1 @DrLancaster slideshare.net/ ThomasLancaster ThomasLancaster.co. uk Developing Student Employability Through The Creation Of Online Professional Identities Using Learning Technologies to Develop Employability Skills Workshop Thomas Lancaster Thursday, 11 July 2013
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Developing Student Employability Through The Creation Of Online Professional Identitites - Using Learning Technologies To Develop Employability Skills Workshop - 11/07/2013
When helping students to become employable, it is important that they fully consider the content of their professional identities online. This forms part of their overall professional presence, which can form a part of the job selection process for careers. This session, delivered at a Higher Education Academy workshop at the University of Salford, explores the role of professional identities within the employment process and considers how these can be considered within teaching.
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Thomas LancasterSenior Lecturer in Computing at Birmingham City UniversityProgramme Leader BSc Computer ScienceTeach Professional/Employability SkillsHEA TDG Funded Research “Improving Industrial Sandwich Year Placements For Computing Students”Developed and Delivered HEA Employability and Online Professional Identity WorkshopsSocial Media Advocate
Online Professionalism is equally valid for all academic subjectsStudents should be expected to be fully computer literate in order to gain professional employmentAn Online Professional Identity is one of the clearest methods
through which a student can demonstrate their computer literacy
1 in 6 American job seekers found their most recent job through social media40% attributed this to LinkedIn78% to Facebook42% to Twitter
“I wasn't scouted. I involved myself in a brand's Facebook page and a company which works with that brand took an interest in me and offered me a job.”Zachary Chastain
This looks difficultBut, setting up an online professional identity is well within the technical ability of most studentsNo web design experience needed
Level 5 (Year 2) module taken as part of BSc Computer Science and BSc Business Information TechnologyApproximately 120 students Including Direct Entry students
15 creditsTaught over 20 weeks (19 teaching weeks)Module covers employability and project/research skills
Create a Professional Online Presence (using your own website or one other delivery platform of your choice)This should support placement and job applications (encourage real life use)This should show creativity (and answer the “so what?” question)
The Professional Online Presence should include:Appropriate information to present you in a positive lightCV2 year Personal Development Plan
Students generally seem appreciative of the practical approach to employability incorporated into the moduleMany seem shocked that employers and academics know about social media (their secret home)Highest take up is with using LinkedIn, which few students had a profile on before teaching
Difficult to encourage involvement from international studentsSome students remove their Online Professional Identities after assessment, or do not wish to engage with employabilityNeed to encourage teaching staff to “lead by example”Getting students to actively market themselves requires an approach across more than one module
“Enhancing The Employability Of Computing Students Through An Online Professional Presence” (slides and teaching resources)http://www.bcu.ac.uk/tee/events/previous-events/employability-workshop
“Professional Presences for Academics”http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2013/9-May-Birmingham-STEM
Other External SessionsHEA STEM Conferences 2012 (Workshop) and 2013 (Paper and Talk)British Computer Society – Cheltenham and Gloucester Branch (Talk)