Framework, Development, and Evaluation of Geography Literacy-Based Learning Model for Enhancing Students' Life Skills in Indonesian Senior High School

It is often said that hard skills or technical knowledge will get you an interview but soft skills will tremendously increase your chances to get and keep the job. Hard skills are the skills or technical knowledge we need to do our job adequately, whereas human skills are the skills we need to be better human beings with a better character. Hard skills answer the question of how well you can do at work. Soft skills or human skills, however, answer the questions like what kind of person you are. How well you can get on with people around you. Are you someone people can trust and feel comfortable working with or someone people distrust because you are annoying as a team member, you constantly get people into unnecessary arguments or you make them uncomfortable because of your negative mind set and/or suspicious attitude?. It seems, therefore, that teaching human skills is no longer a luxury but an obligation. The problem, however, is that oftentimes our attempt to teach essential life skills consists simply of teaching about them; we mistakenly treat life skills like hard skills both at the level of instruction and evaluation. We assume that teaching a set of vocabulary items or concepts related to soft skills would suffice to help student acquire those skills. This paper suggests that soft Skills cannot be taught; they are caught. For this reason, it is contended that there is a desperate need to see soft skills with a different lens. It puts forwards a paradigm shift in soft skill instruction in practice, pedagogy, and evaluation. It is high time we discontinued teaching life skills as a set of concepts and vocabulary items. Instead, we need to adopt a teaching though coaching and evaluation through experiential and oral schemes. We need to reconsider our role as soft skill teachers and students, our teaching methodology and finally the learning environment within which life skills are being developed and evaluated.

In today's globalizing world, more and more people claim that academic knowledge is not sufficient for the success of the individual in life. Definitions of so-called hard and soft skills have been formulated.The article discusses the main accents related to the so-called soft skills and the opportunities for development of children from pre-school and primary school age.The term "soft skills" (soft skills) is used in pedagogical theory and practice and the term context competencies. They are part of the key competences for human success at every stage of his development. Soft skills include: communication, tolerance, reassurance, mutual assistance, empathy, teamwork, leadership, negotiation, decision-making, creativity, etc. Important factors for their formation from the earliest age are the family and educational institutions, which are an essential part of the child's life.Soft skills are defined as a combination of social skills, communicative skills, character, attitude, career features, emotional intelligence, etc. They can help people to orientate in the environment, to work well with others, to achieve their goals. They are complementary to other skills such as technical, professional, academic, called "hard skills".Pedagogical literature and practice seek appropriate technologies to describe the ways in which soft skills complement the so-called "hard skills" that are technological requirements for a particular activity the student is trained to perform. Soft skills are largely leading in shaping the personality of the individual. Of particular importance for the future realization of the growing generation is that besides the academic and technical skills, key social skills are also formed.The role of soft skills is increasingly appreciated by the increasing need for individual competitiveness and the globalization of the modern world. Having a number of social qualities always has the advantage of having the same academic knowledge or technical skills.The environment in which the modern generation is growing and developing is dynamic. Children are surrounded by a huge amount of information that reaches them through different channels and regardless of their desires. Their life skills are essential when the movies they watch have unrealistic ideas and the messages and challenges of social networks and peers are attractive and accessible. Children need to be prepared to deal with the "traps" of life, to have critical thinking, to master their emotions and their relationships with others, to be able to express their ideas and defend their position with arguments.In support of the lessons learned of the need to develop “soft” skills from an early age, it is imperative that UNICEF suggests that schools introduce a module of ten important skills that children can form. These include life skills such as self-awareness, decision-making, problem solving, creative thinking, critical thinking, empathy, dealing with emotions and stress; as well as soft skills such as communicative and interpersonal skills.Unfortunately, the trend that is observed is that schools primarily focus on academic knowledge. This is due to the fact that an important factor achieved success in different types of assessments. The lack of a social educational element leads to a number of problems in adolescents - aggression, associalization, lack of communication skills, etc.

