Competence Of University Students Research Articles

Gamification with Scratch or App Inventor in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Programming skills should be taught and developed; Scratch and App Inventor are two tools that can contribute significantly to developing this competence in university students. This study aims to investigate the use and effect of the programming language Scratch and App Inventor on the development of skills and competencies for learning (autonomy, attention, motivation, critical thinking, creative thinking, computational thinking, communication, problem solving and social interaction) in higher education. To achieve this goal, a systematic review of articles in English and Spanish was carried out using the PRISMA statement (research publication guidelines designed to improve the integrity of systematic review and meta-analysis reports). A search for studies was conducted in the Web of Science (WOS), Dialnet, and SCOPUS. A total of 405 papers were analyzed, of which 11 were finally selected. The results showed that both Scratch and App Inventor favor the development of skills and competencies for learning in the context of higher education, despite being underutilized strategies that all knowledge disciplines should promote.

Formative Research to Strengthen Enquiry Competence in University Students

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of formative research in strengthening enquiry competence in university students. In this sense, a single-group design with pre-test and post-test was used, with a purposive sample of 102 subjects. The instrument used was a rubric, characterised by very high valuations, in terms of validity criteria (0.917) and reliability (0.869). The results obtained exceeded expectations, which were corroborated by the Wilcoxon statistical test; since the theoretical significance α = 0.05 is superlative, when compared to the observed significance, Sig.=000; consequently, the null hypothesis was categorically rejected. In short, the proposal, consisting of five stages: sensitisation, adoption, interaction, evaluation and confrontation, proved its effectiveness in the enhancement of investigative knowledge, such as the problematisation-theorisation-checking of reality. Undoubtedly, great advances in initial training that have an impact not only in raising the quality of scientific production, but also in making sustainable the development of research skills for subsequent performance in the professional field and for improving quality in universities.

Research projects-action in the formation of the investigative competence in university students

The present article is aimed at making an approximation on the contribution of research - action projects in the training of research competence in university students since their initial formation. It addresses the theoretical foundations that underpin this research paradigm which responds to the current demands imposed by society as consequences of the development of information and communication technologies. It is for this reason that a strategy is proposed for the formation of the investigative competence of students from the development of the research projects - action, allowing not only to prioritize the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but also, the Training of attitudes and the individual commitment that along with the knowledge and the skills allow to give satisfactory answers to their professional performance, with the purpose of giving solution to the investigative insufficiencies that today is manifested in the educative practice.

Мобильные технологии в развитии межкультурной компетенции студентов-международников в рамках занятий по иностранному языку

This article provides qualitative and quantitative data to establish the effectiveness of virtual tools as a means of developing intercultural competence in students of international relations at foreign language classes. Intercultural competence is known to be crucial for this field of studies. However, no teaching technologies exist for its development at foreign language classes, and available research publications on this issue fail to take into account the current state and mechanisms of global communication. The empirical part of this study involved a survey of students of international relations during the first term of 2021–2022. The author compared their performance in class and during extracurricular activities, where they had to maintain an English blog. A total of 93 second- and third-year students (experimental + control groups) took part in the trial training, and 50 people (28 students, 22 teachers) participated in the independent assessment of the technology. The blog operating process was divided according to types of virtual intercultural communication (oral-written, mixed, and oral) and followed the academic program. The independent assessment was performed by academic staff and students who didn't participate in the experiment, but were able to observe. They unanimously approved of the new technology and defined the prospects of its further implementation. Blogging in a foreign language proved to be an efficient technology for developing intercultural competence in university students majoring in international relations.

