Development of Transferable Skills Topical Module (2025)
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Adapted from a pilot survey that was developed by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, this module examines activities that develop useful and transferable skills for the workplace and beyond (such as verbal and written fluency, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, project management, and time management). The module complements questions on the core survey about higher-order learning, reflective and integrative learning, and students' perceptions of their development in a variety of areas.
During the current school year, whether course-related or not, about how often have you done the following?
Response options: 4=Very often; 3=Often; 2=Sometimes; 1=Never
a. Discussed or debated an issue of social, political, or philosophical importance
b. Made a speech to a group
c. Worked in a group with people who differed from you in terms of background, political orientation, points of view, etc.
d. Discussed the ethical consequences of a course of action
e. Evaluated the credibility of information sources
f. Discussed complex problems with others to develop a better solution
g. Generated multiple solutions to a problem or task
h. Combined dissimilar concepts to create a novel idea
i. Adapted a previously used solution to a new situation
j. Referred to online content (tutorial, forum, webpage, etc.) to solve a problem
k. Referred to online content (tutorial, forum, webpage, etc.) to learn a new skill or procedure
l. Used project management tools to plan, organize, or schedule tasks
m. Used a daily or weekly “to do” list
n. Prioritized what tasks need to be accomplished
o. Worked longer hours than usual to meet deadlines (i.e., after midnight, before dawn)
p. Written something (paper, report, article, etc.) that used information from a variety of sources (books, journals, Internet, databases, etc.)
q. Written something (paper, report, article, etc.) that assessed the conclusions of a published work
r. Written something (paper, report, article, etc.) that included ideas from more than one academic discipline
s. Written something (paper, report, article, etc.) that presented multiple viewpoints or perspectives
