How can authentic assessment engage students with employability from their very first day at university?
In this session from PebblePad MiniBash Melbourne 2022, Associate Professor Nic Connelly from RMIT University shares how authentic, reflective assessment design can connect learning directly to students’ future careers in aviation.
Drawing on his background as an air traffic controller and educator, Nic explores how PebblePad was used to design assessment as learning, grounded in real‑world application and employability outcomes. The approach supports a diverse student cohort — including pilots, aviation managers and safety specialists — by centring assessment around each student’s individual career aspirations.
Key themes include:
- Designing authentic assessment linked to students’ “dream jobs”
- Embedding employability and reflection from day one
- Encouraging creativity, ownership and intrinsic motivation
- Supporting metacognition through structured reflection
- Aligning assessment with real industry contexts and graduate outcomes
The session demonstrates how portfolio‑based assessment can empower students to take ownership of their learning, reflect meaningfully on skill development, and build an employability narrative that evolves throughout their degree.
🎥 Recorded live at PebblePad MiniBash, Melbourne (Australia), 2022