Internet Addiction, Phubbing, Psychological Variables and Self-Perception of Mathematical Competence in College Students

Internet Addiction (IA) and phubbing are prevalent, disruptive behaviours among university students. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between IA and Phubbing with psychological variables (impulsiveness, self-esteem, and psychological distress), academic performance and self-perception of mathematical competence (SMC), as well as possible gender differences. Results showed (n = 715; Mean Age = 21.7) gender differences in lack of planning, emotional investment and somatisation and IA correlated positively with app addiction, mobile addiction, and psychopathology. A total of 26.3% of IA can be explained by a lack of self-control, time and performance management, mobile phone addiction, anxiety and psychological distress. Finally, 71% of students believe that the use of new technologies has worsened their SMC and this is correlated with impaired communication, obsession with mobile phones, IA (Total Phubbing Scale) and impulsiveness. Our results indicate the importance of taking into account psychological variables that affect the development of IA, phubbing, and SMC in the university population.

The Relation between Parental Attachment and Romantic Competence of College Students: The Mediating Effects of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

The Relation between Parental Attachment and Romantic Competence of College Students: The Mediating Effects of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

The Contribution of Higher Education to Sustainability: The Development and Assessment of Sustainability Competences in a University Case Study

Universities can make a significant contribution to sustainability, and the development of sustainability competences in their graduates should be a key outcome of their courses. We propose an assessment framework for enabling and evaluating the attainment of sustainability competences in University students. We outline its six steps, offering tools on how to assess the alignment of University programs’ Learning Outcomes (LOs) to sustainability and how translate them into competences for sustainability. We provide approaches to evaluate existing assessment methods in terms of enabling students to develop and apply their competences, guidance on how to conduct the assessments to collect data on student performance and eventually how to use the data, and evidence collected to evaluate if the students are developing the intended competences. We illustrate the application of the assessment tool in a University case study and we draw conclusions on the evidence it offers to how higher education practitioners can benefit from its use.

Media Center as a Resource for the Development of General Competencies of College Students

Media Center as a Resource for the Development of General Competencies of College Students

Формирование природоохранной компетентности студентов вуза

The problem of formation of environmental competence of students of higher educational institutions is investigated. The paper presents the structure of competence. The scheme of formation of environmental competence of students in the educational process is proposed. The factors influencing the effectiveness of the formation of environmental competence of students are studied. A model for the formation of environmental competence of university students has been developed.

Умение выражать косвенное несогласие в рамках обучения предметам социально-гуманитарного цикла как составляющая коммуникативной компетентности студентов

The purpose of the research is to determine the possibility of forming the ability to express disagreement by means of indirect communication in university students when teaching subjects of the humanities and social sciences. The paper addresses the prospect of formation of some components of communicative competence in university students using a set of training exercises. The set of exercises has been developed for students to master the techniques of expressing indirect disagreement in a number of disciplines of the humanities and social sciences, such as “Conflict Resolution Studies”, “Business Communication”, “Speech Culture”, “Communication in Professional Activities”, “Business Relations”, “Psychology of Business Communication”. The work is novel in that it represents the first attempt to use such interactive teaching methods as interview, round table, role-playing and the case method to develop students’ ability to express disagreement by means of indirect communication. As a result, it has been found that the use of the above-mentioned set of training exercises in the course of teaching subjects of the humanities and social sciences contributes to the development of students’ ability to maintain communicative balance, avoid negative manifestations of disagreement with an opponent.

Development of Core Competencies for University Students during the Pandemic, Crisis of Public Health

Future competency is a necessary condition for securing the competency of college students who lead the changed era. Therefore, this study was conducted to derive core competencies reflecting future competencies and to develop diagnostic tools. To this end, the reliability and validity of the draft questionnaire prepared after reviewing previous studies and receiving reviews from experts were secured. The survey was conducted for 983 college students from April 12 to 16, 2021, and the final 75 questionnaires were confirmed through statistical verification. Through the collected data, potential profiles with heterogeneous characteristics based on core competencies were classified into three, and the characteristics of each potential group profile were confirmed. The main analysis results are as follows. First, the five core competencies (humanities competency, communication competency, globalization competency, creativity competency, professionalism competency) consists of 15 sub-competencies and 75 questionnaires. Second, the improved K-University core competency scale has secured validity after verifying the improvement plan through the expert meetings and surveys. Third, based on the improved K-University Core Competency Diagnosis scale, the overall average of core competencies was 3.85, communication competencies 3.99, creativity competency 3.96, humanities competencies 3.85, professionalism competencies 3.85, and globalization competencies 3.58. Furthermore, a total of three analyzing the latent profile through the core competency diagnosis result, a total of three latent profiles (upper group, middle group, and lower group) were identified. Through the analysis results, a new core competency diagnostic scale was developed by reflecting the educational goals, vision, and future capabilities of the university. Through the results of this study, other higher education institutions will also be able to raise their interest in the future competencies of university students and provide competency-based curriculum to enhance the quality and effectiveness of education.

