John. D. (Jack) Rudnick, Jr., Ed.D.
Professor
Thomas More College
“Bridging the Classroom Content-Workforce Competencies Gap:
Preparing Students for Career Success”
John. D. (Jack) Rudnick, Jr., Ed.D., FACHEProfessor
Thomas More College
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Select Program Objectives
Establish Presentation Foundation (Graduate/Undergraduate)
Introduce/ Define Glossary of Terms
Summarize Data Collection: Methodologies and Findings
Offer Tools: Survey Instrument/ Audit Template
Engage in Small Group Discussion Questions
Propose Considerations for Issue Amelioration
Identify Recommended Areas for Future Study
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Select Program Learning Objectives
Understand the ‘triple aim of higher education”
Understand higher education key stakeholders/ stakeholder engagement
Identify competitive forces affecting higher education
Know the differences between “pedagogy” and “andragogy”
Understand the faculty teach ing focus conundrum:
content/ employment
Review select “workforce gap analysis” issues
Propose recommended areas for future study
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Revised Title
Post-Research Proposed Title Revision!
“The Employability Divide: Faculty Strategies and Considerations for Amelioration”
Modified Objectives:
Narrow Gap: Revise Curricula
Assist Employers with Their Organization’s Gap Analysis
Explore Reciprocal Mentoring
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Select Presentation Elements
Secondary Research
Triple-Aim of Higher Education
Basic Gap Definitions (e.g., Competencies/Skills)
Employability/Workforce-curricula Gap Analysis
Faculty -- Key Stakeholder
Employer Needs Assessment: Organizational Audit
Experiential Learning—TMC Business Initiative
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Triple-Aim of Higher Education: Defined
High Quality
Reasonable Cost
High Stakeholder Satisfaction
(Rudnick, Cahill, & Schumacher, 2016)
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Select Definitions: Relevant Terms
Absence of shared uniform language among stakeholders :
Competencies: Broad/Categorical
(Proficiencies, Abilities, Expertise, Attributes, KSAs)
Skills: Specific/Narrow/Vocational/ Technical
Capabilities: Organization Focused: Organization/Individual: Social/Technical
Employability: Attributes needed to get, retain, and develop in a job. (Sulphey,2015)
Workforce Gap: Academic/ real-world deficits
Andragogy : Pedagogy : Self-directed: Top- down
Reciprocal Mentoring: Inexperience workplace youth coaching experienced workforce
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Faculty Conundrum
Purpose of Education ??
Impart Content*
Employment Preparation (Career Success)
*Form character;
* Job vs. degree; focus on lifelong skills vs. list of skills (Dhond, 2011)
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”
““…the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking…”
THE CRITICAL THINKING COMMUNITY (2016)
Impart Content
Higher Education: Focus on Critical Thinking
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”
““The least of learning is done in the classroom.”
THOMAS MERTON
TWENTIETH CENTURY UNITED STATES TRAPPIST MONK/SCHOLAR
Employment Preparation
Higher Education: Focus on Experience
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Purpose of Higher Education: Intellectual Fulfillment or Employability ?
Likely Correct Response:
Stakeholder Dependent !
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Stakeholder/Stakeholder Engagement
Baseline Definitions
Stakeholder “… those groups who affect and/or could be affected by an organization’s* activities, products or services and associated performance.
Stakeholder Engagement “… the process used by an organization* to engage relevant stakeholders for a purpose to achieve accepted outcomes.”
* i.e., higher education
(Deloitte , 2016)
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Select Higher Education Stakeholders
Students
Faculty Members
Parents
Prospective Employers
Higher Education Administration
Higher Education Communities
Vendors/Suppliers
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Forces Affecting Higher Education Sustainability
Globalization
Advances in Technology
Competition from Others in Higher Education
Multiple Stakeholder Accountability (Bahhouth & Bahhouth,
2011; Barbera, Layne, & Gunawardena, 2014; Dill, 1999; Emes & Innes-Cleveland, 2003; Matheson, Wilkinson, & Gilhouly, 2012; Stukalina, 1991).
