Publication Outline—Drew Thurman
PLANNING QUESTIONS:
What is the topic of your article?
The topic of my article is the use of online tools and resources to promote the teaching of employability skills—often referred to as “soft skills”—in high school CTE classrooms. The many industry representatives I work with who sponsor and advise CTE programs within my district stress the importance of these skills for young people entering the workforce. The article’s intended audience is high school CTE instructors. Through my article, I intend to share with this audience ways they can use technology tools to equip students with these highly sought-after skills.
What is the connection to your innovation plan or initiative?
My innovation plan involves the use of 360-degree photography to create virtual fieldtrips to work sites that are impractical to visit on traditional field trips. An aspect of my innovation plan requires students to communicate and facilitate a meeting with company representatives to set up the filming of the work site. Students will be expected to demonstrate their soft skills when setting up and conducting these meetings.
How can this information help others?
More than specific industry-related skills, employers stress soft/employability skills as the most important qualities for new hires. My hope and intent is to assist teachers with finding ways to creatively and effectively impart these qualities and skills to their students. Doing so will strengthen their programs by creating students who are more ready to enter the workforce.
Lessons learned or hoped to learn?
I am convinced that the use of technology and web 2.0 tools have the potential to positively impact teaching and learning in the area of employability skills. I foresee my biggest learning opportunity to be how to pair up a specific soft skill with a technology tool that will assist students in refining that particular skill. For example, the use of web conferencing software to practice written and oral communication.
What digital resources will be included in your article?
To enrich this article, I will provide photographs of students engaged in activities. I will secure a media release form for any student pictured in the article. I will also include links to videos, student projects and my edshelf.
Journal Submission Guidelines:
I plan to submit my article to Journal of Career and Technical Education for publication. The guidelines for submission can be found at this link: https://journalcte.org/about/submissions/
OUTLINE:
Publication: Journal of Career and Technical Education
Guidelines: https://journalcte.org/about/submissions/
Advancing Employability Skills Through the Use of Technology
By Drew Thurman
I. Introduction
Employers are desperate for new hires who possess strong employability skills. In this introduction, I will provide context for the importance of focused instruction on employability skills.
II. Body
The body of the article will be composed of identifying various employability skills such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, teamwork, digital technology, leadership, work ethic, and intercultural fluency. For each employability skill that I identify, I will detail why it is important to employers and provide suggestions for how to use technology tools and resources to address the skill.
III. Conclusion
I will conclude the article by restating my thesis and examine how the skills touched on are not only beneficial to employers in the context situations that arise at work, but also how they are crucial life skills for students to know and appreciate.
Learning That Fits 