Analysis of Skills and Competencies for Higher Education Success

This report examines the crucial skills and competencies necessary for success in higher education, focusing on the distinctions between school and higher education learning, critical reading and thinking in the workplace, and essential skills such as data gathering, information evaluation, and reading comprehension. The analysis includes self-reflection on skill development and employability, highlighting areas of strength and areas for improvement in skills like data reliability evaluation and reading comprehension. The report emphasizes the importance of these skills for personal and professional growth, concluding with recommendations for enhancing skills to improve academic performance and future employability. The author reflects on the progress made in the module, acknowledging improvements in critical thinking, data collection, and reading speed, while identifying areas where further development is needed, such as data reliability evaluation and the ability to critically analyze information.

HIGHER EDUCATION SKILLS
AND COMPETENCIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
KNOWLEDGE................................................................................................................................1
Distinction among learning in school and higher education..................................................1
Engaging critical reading and thinking at the workplace.......................................................2
SKILLS............................................................................................................................................3
Ability in order to locate, gather and record proper information...........................................3
Evaluating reliability of collected data...................................................................................3
Reading skills.........................................................................................................................4
Self-reflection.........................................................................................................................4
Evaluation of the progress......................................................................................................4
Employability.........................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Skills and competencies both are highly required in a person whether he or she is
working or taking education. Due to lack of skills and various competencies people cannot
achieve their objectives and goals properly. The present study reflects different kinds of
knowledge as well as skills which are supportive for person in order to fulfil his purposes. With
the help of proper demonstrations all the skills and knowledges are explained in the project.
KNOWLEDGE
Distinction among learning in school and higher education
It is quite typical to make difference among both these aspects for me. In the school time
when tasks are allotted then time frame along with the total work was mentioned by teacher. On
the other hand, in the higher education tasks are provided but any specifications as well as
deadlines not given by professors (Chair and et.al., 2017). Due to this difference, I am able to
manage time properly in the school as compared to higher education. Along with the time
management differences in school and higher education, learnings are also one of the highly
important knowledge for me. With the help of learnings I able to grow properly from school
level to higher educations. There are different styles of learning which include visual, aural,
physical, verbal etc. During schooling, I always preferred visual aids like pictures, videos,
images, graphics etc. Further, in higher education such styles differ and changes from visual aids
or effects to the verbal. In the verbal learning's speech as well as writing is included while taking
higher education. A worksheet is also used in the learning styles, shows that which kind of style
in order to learn something was preferred by me. Further, the worksheet is such as follows:
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Engaging critical reading and thinking at the workplace
In the company or any working environment wide range of situations and problems
occur. In order to resolve issues, it is mandatory to analyse causes due to which particular
problem comes (Jääskelä, Nykänen and Tynjälä, 2016). In the present task, cost increasing issue
is taken within the Lidl and Aldi company. For eliminating this problem, initially I need to know
causes of its occurrence at the workplace. For this procedure, firstly I have to read and analyse
the overall issues along with causes in a critical way. I get idea from critical reading that due to
lack of proper management the cost enhancing in business on consisting basis. Further, it may be
possible that because of employee inefficiency staff turnover increases and impact on the
costing. When the critical reading is linked with the thinking then I can derive solutions also for
resolving issue of cost improvement from the workplace. As the issues identified from critical
reading then I can find strategies for declining expenses in Lidl and Aldi enterprise. Moreover,
by engaging critical reading with the thinking then problems from workplace can resolved up to
the better extent.
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SKILLS
Along with the better and high level of knowledge, skills or attributes also having
significant place for developing professional life. With the help of skills, I am able to analyse and
resolve problems at the workplace (Delaney and et.al., 2017). Further, some skills are mentioned
below:
Ability in order to locate, gather and record proper information
In this data collection skills are highly supportive for every person because it supports in
analysing problems and derive solution of that. If I have to assess ways of team work within
Volkswagen company then initially I will go for collecting proper and valid information. For this
particular analysis, I will use various sources like academic and non-academic resources. In the
present scenario, I will consider academic resources which include books, journals, articles etc.
Along with this, I will gather information from the annual report of Volkswagen auto-mobile
business (Data Collection Techniques, 2017). Moreover, for recording data excel sheet and
proper structures will be used by me. With the help of all such resources I can know how and in
which ways the team of Volkswagen business accomplish tasks and achieve goals properly.
Further, these all kinds of skills are to be learnt by me during higher education programmes as
compared to schooling.
