Embedding Career Education in the Geography Curriculum

Kate Colechin & Glen Crust

The University of Plymouth

Content

• Career education in the geography curriculum• Employability & career management• Embedding in the curriculum

– What happens– Why it happens– Who does it– Innovation

Career Education in the Geography Curriculum

University experience

Geography curriculum

Career education

Night out with housemates on North Hill:discuss in pairs how you developed…

• Team working – Supportive, organised, co-ordinator, deliverer

• Interpersonal skills – Listener, adviser, co-operative, assertive

• Oral communication – Communicator, presenter, influencer

• Leadership – Motivator, energetic, visionary

• Customer orientation – Friendly, caring, diplomatic

• Foreign languages

Canoe Club

• Sales & public speaking at Fresher’s Fair• Rapport building with strangers

– All sorts of people & personalities– From various nations & walks of life

• Organising promotional materials– Quality management

• Committee working• Looking after yourself

– Getting out of the city, a break from the slog• Resilience: forces you to do things when you’re

tired

The Geography Curriculum in Career Education

Career education

University experience

Geography curriculum

Unexamined “Employment”

Graduates employing their rapport -building, planning & negotiation skills

Graduates employing their organisation, problem solving & drive for results

Graduates employing their teamworking & coaching skills

What we mean by employability

• The student’s motivation, skills & experience • To add value in

– Their choice of paid work &– Their broader roles, for example in their

• Family life• Social life• Community life

The Big Picture• Stage 1: PDP

• Stage 2: – PDP– Work Based Learning module– Geography & Employability module

• Placement year– Growing proportion year on year– University-wide resources

• Final year– Geography & Careers module– PDP

UoP Geography & National Landscape

9

4

21

3

9

3

32

8

15

4

106

13

1

1

6

1

7

3

8

3

3

19

9

58

145

33

25

6

4

9

3

17

8

14

4

20

67

22

24

35

34

27

2

2

1

20

15

20

21

37

14

27

86

31

49

57

6

24

95

46

381

8

89

49

86

59

88

29

88

149

58

43

104

16

17

14

2

5

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

School of Mathematics & Statistics

School of Psychology

School of Humanities

School of Biological Sciences

School of Art & Performance

School of Law and Social Science

School of Media & Photography

School of Earth, Ocean & Environmental Sciences

Plymouth Business School

School of Geography

School of Computing, Communications & Electronics

School of Education

School of Architecture & Design

School of Engineering

Social Work & Primary Care

Health Professions

School of Nursing and Community Studies

Traditional Modern New Niche Non-graduate

UoP Geography & Institutional Landscape

Career Management:The Icing on the Cake

What we mean by career management

DOTS model• Self-awareness

– E.g. MBTI, values, strengths, preferences

• Opportunity awareness– E.g. graduate employment, SU clubs

• Decision making– E.g. matching self with opportunity, planning

• Transition learning– E.g. networking, written applications, interviews

or SODiT model

Great icing, terrible cake

Well-written job application

Little evidence of achievement during

university experience

Great cake, terrible icing

Plenty of evidence of achievement throughout

university experience

Badly written job applications, inappropriate vocational choice

More Attractive to Employers?

Graduates from your programme• More capable• More experienced• Less appropriate vocational choices• Look mediocre on paper

Graduates from competitor HEIs• Less capable• Less experienced• More appropriate vocational choices• Look great on paper

Recipe for Graduate Level Work

• Delicious cake– The degree

• Fruits, nuts, spices– SU clubs & societies

– Work-based learning• Part-time term time

• Vacation

• Voluntary

• Industry placement

• Icing & candles– Career management

Baking the cake in the curriculum

GGX3103 Geography & Careers

• What happens

• Why it happens

• Who does it

• Innovation

The Team Brian

Kate

Glen

Jane

EmployersAcademic colleagues

Students

Employer involvement

Employer Involvement

• Transition skill– Enterprise Rent-a-Car assessment centres– PricewaterhouseCoopers – Travel & gap years

• Sector briefings– Town planning: Plymouth City Council– Local government: West Somerset District Council– SMEs, e.g. Kitley House Hotel– Teaching & school management– Alternative lifestyles, e.g. Keveral Farm– Volunteering & international development, e.g. VSO, COPA– Corporate management e.g . Parcel Force, Acheson Colloids

Student Participation

• Module design: what do you want?• Student presentations

– e.g. travel & international development

• Coursework• Module evaluation• Feedback from 1:1 interviews• Last year’s graduates: this year’s speakers

Reflective Research-Led Teaching

• Students expectations & graduate experience• Career management self-audit• Myers Briggs Type Indicator• Peer-assessment

Principle: Entertaining

Holding the students into the experience

• entre- "among" (from Latin inter)

• tenir "to hold" (from Latin tenere)

Attractive “Plan B”Test pilot

Satisfactory “Plan C”Air cargo pilot

Safety netCareers adviser

Dream jobAstronaut

Safe Entry to the Graduate Labour Market: Contingency Planning

How

muc

h yo

u w

ant i

t

How likely you are to get it

“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead.

