In what ways can the adoption of an integrated approach to ......Integrated Approach to Employability Skills Awareness • Enforcing the subject-specific links to employability. •

In what ways can the adoption of an integrated approach to employability

skills across subject areas in the Senior Phase increase pupils’awareness of employability?

Peter Smith

Reflections on a Collaborative Professional Enquiry

[email protected] @Peter_N_Smith

Outline

Part 1

ProblemWhat are some of the current issues

surrounding employability?

In what ways can employability skills be integrated into

classroom teaching?

How could other teachers build on these approaches?

Part 2

Process

Part 3

Progress

Part 4

Potential

What impact has been made so far?

A Problem… and a Proposal

What do you want to be when you grow up?

How can what you do now help in the future?

“I don’t know what jobs there are.”

“I don’t know what things I am good at.

“I’m young, I’ll worry about it when I grow up.”

“I don’t know what job I want.”

Building the Curriculum 4

Within Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) the

development of a young person’s employability is

“the responsibility of all practitioners”.

Calls on teachers to become “adaptive experts” to meet such aspects of practice that exist outside of their

traditional subject areas.

“I can identify the skills I have learnt across the curriculum,how these relate to the world of work and can apply these

appropriately during work placements and work-related learning.”

Standard for Career-Long Professional

Learning

The Wood Commission

Report

Career Education Standard

“A focus on preparing all young people for employment should form a part of the implementation of

Curriculum for Excellence.”

“Young people are…resilient, adaptable and understand the value of the skills they are acquiring…supported to make

suitable, realistic and informed choices based on their skills, strengths and preferences.”

HGIOS 4

Employability - The Policy Context

Employability – The Employer Context

• The Confederation for British Industry (CBI), via surveys of cross-sector UK employers, found these employability skills to be amongst those which workers should be able to most readily demonstrate in their mixed environments.

• Scottish governmental skills policy promotes the importance of demand-led skills.

• The SQA have instructed unit writers to adopt the same seven employability skills identified by the CBI in course materials, which influences lesson content and encourages standardisation.

Self-Responsibility

Team Working Workplace Awareness

Communication and Literacy

Numeracy

Information TechnologyProblem Solving

The Power of PerceptionExample - Pathways for Pupils Studying Drama

Knowledge Focussed

Careers(Narrower)

RetailBody LanguageCommunication

Problem Solving Improvisation Childcare

Dancer

Singer

Actor

SkillsFocussed

Careers(Wider)

Team Working Negotiation Police

Tra

dit

ion

ali

st

Mo

de

rnis

t

Building the Curriculum 4 aims to create a culture in which CfE“transfers skills developed through subject-specific contexts

into the world of work”.

Moulding a Model

• Employability theory suggests that learners’ interpretation of the future value of their learning is shaped by their current perception of:– Learning context (curricular area, teacher, opportunities)– Learning beliefs (style, accessibility, relevance)

• There appears to be some agreement on developing employability both in terms of need (e.g. positive destinations) and nature (e.g. skills).

• However, so far as is known, there is no definitive secondary school employability development model.

• A thorough literature review resulted in extending and recontextualising a graduate employability model [please see reference to YORKE, M. AND KNIGHT, P., 2007]

Employability Integrated Learning

• How can pupils discuss the links between the

world of work and their subject?

• How can pupils discover seven employability

skills within their curricular learning?

• How can pupils decode these employability skills

as strengths and needs for their self?

• How can pupils develop a self-informed

employability strategy?

All Teaching Contexts + All Learning Opportunities

+ All Teachers Contributing = Wide Ranging Pupil Impact

Outline

Part 1




classroom teaching?


Part 2

Process

Part 3

Progress

Part 4

Potential


Intention

• To increase pupils’ awareness of employability skills within senior phase (S5/S6) teaching.

Integrated Approach to Employability Skills Awareness

• Enforcing the subject-specific links to employability.

• Developing an understanding between learning and life.

• Four aspects – Subject, Skills, Self and Strategy.

A Collaborative Professional Enquiry

• Six colleagues working together across subject areas.

• Providing real and sustainable change for 70 young people.

• Creating opportunities to enhance our own teaching styles.

• Informed by, and informing, academic research.

From Theory to Practice: Conducting a Collaborative Professional Enquiry

Classroom Posters

A Range of Approaches

Pupil Booklets Teacher Voice

Focus Groups

Teacher Reflective JournalsQuestionnaires

1. Subject (Discuss)Learning needs

The learner must be able to

appreciate the wider nature of

the subject context.

Discussions (knowledge)

2. Skills (Discover)Employer needs


apply (generic) employability

skills to the (specific) subject

context.

Skills poster (comprehension)

Pupil booklet (application)

3. Self (Decode)Individual needs


incorporate these skills into

their self context.

Booklet (reflection/analysis)

4. Strategy (Develop)School-work transition needs


create a self informed

employability strategy.

