Graduate attributes : how some university students experience and learn them
Date
2020
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
HESA
Abstract
The voices of university students are often absent from academic discourses on the learning of graduate attributes (GAs). Such attributes are mostly constructed and conceptualised from the viewpoint of academics, institutions, education authorities and industry. However, as students within democratic contexts are increasingly challenged to assume greater responsibility for their own growth and development, it seems imperative that they participate in discussions related to the acquiring of graduate attributes. This article reports on how students at one South African university understand and relate to graduate attributes. Data were generated from a group of students at the University of the Western Cape through focus group interviews and photo elicitation. The results indicate that students who understand what graduate attributes are and how they can acquire these attributes might enhance such students’ further growth and their employability.
Description
CITATION: Bitzer, E. & Withering, M. 2020. Graduate attributes : how some university students experience and learn them. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(3):13-31, doi:10.20853/34-3-3504.
The original publication is available at http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe
The original publication is available at http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe
Keywords
Employability, Characters and characteristics -- Graduates, College graduates -- Employment
Citation
Bitzer, E. & Withering, M. 2020. Graduate attributes : how some university students experience and learn them. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(3):13-31, doi:10.20853/34-3-3504