We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces.”

Sigmund Freud

Principle: Challenging & reality testing

Where am I now?

Where do I want to be?

How do I get there?

Implementing my plans

Improving my plans

Career Management Self-Audit

Myers Briggs Type Indicator

Describes you in terms of four preferences• Where you prefer to get and focus your

energy and attention• The kind of information you prefer to

gather and trust• The process you prefer to use in coming to

decisions• How you prefer to deal with the world

around you: your lifestyle

Myers Briggs Type Indicator

Describes you in terms of four preferences• Where you prefer to get and focus your

energy and attention• The kind of information you prefer to

gather and trust• The process you prefer to use in coming to

decisions• How you prefer to deal with the world

around you: your lifestyle

Which lifestyle do you prefer?

Judging Perceiving

Which lifestyle do you prefer?

JudgingYou prefer to• Get things decided• Schedule & organiseYou enjoy• Decision making• PlanningYou dislike• Working under time

pressureYou trust experience

PerceivingYou prefer to• Keep options open• Be spontaneous &

adaptableYou enjoy• The process• No decision before its

timeYou’re energised by• Last minute time pressureYou trust inspiration

How do you prefer to approach a coursework deadline?

Judging Perceiving

Start Deadline Start Deadline

Your Preferences

Please tick one of these five options

JVery sure

Quite Sure

Not sure

Quite sure

Very sure P

JPSeparate students

in the lecturetheatre

How About Working Together?

October 2007

Application deadline

June2008

J preference: deadlines

P preference: alternatives

Student Peers Assessment Assessor bias = peer assessed score – self assessed score

Peer score = 16Self score = 12

Bias = +6

Peer score = 6Self score = 11

Bias = -5

Credit Bearing Assessment

• Recruitment & selection simulation– 6 job descriptions– Application form– Interview– Academic assessment & competition

• Academic assessment– Choice of 2 essays

• One more reflective• One more academic

Application Rank Interview Rank Mean Competition Baldric 56 7 74 1 65 Not shortlisted Edwina 68 1 61 7 64.5 Beaten at interview Xerxes 60 2 62 6 61 Offered the job Celia 54 12 67 5 60.5 Not shortlisted Quentin 49 14 70 2 59.5 Not shortlisted Victor 46 16 70 2 58 Not shortlisted Ulrika 60 2 51 13 55.5 Beaten at interview Norbert 55 10 55 12 55 Not shortlisted Wilomena 36 23 69 4 52.5 Not shortlisted Anne 59 4 44 16 51.5 Beaten at interview Kathryn 44 17 58 10 51 Not shortlisted Liam 59 4 43 18 51 Beaten at interview Georgia 56 7 44 16 50 Not shortlisted Ophelia 43 18 57 11 50 Not shortlisted Imogene 58 6 37 21 47.5 Beaten at interview Derek 33 24 60 9 46.5 Not shortlisted Harold 32 25 61 7 46.5 Not shortlisted Jeremy 52 13 40 20 46 Not shortlisted Frederick 42 20 49 14 45.5 Not shortlisted Tamsin 43 18 48 15 45.5 Not shortlisted Yvonne 56 7 35 22 45.5 Not shortlisted Percy 55 10 30 26 42.5 Not shortlisted Stephen 42 20 42 19 42 Not shortlisted Zebedee 47 15 34 24 40.5 Not shortlisted Rachael 38 22 32 25 35 Not shortlisted Margaret 30 26 35 22 32.5 Not shortlisted

Application Rank Interview Rank Mean Competition Baldric 56 7 74 1 65 Not shortlisted Edwina 68 1 61 7 64.5 Beaten at interview Xerxes 60 2 62 6 61 Offered the job Celia 54 12 67 5 60.5 Not shortlisted Quentin 49 14 70 2 59.5 Not shortlisted Victor 46 16 70 2 58 Not shortlisted Ulrika 60 2 51 13 55.5 Beaten at interview Norbert 55 10 55 12 55 Not shortlisted Wilomena 36 23 69 4 52.5 Not shortlisted Anne 59 4 44 16 51.5 Beaten at interview Kathryn 44 17 58 10 51 Not shortlisted Liam 59 4 43 18 51 Beaten at interview Georgia 56 7 44 16 50 Not shortlisted Ophelia 43 18 57 11 50 Not shortlisted Imogene 58 6 37 21 47.5 Beaten at interview Derek 33 24 60 9 46.5 Not shortlisted Harold 32 25 61 7 46.5 Not shortlisted Jeremy 52 13 40 20 46 Not shortlisted Frederick 42 20 49 14 45.5 Not shortlisted Tamsin 43 18 48 15 45.5 Not shortlisted Yvonne 56 7 35 22 45.5 Not shortlisted Percy 55 10 30 26 42.5 Not shortlisted Stephen 42 20 42 19 42 Not shortlisted Zebedee 47 15 34 24 40.5 Not shortlisted Rachael 38 22 32 25 35 Not shortlisted Margaret 30 26 35 22 32.5 Not shortlisted