Improvement of moral competence in university students: An intervention through moral emotions

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of an intervention to improve moral competence in university students. The intervention was carried out through deliberation on emotional dilemmas, perception, and communication of moral emotions by participants. The research design was quasi-experimental, adopting a pretest-posttest design. The control and experimental groups were made up of 26 students. The moral competence of all participants was evaluated using the emotional moral competence index (EMCI). The participants in both groups were chosen based on a very low level of moral competence, an average value (EMCI = 20) below population mean (EMCI Mean = 31.8; EMCISD = 11.8). The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using the difference between the means and the univariate linear regression analysis of the two groups. The results of the experimental group showed significant values and important effects in the increase of moral competence after the intervention.

Development of core competencies for university students during the pandemic, crisis of public health

Future competency is a necessary condition for securing the competence of college students who lead the changed era. Therefore, this study was conducted to derive core competencies reflecting future competencies and to develop diagnostic tools. To this end, the reliability and validity of the draft questionnaire prepared after reviewing previous studies and receiving reviews from experts were secured. The survey was conducted for 983 college students from April 12 to 16, 2021, and the final 75 questionnaires were confirmed through statistical verification. Through the collected data, potential profiles with heterogeneous characteristics based on core competencies were classified into three, and the characteristics of each potential group profile were confirmed. The main analysis results are as follows. First, the five core competencies (Humanities Competence, Communication Competency, Global Competency, Creativity Competency, Professional Competency) consists of 15 sub-competencies and 75 questionnaires. Second, the improved K-University core competency scale has secured validity after verifying the improvement plan through the expert meetings and surveys. Third, based on the improved K-University Core Competency Diagnosis scale, the overall average of core competencies was 3.85, communication competencies 3.99, creative competencies 3.96, humanities competencies 3.85, professional competencies 3.85, and global competencies 3.58.

Validation of the Use and Function of ICT in Educational Contexts Measurement Scale for students in Higher Education

The importance of ICT in Higher Education is present in international and national policies; in contextual moments where distance and asynchronous education is prioritized, it is urgent to identify the competences in university students. This research sought to validate in the Mexican population a scale to evaluate the frequency of use and function of ICTs and the educational contexts in which they are used, that supports knowledge about their strengths and areas of opportunity. The methodology was quantitative and divided into two phases: 1) descriptive study to design and pilot the scale; and 2) validation of the final version of the instrument with 390 students from three states of the country. From the analysis of descriptive studies, normality, construct validity (factor analysis) and reliability, the instrument was make up of two components: a) 26 items distributed in 4 factors that measure frequency of use and function; and b) 8 multiple - choice items to identify educational contexts of use. This scale explained 42.7% of the variance, with a global Cronbach Alpha of .91. The use of reliable assessment tools in higher education, will facilitate the intervention and the development of psycho - educational strategies for the acquisition of ICT skills.

The psycho-pedagogical conditions for the formation of students’ professional and communicative competence in the course of teaching speech-oriented disciplines (from the author’s teaching experience)

The article asserts the necessity to create psychological and pedagogical conditions aimed at forming professional and communicative competence of university students in the process of teaching speech-oriented disciplines. Such conditions include understanding the professional ideal as a personal, inner motivation for learning; the use of the communicative-cognitive approach; the focus on the step-by-step personality formation of a communicative personality. To identify the above-mentioned conditions, the author employed the following research methods and techniques: structured observation of students’ speech, group and individual interviews with learners, psychosemantic approach, self-characterisation and self-presentation methods, socio-pedagogical investigation. The best practices aimed at a gradual formation of a communicative personality and learners’ professional ideal are described through the analysis of studying speech genres, the orthographic and pronunciation (orthoepic) norms of the Russian language.

