This document discusses embedding graduate attributes into university curriculums. It provides context for why graduate attributes are important for developing well-rounded graduates. The document outlines initiatives at Oxford Brookes University to map graduate attributes into programs, provide resources for staff, and evaluate staff and student engagement. It finds that working on graduate attributes helped staff think about program content and future employability. Evaluation found high student development in attributes like research literacy and critical thinking. Enablers included discipline contextualization, integration with QA processes, and focus on program teams.

1. Embedding
graduate
attributes
into the
curriculum
Rhona Sharpe
Oxford Brookes University@rjsharpe

2. Leading
lives of
consequence
Rhona Sharpe
Oxford Brookes University@rjsharpe
“There is more to life than
simply doing a job. The
graduates of our higher
education system will be more
than employees/employers,
they will also be future leaders
in our world and our
neighbours and so affects our
lives at all levels. What do we
want these people to be like?”
(Haigh & Clifford, 2010)

3. PESE projects

4. Why graduate attributes?
“Every undergraduate programme will include the
development of the five graduate attributes” (SESE)
• Graduate
Attributes
Roadshows
Awareness
raising
• Graduate
Attributes in
Action website
• Case studies
• Mapping tools
• Screencasts
Programme
mapping
• Programme
specification
• Mapping
document
• Narrative
Documentation

5. What do we know about how
lecturers design courses?
• Pragmatically, in response to changing
circumstances e.g. increasing class sizes
(Sharpe & Oliver, 2007).
• A social practice, governed by precedent
and habit (Blackmore & Kandiko, 2012)
• Within the constraints of practicalities
e.g. timetabling (Masterman, 2013)
• Visually (Masterman, 2013)
• Informed by general design principles
rather than learning theory (Sharpe &
Oliver, 2013)

6. Principles of CDIs
Working in
extended
teams
Visualising the
learner journey
Challenging designs
through peer review

7. The GAs mapping exercise
GAs development is:
• progressive
• integrative
• contextualised

8. Reaching all programme teams

9. The disciplinary differences between how graduate
attributes are expressed are in explaining the ways
and contexts in which elements of the attributes
are put to use, e.g. for critical self-awareness
• Undertake systematic critical self-reflection,
within the planning, teaching and assessment
cycle (Primary Teacher Education)
• An ability to critically evaluate performance
practice (their own and the work of others)
(Drama)
Evaluation Part 1
Staff Engagement

11. Teaching Practices Collection

12. Teaching Practices Collection
25 examples for academic literacy
24 critical self-awareness and
personal literacy
20 research literacy
11 digital literacy
8 global citizenship

13. Evaluation Part 2
Student Engagement
Postgraduate Taught Evaluation Survey asked
to what extent has the programme developed each
of the GAs?
86% for research literacy
84% for academic literacy
81% for critical self-awareness and personal literacy
71% for digital and information literacy
71% for global citizenship

14. Evaluation Part 2
Student Engagement
• How much has your coursework emphasised the
following mental activities?
• How often have you done each of the following?
• How much has your experience at this institution
contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal
development in these areas?

15. Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

16. Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

17. Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

18. What have we learnt?

19. “The teams felt that working on the
graduate attributes project had been
instrumental in helping to think about
programme content in terms of what
it offered to future employers.”
Periodic Review report for Department of Biological
and Molecular Sciences, 2012/13

20. “The teams felt that working on the
graduate attributes project had been
instrumental in helping to think about
programme content in terms of what
it offered to future employers.”
Periodic Review report for Department of Biological
and Molecular Sciences, 2012/13

21. “A challenging, relevant and
internationalised curriculum”
• Strategy for Enhancing the Student
Experience defined 5 Graduate Attributes2010/11
• Mapping exercise in programme teams
• Programme Specification documents revised2011/12
• Mapping extended to collaborative provisin
• Analysis of all new documentation
• Teaching Practices Collection
2012/13
• Development of GA engagement scale
• Training for Validation and Review Panels
• New training for Academic Advisors
2013/14
• Benefits Realisation Review
• Revised Strategy for Student Experience2014/15

22. Enablers
• Embedding within the
curriculum encourages
discipline specific
contextualisation
• Integration with QA
documentation and
processes
• Multiple initiatives
running over several
years
• Focus on programme
teams as the key
decision makers
• CDI process seems to
be transferable to
other initiatives and
institutions
• A careful, critical
approach to evaluation
which produces
useable outputs

23. References and resources
• Graduate Attributes in Action website.
https://wiki.brookes.ac.uk/display/GAA/Home
• Brookes Teaching Practices
Collectionhttp://teachingpractices.openbrookes.net/
• Graduate Attributes Interim Project Evaluation report
https://wiki.brookes.ac.uk/display/GAA/GAs+in+the+disciplines
• Blackmore, P. & Kandiko, C. (2012) Strategic Curriculum Change in
Universities: Global Trends. Routledge.
• Beetham, H. & Sharpe, (2013) Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital
Age. 2nd Edition. Routledge.
• Haigh, M. & Clifford, V. (2010) Widening the Graduate Attribute
debate: a higher education for global citizenship. Brookes eJournal
of Learning and Teaching. 2 (5)
• Sharpe R., O’Donovan, B. & Pavlakou, M. (2014) Using the
framework of engagement surveys to evaluate institutional student
enhancement initiatives, Surveys for Enhancement Conference,
Birmingham, 4 June 2014.