Higher Education Skills and Competencies: A Comprehensive Report

This report analyzes the development of higher education skills and competencies. It begins by distinguishing between learning in school and university settings, highlighting the shift towards fundamental concepts and specialized study areas. The report emphasizes the importance of critical reading and thinking, using the Volkswagen scandal as a case study to illustrate these skills. It then explores the ability to locate, collect, and record information, detailing the use of primary and secondary sources. The report also focuses on reading skills and their significance, particularly in terms of speed and critical understanding. Self-reflection is discussed as a means of identifying areas for improvement, such as interpersonal and time management skills. Finally, the report evaluates the progress made throughout the module, acknowledging both positive and challenging experiences. The conclusion summarizes the key differences between school and university education, emphasizing the role of skills in academic and professional success.

Higher Education Skills and
Competencies

Table of Contents
AIM..................................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. The distinction between learning in your previous school and now at the University...........1
2. Engagement in critical reading and thinking..........................................................................1
3. Ability to locate, collect and record appropriate information.................................................2
4. Evaluation of the reliability of information............................................................................2
5. Reading skills..........................................................................................................................3
6. Self-reflection..........................................................................................................................4
7. Evaluation of your progress over the module.........................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

AIM
To demonstrate the development of higher education skills and competencies.
INTRODUCTION
Key competencies/skills in present time has became as the part of curricula within higher
education. These skills can be anything from interpersonal skills, communication, focusing
attention, time management, teamwork and many more (Becker and et. al., 2017). In present
context, I have analysed that some of the skills are said to be easier to learn but some of them are
hard due to lack of capabilities within an individual. Present report is going to be enclosed with
distinction between learning in school and university, engagement with both thinking and critical
reading and many other things as well.
MAIN BODY
1. The distinction between learning in your previous school and now at the University
I have analysed that, school environment and learning covers from the age of visiting
kindergarten to extending years. On the other hand, higher studies refers to the understanding of
fundamental concepts relates to various theories such as psychological, cognitive structural and
many more. Basically, I found that it is really very hard to distinct among both school and
university, it is because of education level and change in pattern of learning within both of the
areas. Along with this, it has been examined by me that, an individual would require to study all
the subjects that are taught within the school. But in the case of a university, mostly a person like
me study's a particular area based on the interest. Considering different education based institutes
from university to schools, it can easily be said by me is that learning in both the stages are said
to be different from each other.
2. Engagement in critical reading and thinking
On my point of view, critical reading is being considered as an effective concept of
discovering relevant information and data available in a reading text, it is a process of careful
and analytic reading. Critical thinking is a process of evaluating the information collected from
critical reading and deciding what concepts are to be accepted. According to me, these two
theories are usually used together to determine various outcomes.
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In order to show both critical reading and thinking within present report, a famous
scandal of Volkswagen has been taken. Basically, an environmental agency (to protect) sued VW
stating that the company is breaching a law i.e. Clean Air Act (Gerstein and Friedman, 2016).
Considering this article, it can easily show both thinking and critical reading as well. Here, it was
found that, VW's reputation started defeminising where organisation faced heavy losses as well
which impacted negatively upon market image as well. What I think that Volkswagen's idea was
innovative which has helped them in earning a good amount of profit, but this action was directly
impacting negatively upon ecological system due to heavy emission of pollution which this
manufacturer's cars were rapidly offering individuals with maximum range of benefits as well.
3. Ability to locate, collect and record appropriate information
Volkswagen, which comes in world's biggest auto manufacturers has kept its focus on
enhancing the profit margins through offering its targeted customers with safety cars. As
mentioned by Wolfsburg, (2019), Volkswagen has kept its focus on developing a much efficient
cars considering the sustainability of themselves and a healthy environment as well taking help
of a much effective tool and i.e. Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB) architecture. In this,
company has appointed engineers as well focusing upon encountering obstacles as they attempt
to shave up to a third of the costs of developing a family of city EVs for the VW. Therefore,
company has built specialised team that are having specific skills related to technology like
Artificial Intelligence and many more.
4. Evaluation of the reliability of information
At the time of conducting the investigation or developing any sort of report, it is required
for an individual to look into different resources through which it can be built in much effective
and efficient manner (Jang, 2016). What I use at the time of conducting a report is mostly of