Changing Labor Market/ Industry Demand Patterns
Increasingly “Knowledge-intensive” (Collet,Hine, du Plessis, 2015)
Higher Education/ Employer Alignment Need : “Employability Divide” : (Rudnick, 2016)
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Data Collection: Methodologies and Findings
Employer-Reported Research Findings:
(UG) undergrad. and (G) grad. Competence Deficits:
Human Resource Management
Computer / Digital Competence:
Technology: Data Storing/ Data Analysis/Program Modeling
Big Data: Concepts/Applications
Communication--Written/ Presentation Skills/ Negotiation/ Cultural Discourse—Adaptation (Gibson & Soderman, 2014)
Critical Thinking (Schonberger-Orgad & Spiller, 2013).
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Methodologies and Findings (cont’d):
Employer Expectations: “Soft Skills”
Self Management
Strategic positioning/ Implementation
Interpersonal Communication
Leadership
Critical Thinking
Ability to Question Basic Assumptions/ Curiosity
Development of Strong Intellectual Skills
(Collet,Hine, du Plessis, 2015)
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Methodologies and Findings (cont’d)
Employers’ Assessment of Skills Deficiencies (UG):
Basic reading
Writing
Mathematics Skills
Professionalism
Teamwork
Oral Communication
Ethics and Social Responsibility (Green & Stahura. 2014)
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Skills deficits include:
Data storing
Data analysis
Spreadsheet preparation
Competency deficit:
Big Data
Technology ,computer competence, and maneuverability (Suvedi, Ghimire, & Millenbah, 2016)
Methodologies and Findings: (cont’d)
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Methodologies and Findings (cont’d)
Technology/ Big Data (aka: ‘digital competencies)
Human Resources
Communication –Written, Oral, Presentation Skills
Diversity—Adaptability, Cultural Awareness
Higher Order Thinking (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving)
Relevant Anecdotes
Gender (e.g. women more competent in teams)
Rural background
(Gibson & Soderman, 2014)
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Students lack competencies in:
Corporate Social Responsibility Awareness
Ethics
Professionalism
Research Skills
“Soft Skills”: (interpersonal, etiquette, cultural sensitivity) proficiencies (Gibson & Sodeman, 2014)
Teamwork and conflict management skills
Leadership skills; absence of critical traits
Methodologies and Findings (cont’d)
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Methodologies and Findings (cont’d):Organizational Capabilities
“Eleven” Select Organizational Capabilities
Individual/Organization
Technical/ Social
Talent
Speed
Shared Mindset and Coherent Brand Identity
Accountability
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Methodologies and Findings:Organizational Capabilities (cont’d)
Eleven Organizational Capabilities (cont’d)
Collaboration
Learning
Leadership/
Customer Connectivity/
Strategic Unity/
Innovation/
Efficiency (Smallwood & Ulrich, 2004)
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Methodologies and Findings (cont’d)
Faculty Behaviors :“Silo-Cross”
Interdisciplinarity: involving two or more academic,
scientific, or artistic areas of knowledge ...
Transdisciplinarity: different disciplines working jointly
to create new conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and translational innovations integrate and move beyond discipline-specific approaches to address a common problem.
Pluridisciplinarity: researching an object from the
perspective of one and the same discipline through several disciplines at once. (Wilson & Zamberlan, 2012)
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Elements to Triangulate Gap Analysis Accuracy
Subject Matter Expert Discussions
Human Resources
Communication
Cultural Assimilation
Critical Thinking
Technology
(Personal communication, P. Borne, D. Cahill, & A. Crawford, September 27, 2016)
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“Reciprocal Mentoring”
Assumption: Young students lack experience
Reciprocal communication and technology benefits:
• Knowledge of technology
• Social media proficiency
• Virtual communication medium
(Collet, Hine, & du Plessis, 2015)
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Proposed Focus: Andragogy vs. Pedagogy
Definitions:
Andragogy: Self-directed, self-motivated, collaborative, cooperative, adult focused (Bahhouth &
Bahhouth, 2011; Diffen, 2015.)
Pedagogy: Top-down, authoritative, child and adolescent focused (Bahhouth & Bahhouth, 2011.)
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Select Anecdotal Acronyms
SEMS: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
BEP: Business-Employee Programs
ICT: Information and Communication Technologies
e-Leadership: Comprehensive Information and Technology-Based Skills (Ivanov & Arenas, 2014).
CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility
EV: Employee Volunteerism
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Formulas: Employability Divide
Employability (Capital= Assets – Liabilities)
Desired Human Capital= Human Resource Assets – Deficit Skills Liabilities
“Divide” / Workforce Gap
Difference Between Desired Skills/Competencies and Current Skills/Competencies (Rudnick, 2016)
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Employability Index Ratio
Skills/ Ideal Skills = Employability Index
(Rudnick, 2016)
“A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction.”—Leo Tolstoy
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Discussion Questions for Small Group Consideration
DQ 1 Do you teach content that students will readily use in their work life?