In today's workplace, a blend of both hard and soft skills is needed for employees to succeed, even though the latter remains overlooked. Hard skills are the job-specific abilities that workers need to perform their duties, while soft skills are the personal qualities they need to thrive in the world of work. This study postulates that learning institutions have overly inclined towards hard skills at the expense of soft 'employability' skills, thereby making those seeking to secure or progress in their jobs learn the hard way their need for such skills. The objectives were: 
 
 To study the most important factors that organizations consider while hiring or promoting workers, 
 To observe the common employability and life skills that employers consider while making hiring/promotion decisions, and 
 To assess the extent to which employability and life skills are important in securing and maintaining livelihood opportunities. 
 
 With the research seeking to answer the 'what' question rather than the 'how' or 'why,' a descriptive research design was adopted to complement an inductive reasoning approach. A mixed methodology was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 284 respondents from 24 counties in Kenya out of 47, who represented more than 10 sectors. The results show that employability skills constitute the main factor of consideration while hiring/promoting workers. The common employability skills include communication, time management, a positive attitude, teamwork, and decision-making. Without these soft skills, workers struggle to secure and maintain jobs at the strategic, business, and operation levels of an organization.

This paper critically examines the concepts of hard and soft skills, emphasizing their crucial role in future development. Focusing on Albania, the study aims to investigate the influence of hard and soft skills on employment within both urban and rural contexts. Additionally, the paper seeks to unravel the disparities in employment policies between these areas, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities present in Albania's evolving employment. The literature review serves as the foundation for our research, providing essential insights into the influence of soft and hard skills within both urban and rural contexts, particularly in developing countries. Understanding the dynamics of these skills in employment is paramount for comprehending the nuances of workforce development and policy formulation in diverse geographic settings. The questionnaire, developed based on the insights gleaned from the literature review, was administered to managers and individuals involved in the recruitment process. Data collection involved a random sampling method, resulting in 182 respondents from rural areas and 179 respondents from urban areas. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, version 23, with regression analysis employed to empirically assess the formulated hypotheses. In conclusion, the study underscores the fundamental role of education in facilitating employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas where diplomas hold prominence. However, the ability to retain employment and thrive in the labor market is contingent upon possessing essential soft skills. Thus, while education serves as a gateway to employment, cultivating soft skills is paramount for long-term success in both urban and rural employment areas. The findings of this paper hold significant value for individuals directly engaged in the recruitment process, including employers and employees alike. Employers stand to benefit from insights into the importance of prioritizing soft skills alongside hard skills when evaluating potential candidates, particularly in urban settings where these skills hold greater sway. Similarly, employees can leverage the understanding that possessing and refining soft skills is critical not only for securing employment but also for maintaining long-term market relevance. Overall, this study provides valuable guidance for enhancing recruitment practices and fostering career development in diverse employment contexts. This paper stands out for its focus on employment practices within both urban and rural areas, a perspective that offers a nuanced understanding of workforce dynamics. Furthermore, the inclusion of Albania as a case study adds a unique dimension, providing insights into employment practices within the context of a developing country. By exploring the employment landscape in Albania, the study offers valuable perspectives that may not be captured in studies conducted in more developed nations. This original contribution enhances our understanding of the intersection between urban-rural employment dynamics.

