Acquisition Of Professional Skills Research Articles

Design for Resilient Post-Disaster Wood Waste Upcycling: The Katrina Furniture Project Experience and Its “Legacy” in a Digital Perspective

Wood is one of the main materials used in buildings and furniture worldwide. After a disaster, indeed, a considerable amount of timber waste is produced. Wood waste is generally downcycled—i.e., recycled into low-quality products, incinerated for energy production—or, worse, landfilled, but in a post-disaster situation, it not only represents a quantitative issue and an environmental hazard but also acquires a cultural, social, economic and emotional value, thus requiring more effective ways to be managed. The Katrina Furniture Project, led by Sergio Palleroni in 2006 for the regions hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, provides a valuable precedent. Through pilot initiatives in New Orleans, furniture design emerged as a resilient practice within the reconstruction process. Affected people were involved for six weeks in a collaborative design workshop, enabling the generation of income, the acquisition of professional skills and, moreover, the rebuilding of a sense of community through collective work and the intrinsic gathering value of the crafted objects. The research develops a desk analysis and an on-field survey to reflect on the social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of this case study and on the role of furniture design for resilient wood waste upcycling. Finally, the paper discusses the “legacy” of such practices from a digital perspective, analyzing limitations and opportunities within current research in design and manufacturing.

Enhancement of clinical skills through virtual reality: a proposal for training certified nursing assistant

Introduction: Integrating virtual reality (VR) in education is emerging as a transformative tool to improve practical learning. This proposal asks about its application within the training of certified nursing assistant to improve students' practical skills in training. Objectives: The main objective is to assess whether VR technology can improve understanding of complex concepts and skills in nursing education. This involves evaluating the effectiveness of VR in fostering meaningful, self-directed learning experiences that potentially prepare students more effectively for the health workforce. Methods: Implementing a pilot VR program within a controlled educational environment is proposed. The impact of this integration will be assessed through surveys and analysis of academic performance, focusing on the acquisition of professional skills and competencies. Results: Expected outcomes include greater student participation and better learning outcomes. The work highlights the benefits of VR in improving in-depth understanding of procedures and concepts through immersive experiences. Conclusions: The expected benefits after the incorporation of VR in nursing training include an improvement in the professional qualifications of students and an innovation through the introduction of immersive learning methodologies. Despite the potential challenges of its implementation, the results are expected to support the integration of VR as a complementary educational tool, reducing the gap between traditional learning and technological advancement in nursing education.

Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice Competence and Professional Skills Using Infographics as a Pedagogical Strategy in Health Science Students: Insights from the InfoHealth Project.

Infographics have been recognised as effective visual tools for concise and accessible communication of data and information in various higher education disciplines, particularly in medical education. However, there is a lack of research on their impact on professional skills, difficulty levels, motivation, and overall satisfaction in health science students. Thus, the present study aimed to analyse the knowledge and usage of graphical resources among health science students and evaluate their competencies, the level of challenge they encountered, and their motivation and satisfaction after completing an infographic creation activity. The InfoHealth educational innovation project, conducted by five teachers from the Faculty of Medicine, served as the context for this study, with 143 students voluntarily participating. The intervention involved students working in groups of 2-3 and selecting their own topics for the infographics while receiving instruction, online guidance, and feedback from teachers. A questionnaire was administered to assess students' perception of skill development and satisfaction with the activity. The findings revealed that schemes were the most recognized and used graphical summaries, compared to synoptic tables and Venn diagrams. The activity led to an increase in professional skills acquisition, motivation, and satisfaction, positively impacting students' interest in evidence-based practice and reinforcing their knowledge. This study highlights the potential of infographics as a pedagogical tool for competency development and student engagement in health science education, suggesting the need for further research comparing infographics with traditional study methods and involving multidisciplinary teams to promote essential skills for future clinical practice.

Open online courses technology in the professional ICT training

Relevance. Under the conditions of continuous social and economic development, and increasing the volumes of knowledge in all areas of society, the system of vocational education and training is facing new challenges. It is important for future employees in the sphere of information and communication technologies (ICT) to maintain their competitiveness in the labour market. Job seekers in this field need not only technical knowledge and skills but also the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Self-employment currently is a very relevant form of learning which allows you to achieve the above-mentioned qualities. Given the level of technological development and the objective challenges faced by humanity (e.g., the coronavirus pandemic), self-employment in this field almost automatically implies the acquisition of professional skills in a remote format. Purpose. With the introduction of modern tools into higher vocational education, a detailed analysis of the different aspects of this process is required to identify the main trends available within the scope of online ICT courses and to assess the prospects for their use. Methodology. In this study, along with regular, general scientific methods of research, a range of specific methods have been applied, including content analysis, methods of induction and deduction, and a systematic approach. Results. The study analyses the main characteristics of the distance learning format, its place in the modern pedagogical discourse, and the various directions of professional skills acquisition in the field of ICT, which take place in a remote format. Ways in which professionals can verify the acquired skills will also be considered. Conclusions. The information to be presented in the article is applicable as a reference, additional information for future ICT workers, and a wide range of readers interested in the topic of information technology.

