Transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving are frequently cited as important outcomes for STEM degree programs. However, these skills are not always explicitly developed during typical coursework. Recent research on process-rich exam questions has shown that it is not enough to provide assignments that cause students to USE particular transferable skills; questions and tasks must compel students to reveal use of these skills in their written work or group interactions. The goal of this workshop is to provide participants with strategies, practice, and feedback in writing these skill-rich questions and assignments. Feedback focused rubrics will be used to support efforts in writing assignment questions that facilitate development of transferable skills such as teamwork, information processing and critical thinking.

Through the use highly structured teams with short assignments, followed by large group discussions, participants will:
(1) Evaluate questions and assignments for their ability to elicit evidence of transferable skills and facilitate their development.
(2) Develop and practice strategies for writing questions that facilitate the development of transferable skills such as teamwork, information processing and critical thinking in their assignments.
(3) Take away sample questions and strategies for writing questions that elicit multiple transferable skills, as well as the rubrics that support these efforts.