In recent decades, educators have pushed to implementing active learning techniques that can advance students' competences. Universities are increasingly required to develop knowledge measured in terms of grades (hard skills) and inter-personal, social, and communication abilities (soft skills). Nevertheless, within the field of active learning, educators often focus on how these techniques can improve students' hard skills and their satisfaction. Few have analysed whether and how these techniques might improve students' soft skills. Moreover, among these few studies, the majority has analysed hard and soft skills separately, measuring whether different active learning techniques may or may not improve them. Virtually no one has studied whether students' hard and soft skills can converge or diverge in an active learning format. This study allows us to understand the relations between these two sets of variables, for example, whether an improvement (or deterioration) in the hard skills corresponds to an improvement (or deterioration) in the soft skills, and vice versa. In our experiment, we analyse the impact of a specific active learning format, such as the Flipped Classroom (FC), on both students' hard and soft skills, by comparing it with a traditional class integrated with other active learning techniques, such as presentations, debates, and teamwork activities. First, we use Pearson correlations to measure the relation between students' hard skills, understood in terms of grades, and a set of soft skills, such as critical thinking, self-efficacy, teamwork, and perception of learning. Second, we use canonical correlations to analyse whether hard and soft skills converge or diverge in an FC format, in comparison with a traditional teaching format integrated with the other active learning techniques. Our main finding is that the FC per se neither improves nor worsens students' performance in terms of hard and soft skills.

PurposeIn recent decades, educators have pushed to implementing active learning techniques that can advance students’ competences. Universities are increasingly required to develop knowledge measured in terms of grades (hard skills) and inter-personal, social, and communication abilities (soft skills). Nevertheless, within the field of active learning, educators often focus on how these techniques can improve students’ hard skills and their satisfaction. Few have analysed whether and how these techniques might improve students’ soft skills. Moreover, among these few studies, the majority has analysed hard and soft skills separately, measuring whether different active learning techniques may or may not improve them. Virtually no one has studied whether students’ hard and soft skills can converge or diverge in an active learning format. This study allows us to understand the relations between these two sets of variables, for example, whether an improvement (or deterioration) in the hard skills corresponds to an improvement (or deterioration) in the soft skills, and vice versa.MethodIn our experiment, we analyse the impact of a specific active learning format, such as the Flipped Classroom (FC), on both students’ hard and soft skills, by comparing it with a traditional class integrated with other active learning techniques, such as presentations, debates, and teamwork activities. First, we use Pearson correlations to measure the relation between students’ hard skills, understood in terms of grades, and a set of soft skills, such as critical thinking, self-efficacy, teamwork, and perception of learning. Second, we use canonical correlations to analyse whether hard and soft skills converge or diverge in an FC format, in comparison with a traditional teaching format integrated with the other active learning techniques.Results and conclusionsOur main finding is that the FC per se neither improves nor worsens students’ performance in terms of hard and soft skills.

This study was conducted to find out the effect of New Normal Education which was described in terms of online and distance learning on teachers? skills in management as to soft and hard skills. Specifically, it aimed to determine the extent of new normal education as to online distance learning in terms of computer competency, virtual classroom behavior management and web resources utilization; and the extent of new normal education as to modular distance learning in terms of lack of communication, learning materials and time management. It also sought to find out the level of teachers? soft skills in management relative to adaptability/flexibility, communication, conflict resolution, creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and problem solving; and the level of teachers? hard skills in management relative to multitasking, social media management and video production. Also, it sought to determine the significant effect of new normal education as to online distance learning and modular distance learning to teachers? soft and hard skills in management. The results of the study implied that out that the extent of new normal education as to online learning in terms of computer competency and virtual classroom behavior management was to a very great extent while the extent of new normal education as to online distance learning was to a great extent. Moreover, the extent of new normal education as to modular distance learning in terms of lack of communication, learning materials and time management were remarked as to a very great extent. The level of all the teachers? soft skills in management were remarked to a very great extent except creativity which was to a great extent. The level of teachers? hard skills in management in terms of multitasking as well as social media management was to a very great extent while video production was to a great extent. The study revealed that new normal education as to online and modular distance learning in terms of computer competency had no significant effect of teachers? soft and hard skills. Moreover, virtual classroom behavior management showed no significant effect on teachers? soft and hard skills in management. In addition, there is a significant effect on teachers? soft skills and hard skills with regards to web resources utilization. It also revealed that only time management for new normal education as to modular distance learning had significant effect on teachers? soft and hard skills in management while lack of communication and learning materials had no significant effect. The null hypotheses: new normal education as to online distance learning has no significant effect on teachers? soft and hard skills in management; and new normal education as to modular distance learning has no significant effect on teachers? soft and hard skills in management were partially accepted. Based on the aforementioned conclusions of this study, it is recommended to establish clear procedures and routines at work that may prevent many problems with time management which enables teachers to be productive, effective and efficient.