Digital game-based learning methods for developing professional skills in education

This article explores the implementation of gamification in the educational process as a method to enhance the acquisition of professional skills among students. It involves integrating games and services into the learning process, automating the task-checking process, and improving student engagement and motivation. The article discusses various games and services that can be used in education, highlighting their main advantages and disadvantages, as well as the specifics of their integration. The main focus is on Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) methods, emphasizing their advantages in achieving pedagogical goals when teaching the new generation of students. This generation is accustomed to a higher concentration of information around them and may find traditional teaching methods less engaging. Additionally, the article delves into the potential benefits of DGBL, such as its simplicity, aesthetic modeling, and interactive environment, which contribute to effective learning experiences. The integration of these methods aims to not only accumulate knowledge and skills but also foster their conscious application in practical scenarios, addressing the evolving needs of modern learners.

CDIO approach in developing effective learning skills of engineering and technology-profile students

Introduction. The process of Vietnam’s ever-growing international integration into the modern global economy places increasingly high demands on educational institutions, especially in the digital age. Having effective strategies for teaching engineering and technology-profile students according to the core principle of the innovative educational environment (known as CIOD: Conceive – Design – Implement – Operate) is extremely important and vital for the universities engaged in training a new generation of engineers, particularly, in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, towards meeting the needs of the international labour market. Materials and methods. The research involved the managers, teachers, academic advisors and students of Vinh Long University of Technology Education (Vietnam). The total number of respondents was 191, of them 45 managers, 56 teachers and academic advisors and 90 students. The information collected at the University of Technology Education was split into 2 stages: stage 1 from 1 to 31 March 2022 and stage 2 from 1 to 31 March 2023. Results. The students demonstrated much better skills in planning their learning activities at the 2nd stage of the survey (p < 0.05). The students developed good skills in setting objectives, content and methods of learning, as well as in self-examination and evaluation of success in the realisation of own study plans. Making study plans, organisation of their implementation, checking, evaluating, improving and correcting these plans are also important skills for students. Positive results were also obtained for the use of other efficient strategies for study skills training by the engineering and technology-profile students: strategies for practising effective study skills (p < 0.05) and strategies for practising students’ soft skills (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The acquisition of professional skills for engineering and technology-profile students of Vietnamese universities practicing CDIO is a key to their sustainable development and, in general, to highquality education in Vietnam.

Can a licenced community worker qualify as a professional social worker?—Evidence from China

Abstract China has long suffered from a critical shortage of qualified social workers. To compensate for the inadequacy of formally educated social workers, a number of workers employed in the community neighbourhood committee were granted a social work licence and became registered social workers when they passed licence examinations regardless of whether they had a social work degree. Nevertheless, they are often criticised for a lack of professional competence—they are just registered social workers rather than professional social workers. This study identifies whether licenced community workers have a higher level of professional competence than non-licenced community workers in urban China. Based on a sample of 4,013 participants and the extended regression model, the findings show that the licence promotes the professional competence of community workers, but such promotion is achieved through professional knowledge acquisition rather than professional skills acquisition. Licenced community workers probably perceive stronger professional competence through professional knowledge acquisition, but their professional skills might be inadequate. The findings suggest several implications for the social work licence system.

Improving skills in master's degree contexts

This research evaluates the improvements that the use of Active Teaching and Learning Methodologies entails regarding the acquisition of professional skills of future graduates of the Masters dealing with intervention in Architectural Heritage, including product and resource improvements. The objectives address students’ training, oriented toward professional activity, determining the effectiveness of innovation. The real problems were exposed to be faced at a professional level and were solved through different parts, which were developed in different phases. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that teaching and performing practical tasks related to professional competencies are verified as an advance in the subject.

