDULEARN13, which employs a student-subject oriented approach to enable Undergraduate students to work on Personalised Projects (Personal Employability Skills Portfolios (PESP). These are designed in a specific manner to give them the opportunity to build the relationship between Higher Education and graduate employability in a way that makes sense to them. The students embark upon a journey of investigation and exploration of a variety of potential employment paths as well as a journey of self-discovery encompassing their strengths and limitations in terms of transferable skills in order to make informed decisions for their future career. Presently, the study has grown further with particular focus on embedding employability in education for sustainable development. It considers education as the 'primary switch' which could accelerate the evolution of one's informed choice which could lead to a sustainable future. Hence, emphasis is given on the individuals' personality and characteristics allowing learners to critically examine their priorities, habits, beliefs, values, principles and practices to foster a balanced personal development, explore their alternatives and communicate their experiences effectively with a community of people aiming to strive to balance the needs of such community and hence society. The study results reveal that students, who undertook the Personal Employability Skills Portfolios as part of a detached, stand-alone Undergraduate module, evidenced their journey from an 'unaware' phase to 'informed' progression in graduate employment and made " informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, for now and in future years and acted upon them " (UNESCO, 2011). It emphasizes the need for HEIs to adopt an educational approach to teaching and learning which exploits, human capital for sustainable development. It concludes that it is imperative for the research-active curriculum to incorporate in-depth examination of the role of the human productive capabilities (individual skills, abilities and competences) in particular, as a determinant of sustainability.
Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready... more Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by developing one's skills, techniques and experience to become employable or progressing within a fulfilling career. Harvey (2003) argues that learning should emphasise less the 'employ' and more the 'ability' in order to prepare the ground for " developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner ". Building upon this vision, I have conducted a pilot study (Dawson, 2012 & 2013) the outcomes of which were presented at the ICERI2012 and EDULEARN13, which employs a student-subject oriented approach to enable Undergraduate students to work on Personalised Projects (Personal Employability Skills Portfolios (PESP). These are designed in a specific manner to give them the opportunity to build the relationship between Higher Education and graduate employability in a way that makes sense to them. The students embark upon a journey of investigation and exploration of a variety of potential employment paths as well as a journey of self-discovery encompassing their strengths and limitations in terms of transferable skills in order to make informed decisions for their future career. Presently, the study has grown further with particular focus on embedding employability in education for sustainable development. It considers education as the 'primary switch' which could accelerate the evolution of one's informed choice which could lead to a sustainable future. Hence, emphasis is given on the individuals' personality and characteristics allowing learners to critically examine their priorities, habits, beliefs, values, principles and practices to foster a balanced personal development, explore their alternatives and communicate their experiences effectively with a community of people aiming to strive to balance the needs of such community and hence society. The study results reveal that students, who undertook the Personal Employability Skills Portfolios as part of a detached, stand-alone Undergraduate module, evidenced their journey from an 'unaware' phase to 'informed' progression in graduate employment and made " informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, for now and in future years and acted upon them " (UNESCO, 2011). It emphasizes the need for HEIs to adopt an educational approach to teaching and learning which exploits, human capital for sustainable development. It concludes that it is imperative for the research-active curriculum to incorporate in-depth examination of the role of the human productive capabilities (individual skills, abilities and competences) in particular, as a determinant of sustainability.
Iceri2013 Proceedings, Nov 20, 2013
Iceri2013 Proceedings, Nov 20, 2013
Edulearn13 Proceedings, Jul 1, 2013
EDULEARN proceedings, 2016
Research undertaken on students' transition from Higher Education (HE) to employment (Dawson, 201... more Research undertaken on students' transition from Higher Education (HE) to employment (Dawson, 2012) highlights the need for HE staff to step back from day-today concerns and rethink their approaches to students' preparation from undergraduate status to graduate 'work-ready'. It emphasises the importance of recognising that one's journey from student to graduate standing requires high intensity support from both academic and student-centred staff. It claims that stepping outside of our 'student-tutor' stereotype and being perceived as the facilitators, the mentors, who know their field well enough to help students deal with the challenges ahead, assists their development of critical instinct. It also urges members of staff to recognise that we are undoubtedly influential figures on the development of students and that sharing our experiences, whether good or bad, can be invaluable in shaping students own graduate identity. The findings of this study were validated and evolved (Dawson, 2013 & 2014) into further investigations into students' development and transformation (in terms of ability and skills) whilst still in HE and in preparation for the 'world of work'. The study shows that reviewing, re-engineering and reapplying existing literature and approaches to suit the demand of a new generation of students increases their involvement and empowerment. It also evidenced how building on personal experiences reinforces their efficacy beliefs, improves their self-esteem, social skills and resilience and signposts the path for lifelong learning and a sustainable development. As a result of these, both students and I have evidenced that the principles of sustainable development apply equally to all aspects of life, from personal, social to economic and professional. Thus, we claim that, through participation in challenging academic activities which provide students with the opportunity to design, deliver and assess their own learning, we gain knowledge which we can and will pass on to others, as a student quotes "…I will never lose sight of the importance of adding value and ensuring my actions have a progressive impact on others.". In the academic year 2014/15, students embarked on a journey of deeper and more critical pathways. They explore personal and social identity, attitude, personality, values and principles which contribute to their transformation from students to graduates and from graduates to employees. Through active and collaborative learning, formative communication with staff and involvement in intellectually stimulating activities, students are seeking answers to questions, such as how to achieve transformation; how to keep a 'positive' attitude and generate a sense of belonging; how to pursue and find happiness in HE and beyond. The realities unveiled from such journeys are invaluable to both students and staff as they signpost the paths for an enriched educational experience for all.
Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by dev... more Employability is not just about getting a job. Employability is about getting 'work ready' by developing one's skills, techniques and experience to become employable or progressing within a fulfilling career. Harvey (2003) argues that learning should emphasise less the 'employ' and more the 'ability' in order to prepare the ground for " developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner ". Building upon this vision, I have conducted a pilot study (Dawson, 2012 & 2013) the outcomes of which were presented at the ICERI2012 and EDULEARN13, which employs a student-subject oriented approach to enable Undergraduate students to work on Personalised Projects (Personal Employability Skills Portfolios (PESP). These are designed in a specific manner to give them the opportunity to build the relationship between Higher Education and graduate employability in a way that makes sense to them. The students embark upon a journey of investigation and exploration of a variety of potential employment paths as well as a journey of self-discovery encompassing their strengths and limitations in terms of transferable skills in order to make informed decisions for their future career. Presently, the study has grown further with particular focus on embedding employability in education for sustainable development. It considers education as the 'primary switch' which could accelerate the evolution of one's informed choice which could lead to a sustainable future. Hence, emphasis is given on the individuals' personality and characteristics allowing learners to critically examine their priorities, habits, beliefs, values, principles and practices to foster a balanced personal development, explore their alternatives and communicate their experiences effectively with a community of people aiming to strive to balance the needs of such community and hence society. The study results reveal that students, who undertook the Personal Employability Skills Portfolios as part of a detached, stand-alone Undergraduate module, evidenced their journey from an 'unaware' phase to 'informed' progression in graduate employment and made " informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, for now and in future years and acted upon them " (UNESCO, 2011). It emphasizes the need for HEIs to adopt an educational approach to teaching and learning which exploits, human capital for sustainable development. It concludes that it is imperative for the research-active curriculum to incorporate in-depth examination of the role of the human productive capabilities (individual skills, abilities and competences) in particular, as a determinant of sustainability.