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Skills Framework

Designing Futures Framework for Student Development

Pictures of icon of skills for the University Skills Passport

The Designing Futures Framework for Student Development

The DF Skills Framework, Graduate Attribute mapping and associated constructs is now available to all staff as a guiding matrix. You can identify skills from the framework and tag up to five skills on a USP digital badge.

Background

Within the University of Galway, there is an agreed Graduate Attribute Statement as set out in the Teaching and Learning Strategy 2021-2026. This provides the anchor for our Designing Futures Framework for Student Development. All identified skills and dispositions are linked back to this agreed and validated structure.

The Framework was initially developed as part of the Designing Futures project. This umbrella project was host to a complex range of initiatives and it was important to develop a core framework that would specify the core skills and dispositions being addressed by these innovative initiatives. It also underpins our use of externally developed approaches, including the ‘Design your Life’ programmes created by Stanford University’s Life Design Lab and trans-disciplinary learning models pioneered by Georgia Institute of Technology.

Review & Research of Available Frameworks

Firstly, the team undertook a period of review and research to identify potential frameworks that could serve as an underpinning resource. The aim was to have a framework that could be developed and enhanced by each initiative as it is implemented. This process was informed by a literature review undertaken by the evaluation sub group. It directed the group to the main skills frameworks currently being used in the sector. The following exemplars in particular were identified as potential starting points to be reviewed by the entire DF project team.

Analysis & Drafting of the Framework

Next the wider DF team reviewed and analysed each of these models and considered their goodness of fit for DF. ‌‌

This feedback was used to develop a new DF composite framework to incorporate the most applicable part of the above models. Care was also take to consider overlaps with university strategy documents, university skills statements, national skills policies and the UNSDGs.

The draft framework was then presented to key staff across each of the DF initiatives to consider its goodness of fit for their particular area of focus. Consultation was also carried out with project stakeholders across the university. Special thanks to all who engaged in this process. As a result a number of useful additions and suggestions were made, especially in the development of the “associated construct” section. Overall, our consultation demonstrated that the framework is sufficiently comprehensive for current DF initiatives.