Learning Principles

Learning Principles

We found that many of the approaches to teaching employability skills in use by the educators and employers are well aligned with learning principles developed in the field of learning sciences.

Confront Misconceptions and Explain – Confront prior misconceptions about employability skills, and explain key concepts and processes

• Bring in employers to explain the rewards of good employability skills
• When possible, involve employers as clients who provide project feedback
• Acknowledge that historically underrepresented groups face stereotypes and bias that require cultural, structural change and targeted self-advocacy strategies
• Define or emphasize the employability skills, processes
• Teach course lesson or use special curriculum on these competencies
• Cite results from a survey, focus group, or theoretical framework to identify core desired subskills

Practice – Have learners apply skills in realistic, challenging team projects

• Use work simulations
• Use project-based or experiential learning
• Use interdisciplinary teams
• Use group case study analysis and presentations Use service learning

Support – Cultivate reliance on others and respectful feedback

• Use direct mentoring
• Cultivate a culture of candor
• Emphasize a culture that values practice over time
  Include tools for providing multiple forms of formative feedback

Play – Refine skills through role-playing, rotation of roles, “making,” and online learning

• Find ways to help students consider different perspectives: Rotate team roles, engage in role-playing
• Use different teaching modalities (e.g., “making” and online learning)

Reflect and Grow – Foster reflection and discussion, and recognize and encourage growth

• Use reflection about what was learned after team activities
• Regularly use peer ratings and group grades (e.g., whole team gets single grade)
• Find ways to help students consider different perspectives
• Stress that intelligence is malleable and can be improved
• Repeatedly use measures to emphasize growth and progress
• Embrace mistakes as important for learning
• Foster skills of self-directed learning driven by personal interests, goals, and passions