While employers still see the value in accessing hard skills, the current hiring process involves placing a greater emphasis on the transferable skills known as soft skills. These soft skills include critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, written and oral communication, and the ability to research independently. As such, hiring managers suggest the onus for developing soft skills rest with faculty as they equip these future employees with the soft skills necessary for a given role or industry. There exists an abundance of research in skill development and employability from the vantage point of the employer and of the graduating student, however, very little has been dedicated to faculty perception of the value of hard and soft skills. The purpose of this study therefore was to measure the emphasis sport management faculty place on soft and hard skills. Respondents (n = 106) provided the level of emphasis they give to soft and hard skills in the classroom and in their faculty meetings. Results indicate that sport management faculty place significantly greater emphasis on soft skills in the classroom and believe these skills have a greater impact on both initial hiring decisions and subsequent long-term career success.

This paper critically examines the effects of technical competencies and personal abilities on employment. Emphasizing the crucial role of hard and soft skills in future development. Focusing on Albania, the study aims to investigate the influence of hard and soft skills on employment within both urban and rural contexts. Additionally, the paper seeks to unravel the disparities in employment policies between these areas, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities present in Albania's evolving employment. The literature review serves as the foundation for our research, providing essential insights into the influence of soft and hard skills within both urban and rural contexts, particularly in developing countries. Understanding the dynamics of these skills in employment is paramount for comprehending the nuances of workforce development and policy formulation in diverse geographic settings. The questionnaire, developed based on the insights gleaned from the literature review, was administered to managers and individuals involved in the recruitment process. Data collection involved a random sampling method, resulting in 182 respondents from rural areas and 179 respondents from urban areas. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, version 23, with regression analysis employed to empirically assess the formulated hypotheses. In conclusion, the study underscores the fundamental role of education in facilitating employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas where diplomas hold prominence. However, the ability to retain employment and thrive in the labor market is contingent upon possessing essential soft skills. Thus, while education serves as a gateway to employment, cultivating soft skills is paramount for long-term success in both urban and rural employment areas. The findings of this paper hold significant value for individuals directly engaged in the recruitment process, including employers and employees alike. Employers stand to benefit from insights into the importance of prioritizing soft skills alongside hard skills when evaluating potential candidates, particularly in urban settings where these skills hold greater sway. Similarly, employees can leverage the understanding that possessing and refining soft skills is critical not only for securing employment but also for maintaining long-term market relevance. Overall, this study provides valuable guidance for enhancing recruitment practices and fostering career development in diverse employment contexts. This paper stands out for its focus on employment practices within both urban and rural areas, a perspective that offers a nuanced understanding of workforce dynamics. Furthermore, the inclusion of Albania as a case study adds a unique dimension, providing insights into employment practices within the context of a developing country. By exploring the employment landscape in Albania, the study offers valuable perspectives that may not be captured in studies conducted in more developed nations. This original contribution enhances our understanding of the intersection between urban-rural employment dynamics.

This research aims to determine whether implementing the independent learning program through the teaching assistance program can influence the soft and hard skills of accounting education students. Teaching assistance is the Independent Campus Learning program launched by the government. Teaching assistance aims to improve the competency of college graduate students in terms of soft and hard skills. Based on the initial observations of accounting education students at the Universitas Negeri Malang, various problems were found related to students' soft and hard skills in teaching assistance. This research uses quantitative methods by collecting data through questionnaires to measure teaching assistance on students' soft and hard skills. The research sample comprised 153 students in the accounting skills program at SMKN 12 Malang. Data analysis uses simple linear regression analysis to test the effect of teaching assistance on students' soft and hard skills. The research results show that teaching assistance can positively impact students' hard and soft skills. The conclusion of this research shows that teaching assistance is a program that can help students hone soft and hard skills to prepare themselves to become teachers in the real world. The experience students gain through teaching assistance can equip them to be ready for the world of work and to face real situations and conditions in the classroom.

