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"A Road Map to Intregal Skills And Engagement"

 

In response to the growing demand for graduates with well-rounded skills, Western Kentucky University (WKU) has committed to enhancing the educational experience by ensuring our students gain the competencies they need to be successful after graduation. Our institution’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Toppers R.I.S.E., A Roadmap to Integral Skills and Engagement, aligns with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education state-wide project, The Kentucky Graduate Profile (KGP) and National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) vision for college graduates to exhibit career-focused outcomes each graduate should demonstrate as part of their college curriculum. By integrating these Transferable Skills into our general education curriculum, called the WKU Colonnade Program (The Colonnade) we empower students to excel in their chosen fields and contribute meaningfully to society. These skills are a set of career-focused learning outcomes each WKU student should demonstrate as part of their college curriculum upon graduation.

The 10 Transferable Skills and broad outcomes include:

1. Effective Communication: Graduates will master clear and professional communication, both written and verbal. They will learn to express ideas coherently and actively listen to
2. Critical Thinking and Creativity: Graduates will evaluate assumptions, analyze information, and generate innovative solutions. They’ll combine ideas in original ways to address complex issues.
3. Quantitative Reasoning: Graduates will apply data-driven approaches to solve numerical problems, making informed decisions.
4. Cultural Competence: Graduates will demonstrate an appreciation for diversity, interact effectively with people from various backgrounds and collaborate respectfully.
5. Adaptability and Leadership: Graduates will thrive in changing environments, lead others, and motivate teams toward common goals.
6. Professionalism: Graduates will adhere to ethical standards, act with integrity, manage time effectively, and demonstrate accountability.
7. Civic Engagement: Graduates will actively participate in political and social activities, contributing to positive societal change.
8. Collaboration: Graduates will have numerous opportunities to collaborate with colleagues, become effective team members, and manage conflict.
9. Applied and Integrated Learning: Graduates will be able to articulate and apply the theoretical content of their academic preparation with relevant knowledge and abilities transferable to their chosen career.
10. Informed Decision Making: Graduates will be able to identify, evaluate, and responsibly use information needed for decision making.

 

While WKU has taken steps to embed the 10 Transferable Skills across the Colonnade Program

(WKU’s general education program), ensuring graduates are able to communicate the skills they acquired to potential employers is critical. Colonnade faculty will receive training on preparing assignments using the Transparency in Learning and Teaching project (TILT), Systems Thinking, Design Thinking, and Futures Thinking along with Cosby’s (2014) Professionalism Competency Model (PCM) to incorporate skill-building activities into their courses and to communicate clear connections between what is being taught in the classroom and employability skills. Regular assessment will gauge student progress, and reflection opportunities will reinforce students’ ability to communicate their skill development. Toppers R.I.S.E. will facilitate cross-institutional collaboration among faculty, advisors, and career coaches sharing best practices and fostering innovation.

 

Expected Student Learning Outcomes

WKU graduates will be able to:

1. Orally communicate to potential employers their mastery of the Transferable Skills needed for success in the workplace.
2. Communicate to potential employers, in writing, their mastery of the Transferable Skills needed for success in the workplace.
3. Demonstrate the connection between college coursework and the skills needed for

 

Faculty Strategies

General education faculty will:

1. Identify the curricular alignment between their course content and the Transferable
2. Communicate the Transferable Skills covered in their Colonnade courses to
3. Employ the methods of the Transparency in Learning and Teaching model and Futures Thinking, helping students understand how and why they are learning course content.

 

Career and Advising Strategies

Advisors and career coaches will:

1. Communicate to students the Transferable Skills covered in their Colonnade courses during advising sessions.
2. Communicate to students the importance of including the Transferable Skills covered in their Colonnade courses in materials sent to/interactions with potential employers.