PhD defence Perry Christianus Elisabeth Theodorus Heymann

Keywords: Employability, Reflection, Competence development, Online Learning Platforms

"Employability by Design: Fostering Students’ Competence Development through Online Learning Platforms as Reflective Practice"

Higher education institutions (HEIs) face increasing pressure to prepare graduates for dynamic labour markets by developing employability skills alongside disciplinary knowledge. Employability is understood as the ability to obtain, sustain, and adapt employment over time. To address this, HEIs increasingly embed employability development into curricular and extra-curricular activities, supported by evolving career services. A competence-based view highlights reflection as a key metacognitive skill enabling self-awareness and adaptability. Reflective practice is framed as a cyclical process involving awareness, analysis, goal setting, action, and reflection-on-action. Digital learning platforms offer promising means to support reflective practice through tools such as e-portfolios and peer feedback, yet knowledge about how to design such platforms remains limited. This dissertation addresses this gap by developing and testing a conceptual model of online learning platforms organized as reflective practice. Across four studies, this dissertation establishes design principles, demonstrates positive impacts on employability competences, and provides practical guidance for integrating technology, reflection, and employability development in higher education.

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