Simulated learning: Assessing student perceptions of skill development and employability in a criminology course

Internationally, there is an increasing focus on enhancing student employability as an outcome of successful university study (Pavlin and Svetlik 2014). While definitions of employability remain contested, the marketisation of universities in the UK and globally, (Wilton, 2014) has proliferated managerial approaches and metrics to assess student outcomes. The emergent Teaching Excellence Framework in the UK (Office for Students, 2018) intends to include graduate 'employment' within their metrics to assess teaching excellence. Thus, universities have implemented a range of approaches to developing the employability of their students, whether curricular, extra-curricular, or co-curricular. This paper will outline a rationale for developing a simulation module for criminology undergraduate students, along with a description of how the module was operationalised adopting experiential learning approaches and utilising models of reflection (Schon, 1983, Gibbs, 1988). The module was developed in partnership with practitioners, and adopted six active learning techniques to deliver student centred learning (O'Neill and McMahon 2005): outside speakers - visiting criminal justice professionals; criminal justice agency student visits; the provision of a reflective student work book; service learning in the form of opportunities for student placements; assessments designed to facilitate student reflection on their own career pathways, and an imaginary case study approach framework for the teaching delivery. Using summative assessments as a data set, a thematic analysis highlighted from students' own perspective, how their employability and skills have been developed as a consequence of undertaking the module. These include articulating transferable skills (Monks et al, 2009, Pollard et al 2015; Jackson 2016), personal growth through developing empathy and compassion and the identification of new opportunities. Finally, pragmatic r