12 Essentials for Success: Competencies employers seek in college graduates

12 Essentials for Success: Competencies employers seek in college graduates
http://careernetwork.msu.edu/pdf/Competencies.pdf
From the Career Services Network at Michigan State University.

Students often want and need ways that they will be able to “use” what they have learned in courses. The competencies outlined in this publication are not new but are the kinds of skills just about any course can enhance. (Note: the actual PDF is beautifully done and makes a fine resource.)

Working in a Diverse Environment
Learning from people who are different from you—and recognizing your commonalities—is an important part of your education and essential preparation for the world you will join.

Managing Time and Priorities
Managing how you spend your time, and on what, is essential in today’s world. Learn how to sort priorities so you stay in control of your life.

Acquiring Knowledge
Learning how to learn is just as important as the knowledge itself. No matter what your future holds, you’ll continue to learn every day of your life.

Thinking Critically
Developing solid critical thinking skills means you’ll be confident to handle autonomy, make sound decisions, and find the connection between opportunities you have to learn and how those opportunities will affect your future.

Communicating Effectively
Developing listening, interpreting, and speaking skills is just as important as reading and writing.

Solving Problems
You may only have thought about problem- solving when you’re faced with a crisis. Understand the process and mind-set of successful problem-solving and you’ll more easily handle the bigger challenges that come your way.

Contributing to a Team
In the workplace each person’s contribution is essential to success. Having the ability to work collaboratively with others is vital. This includes identifying individual strengths (yours and others) and harnessing them for the group, building consensus, knowing when to lead and when to follow, and appreciating group dynamics.

Navigating Across Boundaries
Life is filled with boundaries—good and bad. Discover how to avoid the boundaries that become barriers so you don’t hamper the ability to collaborate with other people.

Performing with Integrity
It only takes one bad instance to destroy years of good faith and good relationships. It’s important to develop a code of ethics and principles to guide your life.

Developing Professional Competencies
The end of college is the beginning of a new education. Build on what you already know and keep learning new skills—your job will challenge you to grow and develop in ways you haven’t imagined yet.

Balancing Work and Life
You’ve got a lot to accomplish in limited time. How do you get it all done and still stay sane? The key is maintaining balance among the different parts of your life.

Embracing Change
Just about every aspect of life is in a constant state of change. Sometimes it may seem that no sooner do you get caught up than you have to start all over again. No matter how you feel about change, you have to learn to deal with it.

Great Beginnings: Things to do early on in your class

Great Beginnings: Things to do early on in your class

http://ctl.stanford.edu/handouts/PDF/great_beginnings.pdf

From the Center for Teaching and Learning at Stanford University

First Impressions

Arrive early and put information on the board

Start class on time

Hand out an informative and user-friendly syllabus (if it’s your own class)

Let your students see the enthusiasm you have for your subject

Building Community

Greet students at the door and chat with students as they arrive

Introduce yourself and your interest in the class

Tell about your current research interests and your own beginnings in the discipline

Take attendance to learn names

Use an icebreaker to help students learn each others’ names

Make collaborative assignments for several students to work on together

Course Logistics

Tell students what will be expected of them with regard to attendance, grading, participation, assignments, and late work policies

Tell students what they can expect of you with regard to office hours, reading drafts, calling on students, accessibility at home

Explain the difference between legitimate collaboration and academic dishonesty

Organize your class and provide structure by posting the day’s “menu” on the board or overhead

Challenging Students

Have students write out their expectations for the course and their own goals for learning

Hit the ground running on the first class with substantial content

Relate course material to students’ interests and experience

Give students two passages of material containing alternative views to compare and contrast

Have students apply subject matter to solve real problems

Ask students to fill in an index card telling you something about their backgrounds

Encouraging Active Learning

Have students write their questions on index cards to be collected and answered the next class

Encourage group work and active discussion to accomplish specific objectives

Put students into pairs or “learning cells” to quiz each other over material for the day

Move around your classroom

Give students a take-home problem relating to the day’s material

Remember the Golden Rules of Teaching:

Be prepared

Be honest

Be creative