Generic Skills Learning Outcomes
We hear much talk these days about the need for learners both in colleges and the workplace to acquire generic skills.
Generic skills are defined as:
"particular life skills essential for both personal and career success."
In the college system in Ontario, these generic skills learning outcomes were developed by the College Standards and Accreditation Council (CSAC) , in recognition of the requirement that people require broad sets of skills to function effectively in today’s social and economic climate. For example, the Conference Board of Canada’s employability skills profile requires that Canadian workers can:
| Communicate | Think | Learn |
| Assume responsibility | Demonstrate Adaptability | Display positive attitudes and behaviours |
| Work with others |
Guiding Principles underlying the development of generic skills include the following:
- generic skills are expressed as learning outcomes;
- all graduates of two and three year programs must have achieved all generic skill learning outcomes;
- generic skills requirements in postsecondary programs are to be at a postsecondary level;
This means that the skills must reflect a quality of performance that is appropriate to the college context.- generic skill learning outcomes represent the minimum acceptable level of achievement;
In some programs, such as computer programs, the level of achievement may be much higher in order to achieve the vocational learning outcomes.- generic skills learning outcomes may be incorporated into a program’s curriculum in a variety of ways. That is, there might be specific courses related to their development, or they might be incorporated into vocational or general education courses.
- graduates will be evaluated by faculty for their ability to reliably demonstrate each generic skills learning outcome; This statement suggests that students will require the opportunity to practice the skills over time, and in a variety of situations. It might also mean that students work should be collected over a period of time to illustrate progression toward achieving those skills.
A total of thirteen generic skills outcomes were developed, which relate to the areas of communications, mathematics, computer literacy, interpersonal skills, and analytical skills. Each skill was identified with a description of elements of the performance. The elements were included to define and clarify the level and quality of performance necessary to meet the requirements of the learning outcome.
The following is a list of the generic skills outcomes. For a more comprehensive discussion related to their meaning, performance elements, and sample learning activities, read the document:
Generic Skills Learning Outcomes for Two and Three Year Programs in Ontario’s Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. The College Standards and Accreditation Council, May, 1995.
List of Generic Skills
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of audiences;
- reframe information, ideas and concepts using the narrative, visual, numerical and symbolic representations which demonstrate understanding;
- apply a wide variety of mathematical techniques with the degree of accuracy required to solve problems and make decisions;
- use a variety of computer hardware and software and other technological tools appropriate and necessary to the performance of tasks;
- interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals;
- evaluate her or his own thinking throughout the steps and processes used in problem solving and decision making;
- collect, analyze and organize relevant and necessary information from a variety of sources;
- evaluate the validity of arguments based on qualitative and quantitative information in order to accept or challenge the findings of others;
- create innovative strategies and/or products that meet identified needs;
- manage the use of time and other resources to attain personal and/or project-related goals;
- take responsibility for her or his own actions and decisions
- adapt to new situations and demands by applying and/or updating her or his knowledge and skills
- represent her or his skills, knowledge and experience realistically for personal and employment purposes.
Within your teaching and learning context, propose two learning activities that would address two of the generic skills learning outcomes.
