Gerry Rayner

In this podcast Liz Levin (Director of Undergraduate Programs) shares inspiring examples of assessment tasks that students can carry into their future lives. Her insights for rethinking assessments are centred around the questions: ‘What are we assessing? Why are we assessing? and How are we assessing

As participation in higher education widens with concomitant increases in the number and diversity of commencing students, so does the need for programs that will support their transition and retention. In response to this need, a growing awareness of the value of mentorship in Australian universities has resulted in the introduction of peer mentoring programs for students in many institutions. Mentorship, however, can take many different forms. This chapter reports on a model of academic (faculty) mentorship for commencing science students belonging to a range of defined disadvantaged groups. The program was initially funded by an internal grant, with voluntary participation by eligible students. At the end of the first semester, participants overwhelmingly endorsed the program as having enhanced their transition experience and improved their prospects for academic progress and retention. Despite reduced funding, the program was retained over two subsequent years with slight modifications based on student feedback, together with consideration of its most effective elements. The success of this academic mentorship program demonstrates the potential value of such approaches in the university retention and success of disadvantaged students.

There has been a drive towards enhancing the critical thinking (CT) skills development of students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, both in Australia and internationally. One debate among CT theorists centres on whether CT comprises a set of generalizable skills or is content- and context-dependent. While previous studies have considered CT skills development and its assessment in pharmacy courses, there appears to have been limited scholarly research within the pharmaceutical sciences discipline. In seeking to address this, it is vital to understand how companies conceptualize CT and its use by Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates. This research identifies five major categories used to conceptualize CT in the companies interviewed: being systematic, having strong business sense, considering multiple solutions, considering implications and identifying problems and potential solutions. The study finds that, while these skills are dependent on the business context, they may be generalizable across a range of industries.

Mentorship has a long history in a range of educational environments, and is now used widely in current undergraduate programs, often in the form of ‘peer’ mentorship programs. This paper explores the development, implementation and outcomes of an academic–student mentorship program aimed specifically at first year students from defined disadvantaged groups. Based on participant feedback and results, the program enhanced their transition experience and demonstrably improved their retention and progress. Despite the value, in terms of both economies of scale and the effects on student outcomes, of an appropriately structured, multidimensional academic mentorship program for such students, this form of mentorship appears to be considerably undervalued in higher education programs. A small initial investment in easing the transition and orientation to higher education has enormous potential to generate better learning outcomes and longer term student retention in tertiary education. Background and rationale for the program As participation in higher education increases worldwide (Altbach, 2010), the need for programs that support the transition and retention of students from defined disadvantaged groups becomes more critical (Cuseo, 2005). In an Australian context, this requirement has received particular urgency given the Australian Government’s recent endorsement of the Bradley Review’s (2008) recommendation to considerably increase the participation of students from low socio-economic status (SES) in higher education. A comprehensive body of research into academic success indicates that such students, as well as those with a disability or with poor levels of English proficiency, are considerably more likely than fellow students to become disenfranchised from their studies (Nelson, Kift, Humphreys & Harper, 2006; James, Baldwin, Coates, Krause & McInnes, 2004; O’Dowd 1996). Establishing effective and suitable mentorship is thus an important element of the targeted support required to increase the likelihood of such students completing their studies (Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System, 2009). Over the last decade, a growing awareness of the value of mentorship in Australian universities has resulted in the introduction of a range of peer mentoring programs across many institutions (Weisz & Kemlo 2004; Heirdsfield, Walker & Walsh, 2008). Popular contemporary mentorship models generally conform to one of two types: (i) broad-scale campus orientation programs (e.g. student buddy systems); or (ii) unit focused peer-assisted course-work tuition, commonly implemented as peer-assisted study sessions (PASS) or peerassisted learning (PAL) programs. Considerable research supports the capacity of upper undergraduate mentors to enhance the discipline learning of commencing students (Topping 1996). However, such mentors are unlikely to have the life experience and emotional maturity, and thus may perhaps lack the skills or patience required to deal effectively with

