Assessing the level of a student’s attributes is important for educators to enhance their attributes.

This was discussed at the on-going student-centred workshop in Semtokha.

A participant, Dhanapati Mishra said that to improve a graduate’s attributes such as critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and ICT and new media skills among others, there is a need to first assess the level of their attributes. “We need to assess the current attributes and identify gaps in the programmes.”

He added that by identifying gaps, educators would know where to intervene, at what level and in which programmes.

One of the facilitators from Singapore Polytechnic International (SPI), Goh Siew Hong said that sometimes, the activity is reflected in the learning activities but never stated in the learning outcomes. “Determining the activity is crucial. It is important but it should be looked at whether the activity is taught, applied and assessed.”

She said that if a module is not taught but is applied and assessed, then there is a gap. For instance, how to work in a group is never taught in most cases, however, the work is applied and assessed. In such cases, educators should teach what a good teamwork is.

Outcomes of the gap analysis include reviewing existing courses and revising modules for better sequence for the whole programme.

One of the facilitators from SPI, Lee Chong Hwa said that it takes time to coordinate with other modules’ educators to integrate attributes across programmes. “Sometimes there is an overlap and we find out that we have been teaching the same things again.”

He said that even if the same thing is being taught again, there should be reinforcement of the knowledge.

A participant from Royal University of Bhutan, Sonam Tobgay (PhD) said that gap analysis would allow the programme committee to make programmes up to date with the changing needs. “This will also allow the committee to incorporate the desired graduate attributes as the learning outcomes of the programme.”

Rinchen Zangmo

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