Rich Pictures of the Future

Smith, Sally; Smith, Colin; Berg, Tessa; Bowen, Tracey

Abstract

The acceleration of technological innovation means that higher education must prepare students for an unknown future like never before, and help them see their position in relation to an increasingly globalised economy. Transition from university into graduate employment is challenging, as the number of graduates increases faster than the number of suitable vacancies with employers looking for demanding combinations of technical and soft skills in their new staff. This study set out to explore students’ perspectives of their futures with a view to providing insight into the nature of the student journey through university, and in particular for students approaching graduation. Rich pictures were used to explore student views of life beyond university in the UK and Canada. Rich pictures are collaborative drawings which stimulate discussion and students in the study revealed future visions; both negative and positive. This paper explains the use of RPs and presents study findings.

Citation

Smith, S., Smith, C., Berg, T., & Bowen, T. (2017, June). Rich Pictures of the Future. Presented at Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference
• Start Date: Jun 29, 2017
• End Date: Jun 30, 2017
• Acceptance Date: May 12, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 13, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 15, 2017
• Keywords: Rich pictures, student transition, employability,
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/970830
• Contract Date: Dec 13, 2017