Student Perceptions of the Development of Personal Transferable Skills

Abstract

First year students, third year students and, possibly, their teachers agree that students are required to practise more skills than they receive credit for through assessment. First year students think that they are assessed on more skills than they are taught, but third year students believe the reverse. Third year students believe that they have been taught a greater number of skills than first year students and, possibly, more than their teachers think they have been taught. The differences between the third year and first year students include skills that must be developed by experiential learning-such as independent learning and problem solving skills. Amongst several explanations is the possibility that this, in part, is due to the two groups being at different stages in the experiential learning cycle. However, first year students may also not recognise such instruction unless it is overtly flagged. Staff and students agree that the development of skills 'that can be deployed in a wide variety of career-related situations' is an important outcome from a geographical education. Third year students rate skills in teamwork and public presentation as their most important learning outcomes as far as future career prospects are concerned.