New AAC&U Resource: Fulfilling the American Dream—Liberal Education and the Future of Work
On August 28, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) released its new report,
Fulfilling the American dream: Liberal education and the future of work. This large survey of executives and hiring managers, conducted by Hart Research Associates, offers a helpful update to the association's previous surveys of employers about the capacities they look for in college graduates. A key implication of the findings for Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) includes continued affirmation of the importance of high-impact practices—such as eportfolios, internships, extensive writing, and collaborative research—that serve as the core for many educational development programs. Second, the study signals the importance of CTLs' collaborations with academic units on curriculum development, to provide students with increased opportunities to practice key "21st-century skills," such as oral communication and complex problem-solving. Finally, the survey points to a potential growth area for CTLs: to support greater teaching and learning of metacognitive and life-long learning skills, because relatively few employers report that college graduates have the necessary capacities to advance or be promoted in their careers. POD Network President Cassandra Horii and AAC&U CIO and Associate Vice President for Quality, Advocacy, and LEAP Initiatives, C. Edward Watson, will be moderating a November 16 panel (9:00–10:15 AM) at the POD Network Conference on many of these topics.