Despite the rapid proliferation of literature exploring student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, little has been published about its impacts on business undergraduates during the pivots to remote teaching and learning. There is a particular lack of insight and guidance for business schools to optimise program delivery post-COVID or for similar future disruptions. This case study explored the learning experiences of undergraduate business students during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing insights from an Australian university located in the state of Victoria, one of the ‘most locked down places in the world’. Thematic analysis identified the following emergent themes: (1) Mixed student experiences and perceptions of online learning upon transitioning into lockdown/emergency remote teaching/learning; (2) Limited connections and interactions amongst student-student(s) and student-lecturer/tutor; (3) Perceived ineffective online teaching delivery; (4) Positive aspects of emergency remote learning; (5) Adequacy of support for learning during lockdowns; (6) Preferences for post-COVID-19 learning. The outcomes provide proactive signposts for university educators wishing to improve student engagement and learning, and delivery of business undergraduate programs for a post-COVID world as well as future pandemic and similar disruption settings.

Job advertisements collected over the entire financial year 2016-2017 in Australia from an online job board (approx. 1.9 million job advertisements).Job advertisements have been cleaned, details extracted and listed consistently within each file, and long-form advertisement text is still retained.<br>

Undergraduate students lacking prior learning in a particular discipline area often struggle with subject content and in particular with complex processes or the application of concepts. Consequently, such students may not engage as fully with their learning as students with prior learning. This paper describes the implementation, into a first year biology subject, of a ‘Socratic ’ online learning and assessment tool, MasteringBiology®, to ameliorate the learning discord for students without prior learning in biology. There were a number of very positive outcomes to the implementation, including significantly higher grades on routine assessments for students completing MasteringBiology, both within and between years, and higher final exam grades. Further, in spite of the increased workload, a high proportion of students engaged with the process of integrating prescribed textbook readings together with pre-lecture, online, formative assessment. Additionally, a high proportion of stud...

Graduate employability is an important issue for higher education as the global financial crisis has led to a significant decline in the employment prospects of new graduates over the past few years. This issue is additionally important due to the reported dissatisfaction of many employers with graduates’ ability to contribute effectively to the workplace. The Graduate Employability for Monash Science (GEMS) Project seeks to address these problems by exploring the skills needs of recent science graduates and their employers and, importantly, designing interventions that will inculcate such skills and attributes into undergraduate students via the curricula. This paper presents some initial results from the investigation of recent science graduates’ and employers’ views of employability skills needs. More specifically, this paper will discuss: (a) whether there is a mismatch between the knowledge and skills developed through undergraduate study and those actually required in post-gra...

In a recent paper, we reported on the skills needs for graduate employability, as identified from surveys of employers and recent science graduates. In this paper, we report on the outcomes of an intervention designed to address students’ skills needs and analyse if it had any impact on their notions of employability. The intervention, conducted as a day-long workshop, was delivered to three groups of third- and fourth-year science students. We used quantitative data to track possible differences in students’ self-perceptions of their employability following participation in the intervention. In addition, qualitative data, collected through students’ reflective notes, provided insights into how they perceived the value of the intervention in improving their self-perceived employability. Both data types indicate a positive impact of this type of intervention on students’ perceptions of their employability and related underpinning skills. Our findings call for a broader integration an...

The formation of the Australian national secondary curriculum allows for a unique opportunity to simultaneously review and potentially reform the way students are taught within Australian universities. Integrated reforms leading to the alignment of school and tertiary education systems have the potential to improve opportunities for success in higher education among both traditional and non-traditional students. The primary aim of this project was to align the proposed national secondary school biology curriculum against the first year tertiary biology curriculum, in order to identify gaps and to assist in a more seamless transition through building on previous student learning and skills acquisition. This project also aims to identify the teaching approaches that lead to the aspirational skills currently considered to be crucial learning outcomes for senior secondary biology, in order to further develop skills required for 21st century scientifically literate citizens at the university level.

