Contextualised performance: reframing the skills debate in research education

Abstract

In Australia, as in the UK, much of the skills debate in research education has reflected a deficit model, whereby candidates are deemed to be in need of supplementary training. In response to the demands of employers and governments, most universities have added employability skills to postgraduate curricula, while simultaneously boosting their efforts in relation to the enhancement of academic skills. Using an analysis of three conceptual frameworks identified in the literature, this article endeavours to reframe the skills debate by developing the concept of ‘contextualised performance’. A key characteristic of this relational construct is the enactment of skills in a variety of authentic settings and challenging circumstances. The article concludes by establishing links with literature on curriculum and pedagogy, with a view to enriching discussion around what it means to assess the capability of graduates.