The document discusses Student Knowledge in Learning and Leadership (SKILL), a course designed to help students articulate the skills they gain in higher education. It focuses on developing student identity and reflection through an active approach. Key elements include potential.ly for self-reflection, peer and tutor feedback through reflective diaries, and cross-faculty discussion to create a learning community. Outcomes include students qualifying as Student Fellows, recognized by the institution. While students found feedback and self-assessment rewarding, challenges included linking theory to practice, confidence, and reflection. Future plans include increasing participation and engagement of the wider student community.

1. Student Knowledge in Learning and Leadership (SKILL)
How an active and collaborative approach can help students articulate the
skills they gain throughout Higher Education.
Sam Geary and Jamie Morris
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)

2. Student Engagement at BCU
Engagement Activities
● Student Academic Partners
● Student Academic Mentors
● Welcome Week
● OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus
● Graduate+
and….

3. What is SKILL?
A course designed for BCU students involved in Student Engagement
initiatives
Aims to enable students to articulate on how their experience in HE has
helped with their own personal development
Encouraged students to develop learning communities with shared values

4. Approach to SKILL
Strong emphasis on student identity and
who they are as a student
How has their role and HE helped them
develop?
Encouraged reflection and critical thinking
through an active approach.

5. Some key
themes of SKILL

6. The Science of You
potential.ly
Smart, intuitive Talent Science to
enhance personal development and
employability
Used in order to encourage critical thinking and self reflection
Just because this says you are something - does it mean you are?

7. Peer and Tutor Feedback (Reflective Diary)

8. Discussion (Cross Faculty)
Helped create a learning community with shared values e.g. improving the
student experience

9. 1) Are there any elements of this model which you currently
use in your own practice? (e.g. cross faculty work, peer
feedback)

10. Outcomes - Student Fellow (DS)
Seen as a foundation to Descriptor 1 (Associate Fellow)
Accredited by SEDA and the University
Student fellow allows the institution to recognise and reward
students
Introduces students to the wider context of HE
Did students understand student fellow?

12. Challenges
Some of the challenges students faced...
Linking theory to practice
Confidence prior to arrival
Reflection
What about us
● Timing
● Initial participation
● Did we expect too much?

13. What did students think?
“Was expecting loads of people but I liked the small group”
“The feedback that was given, it really helped me acknowledge points about myself. Learning methods
as well
Main motivations for participation were getting a “National Certificate”
“Learning about me and behaviour patterns was a fulfilling enjoyable experience. Accomplishing some of
the self-assessments were rewarding as well”
“Being around highly educated students, I sometimes felt inadequate.. But the selection of the group
made this easy to overcome.”

14. Discussion
1) How could we improve the impact SKILL has within our institute?
2) How can we attempt to engage the wider student community with programmes
such as SKILL?

17. Future plans and challenges
Increase the number of students
Wider Participation
Needs time to gain momentum
Associate Fellow rather than student fellow…
Link to institutional strategies e.g. Graduate+

18. Any questions?