Enseñas información que los estudiantes la usaran en su vida profesional?
DQ 2 Are faculty members influenced by tenure status when designing courses (e.g. those without tenure take less risks than those with tenure)?
Estan influenciados los profesores de acuerdo a suexperiencia universitaria cuando diseñan los cursos?
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Discussion Questions for Small Group Consideration (cont’d)
DQ 3 Do you teach students how to think "out of the box?” Please offer examples to share how.
Enseñas a los estudiantes como pensar "de manera diferente y efectiva"? Por favor muestrenos unos ejemplos
DQ 4 Do employers share that what you teach is important to students' professional success.
Los ejecutivos empresariales explican lo importante que es la educacion para el exito profesional de los estudiantes?
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Faculty Survey Monkey Instrument
1. I teach content that students will readily use in their work life.
2. Please rank (in order of importance) the skills students need to learn for future career success.
--Critical Thinking
--Emotional Intelligence
--Teamwork
--Technology
--Written Communication
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Faculty Survey Monkey Instrument (cont’d)
3. What other skills or competencies do you think are important?
4. I have taught my students how to think "out of the box".
5. Thomas More College is graduating students with the skills and competencies employers need.
6. Faculty members are often influenced by tenure status when designing courses (e.g. those without tenure take less risks than those with tenure).
7. Employers tell me that what I teach is important to students' professional success.
8. What can we do to better prepare students for the workforce?
9. How long have you been teaching at Thomas More College?
10. Is there anything else you would like to share about this topic?
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Organizational Audit Process Tool : Cultivate Employer Feedback
1. Determine which part of the business to audit
2. Create the content of the audit
3. Gather data from multiple groups on current and desired capabilities
4. Synthesize the data to identify the most critical capabilities requiring managerial attention
5. Construct an action plan with clear steps to take and measure to monitor/assign team to deliver on critical capabilities ( Smallwood and Ulrich, 2004)
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Relevant Academic Theory Constructs
Online Critical Thinking Resources:
Student moderators, (Bahhouth and Bahhout, 2011),
Starters and Wrappers (Williams and Lahman, 2011)
Reflection triggers (Verpooten et al.)
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Faculty Awareness
Employers want:
Visionaries
Futurologists
Menu of industry specific skills
Adaptability
Communication
Resilience
Complex Problem Solving Ability (Schoenberger-Orgad
& Spiller, 2014))
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Faculty Strategies
Heighten Awareness on Culture: “Read” /Adaption/ Assimilation
Differentiate: Become “Best Version of Self”
Fully Exploit Leadership and Management Resources
Consider Self-Actualization (Maslow, etc.) Myers-Briggs
Character Formation/Leadership Self-Awareness (George)
Avoid “Beaten Path” Direction
Stakeholder Needs: Job vs. Degree (e.g. Certificate Option)
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Faculty Strategies (Cont’d)
Consider cross-campus /silo, external resource collaboration
Establish value rubrics (Suvedi, Gihmire, & Millenbah, 2016)
Tap into business partnerships and creative funding
Demographics
Cultivate internships and experiential learning
Offer speaking and professional development
Business volunteerism for mentoring (CSR) (Collet, Hine, & duPlessis,
2015)
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Select Academic Constructs: Potential Business and Industry Application
Lewin’s Change Theory Model
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Fulfillment
Donabedian Model --Structure, Process, Outcome Model
Deming, Juran: Quality Process Improvement
“Socratic Questioning” (Block and Spartaro, 2014)
Wheelhouse Intersect Model (Rudnick, Cahill, Schuamacher,
2016)
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Recommended Areas ofFuture Study
Consider:
Further collaboration with technical and community colleges (skills)
Focus on generational learning preferences and tendencies
Construct curricula to state of “educational health”
Establish Business Education Partnerships
Establish High-Risk Retention Psychographic Profiles
Refine Metrics: Retention and Recruitment Strategies
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Employability and Curricula Design
Shift of Emphasis Needed ??
FROM:
Instilling and emphasizing a list of
skills
TO:
Cultivating purposeful industry and context
specific abilities
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References
Bahhouth J. & Bahhouth, V. (2011). Significance of e-Learning in traditional courses. International Journal of Education Research, 6(2), 1-9.
