Skill-development curriculum
Maximizing transversal skill development during experiential learning activities
Domains
The FUSION Skill-Development Curriculum focuses on helping students enhance their skills across eight critical 21st century skill domains:
- Adaptability - Our workplaces and communities are not static. We are regularly exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking. When we are adaptable, we are ready to take on new challenges.
- AI Literacy - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives. How do we make sure that it is used ethically and responsibly? Being a critical user of AI is impportant to help ensure AI tools are used appropriately.
- Collaboration - Collaboration and teamwork involve working with others in groups. These skills are needed to perform effectively and with confidence when working with others.
- Communication - It is important that we know how to think critically when collaborating with others. To handle difficult situations, we must adapt to diverse contexts and anticipate the needs of successful communication exchanges.
- Inclusivity - People who feel included are more likely to be engaged. This creates a ripple effect on morale and increases the likelihood of employees being happier at work. This can have a positive effect on a group or organization’s effectiveness and profitability.
- Metacognition – Metacognition is thinking about thinking. Well-developed metacognitive skills improve our ability to process, absorb, and retain information through self-recognition and self-reflection.
- Problem Solving - We encounter new problems every day. Whether these problems are simple or complex, they require the application of similar procedures. When we learn from our problem-solving experiences, we strengthen our ability adapt quickly and successfully to change.
- Self-management - Self-management involves time management and motivation. When we practice self-management, we learn to regulate our thoughts, emotions, behaviours.
These skill domains were selected based on their repeated prioritization in surveys of employers and their perceived centrality to ‘next-generation’ employment opportunities for university graduates.
Format
The curriculum is an interactive and engaging online, self-study experience designed to wraparound and complement an experiential learning opportunity (e.g. internship, student leadership role, research project, etc.). It consists of three phases:
Explore (2 hour)
Before the experience
- Students will learn about and define the skill.
- Students will engage in a self-assessment of the skill.
Apply (1 hours)
During the experience
- Students will complete a series of activities that explore how the skill can be used to help them navigate in a variety of contexts and environments.
Reflect (1 hour)
After the experience
- Students will look back at their applied learning experience, analyze what they’ve learned, and set goals for the future.
Each phase includes a set of activities - such as guided self-assessments, exercises, reflections, and case studies - to provide students with guidance to meaningfully improve their skills. You may explore each skill module and their respective phases via the links below.
Potential benefits
Wrapping the FUSION curriculum around university online or in-person experiential learning activities has the potential to:
- Heighten students’ awareness of skill development during experiential learning activities;
- Help students build skills in three skill domains that are important to employers;
- Support students in their skills articulation and transition to the future world of work;
- Provide instructors and program managers with additional instructional support.
Learn more
For more information, or to explore how the FUSION curriculum can help provide value to your Concordia course or program and students, contact Concordia’s FUSION Project Lead: megan.marcoux@concordia.ca