Preparing the Future Nutrition Professional: Dynamic Approaches in Nutrition Higher Education

ObjectivesWe examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a project-based nutrition curriculum during an academic year to enhance undergraduate professional skill development and application of nutrition content. MethodsCurrent approaches in nutrition higher education are traditionally rich in disciplinary content. However, complex social problems including food insecurity, diet-related diseases, and obesity require student-centered pedological approaches utilizing critical thinking and problem solving to connect course content with food, culture, and health. Often nutrition undergraduate students are not exposed to interdisciplinary teams and student-led projects that span an academic year to address wicked problems. As a result, students may enter the workforce unprepared for the challenges associated with interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world problems. To address gaps in higher education curricula, we developed sequential food and nutrition management courses with transferable skills explicitly embedded. During an academic year, 32 nutrition undergraduate students were introduced to complex social problems related food, culture, and health. Through scaffolding, instructor facilitation, and professional advisors, students developed and managed food and nutrition solutions to address complex social problems. Using reflective practice and friend-in-dialogue, we were able to assess student acquisition of professional skills. Students prepared self-assessments and peer evaluations which were then compared with observational notes to guide sequential activities to support meaningful and relevant experiences. ResultsUsing thematic analysis, the themes that were identified include skill development in communication, teamwork, dealing with uncertainty, and appreciation for personalized education that is often unexpected in a large university class. However, students struggled with time management, scheduling conflicts, and asking for help in uncertain situations. ConclusionsOverall students were satisfied with their experience in an academic year project-based course. The course met pedological expectations for engaged student learning; however, students struggled with internal and external conflicts and expectations toward grades versus life-long learning. Funding SourcesNone.

The use of interactive teaching methods in the study of physiology by medical university students majoring in medical psychology

Introduction. The future profession of medical psychologists requires a high level of training and is associated with a high responsibility for the lives and health of patients. An important factor in improving the quality of training is the rational organization of the educational process, which contributes to an effective learning process, the acquisition of professional skills. It is possible to educate a real doctor, medical psychologist, specialist in one's field only by introducing a strategy of critical thinking development into the educational process. The goal of this strategy is to "awaken consciousness" as the student becomes aware of the realities around him and seeks solutions. Main part. The introduction of interactive learning methods is in line with the concept of personality-oriented learning and is inextricably linked to the use of active and interactive learning methods, such as brainstorming. The introduction of the method of "brainstorming" in teaching physiology to students of Bukovina State Medical University has demonstrated the creation of comfortable learning conditions in which students feel their success, their intellectual ability, which makes the learning process more productive. Conclusion. The introduction of interactive teaching methods: lectures, practical and seminar classes is a requirement of a modern approach to teaching. Such methods significantly improve the assimilation of the material and form the basis of clinical thinking in students in the first year of medical university.

Vector support machine algorithm applied to the improvement of satisfaction levels in the acquisition of professional skills

<span lang="EN-US">The study <span>carried out identifies the metricss of the predictive model obtained through the support vector machine (VSM) algorithm, which will be applied in the satisfaction of the acquisition of professional skills of the students of the Professional Engineering Career. As part of the development, the statistical classification tool is used, during the development of the research, it was identified that the predictive model presents as general metrics an accuracy of 82.1%, a precision of 70.72%, a sensitivity of 91.06% and a specificity of 87.60%. Through this model, it contributes significantly to decision-making in relation to improving satisfaction related to the acquisition of professional skills in engineering students, since decision-making by university authorities will have a scientific basis, to take early and timely actions in relation to the predictive elements.</span></span>

Using Open Tools to Transform Retired Equipment into Powerful Engineering Education Instruments: A Smart Agri-IoT Control Example

People getting involved with modern agriculture should become familiar with and able to exploit the plethora of cutting-edge technologies that have recently appeared in this area. The contribution of the educational robotics in demystifying new scientific fields for K-12 students is remarkable, but things become more challenging when trying to discover efficient practices for higher education. Indeed, there is an apparent need for pilot examples facilitating students’ professional skills acquisition and thus matching the potential of the actual systems used in the modern agricultural premises. In this regard, this work discuses laboratory experiences while implementing an automatic airflow control system of convincing size and role capable for remote configuration and monitoring. This non-conventional robotic example exploits retired electromechanical equipment, from an old farm, and revives it using modern widely available microcontrollers, smart phones/tablets, network transceivers, motor drivers, and some cheap and/or custom sensors. The contribution of the corresponding software parts to this transformation is of crucial importance for the success of the whole system. Thankfully, these parts are implemented using easy-to-use programming tools, of open and free nature at most, that are suitable for the pairing credit-card-sized computer systems. The proposed solution is exhibiting modularity and scalability and assists students and future professionals to better understand the role of key elements participating in the digital transformation of the agricultural sector. The whole approach has been evaluated from both technical and educational perspective and delivered interesting results that are also reported.

