Student success at college is not just achieving high grades The National Forum for Teaching and Learning defines student success as the process by which students fulfil their potential and flourish at college and in society. This is a broader activity than simply achieving high grades. Psychosocial competencies are core to the definition of student success: these are the ‘soft skills’ or ‘non-cognitive skills’ that enable students to cope well with learning challenges, engage deeply in learning, and develop their identities as learners and as active citizens. Transitions are a key issue within this priority area, with transitions such as the move from school to college presenting both challenges and opportunities for students.
Initiative
Partners in Employability: A student-staff collaboration to develop an award to recognise the skills developed by active student engagement.
About this initiative
Students contribute significantly to the life of Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), particularly in roles such as class representatives, student ambassadors, clubs and societies officers. While these contributions have the potential to enhance employability considerably, there are no structures currently in place to support students to evidence the skills developed in the course of these activities and link them to their disciplinary knowledge. In this project, students and staff are working in partnership to develop an academic award and associated digital badges, that recognise these skills. This will help students to demonstrate the employability skills they have acquired. Student interns are working with staff to develop the award and resources to support it. This includes developing a process to record engagement activity. We need structures and processes to help us to develop our capacity to work in partnership with students. It is envisaged that this will provide a framework to promote further student engagement.
Lead organisations
Affiliated organisations
Linked open educational resources
Initiative details
Funding programmes Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2014-18
Themes Student Success
Award year
2018Project lead
Contributors
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