SOAR process

SOAR process

Self, Opportunity, Aspirations and Results are key elements in the ‘SOARing to Success’ approaches. The dynamic inter-relationships between these elements can be personalised by individuals and customised to suit subject disciplines. 

The formative process of SOARing enables students to identify and develop a range of graduate attributes, engage with suitable opportunities, generate and implement aspirations and record their results in (e)-portfolios. They achieve broader competencies integrating personal and career development, leading to employability and professionalism.

A process called Self-MAPing enables individuals to identify, critically appreciate and develop strengths that come from their Motivation, Ability and Personality, and to apply these self-MAPs with greater sense of intention, direction and destination while navigating the journey through higher education and beyond. The aim is to foster beliefs and attitudes that drive effective performance and behaviour in various opportunities; to generate realistic aspirations and achieve desired results.

Download the SOAR card (view PDF).

Each person's idea of 'success' may be different and valid, but tutors can also create shared understandings around the standards and criteria for achieving graduate level attributes in relation to academic ability, personal and interpersonal effectiveness, employability skills, etc. Success lies on the far side of failure and feedback - and this should be expected and accepted by tutors when they facilitate student development within a psychologically safe learning environment.

Feedback on SOAR from staff

• “When we allow students to reflect - where they are now, their strengths, their abilities, values, beliefs, interests - it is important to give them a developmental SOAR process in their learning. I think it is useful to expose students to the realistic expectations of employers.”

• CETL Fellow

• “Students need to understand a range of skills and abilities for their careers, understand that the career they have chosen is maybe emerging or changing as they are on the course, so the career path they have decided on is not actually the same.”

• CETL Fellow

Resources

• Arti Kumar (2007) - Personal, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education – SOARing to Success, London & New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis. Also available as an e-book at: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415423601/;

• MySuccess is an online resource that integrates personal and career development and supports the delivery of the University’s Employability Strategy. It is a student-orientated version of SOAR and has sections on My Self, My Opportunities, My Aspirations and My Results - see http://careers.beds.ac.uk/mysuccess (you need UoB staff log in details).

You are welcome to take and adapt CRe8 and SOAR documents. However, once used, please acknowledge Bridges CETL, University of Bedfordshire.