Transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and critical thinking are essential for graduates’ success beyond academia, yet they are often overshadowed by content-heavy curricula. Here, I’ll explore how to integrate these skills into science courses through experiential learning. We’ll focus on a revamped animal physiology lab course, designed to foster these abilities while still covering the content comprehensively.
Challenges in higher education
Curricula filled with technical knowledge often leave little room for the collaboration, problem-solving and clear communication skills that employers value. In scientific disciplines, students might excel at comprehending theories but can often struggle with teamwork and effectively presenting their ideas. This gap not only hampers employability but limits their ability to address real-world challenges.
Integrate experiential learning
The solution is not to completely overhaul your curriculum or reduce the content. By embedding experiential elements such as group projects and hands-on labs, educators can create opportunities for developing transferable skills at the same time they deliver core material.
As an educator in life sciences, I have witnessed the success of this approach in my animal physiology laboratory course, which transitioned from a traditional “cookbook” format – where students followed step-by-step instructions – to a phased structure, evolving from guided activities to student-led research. The key lies in intentional design: aligning activities with learning outcomes that embed transferable skills, providing scaffolding for beginners and harnessing formative assessments to encourage growth.
- Top business graduates lack one key skill – execution
- Can transferable skills be taught in distance learning?
- Help your graduates beat AI in job market by building transferable skills
The process of effectively mapping transferable skills into your course structure starts with recognising that lectures impart knowledge but labs and projects provide ideal environments for skill development. Organise the course into phases: begin with a foundational phase focused on technical skills and principles, followed by a project phase for collaborative application. This approach ensures that essential content is covered upfront, with projects reinforcing rather than replacing it.
In the animal physiology laboratory, phase one uses guided tutorials and labs to teach experimental techniques for studying animal physiology, covering core concepts and essential skills such as data recording, ethical lab practices and equipment use. This phase encourages active engagement, moving beyond rote manual-following. Students analyse results and submit worksheets, honing their critical thinking and scientific writing skills.
In phase two, students collaborate in groups to design a research project centred on a physiology-related question. They submit proposals, receive feedback, conduct experiments and deliver final reports. This phase deepens understanding by applying phase one concepts in practical, student-driven contexts, ensuring comprehensive content coverage within the semester.
Fostering collaboration and communication
This structured approach naturally fosters transferable skills. Students divide tasks between them – for example, one setting up experiments while another analyses data. This helps to develop teamwork, clear communication and conflict resolution.
The course focuses on group collaboration, with outcomes assessed through lab performance and peer feedback. As the instructor, I facilitate group discussions and provide consultations in phase two, guiding students through the thinking process when they encounter difficulties in their planned research. This support helps them navigate challenges. Tools such as group logs and shared documents help students manage responsibilities, transforming potential chaos into structured collaboration.
Communication skills are honed further in a few different ways. In phase one, worksheets demand clear, concise writing that applies physiological knowledge to data interpretation. Phase two’s proposal builds on this foundation, linking objectives to physiological principles and ensuring practical feasibility. A briefing session offers guidance on proposal and report writing, with rubrics rewarding clarity and organisation, enabling students to present complex concepts in accessible terms. A final exam tests data interpretation skills, further sharpening critical thinking.
To make the process practical, provide templates and feedback loops. Outline proposal structures, including introduction, methods and expected outcomes. Throughout the course, I review drafts and offer consultations, prompting students with questions such as: “How does this test your hypothesis?” to encourage iterative thinking – a crucial transferable skill.
The revamped course has been well received, with students reporting increased confidence and improved practical abilities such as teamwork and effective communication. Group tasks cultivate resilience and negotiation skills, preparing students for professional environments.
By embedding transferable skills into the existing curriculum through purposeful activities, we can maintain content depth while enriching the learning experience. Graduates emerge not only as knowledgeable scientists but as effective collaborators and communicators, equipped with project portfolios that demonstrate their skills to potential employers.
To promote wider adoption, I suggest that educators begin with manageable steps: assess one course, implement a project phase and adjust your methods based on the feedback received. By taking this approach, we can better prepare students for successful careers and beyond.
Philip Y. Lam is assistant professor of science education at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.
comment