Evaluating reliability of collected data
In order to analyse a particular issue or problem it is necessary to identify causes for such
issues which can be done through data collection. Once the information for analysing problem
has been gathered then usually researcher assess whether data is reliable or not. In order to
measure that, up to which level collected information can be used for research several methods
included. Reliability is one of the highly supportive instrument through which gathered data can
be evaluated easily. Different forms of reliability evaluation include inter-rated, test-rated,
parallel-forms and internal consistency (Validity and Reliability, 2017). Apart from this, after
taking help of team members, relevant approaches, evidences etc. data reliability evaluated in an
effective direction. In addition to this, reliability of the information depends on sources used for
data collection.
For instance: In my college number of students declined on continuous basis over a
period of 4 years. Further, information will be gathered by me from the students and to measure
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its reliability either I will use proper method or apply various forms of reliability on the gathered
data set. In this, the study and analytical skills used which are highly supportive for me.
Reading skills
In a particular person, along with the above stated skills, reading is also one of the highly
important attribute. With the help of this specific skill person able to create broad understanding
in his and make solutions of any issue. In the skill of reading basically three aspects are involved
like like speed, understanding as well as critical reading which are highly supportive for me.
Simply reading out an article or book is not enough for me because it will not help for
understanding concepts. I can read anything with the better, proper speed and an adequate
manner up to the greater extent. However, high speed of reading hampers my level of
comprehension up to the higher level. Along with this, I cannot make criticism on that concept
and derive outcomes which are possible. Moreover, under this skill critical reading is also highly
significant through which a person can derive limitations of the study.
For example: While taking higher education an article based on sources of finance was
given to me by the lecturer. I was able to read the overall article in proper direction with the high
speed. However, I understood some sources appropriately but for some financing source I cannot
built proper as well as broad understanding. Due to this, I was unable to critic the study and
determine loopholes in the sources which provide financial support to the firms.
Self-reflection
From the present analysis, I found that I able to link critical reading with the thinking so
that I can make effective decisions. I can collect as well as record the data in proper direction for
any research and issue. In this kind of skills, I not face any kind of obstacle and problem up to
the better level. Along with this, evaluation of the data reliability and speed of reading these both
are really appreciable or good in mine. With the high reading speed, I have an issue which is
related to comprehension and critical. On the basis of this analysis, it is necessary to improve
quality of my reading skills up to the higher level. When this specific attribute will be enhanced
in me then I will be able to build broad understanding about the topic and critic it as well.
Evaluation of the progress
During the overall module I progressed too much in terms of boost up my knowledges as
well as skills up to the greater level. At the initial time when I was admitted in college to take
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higher education, then I had very less or negligible skills. As I went through several modules
then able to increase my speed of reading articles and books up to the better level. Further, I got
better knowledge in terms of critical reading and thinking which is supporting for resolving
issues. However, experience of me in terms of overall reading skill was poor due to which I was
unable to progressed in this properly.
Employability
The concept in which a candidate who completed his higher education and go for
employment in the market is considered as employability. For doing job there are some specific
purposes and goals are always there with the interested candidate. In this class worksheets are
completed by the lecturer which helps to the person for getting better job. Moreover, as per the
Alice from Careers Advice some factors are mandatory to consider the students while searching
employability (Aguila and et.al., 2016). Further, some aspects include personal goals, proper and
attractive resume, ability to fight interview, skills and attributes which he or she has as well as
qualities. With the help of such all the elements interested person can get employment properly.
CONCLUSION
From the present study, it can be concluded that, skills and knowledges both are highly
important part for the person who is taking higher education and wants to grow professional life.
The reason is that, due to lack of skills and knowledges he or she will not be able to get better job
in the market. From the overall module, I am able to enhance some skills like data collection,
recording and reading. Along with this, critical reading and thinking knowledges are also
improved in me from this module up to the better level. However, through the study or module I
cannot improve skill of evaluating data and its reliability. Along with this, I am unable to make
improvements in existing reading skills due to which cannot criticise any article or study.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aguila, G. M. and et.al., 2016. Employability of Computer Engineering Graduates from 2013 to
2015 in one Private Higher Education Institution in the Philippines. Asia Pacific Journal of
Education, Arts and Sciences. 3(3). pp. 48-54.
Chair and et.al., 2017. GERONTOLOGICAL HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE
WORLD: COMPETENCIES AND PROFESSIONS. Innovation in Aging.1(suppl_1). pp.
1271-1272.
Delaney, Y. and et.al., 2017. Transitioning from traditional to problem-based learning in
management education: the case of a frontline manager skills development programme.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International. 54(3). pp. 214-222.
Jääskelä, P., Nykänen, S. and Tynjälä, P., 2016. Models for the development of generic skills in
Finnish higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education. pp. 1-13.
Online
Data Collection Techniques, 2017. [Online]. Available through: <https://cyfar.org/data-
collection-techniques> [Accessed on 26th August 2017].
Validity and Reliability, 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://learntech.uwe.ac.uk/da/Default.aspx?pageid=1429> [Accessed on 26th August
2017].
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