World experiences in preceptorship in medical undergraduate education: an integrative review

Abstract: Introduction: The preceptor, as the physician who facilitates the teaching-learning process in practice settings, is essential for in service-training in the undergraduate medical school. The importance of these professionals in the training of new physicians highlights the need to understand the preceptorship activity from a medical education perspective. Objective: To verify, in the scientific literature, global experiences in preceptorship in the undergraduate medical school. Method: Integrative literature review using standardized descriptors in the following databases: LILACS - Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, MEDLINE - Online System for Analysis and Recovery of Medical Literature and SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online, between 2009 to 2019. Analysis of the articles was carried out using the thematic category technique. Results: The search in the databases resulted in 274 studies, of which 23 were analyzed and discussed in full. Detailing of the global experiences in preceptorship was systematized into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic aspects for the exercise of preceptorship and educational strategies used by the preceptor. Conclusions: The analysis of the articles indicates the importance of the students’ actions together with preceptors for the acquisition of professional skills. A critical factor for the success of monitoring students in professional practice is the preceptor’s ability to assume the role of educator, in order to see the students in their uniqueness and in their integral development. Therefore, the significance of the preceptors’ qualifications becomes more evident.

Research, Development and Innovation: An Extracurricular Club Case Study

Several approaches have demonstrated the effectiveness of project-based learning in the acquisition of students’ academic outcomes and development of practical professional skills. In addition to academic engineering outcomes, professional skills such as teamwork, leadership, decision-making, entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and social commitment are considered crucial in this line of work. Taking the project-based learning technique and research development and innovation approaches as a starting point, a novel methodology is proposed, introducing students through extracurricular activities to a multidisciplinary methodology. The main objective is to facilitate the acquisition of professional skills that are useful in the professional life of every student, while high-quality engineering prototypes are produced. Multidisciplinary teams, including not only science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors, business management, and accounting majors, are also considered to generate significant learning with a strong connection to the environment. Students can apply theoretical and technical knowledge to the development of engineering projects while also acquiring professional skills. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through academic results and a survey.

World experiences in preceptorship in medical undergraduate education: an integrative review

Abstract: Introduction: The preceptor, as the physician who facilitates the teaching-learning process in practice settings, is essential for in service-training in the undergraduate medical school. The importance of these professionals in the training of new physicians highlights the need to understand the preceptorship activity from a medical education perspective. Objective: To verify, in the scientific literature, global experiences in preceptorship in the undergraduate medical school. Method: Integrative literature review using standardized descriptors in the following databases: LILACS - Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, MEDLINE - Online System for Analysis and Recovery of Medical Literature and SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online, between 2009 to 2019. Analysis of the articles was carried out using the thematic category technique. Results: The search in the databases resulted in 274 studies, of which 23 were analyzed and discussed in full. Detailing of the global experiences in preceptorship was systematized into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic aspects for the exercise of preceptorship and educational strategies used by the preceptor. Conclusions: The analysis of the articles indicates the importance of the students’ actions together with preceptors for the acquisition of professional skills. A critical factor for the success of monitoring students in professional practice is the preceptor’s ability to assume the role of educator, in order to see the students in their uniqueness and in their integral development. Therefore, the significance of the preceptors’ qualifications becomes more evident.

Модель перехода к дуальному педагогическому образованию

Introduction. Dual education is an integrative characteristic of practiceoriented education system. Dual education implies practical training on the basis of employing organizations. The authors did not aim to develop a model of dual teacher education as a whole. The aim of the article is to study the experience and describe the model of transition to dual pedagogical education through networking of educational organizations of different levels. Materials and methods: theoretical (analysis of scientific- methodological and normative-advisory literature, study of experience of higher educational institutions), empirical (observation). As a result, the necessity of introducing dual education in higher education was studied and theoretically substantiated; the principles and requirements of transition to dual pedagogical education were identified; the recommendations on updating the content of work programs from the position of increasing the proportion of practical activity of students in employing organizations were developed. The organization of dual education implies social and professional cooperation of regional authorities, specialized organizations and higher education organization. In addition to serious structural changes in the regulatory and legal field, documentation accompanying the implementation of the educational process, dual education implies the development of financial mechanisms of students' remuneration. The author does not touch upon the financial side of the issue in question, it is about the model of transition to the duality of pedagogical education. The content of methodological disciplines is mastered by students on the basis of the employing organization. Cooperation agreements are signed: with the representative of the employer, student and higher education organization, which stipulate the rights and responsibilities of all parties. Each student is assigned a teacher-mentor, who introduces the student to the corporate culture of the profile organization, provides the acquisition of professional skills, participates in the assessment of learning outcomes. Conclusions. To organize the transition stage of dual training it is necessary to review the content of practical classes, to determine the responsibilities of a teacher-mentor, to build a system of career guidance work with high school students.

