A best practice model for teaching transferable skills in general science degrees

Abstract

The curriculum experienced by students in general science degrees typically varies enormously between students due the wide range of study units on offer. While choice enables students to follow their passions and interests, it can limit the progressive development of skills. Skills such as communication are not only best developed progressively, but are ideally best developed in a way that enables students to transfer them to various context. To do so requires some form of deliberate and systematic approach across multiple courses. In this talk I present a model for systematically developing communication skills across a general degree program in a way that facilitates students learning to transfer. The model is based on high impact, best practices from education, science communication and humanities. It leverages existing assessment practices for writing and speaking, and can be readily implemented and taught by science academics. It involves a conceptual framework, learning activities that target the process of writing, and a specified minimum number of different context for communication that student should experience during their degree.