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General transferable skills: problem solving

(Transcript of a section of the General transferable skills report, 1998)


Competence Statement A student is able to:
  • identify issues, assimilating, evaluating, and analysing information as a product of independent or group research
  • offer a practical solution making effective use of the time and resources available
Basic Level Able to:
  • apply standard information and methods accurately and carefully to a well defined problem
  • demonstrate some appreciation of the complexity of issues
Advanced Level Able to perform proficiently:
  • in identifying and defining complex problems
  • in applying appropriate knowledge and skills to their solution
  • in using existing knowledge and skills in new and different situations and identify from them what is relevant to the new context
Illustrations Of Activities At basic level:
  • solving well defined (typically hypothetical) problems through essays, tutorials and group work
  • well defined group research tasks
  • mooting relatively clear issues
     
    At advanced level:
  • dissertations: students identifying their own problems solving through independent research
  • law clinics: students providing advice to clients on their problems
Illustrations of evidence
  • ability to formulate a problem in terms of context in discipline, evaluate alternate formulations
  • ability to generate appropriate solutions, making use of own skills and knowledge, and with understanding of range of alternatives
  • degree of imagination and insight
  • ability to carry out a solution effectively
  • ability to apply methods and procedures to a defined problem
  • self awareness: aware of own limitations and own abilities

Last Modified: 4 June 2010