РОЛЬ МЕДИАЦИИ В ФОРМИРОВАНИИ КОНФЛИКТОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ КОМПЕТЕНЦИЙ СТУДЕНТОВ КОЛЛЕДЖА

We consider the constructive possibilities of mediation in the formation of the conflict resolution competencies among college students. During adolescence there is an increase in the level of stress, conflict, and in order to minimize the number of negative situations, it is important to form students' conflict resolution competencies. These competencies of college students are expressed in the ability to apply skills to resolve conflict situations constructively, to conduct a dialogue in a conflict situation effectively both in professional activity and in interaction with society in a conflict-prone environment. We examine the mediation as a conciliation procedure interested in finding business, moral relationships between the warring parties. The features of the organization of the mediation service at the college ensure meditative technologies in the educational environment of this professional educational organization; its functions are educational, educational, restorative, preventive. The requirements to the mediator's personality, the possibilities and limitations of his mediation activity are analyzed. The principles of mediation are voluntariness, confidentiality, cooperation and equality of the parties, impartiality and independence.

Educational function of international law as a factor in the formation of legal competence of university students

Educational function of international law as a factor in the formation of legal competence of university students

Perceived Employability, Academic Commitment, and Competency of University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study of Student Well-Being.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has led to the closure of schools and universities, which forced students to reorganize their daily and academic lives. The pandemic has thus impacted the well-being of students in various ways. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the perceived employability, self-efficacy, ambition, organizational commitment, and career planning of students, as well as mental well-being, student engagement, and academic burnout during the pandemic. A total of 269 Italian university students participated in an online questionnaire. Our results highlight that students experienced high levels of uncertainty about their employability and career planning. In contrast, however, they reported healthy levels of mental well-being and student engagement, high career ambitions, and strong self-efficacy, despite the impact of COVID-19. We suggested that intervention and supportive programs should be offered to students over the long term in order to minimize the negative impact of the pandemic.

Developmental Pathways to Intercultural Competence in College Students

Despite travel restrictions, U.S. colleges invest in students’ global learning, to prepare graduates to thrive in today's interdependent society and world. This multi-method longitudinal study applies a constructive developmental and intersectional lens to examine the impact of travel and non-travel based global learning on intercultural competence and change in social diversity, also assessing the pathways that connect these variables. Our pilot findings suggest a greater contribution of on-campus global learning to development of intercultural competence compared to travel-based experiences, such as study abroad. Furthermore, on-campus global learning also contributes significantly to increases in the diversity of students’ peer relationships, and that diversity then connects to intercultural competence. Somewhat surprisingly, these patterns remain consistent for those with historically dominant and marginalized identities.

Printed and e-book: problems of choice of modern students of the university

The article highlights the urgency of the problem of digitalization of education, substantiates the need to develop digital competence of young people in the context of using various electronic resources, technologies, the ability to be critical of the accuracy of information, competently use digital media to achieve personal, professional or social goals. The need for the development of reading competence in university students is emphasized. The study used methods of conceptual and comparative analysis, as well as psychodiagnostic and statistical methods. The results of an empirical study conducted in Ukrainian universities on the researched problem are presented. The positive and negative sides in the use of printed and electronic publications by modern students are given. Their preferences for using these sources to solve educational problems are revealed. The peculiarities of the development of readers’ interests of future specialists and the prospects of competition of the printed book with the electronic one are determined. According to the survey, it was found that respondents prefer e-books, they have more advantages in terms of practical application. It is investigated that for study they more often choose printed books, textbooks, which help them to focus more deeply on scientific information and to comprehend it critically (more than 70% of respondents). Emphasis on the importance in modern conditions of a successful combination in educational (professional) activities of electronic and printed publications.