PRSK4048 Professional Skills Spring 2017 Coursework Brief Handout: [Week One] Deadline for Submission: Thursday 27th April, 2017 by 2pm. Submit this coursework through the Student Portal. Word Limit: 1200 words (Plus or minus 10%) This includes an additional 2400 words from tasks in the portfolio Learning outcomes assessed: • Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment. • Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection. • To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically. • Understand, improve and reflect upon their own personal strengths in relation to the professional environment. This coursework is worth 100% of the total marks for this module. Coursework Instructions Please read carefully • Carefully read the module handbook, the marking criteria and the grade descriptors. Academic Misconduct You are responsible for ensuring you understand the policy and regulations about academic misconduct. You must: • Complete this work alone except where required or allowed by this assignment briefing paper and ensure it has not been written or composed by or with the assistance of any other person. • Make sure all sentences or passages quoted from other people’s work in this assignment (with or without trivial changes) are in quotation marks, and are specifically acknowledged by reference to the author, work and page.   ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES Professional Skills Portfolio (100%) The Professional Skills portfolio is a working document that students will use in and outside of class over the 10-week module. The portfolio requires students to complete a range of reflective and written tasks. The appendices will provide evidence of the preparation and execution of a group presentation (as detailed on the following page) and should be completed on a weekly basis. Your answers will then help you to complete ‘Professional Skills – Summary and Evaluation’ report: Week Table of Contents Page Learning outcomes Section 1: Portfolio Evidence (These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in section 1. Suggested word counts are included in brackets.) 1 □ The Long-Term Vision (200-300 words) 2 LO2, LO3 1 □ Potential Roles and their Suitability (200-300 words) 3 LO2, LO3 2 □ Belbin Test (100-150 words) 4-6 LO2, LO3 3 □ Emails to Arrange Meetings (100-150 words) 9 LO1, LO2 4 □ Participating in Meetings (300-400 words) 10 LO1, LO2, LO3 5 □ Preparing an Action Plan (100 words approx.) 12 LO1, LO2 6 □ Resolving Problems and Conflict (300-400 words) 13 LO1, LO2 7 □ Emails to Give/Respond to Criticism (100-150 words) 14 LO1, LO2,LO3 8 □ Presentation Plan (100-150 words) 15 LO1, LO2 9 □ Post-Presentation Reflection (300-400 words) 16 LO2, LO3, LO4 10 □ 360 Degree Review (100-150 words) 17-18 LO1, LO3 10 □ Professional Development Plan (PDP) (100-150 words) 19 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 Section 2: Written Task (This task should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 9-11.) N/A Professional Skills – Summary and Evaluation (to be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 9-11; 1200 words) 20 LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 Tasks will sometimes initially be completed in hard copy in class but all must be submitted electronically within the Professional Skills Portfolio, which can be downloaded from GSM Learn. Please refer to the guidance given in lectures and tutorials and the additional information and videos on GSM Learn when completing each task. Professional Skills Presentation In order to complete the portfolio, you will need to plan, prepare and carry out a group presentation or record a group video on the following theme: How to Be Successful as a Graduate in {your degree} The presentation should be based on one of the following topics: A. Career opportunities for graduates (focus on 2-3 roles) and how to achieve them. B. Current employment trends in the industry and how they affect the graduate candidate. C. An analysis of a top industry figure(s) and the reasons for their success. The presentation / video should last for 8-10 minutes. Each student in the group must contribute to it. You should try to make it as engaging and informative as possible for the audience (your fellow students). Think about what is possible to cover within the time. Procedure 1. During weeks 2-4, you will be allocated to a group of four students within your tutorial group. 2. Between weeks 4-8, you will engage in a number of group activities that will allow you to learn more about your chosen industry, prepare for and practice the presentation, develop and reflect on your own professional skills and accumulate evidence for your portfolio. 3. In week 9, you will present in your tutorials, or your video presentation will be played to the class. 4. In week 10, you will reflect on the whole process and set goals for the further development of your professional skills. N.B. The option of doing a video presentation should only be chosen by those groups who feel they have sufficient technical knowledge to produce it, as only limited support will be available. Professional Skills Presentation – For Law Students Following the procedure outlined above, and in order to complete the portfolio, you will need to plan, prepare and carry out a debate on the following: Public Law and Human Rights Debate Notion: Whether the Human Rights Act 1998 should be replaced with a British Bill of Rights In preparation of the debate, you will need to: • Be placed into a debate team – you may be allocated as FOR (affirmative – yes it should be replaced…) or AGAINST (opposing- No it should not be replaced ) • Research and read around the relevant area of law, including relevant case law and statute • As a team, develop your legal argument and prepare an outline for your debate – Your team are required to submit one copy to your tutor in week 8. • Deliver debate (week 9) The debate should last for 30 minutes in total. Each team have 15 minutes to advance their legal points. ALL student are required to actively participate during both the preparation and delivery of the debate. You should try to make it as engaging and informative as possible for the audience. However, it is important to remember, professionalism is key! Additional information How the debate will be delivered • Each debate team has 15 minutes to present your findings. • The team which supports the notion (affirmative) will open the debate. • The first speaker of the affirmative team should introduce the debate, provide a brief history of the topic outlining the underlining arguments which support their position. The first speaker should then make the first submission. • Each member of the team will then follow with their submissions. • The final speaker of the affirmative team should also provide a brief summary of the team’s argument. • The first speaker of the opposing team does not need to present an introduction to the debate but should identify the team’s position providing an outline of the underpinning arguments which will follow. The first speaker should then make the first submission. • Each member of the team will then follow with their submissions. • The final speaker of the opposing team should also summarise the team’s argument. • The affirmative team will then have 3 minutes to rebut. • The opposing team will follow with the same, 3 minutes to provide a rebuttal and this will close the debate. Professional Skills Assessment Criteria Level 4 Excellent evidence Very good evidence Good evidence Some evidence Insufficient evidence Little/No Evidence 86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third 30+/Fail Pass by compensation possible 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail Knowledge and understanding (45%) What we are looking for on this module section: Relates to all tasks, theories, concepts and strategies covered in the lecture and practiced in tutorials. This can be demonstrated in most tasks. Theories include: Belbin Team Roles Concepts and Strategies include: emails, action plans, problem solving, presentations, screen shots, 360 feedback, PDP This knowledge and understanding includes both an understanding of the principles of professional skills, and also showing an understanding of the subject material/ programme through which they are developed. Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes most required factual content, mostly accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes most required factual content, but with some gaps or misunderstandings. Includes some irrelevant factual content. Includes limited factual content, with many gaps or inaccuracies. Includes significant irrelevant factual content. Includes insufficient required factual content, with significant gaps or inaccuracies. Includes substantial irrelevant factual content. Includes almost no required factual content, and with very significant inaccuracies. Includes mainly irrelevant factual content. Does not include required factual content. Includes entirely irrelevant factual content. Very accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Excellent understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Very good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Mainly accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Some identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Adequate understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Limited identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Very limited or inaccurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Very limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. No identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. No understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. No identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Demonstrates no understanding of factual and conceptual material and ideas. Independent, wide-ranging reading and research, from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Independent, wide-ranging reading and research, from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Independent reading and research from sufficient and mostly authoritative secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Some independent reading and research from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Limited independent reading and research from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Minimal independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. No independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. No independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment. LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically. LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their personal strengths in relation to the professional environment.  Excellent evidence Very good evidence Good evidence Some evidence Insufficient evidence Little/No Evidence 86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third 30+/Fail Pass by compensation possible 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail Cognitive/Intellectual Skills (30%) What we are looking for on this module section: Key tasks which would show evidence of cognitive/ intellectual skills include: The structure and how students pull together the tasks. How they recognise their own strengths for their industry and own self-reflection. Demonstration of tasks would be in task such as Belbin test reflection, participating in meetings, resolving problems and conflict/ avoiding problems and conflict. Post presentation reflection and overall summary of Task 1. Give specific feedback, not generic with examples. Well developed, relevant introduction and conclusions. Relevant introduction and conclusions. Mostly relevant introduction and conclusions. Adequate introduction and conclusions. Basic introduction and conclusions. Incoherent or irrelevant introduction and conclusions. No introduction and conclusions. No introduction and conclusions. Clearly and logically structured material. Well-developed arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Clearly structured material. Coherent arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Clearly structured material, with a few gaps. Mostly coherent arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Adequately structured material. Limited arguments referencing limited literature. Includes personal opinion. Unevenly structured material. Little argument, mainly descriptive or personal opinion, with little reference to literature. Incoherently structured material. Little or no argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Very incoherently structured material. Little or no argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Very incoherently structured material. No argument, entirely personal opinion, with no reference to sources. Information or data selected from highly relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format. Information or data selected from relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format. Information or data selected from relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format, with some gaps or errors. Information or data selected, categorised, analysed or evaluated with an attempt at using a recommended format and with gaps or errors. Information or data poorly selected, categorised, analysed or evaluated, and may not use recommended format. Minimal selection of information or data, and little attempt at collation, categorisation, analysis or evaluation. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. Substantiated, relevant recommendations. Relevant recommendations. Some relevant recommendations. Basic recommendations. Recommendations lack clarity or may be incomplete. Irrelevant recommendations. No recommendations. No recommendations. LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment. LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically. LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their personal strengths in relation to the professional environment.  Graduate: Transferable Employability & Practical Skills (25%) What we are looking for on this module section: Relates to any further reading evident in answers, with further credit given for any citations or references. Research Skills: Demonstrated mainly in the summary of task 1, research of industry. Communication: relates to their level of writing throughout Evaluation of own strengths & weakness identified in task 1 and for PDP Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within 10% of word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing Mostly accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Some mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Frequent mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Fluent, interesting writing style, appropriate to the assignment Appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Fluent writing style, appropriate to the assignment Appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Mainly fluent writing style, appropriate to the assignment Mostly appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Writing style is mostly appropriate but not always fluent Inconsistent visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Awkward or inappropriate writing style Inappropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Poor writing style Poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Incoherent writing style Very poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Incoherent writing style Exceptionally poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Mostly correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography Inconsistent use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Inconsistent or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Inaccurate or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Very inaccurate or no use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. No use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Insightful reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Good reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Clear reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Some evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Very limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Minimal evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. No evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. LO1: Understand and have knowledge of professional skills and continual awareness in a business environment. LO2: Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection. LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and academically. LO4: Understand, improve and reflect upon their own personal strengths in relation to the professional environment. Marking band weightings: KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING (LO 1) 45% INTELLECTUAL & COGNITIVE SKILLS (LO 3 & 4) 30% Graduate Skills: transferable, employability, practical and academic skills 25% (LO 1, 2, 3 & 4) Factual and conceptual knowledge and understanding of academic skills within the context of degree; use of class materials; independent reading Critical thinking; conceptualisation; creativity; synthesis, analysis and evaluation; application; problem solving and research/investigation Written, oral and presentation skills; interpersonal, group and teamwork skills; leadership skills; numeracy; digital skills; practical, professional and academic skills (including referencing/presentation)