Developing competences as a part of students professional development : case study at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, degree program in business management

Abstract

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The aim of this development project was to analyse development of competences as part of students’ professional growth. The project explored competence development process of first year students at Degree Program in Business Management at Laurea University of Applied Sciences. In the project subject-specific and generic competences needed in business education were explored and analyzed by revising students’ competence essays and interviewing teacherstutors. Based on the analysis, suggestions were made regarding facilitation of students’ competence development process. The main outcome of analysis was that although all business students were able to achieve basic level of generic competences during their first year of study, many of them did not connect competences with the curriculum and did not see relationship between competences and their professional growth. Such methods of supporting competence development as discussions with tutors are not popular with the students. The conclusion was made that more time should be spent at the beginning of the studies to explain the meaning and importance of competences to students and its connection to their professionalism; and other methods of facilitating students’ development process besides tutoring are needed