secondary data like published, books, journals, documents and other sort of blogs, which are
being posted by scholars and authors. I have analysed that, a researcher basically requires proper
concentration at the time of building an authentic and reliable report. Failure into this, may lead
me or any other person to face issues regarding unreliable information within the assignment.
The two main sources from which I mainly collects data are given beneath:
 Primary sources: This is being considered as one of the crucial approach, which helps in
collecting the data with the help of different questionnaires, surveys, interviews, focus
groups and more. These sources are first hand which provides original data due to which
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they results to be more reliable and accurate for me. I collected reliable information from
these sources and then evaluated it by using several tools such as graphs, diagrams and
charts.
 Secondary sources: I have used these sources for research work projects as they require
time and these sources facilitates us by saving our time. Newspapers, journals and
published documents are some of the examples which are used by me for developing
research report. Data and content which are collected by secondary sources are further
evaluated for the better understanding of mentors about the topic by using few statistical
tools like pie charts, line and bar graphs etc.
5. Reading skills
Just after looking at different range of comprehensive readings, I can easily say that an
individual could learn in a much more clearer sense through having much more effective and
efficient reading skills. It can be said that reading skills are said to be the ability of understanding
the written text. For every single individual, this is being considered as one of a crucial skill
which is needed to have in order to become a much more successful person in near future
(Murray and et. al., 2016).
At my initial stage, both school teachers and my parents has helped me to have much
more effective and efficient reading skills. I can say that, I am good at this reading but there are
some of the areas, which are needed for me to make them much more stronger then it is required.
Some of these areas are: critical reading and comprehension. Significance of these skills in the
course of completion of my project work are mentioned below:
 Speed : While conducting an investigation, it can easily be said by me is that I somehow
speeded up my own reading. This has helped me in acquiring much more information in
specified time frame. Basically, primary need of my own in acquiring this skill, is that I
used to take time in reading which affected project reports along with research
assignments and delayed the submissions as well.
 Critical reading : Critical reading is the process of evaluating and understanding the
written text so that information can be gathered and further processed (Thomas and et.
al., 2016).
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Considering these areas, it can easily be said that by me is that for every single individual
at workplace or while reading or writing at University, person can grab a good position within
the class or learn the course in much more detailed sense.
6. Self-reflection
Based on the findings and while conducting the report, it has helped me in enhancing my
own skills in which I was lacking. It can be said that there are a range of areas like interpersonal
and time management are required to be managed by me in order to improvise my personality in
front of my tutor. Improvisation among these areas will directly aid me in hitting my own targets
in near future as well. On the other hand, my research skills in which I am already efficient has
helped in looking into different range of sources considering the secondary research. This could
be considered as the section which was really very good for me while completing the
assignment.
7. Evaluation of your progress over the module
I have found that from 1 to 11 weeks, it can be said that there were many scenarios came
in front with me, which can easily taken in both good and not so good experiences. These could
be understood with two examples and these are: At the time of collecting the data, I went through
different online sites which consumed my time and impacted upon my learning as well. On the
other hand, another example could be taken in same context, where my research skills has helped
me in putting all the efforts and knowledge within the report.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is being concluded that both schools and
universities stays different from each other because, within the schools, a person basically learns
about different subjects and areas which helps in enhancing the benefits as well. On the other
hand, universities are for higher education where an individual takes admission to stronger a
particular area in order to enhance overall performance level within a particular sphere. An
individual filled with proper education and skills can survive in a company or learn in a detailed
manner within the university for a longer time frame.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Becker, S. A. and et. al., 2017. NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition (pp. 1-60).
The New Media Consortium.
Gerstein, M. and Friedman, H. H., 2016. Rethinking higher education: Focusing on skills and
competencies. Gerstein, Miriam and Hershey H. Friedman (2016),“Rethinking Higher
Education: Focusing on Skills and Competencies,” Psychosociological Issues in Human
Resource Management. 4(2). pp.104-121.
Jang, H., 2016. Identifying 21st century STEM competencies using workplace data. Journal of
Science Education and Technology. 25(2). pp.284-301.
Murray, D. W. and et. al., 2016. Culinary efficacy: an exploratory study of skills, confidence, and
healthy cooking competencies among university students. Perspectives in Public
Health. 136(3). pp.143-151.
Thomas, P. A. and et. al., 2016. Curriculum development for medical education: a six-step
approach. JHU Press.
Online
VW Group engineers tackle task of shaving costs from new city Evs. 2019. [Online]. Available
through: <https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/vw-group-engineers-tackle-task-
shaving-costs-new-city-evs>.
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