Barbera, E., Layne, L. & Gunawardena, C. N. (2014). Designing online interactions to address disciplinary competencies: A cross-country comparison of faculty perspectives. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(2), 143-169.
Bloch, J. & Spataro, S. E. (2014). Cultivating critical thinking dispositions throughout the business curriculum. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 7(3), 249-265.
Braunstein-Minkove, J.R., & DeLuca, J.R. (2015). Effectively adapting the sports management curricula SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education. 2, 12-30.
BusinessDictionary.com (2016). Retrieved from : http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-environment.html
Collet, C., Hine, D., & du Plessis, K. (2015). Employability skills: Perspectives from a knowledge based industry. Education and Training, 5(5), 532-559.
.
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References (cont’d)
Deloitte & Touche (2014). Stakeholder engagement. Retrieved from http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/za/Documents/governance-risk-compliance/ZA_StakeholderEngagement_04042014,pdf
Dhond, A. A. (2011). Enhancing employability through higher education. HEF’s India Journal of Higher Education, 2(2),76-81
Diffen (2015). Compare anything: Andragogy vs. pedagogy. Retrieved from http:/www.diffen.com
Dill, D. D. (1991). Academic accountability and university adaptation: The architecture of an
academic learning organization. Higher Education, 38, 127-154.
Emes, C. & Cleveland- Innes, M. (2003). A journey toward learner-centered curriculum. The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 33(3), 47-70.
Green, E., & Stahura, K.A. (2014). Business-education partnerships: A corporate –social responsibility and sustainable workforce strategy for commercial casinos. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems, 7(2), 28-40.
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References (cont’d)
Gibson, L.A., & Soderman, W.A. (2014). Millenials and technology: Addressing the communication gap in education and practice. Organization Development Journal, 63-75.
Ivanova, V., & Arenas, A. (2014). E-leadership skills for SMEs: Challenges to the Universities. Economic and Social Development: Book of Proceedings, 256-264.
Matheson, R., Wilkinson, S. C., & Gilhouly, E. (2012). Promoting critical thinking and collaborative working through assessment: Combining patchwork text and online discussion boards. Innovations in Educational and Teaching International, 49(3), 257-267.
Rudnick,J.D., Jr., Cahill, D.J., & Schumacher, A.J. (2016). Leverage the heterogeneity of critical thinking: Creating new classroom knowledge. Transnational Journal of Business 1(1), 21-34.
Schonberger-Orgad,M., & Spiller, D. (2013). Critical thinkers and capable practitioners: Preparing public relations students for the 21st century, 10(3), 210-221.
Sulphey, M.M. (2015). Patterns of employability skills among business students. IPE Journal of Management, 5(2), 57-73.
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References (cont’d)
Suvedi, M, Ghimire, R.P., & Millenbah, K.F. (2016). How prepared are undergraduates for a career? NACTA Journal, 60 (1a), 13-20.
Sledgiankowski, D. ( n.d.). Accounting majors perceptions of the acquired information technology (IT) skills and their self-perceived employability. Hofstra University, 1-3.
Stukalina, Y. (2008). How to prepare students for productive and satisfying careers in the knowledge-based economy: Creating a more efficient educational environment. Baltic Journal on Sustainability, 14(2), 197-207.
Tewari, R., & Sharma, R. (2011). Managerial skills for managers for
the 21st century. Review of Management, 1(3), 4-15.
Verpoorten, D., Westera, W., & Specht, M. (2011). Using reflection triggers while learning in an online course. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(6), 1030-1040.
Winsted, A.S., Adams, B.L., & Silah, M.R. (2009). Teaching the ‘soft skills’: A professional development curriculum to enhance the employability skills of business graduates. American Journal of Business Education, 2(5),35-44
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References (cont’d)
Wilson, S., & Zamberlan, L. (2012). Show me yours: Developing a faculty-wide interdisciplinary initiative in built environment higher education. Contemporary Issues in Education Research. 5(4), 331-342.
Willians, L. & Lahman, M. (2011). Online discussion, student engagement, and critical thinking. Journal of Political Science Education, 38, 127-154.
Zehrer, A., & Mossenlechner, C. (2009). Key competencies of tourism graduates: The employer’s point of view. Journal of Teaching in Travel and Tourism, 266-287.
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