It would be unwise to think that implementation of the national secondary school biology curriculum will not affect what universities teach. Educators will face challenges but there is also a unique opportunity for a simultaneous curriculum reform at the tertiary level. ...

Science undergraduates’ timely degree completion (TDC) has become increasingly important for students themselves, universities, and society, due to issues such as cost, efficiency, and productivity, respectively. This study investigated the potential effect of several variables on TDC of Bachelor of Science (BSc) students at an Australian research-intensive university. Results showed that two time-dependent variables (TDVs)—gender and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)—predicted TDC. Two time-independent variables (TIVs)—the number of discipline majors and specific year level academic achievement—also predicted TDC. Students who completed on time had a significantly higher mean weighted average mark (WAM) than non-TDC students, for each year of study, and more females than males completed their BSc in a timely manner. The primary determinants of TDC were gender, number of discipline majors, and WAM at each of years 2 and 3. Our conceptual model of TDC indicates the predictive...

During a period of massive upheaval to the higher education sector, the traditional academic role has undergone considerable change. One element of these changes has been the broad introduction of Education-Focused (EF) or equivalent academic positions, which focus on educational excellence, with a requirement for high quality teaching and associated scholarly research. This paper reports on the reflections of a group of bioscience academics as they transitioned from a traditional teaching and research position to an EF academic position at a research-intensive Australian university. Through analysis of written narratives, the insights of these academics, including their concerns and potential opportunities, were explored. Given the global trend toward EF and similar positions, this study provides valuable insights into the evolving nature of academic identity, and in particular the role of EF academics in enhancing curricula and in providing educational leadership. Additionally, th...

Undergraduate students lacking prior learning in a particular discipline area often struggle with subject content and in particular with complex processes or the application of concepts. Consequently, such students may not engage as fully with their learning as students with prior learning. This paper describes the implementation, into a first year biology subject, of a ‘Socratic’ online learning and assessment tool, MasteringBiology®, to ameliorate the learning discord for students without prior learning in biology. There were a number of very positive outcomes to the implementation, including significantly higher grades on routine assessments for students completing MasteringBiology®, both within and between years, and higher final exam grades. Further, in spite of the increased workload, a high proportion of students engaged with the process of integrating prescribed textbook readings together with pre-lecture, online, formative assessment. Additionally, a high proportion of stud...

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) promotes improved skills across a variety of disciplines, and may enhance students’ understanding of conceptually difficult ideas. The effect of group size in promoting learning of such concepts, either in quantitative or qualitative terms, is also an area of interest. This study aimed to investigate the comparative value that foundation biology students placed on paired versus quad PAL activities, and both their perceived and actual understanding of plant and animal evolution, following such activities. The activities were structured and scaffolded over a four week period, with paired groups (dyads) merging into quads, and with students being surveyed over that period. Students reported that discussions with their lab partners helped improve their understanding of plant and animal evolution, and the majority valued quad over dyad PAL. Additionally, the PAL intervention had a positive impact on students’ examination results, compared to the previous year...

Background and context: Employers have long criticised the ability of graduates to contribute effectively to the workplace. The skills cited by employers as being lacking in recent graduates (e.g., problem solving, numeracy, communication, team working and leadership skills and commercial awareness) are often referred to as generic skills. Most academics would argue that development of these skills is embedded within university degree programmes. This suggests a mismatch between what universities perceive they are providing to students and what employers see graduates as the product. Purpose: This research aims to explore what the skills needs of recent graduates and their employers are and investigate how these can best be inculcated into the Monash undergraduate science study programmes. This paper discusses how we approach to achieve these aims with a particular focus on research designing along with presenting some initial analysis of the data collected so far. Participants: Sec...