Undergraduate students' job preparedness is crucial for bridging the gap between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the demands of the workforce. This study assesses job preparedness, bridging technology, life, and soft skills, the usage of media, technology, and information, towards organizational productivity in terms of teamwork, fulfilling workload and task challenge, team efficacy and communication satisfaction, and organizational culture of the 394 chosen undergraduate students in Region 10. The study’s goal is to help students prepare for real-world careers. It uses a quantitative research design, gathering information from respondents through a structured survey. Results indicate that the majority of the respondents are 18-20 years old, single, female, first year and third year college levels, first courser, with a P100-199 allowance through parental support. Findings reveal that the respondents' life skills are incredibly well-practiced, indicating their improved capacities, which indicates that having well-practiced life skills contributes to their personal development. The need to improve professional abilities or soft skills and the use of information, media, and technology (IMT) is evident. These flaws led to a decline in organizational productivity, such as teamwork, workload, task challenge, team efficacy, and communication satisfaction, and an organizational culture that requires improvement. It is highly recommended to update and embed MIT in education, training the workforce, fostering a culture of accountability and support, conducting regular workload audits, offering training on public speaking, and establishing industry-education partnerships.

Increasing awareness of the productive potential of soft skills has sparked a discussion of their systematic and purposeful development. However, education systems pay only limited attention to this topic in most countries and remain focused on the development of hard skills. Is this approach rational or inadequate? This article provides new evidence on different aspects of the wage returns to soft skills (as an approximation of their productivity), and thereby contributes significantly to the discussion of the role of educational institutions in their development. It provides evidence that soft skills are as productive as hard skills. Moreover, it suggests that the productivity of hard skills stems from their combination with soft skills. These conclusions do not correspond to the fact that the value of education is intermediated mainly by hard skills, resulting in unequal development of soft and hard skills in schools. While concluding that education systems should pay more attention to soft skills development, the analysis recognises that this attention should be differentiated according to employers’ needs, owing to substantial differences in the value of soft skills across economic sectors. It is also noteworthy that while significant gender differences in returns to hard skills were identified, wage returns to soft skills appear gender neutral.