Booklet (synthesis)

Lesson

Employability Skills

World of

Work



Information Technology

Numeracy

Problem Solving

Self-Responsibility

Team Working

Workplace Awareness

Focus on Futures

Integrated Approach

Lesson Planning

Learning Intentions

Work-Related Examples

Teacher / Pupil Reflection

Changed Perceptions

Aim: Link the classroom context (the specific learning outcome) with the work context (application of the learning outcome in the wider world) by applying an

employability context (awareness of appropriate employability skills required for this transition).

Teacher Attitudes / Insights

[CBI/SQA]

EmployabilityIntegratedLearning

Subject (Discuss)Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)Employer Needs

Self (Decode)Individual Needs

Strategy (Develop)School-Work Transition Needs

Peter Smith @Peter_N_SmithInfluenced by Yorke and Knight (2007)

Outline

Part 1




classroom teaching?


Part 2

Process

Part 3

Progress

Part 4

Potential


Subject(Discuss)

Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)

Employer Needs

Self (Decode)

Individual Needs

Strategy(Develop)

School-Work Transition Needs

Evaluating Aspect 1 - Subject

1. Pupils found it difficult to link what happens in their subject to what happens in the world of work.

In many instances, pupils found it difficult to make analogous links beyond their own limited frames of reference: teaching the subject and using lesson-specific examples from the subject in imagined workplaces were the most common links.

“I thought that it was hard to relate what you do in class to work, apart from Sports Leader to sports coach, Computing to computer programmer.” [Focus group participant]

“Surprised at difficulty that pupils had linking what subject ‘does’ to what people who use the subject in work ‘do’.” [Teacher]

Evidencing Aspect 1 - Subject

Developing Aspect 1 - Subject

I can discuss links between what happens in work and what

happens in a subject.

I can see how my subjects can lead to different jobs.

Geography is more than maps. It is about researching

information, handling data and clearly presenting a balanced point

of view. Pupils do not routinely appreciate this.

Pupils need to see the variety of jobs that are linked to geography,

including politics, business and environmental science.

Methodologies include teacher insights (following CPD), classroom discussions, guest speakers, positive role models, display boards, work-linked learning through projects etc.

Subject(Discuss)

Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)

Employer Needs

Self (Decode)

Individual Needs

Strategy(Develop)


Evaluating Aspect 2 - Skills

2. Pupils initially found it difficult to identify instances of employability skills used in lessons, however the intervention resulted in generally increased levels of awareness and confidence.

Over time, pupils were generally able to move from providing generic to personalised descriptions of employability skills. Pupils felt that teacher instructions were significantly more helpful than the poster and the booklets.

“Pupils did need a lot of support linking employability skills to the work we do.” [Teacher]

Teacher Identification

Pupil Comprehension

PupilApplication

Evidencing Outcome 2 - Skills

Developing Aspect 2 - SkillsI can discover examples of when I have used seven different

employability skills.

Selected pupil reflection: “I can talk about how I have the skills

that an employer needs.”

In Physical Education, you develop skills beyond fitness. These

skills include verbal communication (instructions), written

communication (training plans) teamwork (working together),

problem solving (improving techniques), handling numbers

(timing).

Methodologies include using a standardised approach to employability skills, ensuring pupils understand what they are and why they matter, embedding these into learning intentions and planning, using posters to prompt current/future considerations.

Subject(Discuss)

Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)

Employer Needs

Self (Decode)

Individual Needs

Strategy(Develop)


Evaluating Aspect 3 - Self

3. Pupils initially found it difficult to self-identify and self-interpret skill strengths and needs. With the aid of support materials their confidence improved, although their interpretation remained variable.

Pupils often viewed strength in terms of how many times they could do something (frequency) as opposed to how well they could do it (efficiency).

“I looked back in the booklet, I had quite a few examples so I looked at those. I think the ones that I had more examples of were my strengths, I found them easier to write about so I’m good at them.” [Focus group participant]

Evidencing Aspect 3 - Self

Developing Aspect 3 - Self

I can decode which skills are strengths and needs for my self.

Selected pupil reflection: “I can say which skills I am good at

doing and which skills I need to improve.”

Pupils often view strength in terms of how many times they can

do something (frequency) as opposed to how well they can do it

(efficiency).

All young people need to be aware of their skill strengths, and

know how to develop their skill needs

Methodologies include self/peer/teacher evaluations, giving feedback on skills at routine points, giving thinking time.

Subject(Discuss)

Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)

Employer Needs

Self (Decode)

Individual Needs

Strategy(Develop)


Evaluating Aspect 4 - Strategy

4. Pupils recognised the need to plan their employability skills development strategy, however the process of planning was variable and in many cases written plans were incomplete.

Pupils appeared to be split between feeling that a plan was helpful in either a structural sense (framework to list goals) or a developmental sense (framework to shape goals).

