The implementation of a university-wide electronic reflective journal to facilitate the development of core skills

The University of Newcastle, in 2001, surveyed 600 employers of recent graduates of the University to identify those qualities desirable in graduates. From the survey ten competencies, which employers regarded highly, could be clearly identified. These ten competencies aligned closely with, and thus reinforced, thirteen Core Skills developed by the university for implementation throughout the institution. The process of implementing the Core Skills is a four-year project of the University, which will involve each School ensuring that the Core Skills are an integral component of all academic undergraduate programs. This paper documents the activities of four Schools in addressing the issues of supporting the integration of the Core Skills into their programs. The Schools have developed a prototype of an online reflective journal which supports students in documenting their progress in attaining the Core Skills and competencies of their respective disciplines. As well as describing the development of the Core Skills and the NURAPID project, the paper reports on issues encountered in developing the project.