Application Rank Interview Rank Mean Competition Baldric 56 7 74 1 65 Not shortlisted Edwina 68 1 61 7 64.5 Beaten at interview Xerxes 60 2 62 6 61 Offered the job Celia 54 12 67 5 60.5 Not shortlisted Quentin 49 14 70 2 59.5 Not shortlisted Victor 46 16 70 2 58 Not shortlisted Ulrika 60 2 51 13 55.5 Beaten at interview Norbert 55 10 55 12 55 Not shortlisted Wilomena 36 23 69 4 52.5 Not shortlisted Anne 59 4 44 16 51.5 Beaten at interview Kathryn 44 17 58 10 51 Not shortlisted Liam 59 4 43 18 51 Beaten at interview Georgia 56 7 44 16 50 Not shortlisted Ophelia 43 18 57 11 50 Not shortlisted Imogene 58 6 37 21 47.5 Beaten at interview Derek 33 24 60 9 46.5 Not shortlisted Harold 32 25 61 7 46.5 Not shortlisted Jeremy 52 13 40 20 46 Not shortlisted Frederick 42 20 49 14 45.5 Not shortlisted Tamsin 43 18 48 15 45.5 Not shortlisted Yvonne 56 7 35 22 45.5 Not shortlisted Percy 55 10 30 26 42.5 Not shortlisted Stephen 42 20 42 19 42 Not shortlisted Zebedee 47 15 34 24 40.5 Not shortlisted Rachael 38 22 32 25 35 Not shortlisted Margaret 30 26 35 22 32.5 Not shortlisted

Application Rank Interview Rank Mean Competition Baldric 56 7 74 1 65 Not shortlisted Edwina 68 1 61 7 64.5 Beaten at interview Xerxes 60 2 62 6 61 Offered the job Celia 54 12 67 5 60.5 Not shortlisted Quentin 49 14 70 2 59.5 Not shortlisted Victor 46 16 70 2 58 Not shortlisted Ulrika 60 2 51 13 55.5 Beaten at interview Norbert 55 10 55 12 55 Not shortlisted Wilomena 36 23 69 4 52.5 Not shortlisted Anne 59 4 44 16 51.5 Beaten at interview Kathryn 44 17 58 10 51 Not shortlisted Liam 59 4 43 18 51 Beaten at interview Georgia 56 7 44 16 50 Not shortlisted Ophelia 43 18 57 11 50 Not shortlisted Imogene 58 6 37 21 47.5 Beaten at interview Derek 33 24 60 9 46.5 Not shortlisted Harold 32 25 61 7 46.5 Not shortlisted Jeremy 52 13 40 20 46 Not shortlisted Frederick 42 20 49 14 45.5 Not shortlisted Tamsin 43 18 48 15 45.5 Not shortlisted Yvonne 56 7 35 22 45.5 Not shortlisted Percy 55 10 30 26 42.5 Not shortlisted Stephen 42 20 42 19 42 Not shortlisted Zebedee 47 15 34 24 40.5 Not shortlisted Rachael 38 22 32 25 35 Not shortlisted Margaret 30 26 35 22 32.5 Not shortlisted

Application Rank Interview Rank Mean Competition Baldric 56 7 74 1 65 Not shortlisted Edwina 68 1 61 7 64.5 Beaten at interview Xerxes 60 2 62 6 61 Offered the job Celia 54 12 67 5 60.5 Not shortlisted Quentin 49 14 70 2 59.5 Not shortlisted Victor 46 16 70 2 58 Not shortlisted Ulrika 60 2 51 13 55.5 Beaten at interview Norbert 55 10 55 12 55 Not shortlisted Wilomena 36 23 69 4 52.5 Not shortlisted Anne 59 4 44 16 51.5 Beaten at interview Kathryn 44 17 58 10 51 Not shortlisted Liam 59 4 43 18 51 Beaten at interview Georgia 56 7 44 16 50 Not shortlisted Ophelia 43 18 57 11 50 Not shortlisted Imogene 58 6 37 21 47.5 Beaten at interview Derek 33 24 60 9 46.5 Not shortlisted Harold 32 25 61 7 46.5 Not shortlisted Jeremy 52 13 40 20 46 Not shortlisted Frederick 42 20 49 14 45.5 Not shortlisted Tamsin 43 18 48 15 45.5 Not shortlisted Yvonne 56 7 35 22 45.5 Not shortlisted Percy 55 10 30 26 42.5 Not shortlisted Stephen 42 20 42 19 42 Not shortlisted Zebedee 47 15 34 24 40.5 Not shortlisted Rachael 38 22 32 25 35 Not shortlisted Margaret 30 26 35 22 32.5 Not shortlisted

