Using an industry-aligned capabilities framework to effectively assess student performance in non-accredited work-integrated learning contexts

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study recognises how Industry 4.0 is influencing labour market demands of graduating students and how ongoing discord between employers and educators regarding their preparation is driving work-integrated learning across the sector. Stakeholder involvement in capability development requires expected performance standards to benchmark students for learning and assessment purposes, especially in non-accredited contexts which lack defined standards of competency. Industry stakeholders were engaged to review, validate and extend an established capabilities framework to reflect mega-trends posed by contemporary work and to define dimensions of standardised assessment for the purpose of work-integrated learning. Findings highlighted the need for graduates that are digitally literate, resilient, adaptable, and able to collaborate and communicate with others from diverse backgrounds in virtual and face-to-face settings. The resultant framework provides specific, clear and measurable behaviours that reflect industry expectations of graduating students, translating to authentic assessment criteria for multi-stakeholder evaluation of student performance during work-integrated learning.