Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to explore Postgraduate Sport and Exercise Psychology students’ and their lecturer’s experiences of PBL, and, its role in developing their employability skills. A focus group was conducted with four students (Mage = 22.75 years, SD = 0.96 years; n female = 2) and a conversational interview was conducted with the lecturer (age = 37 years, teaching experience = 11 years). Inductive thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts was used as a basis for developing portrait and composite vignettes to illustrate their experiences. Their underpinning themes suggested that PBL was instrumental for developing key employability skills: team working, communication and interpersonal sensitivity; thinking critically, creatively and flexibly; for helping students translate academic knowledge into application in future employment contexts, and for increasing awareness that learning is a lifelong developmental process.
Highlights
Whilst not the only motive for attending University, numerous sources identify that one of the main reasons UK students embark on a university degree is to improve their job prospects (e.g. Bhadwa, 2017; Lowden, Hall, Elliot, & Lewin, 2011; Wells, 2011)
The Problem-based learning (PBL) sessions were delivered to 14 Level 7 students (Mage = 24.18 years, SD = 4.19 years) who were enrolled on an MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology Practicum module at a UK University
This study offers a unique insight into experiences of PBL within a postgraduate context, in particular, the role of PBL in developing employability skills in postgraduate students
Summary
Whilst not the only motive for attending University, numerous sources identify that one of the main reasons UK students embark on a university degree is to improve their job prospects (e.g. Bhadwa, 2017; Lowden, Hall, Elliot, & Lewin, 2011; Wells, 2011). Considering that approximately 25% of those with a postgraduate degree aged 21–30 years are in low-skilled jobs, unemployed or inactive (Department for Education, 2017), it seems essential to implement and evaluate teaching approaches, such as PBL, which might optimise postgraduates’ chances of gaining highskilled employment after university. These statistics are relevant (if not alarming) for students and providers of postgraduate programmes in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Both perspectives have received limited consideration and warrant further exploration
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