Experimentation & Innovation

Electronic reading list since 2003

• Shallow end: entertain & engage

• Deep end: educate

Economics

Economics is the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses

Lionel Robbins

British economist 1898 -1984

Educational cakenomics

Educational cakenomics is a science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between pedagogic ends and cakes which have alternative uses.

after Lionel Robbins

British economist 1898 -1984

Applied Cakenomics

• Cake-powered continual improvement– Reflection & discussion

• How did that go? How can it be better? – At the end of a lecture / workshop

– At the end of the year

– With the students

– Colleagues own their work: thank you Brian– Long-term planning: cakey meetings scheduled across months

• Winning recipe– Change of personnel: thank you Mandy Burns– Structural continuity– Regular minor adjustments– Organise our way out of hard work: no time for that!

A Balanced Team (in MBTI Terms)

Contribution ESFJ INFPCommunication Eliciting feedback

Providing organised information

Keeping the team on track

Listening Presenting provocative ideas Big picture focus

Team culture Helping colleagues understand their roles

Connecting the team Focusing on common ideas

Leadership Decisive consistent action Mindful of practical needs

Overarching vision Articulating ideas & values

Change Offering systematic practical perspectives based on experience

Managing day to day needs of people experiencing uncertainty

Encouraging colleagues to explore multiple perspectives

Promoting innovation, imagination and creativity

Problem Solving

Creating order out of confusion

Uncovering underlying connections and meanings

Stress Reduction

Taking colleagues’ feelings into account

Diffusing stressful situations with gentle humour

A Balanced Team: Communication

Contribution ESFJ INFPCommunication Eliciting feedback

Providing organised information

Keeping the team on track

Listening Presenting provocative

ideas Big picture focus

Team culture Helping colleagues understand their roles

Connecting the team Focusing on common ideas

Leadership Decisive consistent action Mindful of practical needs

Overarching vision Articulating ideas & values

Change Offering systematic practical perspectives based on experience

Managing day to day needs of people experiencing uncertainty

Encouraging colleagues to explore multiple perspectives

Promoting innovation, imagination and creativity

Problem Solving

Creating order out of confusion

Uncovering underlying connections and meanings

Stress Reduction

Taking colleagues’ feelings into account

Diffusing stressful situations with gentle humour

A Balanced Team: Leadership

Contribution ESFJ INFPCommunication Eliciting feedback

Providing organised information

Keeping the team on track

Listening Presenting provocative ideas Big picture focus

Team culture Helping colleagues understand their roles

Connecting the team Focusing on common ideas

Leadership Decisive consistent action Mindful of practical needs

Overarching vision Articulating ideas & values

Change Offering systematic practical perspectives based on experience

Managing day to day needs of people experiencing uncertainty

Encouraging colleagues to explore multiple perspectives

Promoting innovation, imagination and creativity

Problem Solving

Creating order out of confusion

Uncovering underlying connections and meanings

Stress Reduction

Taking colleagues’ feelings into account

Diffusing stressful situations with gentle humour

A Balanced Team: Managing Change

Contribution ESFJ INFPCommunication Eliciting feedback

Providing organised information

Keeping the team on track

Listening Presenting provocative ideas Big picture focus

Team culture Helping colleagues understand their roles

Connecting the team Focusing on common ideas

Leadership Decisive consistent action Mindful of practical needs

Overarching vision Articulating ideas & values

Change Offering systematic practical perspectives based on experience

Managing day to day needs of people experiencing uncertainty

Encouraging colleagues to explore multiple perspectives

Promoting innovation, imagination and creativity

Problem Solving

Creating order out of confusion

Uncovering underlying connections and meanings

Stress Reduction

Taking colleagues’ feelings into account

Diffusing stressful situations with gentle humour

A Relaxed Team

Contribution ESFJ INFPCommunication Eliciting feedback

Providing organised information

Keeping the team on track

Listening Presenting provocative ideas Big picture focus

Team culture Helping colleagues understand their roles

Connecting the team Focusing on common ideas

Leadership Decisive consistent action Mindful of practical needs

Overarching vision Articulating ideas & values

Change Offering systematic practical perspectives based on experience

Managing day to day needs of people experiencing uncertainty

Encouraging colleagues to explore multiple perspectives

Promoting innovation, imagination and creativity

Problem Solving

Creating order out of confusion

Uncovering underlying connections and meanings

Stress Reduction

Taking colleagues’ feelings into account

Diffusing stressful situations with gentle humour

Embedding Career Education in the Geography Curriculum

Any questions?