“To think about how you will actually get better at the things you want to get better at”

[Focus group participant – structural view]

“People who know what they want to do in life have something to aim for”

[Focus group participant – developmental view]

Evidencing Aspect 4 - Strategy

Developing Aspect 4 - StrategyI can develop a personal employability strategy.

Selected pupil reflection: “I know what I want to do, how to get in

and I have taken advice from a range of other people.”

Pupils either feel that a plan is helpful in a structural sense(framework to list goals) or in a developmental sense (frameworkto shape goals).

Pupils need to work with a wide variety of other people to support their plans. This includes parents/carers, pastoral teachers, subject teachers, SDS advisors etc.

Methodologies include creating environments which promote work-focussed attitudes, undertaking a coaching ethos to set and review targets, communicating with parents, individualised paths.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Re

sp

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n=

70

)

Scale of 1 to 10

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident would you be talking about your own

'employability skills'?

Baseline

Evaluative

At the end of the intervention, 80 per cent of pupils (vs 54 per cent at the start)said they were more confident than not in talking about their own employability skills.

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Re

sp

on

se

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n=

70

)

Scale of 1 to 10

On a scale of 1 to 10, how ready do you feelfor the world of work?

Baseline

Evaluative

At the end of the intervention, 86 per cent of pupils (vs 79 per cent at the start)said they that they now had a feeling of readiness for the world of work.

Outline

Part 1




classroom teaching?


Part 2

Process

Part 3

Progress

Part 4

Potential


Looking Ahead

To build on the success of the collaborative professional enquiry, which can be seen as an eight week pilot phase of Employability Integrated Learning, the following activities are planned for the session ahead:

1. All teachers will take part in a Teacher Learning Community workshop on the four aspects of Subjects, Skills, Self and Strategy.

2. They will be supported by an instructional and reflective teacher booklet.

3. DYW Working Group colleagues will support subject areas.

4. The focus will widen to all S4, S5 and S6 pupils. They will reflect on the four aspects during tutor group, with their registration teacher overseeing the use of pupil booklets.

5. The goal is for this to all become a natural and sustainablepart of teaching and learning.

Lesson


World of

Work



Information Technology

Numeracy

Problem Solving

Self-Responsibility

Team Working

Workplace Awareness

Focus on Futures

Integrated Approach

Lesson Planning

Learning Intentions

Work-Related Examples

Teacher / Pupil Reflection

Changed Perceptions

Aim: Link the classroom context (the specific learning outcome) with the work context (application of the learning outcome in the wider world) by applying an

employability context (awareness of appropriate employability skills required for this transition).

Teacher Attitudes / Insights

[CBI/SQA]

EmployabilityIntegratedLearning

Subject (Discuss)Learning Needs

Skills (Discover)Employer Needs

Self (Decode)Individual Needs

Strategy (Develop)School-Work Transition Needs

Peter Smith @Peter_N_SmithInfluenced by Yorke and Knight (2007)

Reflection and Discussion Themes

• How can you help pupils discuss the links between the world of work and their subject?

• How can you help pupils discover seven employability skills within their curricular learning?

• How can you help pupils decode these employability skills as strengths and needs for their

self?

• How can you help pupils develop a self-informed employability strategy?

Selected ReferencesBRYSON, J., 2013. Putting Skill in its Place. Journal of Education and Work.

Article Online But Not Indexed. Available:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13639080.2013.835794#.VKPDf

8ngI98 [28/10, 2014].

CANNING, R., 2011. Vocational Education Pedagogy and the Situated Practices

of Teaching Core Skills. In: CATTS, R., FALK, I, AND WALLACE R., eds, Vocational

Learning – Innovative Theory and Practice. London: Springer, pp. 179-190.

CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY, 2007. Time Well Spent: Embedding

Employability in Work Experience. London: Pearson.

CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY, 2012. Learning to Grow: What

Employers Need from Education and Skills – Education and Skills Survey 2012.

London: Pearson.

Selected ReferencesFETTES, T.. 2012, Generic skills. In: HUDDLESTON, P. AND STANLEY, J., eds,

Work-Related Teaching and Learning: A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners.

Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 116-132.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT, 2010, 2010-last update, Introducing Essential Skills:

Adding Value to Qualifications. [Online]. Available:

http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/SQA_ESSENTIAL_SKILLS_Leaflet.pdf [28/10,

2014].

TURNER, N. K., 2014. Development of Self-Belief for Employability in Higher

Education: Ability, Efficacy and Control in Context. Teaching in Higher

Education, 19(6), pp. 592-602.

YORKE, M. AND KNIGHT, P., 2007. Evidence-Informed Pedagogy and the

Enhancement of Student Employability. Teaching in Higher Education, 12(2),

pp. 157-170.

Documents

In what ways can the adoption of an integrated approach to ......Integrated Approach to Employability Skills Awareness • Enforcing the subject-specific links to employability. •