A science education is an important element of a literate, advanced and modern society, and the teaching of science is mandatory through to mid-secondary schooling. Despite this, and notwithstanding the range of skills and capabilities provided by a science degree, a straight bachelor’s degree (BSc) does not guarantee a science-related career. In fact, recent evidence indicates that only a moderate proportion of BSc graduates obtain science-related employment immediately upon leaving university. Reasons for this include the general nature of a science degree and the diversity of jobs possible for such graduates. A considerable gap in the literature pertaining to science graduate employability is the lack of employer perspectives on the comparative value of various tertiary qualifications (e.g. BSc, Masters, PhD). Insight into such perspectives, and the linking of this to the skill sets provided by different qualifications, may provide a basis to better inform students about their st...

Critical thinking (CT) is a highly valued skill, based on feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, and thus academics have long sought to embed CT into undergraduate curricula. In this study, we investigated foundation biology students’ self-efficacy of their CT skills (including three CT sub-elements), and whether such self-efficacies changed over a year of study. We also assessed students’ actual CT ability, and whether there were differences in self-efficacy and actual ability between male and female students. While students’ self-efficacy of their overall CT ability increased over the course of the year, this value was significantly lower than each of the CT sub-element efficacies, at both commencement and completion of the study. Conversely, students’ actual CT skills did not change over the year, although females scored higher than males in the one of the two units of study. We conclude that (i) there is a disconnect between our students’ self-efficacy of, and actual, CT ab...

Student engagement at university is significantly influenced by sense of belonging. In 2013, our university developed a novel extra-curricular program designed to foster a sense of belonging in students who commute to university – the Monash Non-Residential Colleges (NRC) program. This study examines whether participation in the Monash NRC program changed students’ perceptions about their university experience and their sense of belonging to the university community. We show that our NRC program appears to be effective in fostering a more positive university experience for students when compared with non-NRC students. Additionally, we demonstrate that our NRC program influenced students’ sense of belonging through increased interaction with peers and staff as well as greater reported attendance on campus.

We studied the effect grade aspiration, confidence in achieving that grade, prior learning and university entrance ranking had on first year biology students’ final grade. We hypothesised that (1) students with higher aspiration will achieve higher grades than those with lower aspiration; (2) students with prior biology learning will have a higher grade aspiration and a higher confidence of achieving that aspiration than those without such learning; (3) university entrance rank will impact students’ final grade; and (4) students with prior biology learning will achieve a higher final grade than those without such study. We found that Hypotheses 3 and 4 were supported, Hypothesis 2 was partially supported, and that Hypothesis 1 was unsupported. If these results reflect broader patterns - that undergraduate student grade aspiration is not a predictor of their subsequent final grade - then targeted information and curricula scaffolding must be provided to better align student aspiratio...

Graduate employability has become increasingly contentious as employers call for greater development, evaluation and benchmarking of student skills and capabilities in university courses. However, the increasing range of graduate attributes and competencies demanded by industry is further pressuring an Australian higher education sector already stretched by greater student numbers and declines in government funding. Given these circumstances, there is a need to better understand employer perspectives of the current and future value of vocational, interpersonal and generic attributes of STEM graduates. A survey of STEM graduate employers showed that vocational skills, such as graduates' abilities to contextually apply and develop knowledge, together with generic skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, were valued most highly. Conversely, self-confidence and independence, along with numeracy and related skills, were valued least by the employers. However, attributes ...

Technological advancements are rapidly changing the way students use and interact with educational materials. Students are now able to progress in their education by utilising a range of electronic devices that make the process more interactive, flexible and mobile. In the USA, a national study of student use of technology found that students are drawn to and recognise the benefits of technologies and prefer classes with online components (ECAR 2011). In Australia, the Digital Education Advisory Group (2012) forecast that due to the rapid uptake of smart devices by students, teaching and learning settings are moving to a 'bring your own device' environment, where the choice of technology is paramount.