Learning needs analysis

Overview and research

Different universities and supervisors have developed ways in which they assist research candidates to identify the knowledge, skills and experience they bring to the research experience and where they might need to develop additional skills and knowledge. Recognising what students bring with them is important for all students, and it is even more critical for many of our mature age students (starting to out-number our younger ones), given many have been in the workforce for years, brought up families etc.

However, a discussion of learning needs most appropriately occurs within a broader discussion of graduate attributes (generic skills). Substantial development in the area of graduate attributes has occurred in the UK with the implementation of the UK Grad Program, which has been funded by the UK research councils to develop and implement a generic skills program for doctoral candidates in a very systematic manner (Metcalfe, 2004).

However, the development and implementation of skills at the doctoral level is not as simple as it might seem, even if agreement can be reached on what these skills might be. One very simple issue is that despite substantial work on the development of skills, it is not uncommon for candidates at the end of their PhD or MPhil to be able to define the content knowledge they have gained, but find it very difficult to identify the skills that they had developed, and so they are unable to adequately define and promote them to potential employers and to the broader community.

Once a discipline or institution has identified the graduate attributes it considers important, how might candidates be assisted to identify the skills they bring to candidature, the skills they need to further develop and how they might develop these skills? To give broad coverage of how three different types of universities in three different states of Australia have gone about doing this, I have used as examples the University of Queensland (a research-intensive university) the University of South Australia (classified as one of the Australian technology universities) and the University of Canberra (a regional university).

Each of the universities had recognized the issue of graduates being able to identify the skills they have developed, and so have implemented a number of ways to assist candidates in recognizing and recording their skills. For example, a portfolio approach is adopted at the University of Queensland. At the University of South Australia candidates enter into a Statement of Agreement which: 'Not only regulates a healthy and mutually acceptable candidate/supervisor relationship but also formulates a customized Research Degree Program for the individual research candidate. The basis for this Program is the generic Research Degree Graduate Qualities which are elaborated, within the Statement of Agreement, in terms of the particular needs of the candidate' (Crotty, 2004, p. 20).

Finally, candidates at the University of Canberra, in conjunction with their supervisor, develop a Learning Plan early in candidature. Such a plan requires supervisors to help new candidates identify:

• the skills which they are likely to need during candidature
• which skills they might already have
• sources of support and training, and
• when it is likely that they will need those skills so that a timeline can be developed.

One of the issues raised in relation to graduate attributes is the notion that 'If it's worth teaching it's worth assessing' hence there is sometimes an argument that these skills should be explicitly assessed. However, the most common way in which a candidates can demonstrate that they have developed the requisite research skills is through the examination of the thesis. Many examiners report that they are aware of examining both the content of the dissertation e.g. an original contribution to knowledge, as well as the student's demonstrated ability to undertake research. Examiners report that they judge the student's research ability through such things as their ability to problem-solve or communicate their findings (at least in writing) and possibly their project management skills. However, given that it is rare in Australia for an oral examination to occur at the end of candidature it is important that other opportunities are provided for candidates to demonstrate their oral skills.

University of the Queensland candidates use the evidence in their portfolio to demonstrate that they have developed the particular skill and to what extent. Candidates at the University of South Australia reflect on their achievements toward the end of candidature. The University of Canberra's method of assessment is reliant on a student noting how the skill has been developed eg through attendance at a relevant workshop, and then how it was assessed eg completion of the workshop.

In all cases, learning plans, portfolios, and contracts are reviewed and updated each year at the time of the Annual Review and Report.

The above text was based on the following research:

Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2005). Redesigning assessment for learning beyond higher education. In A. Brew & C. Asmar (Eds.), Higher Education in a changing world (Vol. 28, pp. 34-41). Sydney: HERDSA.

Crotty, R. (2004). The implementation of research degree qualities: A university-wide approach. In M. Kiley & G. Mullins (Eds.), Quality in postgraduate research: Re-imagining research education (pp. 18-21). Canberra: CELTS.

Cryer, P. (1998). Transferable skills, marketability and lifelong learning: The particular case of postgraduate research students, Studies in Higher Education 23(2): 207-216.

DEST (2005) Research and Research Training Management Reports 2001, 2002, 2003.

Kiley, M., McCormack, C., Maher, B., & Cripps, A. (2004). Learning plans for higher degree by research students at the University of Canberra. In M. Kiley & G. Mullins (Eds.), Quality in Postgraduate Research: Re-imagining research education. Canberra: CELTS.

Manathunga, C. (2004). Developing research students' graduate attributes. In M. Kiley & G. Mullins (Eds.), Quality in postgraduate research: Re-imagining research education (pp. 22-31). Canberra: CELTS.

Metcalfe, J. (2004). Re-imagining outcomes for research education: A national cross-disciplinary focus on students. In M. Kiley & G. Mullins (Eds.), Quality in postgraduate research: Re-imagining research education (pp. 3-8). Canberra: CELTS.

Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher Education, 27(4), pp. 369-386.

University of Canberra (2005) Generic skills and attributes of University of Canberra graduates from higher degree by research programs.

Ideas and tools

Learning needs analysis

The attached list of Needs Analysis questions and prompts (pdf version and Word version) might be useful in working with new students to encourage them to:

• recognise the academic expertise, workplace skills and personal and professional experience that they bring to their research experience
• take control of, and take responsibility for, their own learning by identifying their learning needs
• develop their own plan for candidature and to review that plan each year during the Annual Research Progress Report
• identify sources of help and ways of achieving the necessary learning and development.

Learning plan

Consider how you would go about helping a new students to identify their skills and their learning needs. How might you help them develop a learning plan that supports their research project and at the same time helps them develop the knowledge or skills that they need?

ANU information

Candidates at the ANU are well-supported with programs such as:

Inter-University Research Workshop Program - ANU, UC, ADFA and ACU

Academic and Professional Skills Program

Statistical Consulting Unit

Graduate Teaching Program

Information Literacy Program

Graduate Certificate in Higher Education

 

For College-specific information contact:

Currently colleges are compiling information for conducting learning needs analysis of ANU students. In the meantime, contact the College Associate Dean (HDR) for more general college information.