A New Tool for Assessment of Professional Skills of Occupational Therapy Students.

The assessment of the acquisition of professional skills is an essential process in occupational therapy students. Until now, there has been no standardized and validated instrument for evaluating these skills in Spanish occupational therapy students. This study reports the development and testing of the psychometric properties of the professional skills in students of occupational therapy during their practical training. Methods: A new instrument was developed to assess the professional skills of occupational therapy students, called CPTO. A total of 69 occupational therapists participated in evaluating 295 occupational therapy students from the University of Granada, between the 2018 and 2021 academic years. Results: Of a total of 79 items, the factor analysis yielded a final solution of 33 items, which explains 70.22% of the variance with the following three dimensions: (1) self-appraisal and professional responsibility (α = 0.951); (2) communication skills and delivering intervention (α = 0.944); and (3) clinical reasoning for assessing and planning the intervention (α = 0.947). The instrument allows students with low, medium, high and excellent clinical skills to be differentiated according to the cutting points established by the quartiles. Conclusion: the instrument has good psychometric properties, and is a useful tool to assess professional competencies in occupational therapy students during their practice placement education.

Digitalization in Teaching Students the Practical Skills of a Doctor is an Objective Necessity or a Tribute to Fashion

The analysis of the implementation of digital teaching methods for students of medical universities is carried out. The main directions of digitalization are revealed: electronic document management and storage of information, means of personal and professional communication, the "brain" of equipment for the acquisition of professional skills. The author presents his own development of a method for mastering the practical skills of a doctor as a transmissible situational task that combines such techniques as a "standardized patient", a training computer program and a computer game "virtual patient".

Evaluation of the Work-Integrated Learning Methodology: Teaching Marketing through Practitioner Experience in the Classroom

The teaching methodology in university marketing subjects has traditionally been based on “lecture classes”, which have proved to be insufficient for providing students with professional skills that can be directly applied in the workplace. This research aims to reduce this gap between the university and business by applying the active teaching methodology of work-integrated learning (WIL), which consists of providing students with knowledge and experiences directly from professionals that are invited to the classroom. We evaluated the effects of the WIL methodology on university students in a marketing degree course through self-administered questionnaires. During a semester, perceived personal, academic, and professional outcomes were assessed in two groups of students of the same module, one of which participated in the WIL program (i.e., they received lectures by professional marketing experts who were invited to the classroom and explained, through real examples, the content of the subject being taught), and the other served as a control (i.e., they learned the content only through traditional lectures from the college instructor). The results revealed that the students who took part in the WIL program experienced increased motivation, enjoyment, and interest in the subject. Furthermore, they had an increased understanding and acquisition of the concepts, as well as a greater perceived ability to manage companies and a comprehension of the economic environment. These findings constitute an advance because they identify the benefits of applying WIL in knowledge fields where the acquisition of professional skills is crucial for graduates’ entry into the labor market.

Using the Reflective Journal to Improve Practical Skills Integrating Affective and Self-Critical Aspects in Impoverished International Environments. A Pilot Test.

The reflective practice journal is a teaching methodology that facilitates the acquisition of professional, attitudinal values and skills, affording comprehensive training by reflecting on experiences that have been lived and showing feelings that, a priori, would be hidden. Our aim was to implement it in the international practicum in impoverished environments as a facilitating instrument of meaningful learning and the acquisition of professional skills, integrating affective and self-critical aspects. The project was developed with Nursing students at Catholic University of Valencia, in an impoverished environment. Qualitative reflections increased, highlighting humanity, closeness and attention focused on health promotion. The quality of the experience was 9.46/10. The mean score in self-criticism and expression was 4.57/5, and the self-evaluation of the acquisition of skills was 9.55/10. The double-blind peer evaluation of the performance of their practices in the international context was 9.68/10. The trust of the students with the teachers was evaluated as 10/10. The reflective practice journal facilitated the progression of learning, self-criticism, and the acquisition of values such as hospitality, the quality of care offered, and respect for customs and beliefs, as well as responsibility in the distribution of available resources and interventions.