Students’ perspective on the attainment of graduate attributes through a design project

Employers are demanding graduates who are competent in specific discipline knowledge and have the generic skills to cope with the ever-changing work environment. In response to this challenge, there is a growing trend in higher education with regard to the integration of graduate attributes in undergraduate programmes. Graduates must be able to solve problems, communicate effectively, work in teams and think creatively, and possess sound information technology skills. Integration of these skills in the curriculum demands a new approach to learning, teaching and assessment methods. This article presents a case study that was conducted at the University of Botswana with industrial design students to determine the effectiveness of a major design project in delivering graduate attributes. The study confirmed that project-based learning was an effective teaching approach in attaining graduate attributes. The study also revealed that students seemed to have attained most of the graduate attributes, such as creative thinking skills, accountability and ethical standards, and critical thinking skills.