Higher Education
Higher education institutions must prepare students not just for their first job but for a lifelong career journey. But as AI and machine learning technology gain popularity, the job market is transforming at an unprecedented pace.
New professions have emerged in the last decade that were once considered science fiction, and this trend is set to continue. It’s evident that the traditional approach to education, focusing solely on imparting knowledge, is no longer sufficient.
To equip students for success in a dynamic job landscape, we must shift our focus towards developing skills, competencies, critical thinking, and communication abilities. This shift is at the core of authentic assessment, a concept that has never been more relevant.
Authentic assessments can help bridge the gap between education and employability. They transform learning outcomes into assessment activities that measure student knowledge transfer and provide more skill-building opportunities, while preventing any interference from AI.
Unlike traditional exams that emphasize memorization, authentic assessments combine video and feedback to measure student competency, outsmart AI to enforce human responses, facilitate discussion between the student and educator, and provide high-quality skill-building opportunities. By adding authentic assessments to your higher education strategies, you’ll ensure that students are prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
New job titles have emerged over the past 5-10 years that were once unthinkable. Positions like Social Media Manager, Data Analyst, or App Developer were either nonexistent or in their infancy a decade ago. And who knows what kind of roles will come next? By transitioning higher education away from knowledge attainment and more towards skills and competency building, you can ensure student success long into the future. Even as AI and technology continue to reshape industries, here are three skills and competencies that will never age out:
1. Critical Thinking
In today’s job market, critical thinking is one of the most coveted skills. It involves the ability to analyze information, make informed decisions, and solve complex problems. AI and technology have automated many routine tasks, making critical thinking a defining factor that sets humans apart from machines. Higher education institutions must emphasize critical thinking in their curricula and authentically assess students’ ability to apply it to real-world scenarios.
2. Communication Skills
Effective communication skills are more vital than ever in a world driven by technology. The ability to convey ideas clearly, collaborate across borders, and adapt to different communication platforms is essential. Jobs like Content Creator, Digital Marketer, and Online Community Manager rely heavily on strong communication skills. Authentic assessments can gauge a student’s proficiency in written and oral communication, ensuring they are job-ready in an increasingly interconnected world.
3. Intrinsically Human Skills
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has ushered in an era of unprecedented efficiency and productivity. Automation has streamlined many processes, but it has also disrupted job markets across various sectors. Jobs that were once secure are now at risk of being automated. In this context, it is even more critical to prepare students for the unpredictable job landscape. AI can augment human abilities, but it cannot replace skills like creativity, emotional intelligence, and adaptability — qualities that authentic assessment seeks to nurture.
Hear from one recruiter on how the little things matter when it comes to landing a job:
Video-based authentic assessments are a game-changer in preparing students for the job market. Video allows students to practice and demonstrate their skills in realistic settings, whether it’s a presentation, a simulated workplace scenario, or a group project discussion. Video assessments provide a multi-dimensional view of a student’s capabilities, including their communication skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
Authentic assessments delivered by video also offer educators the ability to provide timely, specific, and constructive feedback, which is crucial for student development. Video assessment + feedback solutions, like GoReact, enable instructors to create customized authentic assessments, efficiently review and grade student submissions, and offer valuable feedback that fosters growth and develops valuable lifelong skills.
Hear why this university tech leader says video is crucial in the AI era:
As AI continues to transform the job market and complicate assessments, higher education institutions have a responsibility to equip students with the skills and competencies they need to thrive. Authentic assessment is the solution to this challenge. It not only prepares students for the future but also equips them with the ability to adapt and excel in an ever-changing job landscape.
GoReact stands out as the most effective way to authentically assess student knowledge and skills. With its video-based assessments and feedback capabilities, GoReact ensures that students are not only knowledgeable but also job-qualified, ready for careers that may not even exist today. It’s a transformative solution for higher education, enabling institutions to shape the future workforce, one skilled and adaptable graduate at a time.