The main objective of the research is to study the perception of students in accounting profile within the "AurelVlaicu" University of Arad in comparison with the employers’ perception of the hard and soft skills needed in view of the accounting graduates’ access on the labour force market. The target group has been asked to express its opinion on the skills required to candidates to access the jobs in order to penetrate the labour force market in the field of accounting. In order to achieve this objective, an empirical study based on a cross-cutting descriptive research has been carried out, the method chosen is the survey based on a questionnaire. The target group consists of 250 students majoring in accounting within "AurelVlaicu" University of Arad, as well as from 300 professional accountants who are members of CECCAR (The Body o Experts and Chartered Accountants of Romania). The case study concluded that a large part of the interviewed accountants have considered that employers would be increasingly interested in hiring young graduates in accounting that hold strong soft skills, being also willing to subsequently invest in trainings to develop their hard skills that they need daily in the chosen job. In order to succeed and perform in the field in which they will work, accounting students (future accounting professionals) must hold a set of powerful soft skills to complete the hard skills acquired and tested during the academic studies. The target group interviewed in the case study considers it would be useful the accounting students to participate in internships, scientific sessions, Erasmus scholarships, voluntary actions, Work and Travel Programs, teambuilding programs, national and international projects, summer schools, student scientific clubs to develop hard and soft skills during the university studies. In order to generate sustainable organisational success, future professionals who will be working in the field of accountancy will have to possess both hard skills and soft skills to be able to contribute in this way to the success of the organization they will be part of and the accounting profession will gain.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the origins of providing quality satisfied open educational resources (QS-OER) related to Making Indonesia 4.0. It was aimed at exploring plausible determinants perceived by faculty. It was also of interest to reveal how, in what routines associated factors were interrelated.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory design was used. A conceptual framework was first established through a literature review and focus group discussion. Conceptually, QS-OER included presage, pattern, process, product, practicability, prospective and power (7Ps). QS-OER had direct effects on hard, soft, social and life skills (4Ss). The operational framework was then established with 7Ps, QS-OER and 4Ss as independent, moderating and dependent variables, respectively. The population of 631 from Universitas Terbuka faculty was included in the study. Respondents were randomly chosen to accumulate data through a survey. Methodically, importance–performance analysis (IPA) and customer-satisfaction index (CSI) were emulated to measure satisfaction level and importance degree. Eleven hypotheses were assessed under structural equation modeling.FindingsSeven hypotheses were validated following 211 returned responses from respondents. Product was the most influential factor to QS-OER, followed by power, practicability, pattern and prospective, whereas presage and process were excluded. QS-OER influenced hard and soft skills, but social and life skills were excluded. IPA-CSI chart identified 21 (of 32) attributes as the pillars of QS-OER.Originality/valueThe quantitative framework was statistically dependable despite two of nine cut-off values that are slightly below the goodness-of-fit criteria. The study recognized the variance of qualitative versus quantitative results. Further inquiry is vital to diminish divergence by incorporating more relevant methods, augmenting theoretical exposures and/or enlarging sample size/population.

Aim. To study modern professional competencies – hard skills (including knowledge, abilities, skills) and soft skills (personal skills) that determine the effective activity of pharmacy professionals (PP) in certain pharmaceutical positions (pharmacy manager, pharmacist, pharmacist’s assistant) and determine the most important of them for pharmacy retail in today’s conditions. Materials and methods. To collect and process data, such scientific methods as the analysis of literary sources, the method of questionnaire survey, the method of comparison, comparison, and generalization, were used. The results of the analysis were processed using licensed software products of Microsoft Office Excel. The methods of descriptive statistics and statistical analysis, such as the Epitools service (Ausvet Ltd., Australia), a STATISTICA 13 statistical package (TIBCO Software Inc., USA) were used to process the questionnaire data. Results. As part of our study, a survey, in which 200 PP took part, was conducted. The questionnaire contained open-ended questions, in which it was necessary to specify 3-5 hard skills (professional skills) or soft skills (personal skills) that are necessary for the effective performance of the professional duties of PP in the relevant position, as well as select one of the most important ones from this list. At the same time, three positions were differentiated: pharmacist, pharmacist’s assistant, and pharmacy manager. According to the survey results, hard skills and soft skills, which, according to the majority of PP, were the most necessary for each position. were identified. Conclusions. Based on the results of the study conducted, it has been found that the actualization of professional competences and soft skills is an important step for effective work by position in pharmacy institutions in today’s conditions. It has been determined that such soft skills as sociability, responsibility, stress resistance, honesty, intelligence, purposefulness, hard work, love for the profession, experience, energy and reliability are equally important for the positions of a pharmacist, pharmacist’s assistant and pharmacy manager. At the same time, specific hard and soft skills are distinguished for each of the positions: empathy and attentiveness are more important for pharmacists and pharmacist’s assistants, while organizational skills, managerial qualities, desire for professional development and knowledge of legislation are important for pharmacy managers. Responsibility is a key quality for pharmacy managers, professionalism and knowledge – for pharmacists, and attentiveness – for pharmacist’s assistants. Differences in the perception of the importance of these hard and soft skills are also related to the age, qualification and type of pharmacy institutions where respondents work.