Abstract:

This paper explores the topic which has been current discussed among scholars about the need to strengthen the level of metacompetencies in students, which includes among others aiding problem-solving and self-regulation skills, aiming at increasing success in terms of labour market employability. Metacompetencies in students include skills and knowledge of how to use them and when and why to use them. The literature has addressed the importance of the development of metacompetencies in students, which has gained a certain level of recognition particularly in the field of entrepreneurship education (Kirb 2004; Tubbs and Schulz 2006).

In this study we focus the understanding of the FYP as a metacompetence, which requires to put the focus on the ability to know how to combine and relate the skills in different situations rather than a specific skill for a particular competence, addressing the criticism of the notion of competence understood as an instrumental use of knowledge and mere mechanical ability for a given situation (Barnett, 1994). The FYP is the occasion for the competencies to be viewed in a broader sense, which has an effect in the overall perspective that needs to be acquired by a student in order to deal with complex and changing realities.

The conceptual framework that can help us to manage the notion of meta-competence goes through a systemic approach to understand the holistic nature that comprises the skills in the FYP. Additionally, we take the metacognitive approach (Riggs and Gholar 2009), where metacognition is an advanced form of cognition, which occurs when learners are aware of their own cognitive process and know when, where and how to use these processes to facilitate and support their learning. Thus the students themselves should be able to develop critical and comparative process facilitating metacognition.

Thereby this paper focuses on the description of an experience of the Final Year Project (FYP) systematic evaluation carried out at the EAE Business School in the Business Management degree program. The description of the experience is based on the implementation of the FYP evaluation system, which has allowed us to reflect on the most appropriate methodology and processes for the evaluation of associated competences, especially considering the role played by the evaluators agents. Based on these aspects, we put forward preliminary reflections related to the process of the FYP evaluation, proposing a conceptual model of the FYP as metacompetency.

Therefore, this paper is double folded. On the one hand, tries to identify the extent to which student perceptions of their development of the FYP include metacompetencies, and on the other hand, the study wants to propose the elaboration of an integrated assessment framework that ensures the metacompenteciens appropriated buildup and evaluation.

References:
[1] Barnett, R. The Limits of Competence: Knowledge, Higher Education and Society Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press,1994.
[2] Kirby, D., 2004. Entrepreneurship education: can business schools meet the challenge? Education + Training, 46(8/9), 510-519.
[3] Riggs, E.G.; Gholar, C. R., 2009. Strategies that promote studensts engagement. Unleashing the desire to learn. Second edition. Corwin Press Inc. A SAGE Company.
[4] Tubbs, S.L., Schulz, E., 2006. Exploring a taxonomy of global leadership Competencies and metacompetencies. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 8,2, ProQuest, p.29.

Keywords:

Business Management, Final Year Project, metacognition, competency based assessment, higher education, metacompetences.