Academic Council Resolution 42/00
17 May 2000
6012. Generic Attributes of Graduates
The meeting considered the report of the working party on the generic
attributes of a Murdoch graduate. Professor Izan, who chaired the working
party, introduced its report. She emphasised that the University should
not let go to waste the good work of the 1998 Innes Working Group, which
had developed a list of generic attributes which Council later had circulated
to all programme committees for comment. The report suggested a way to
ensure that Murdoch graduates have acquired the desired attributes; each
programme would be designed to deliver the attributes as outcomes. This
would be achieved by mapping units onto the attributes. This approach
had been trialled by five programmes. The working party was conscious
that its proposals had workload implications, and for that reason had
recommended that next year's Priority Teaching Development Grants
focus on the development of generic attributes. Prof Izan thanked the
staff of the Teaching and Learning Centre for their assistance with the
report.
The meeting was supportive of the report, with the Acting Vice Chancellor
congratulating the working party. Several suggestions were made: that
the proposed mapping matrix be conducted at the unit level, avoiding replication
of work by different programmes
using the same unit; the proposal form for new programmes require a map
of how the programme would incorporate the generic skills; generic skills
be on-going throughout the degree, not side-lined to a single or few units
within a programme; mapping
concentrate on required units, to reduce the workload, though it could
later be extended to other units; programme descriptions include information
on generic skills; and the external studies review should look at how
to test (and funding implications) computer skills among external students.
Some members had reservations about limiting the mapping to required units,
as some students may instead obtain the skills in an elective unit, and
the general studies programme has no required units. Another member was
unconvinced that the paper mapping would reflect the reality of what is
actually happening in the units. A member expressed concern about some
of the language used in the report, e.g. "ensuring all students acquire
the attributes", when successful achievement of these attributes
was not a requirement of passing the unit. The President and Assoc Prof
Marshall drew attention to the positive outcome the mapping is likely
to have on the quality of the education we deliver. Some minor amendments
were made to recommendation 2. [Note: Subsequently recommendations 4 and
6 have been redrafted for clarification. The issue of General Studies
will be addressed during the mapping exercise.]
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Resolved:
42/00 |
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(a)
to adopt the following set of 7 generic attributes of graduates, and
to RECOMMEND that Senate adopt them: |
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Analysis
and Problem Solving |
Ability
to think clearly, critically and creatively
when solving problems to fuse experience, reason and
training into considered judgment. |
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Communication
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To
demonstrate oral, aural, and writing skills of a high level, including
the ability to use electronic media and computers for report writing
and presentations. |
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Global Perspectives |
Ability
to understand and respect the social,
biological, cultural and economic interdependence of global life. |
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Indepth Professional Knowledge |
Use
and maintain knowledge about a discipline, in terms of theoretical,
conceptual and methodological elements, striving continually and independently
to secure further knowledge and understanding with
appropriate ethical standards, and where
appropriate, defined professional skills. |
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Interdisciplinarity |
To
be aware of the interconnectedness of human knowledge and acquire
knowledge and understanding of fields of study beyond a single discipline. |
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Social
Interaction |
A
capacity for and understanding of teamwork, including the demands
of tolerance and mutual respect for others, resolving conflict and
the negotiation of
outcomes. |
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Social
Justice |
An
acknowledgement of and respect for equality of opportunity, social
justice and social responsibility of the individual and the community,
in the light of awareness of one's own values and the values
of others and the differences that exist. |
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(b)
to RECOMMEND to the Vice Chancellor that the generic attributes be
promoted as a goal of the University in all formal publications (University
Handbook, Prospectus, website); |
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(c)
to adopt a preferred approach for mapping programmes to the generic
attributes which requires that the following information be recorded
for each attribute (as illustrated in Attachment 1 to the Council
agenda); initially a list of all Part I and Part II required units
against a particular attribute including, for each unit, the objectives,
content/learning activities and assessment relevant to the attribute;
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(d)
that Divisions complete the above mapping for all programmes by the
end of 2001; |
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(e)
that by May 2001 each Division develop a plan on how it will address
the issues of multiple pathways and appropriate standards to be applied,
and report this to Council. |
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(f)
to RECOMMEND to the Vice Chancellor that the development of generic
attributes be the focus of the Priority Teaching Development Grants
for 2001; |
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g)
to request the Teaching and Learning Centre, through the Pro Vice
Chancellor (Academic), to examine existing teaching and assessment
practices with respect to generic skills, to identify good practice
and
develop opportunities for staff to adopt these practices - through
providing templates for teaching and assessment activities, as well
as offering staff development activities specifically focused on integrating
generic attributes in curriculum. |
Taken from:
http://wwwadmin.murdoch.edu.au/admin/cttees/ac/2000/may/mins/170500mins.html
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