Building graduate attributes using student-generated screencasts

Abstract

There has been an increasing emphasis in recent years on developing the “soft” skills, or graduate attributes, that students need once they finish their university studies in addition to the specific domain knowledge of their discipline. This paper describes an innovative approach to developing graduate attributes through the introduction of an optional assignment in which first-year accounting students designed and developed screencasts explaining key concepts to their peers. Screencasts have been used in recent years for teaching but the approach of students, rather than teachers, making screencasts is far less common. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of student surveys showed that, in addition to improving their accounting knowledge and providing a fun and different way of learning accounting, the assignment contributed to the development and expression of a number of graduate attributes. These included the students’ ability to communicate ideas to others and skills in multimedia, creativity, teamwork and self-directed learning.