Style or substance: how Australian universities contextualise their graduate attributes for the curriculum quality space

Hammer, Sara and Ayriss, Peter and McCubbin, Amanda (2021) Style or substance: how Australian universities contextualise their graduate attributes for the curriculum quality space. Higher Education Research and Development, 40 (3). pp. 508-523. ISSN 0729-4360

Text (Accepted Version) Hammer_HERD_GAs_Final20.pdf Restricted - Available after 13 December 2021.

Abstract

Graduate attributes are now a fixture in higher education. They are perceived as statements of desirable graduate learning outcomes, yet this space is becoming increasingly crowded. In this study, we examine how universities contextualise their graduate attributes statements for the curriculum quality space. We analysed the way Australian universities represent the aims and function of their graduate attributes statements on publicly available web pages, in policies and in documents. Identified themes included the way graduate attributes were conceptualised and framed, their location, and how their integration with strategic internal documents and relevant external, sector quality standards was represented. Based on our findings, we make three recommendations. First, that universities critically examine their statements to ensure there is alignment with strategic institutional and sector aims and outcomes. Second, that they develop detailed policy implementation plans to contextualise and integrate them with key strategic, policy, and regulatory documents. Third, that universities develop a standards framework to articulate the relationship between their graduate attributes, other desired graduate learning outcomes, and relevant sector standards.

Statistics for this ePrint Item

Item Type:	Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C)
Refereed:	Yes
Item Status:	Live Archive
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:	Current - Academic Division - Office for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (1 Jan 2018 -)
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:	Current - Academic Division - Office for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (1 Jan 2018 -)
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2020 03:51
Last Modified:	22 Apr 2021 03:38
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Graduate attributes; integration; curriculum; quality; universities
Fields of Research (2008):	13 Education > 1301 Education Systems > 130103 Higher Education
Fields of Research (2020):	39 EDUCATION > 3903 Education systems > 390303 Higher education
Socio-Economic Objectives (2008):	C Society > 93 Education and Training > 9305 Education and Training Systems > 930501 Education and Training Systems Policies and Development
Socio-Economic Objectives (2020):	16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1699 Other education and training > 169999 Other education and training not elsewhere classified
Identification Number or DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1761304
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/39643

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