Contemporary Professionals Research Articles

Being, knowing and doing: aligning ontology, epistemology, and axiology to develop an account of social work as practice

This article takes as its starting point reflections from social work academics at a Scottish university around persistent tensions between the nature of social work practice and the ways in which social work students and social workers talk about it. Practice (perhaps by definition) is practical, whereas how it is spoken and written about often betrays instrumental, narrow or dated clinical orientations. Picking up on the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) definition of social work as a practice-based profession and drawing on the literature around the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL), we seek to (re)invigorate the case for social work as practice. We argue that this offers students and practitioners a conceptual framework through which they might articulate and validate what they do. We begin by critiquing current orientations to social work. We then come on to propose a broadly Aristotelean concept of practice. We make some suggestions for how this might better orient social work to the nature and demands of contemporary professionalism. We conclude by considering the implications of our argument for social work education and practice.

The stealth rise of control: Forgotten trust in contemporary professionalism

Professionalism has long been a term understood to distinguish social strata, commonly highlighting those trusted to employ expert knowledge for the benefit of society. Professionalism however is evolving; this position article contributes to the subject in drawing together different threads of literature beyond empirical studies to extend the discussion on professionalism, shedding a light on an area of interest. Specifically, it is argued that professionalism is threatened by the shift of the loci of control from the traditional, occupational professional positions to what is now contemporary professionalism. To facilitate such a transition, trust, a long-time fundamental component of traditional professionalism, is being readily and overtly substituted by control, wielded in and by modern organisations for the primary benefit of that organisation. The first part of the article explicates an understanding of professionalism and trust. The following section then introduces the relationship between both traditional and contemporary professionalism with trust. The third part moves to discuss the rise of differing types of control, arguing that trust has been forced to take a minor role in contemporary notions of professionalism in organisational practice, leading to the term being utilised to induce the required behaviours within those organisations. The article concludes with direction on both potential implications and applications of the theoretical points raised through the discussion.

Introspection, reflection, qualia, & consciousness: Making sense of an 80-hour psychotherapy internship

The following is an introspective report that elaborates on lessons I learned as a trainee psychotherapist during an 80-hour internship at one of Sri Lanka’s state-run hospitals. I have carefully analyzed thoughts, feelings, and emotions associated with three patient cases, and interpreted key learnings via Gibbs reflective cycle. The lessons learned portray a self-realization of a variety of my strengths and weaknesses akin to the practice of psychotherapy. Based on the nature of the content learned, I have identified some of the key areas of professional development that undergird career success. Similarly, making sense of my internal state during these 80 hours through reflective practice displays the mastery of a critical skill for improved training outcomes. This report further highlights the need for more subjective introspective reports from contemporary professionals to establish discourse on consciousness to promote the consideration of subjective accounts of professionals as foundational evidence for more intuitive, logical, and rigorous endeavors of scientific inquiry.

Educational trends in the development of philological education in Azerbaijan in the era of digitalisation: a forecast of the future

Education is an indicator of societies socio-economic and cultural development provides the national interests of the country in all areas of its activities in the world arena. The process of integration of cultural, educational, scientific, as well technical spheres – the introduction of modern norms and the standardization of education, the development of science and technology, the culture’s expansion, and the dissemination of scientific and technological achievements. Contemporary professionals face the recent year’s scientific and technical developments problems. The solution of these problems is conditioned by the need of their professional skills continuous development even after having obtained the higher education and the specialization diploma. The penetration into all fields of professional activity of the skills traditionally characterized by high technology leads to the emergence of new trends. The current axiom “digital humanities” is gaining popularity. In this context, the implementation of combined scientific, cultural-educational, and other projects and the involvement of scientists and specialists in research programs are particularly important. The COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 169,015 students in Azerbaijan (Valiyev & Valehli, 2022). This fact forced educators to develop new methods of teaching, with the introduction of distance learning as a single alternative to the desire for pedagogical continuity. Such a situation led to many difficulties, such as lack of experience, technical problems, and difficulties with technical equipment. In addition, many teachers realized that they required digital skills. This paper presents the trends of education with the use of closed survey among teachers in the field of philology. The university community had to develop new ways of teaching and learning, particularly the introduction of distance and online learning that kept students connected and offered different perspectives. Search engines found 457 articles between 2018 and 2022. Relevant articles were searched in the Scopus and UpToDate databases, relevant articles for 2018-2022 were selected and processed by the title and abstracts, 20 scientific works were presented in this study. As a result, the situation of education in Azerbaijan was identified, one highlighted negative trends and prospects for the development of philological education in the context of digitalisation. The highlighted trends and forecasts give a new outline of the impact of digital technologies and the problems of changes in learning, knowledge sharing, and transformation in philological education. The findings open new perspectives on the relationship between science and society and the role of philological research in the context of digitalisation.

Development of leadership qualities of masters in Germany

The evolution of leadership attributes emerges as a pivotal facet for contemporary professionals, delineating a trajectory towards triumph in career pathways and exerting influence within their milieu. Master's programmes within the German educational milieu meticulously integrate these imperatives, furnishing a refined platform for the cultivation of leadership acumen adeptly attuned to contemporary exigencies. Germany, renowned for its educational eminence, stands as a vanguard in the realm of nurturing and honing the leadership proficiencies of master's students. This discourse elucidates the elemental constituents underpinning master's programs in leadership, encompassing theoretical underpinnings, personal metamorphosis, pragmatic managerial competencies, and the intricacies of intercultural discourse. The emphasis is laid on the transformative potential of such initiatives in crafting well-rounded leaders primed to tackle multifarious challenges across divergent spheres of existence, thereby catalysing societal advancement. German tertiary institutions offer an extensive array of programmes designed to furnish students with a comprehensive understanding of leadership theory, foster personal development, inculcate pragmatic management skills, and facilitate adept navigation of intercultural dynamics. These programmes are instrumental in endowing students with the requisite knowledge and proficiencies to emerge as adept leaders across diverse domains encompassing business, politics, civil society, academia, and research. They serve as conduits for the cultivation of strategic cogitation, judicious decision-making, proficient communication, and adept team leadership. Furthermore, they serve to fortify the fabric of leadership by engendering qualities such as accountability, ethical rectitude, adaptability, and cross-cultural fluency. Moreover, they serve to galvanise independence, foster ingenuity in problem-solving, and impart skills in strategic foresight and planning, essential facets of efficacious leadership.

CONTINUOUS EDUCATION OF NURSES AND PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AS A PREREQUISITE FOR ENHANCING COMPETENCIES IN PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION

Background: Nurses and physiotherapists play a pivotal role in providing high-quality healthcare and patient rehabilitation, underscoring the importance of possessing a high level of expertise in planning and organizing their activities. The healthcare sector continually evolves and refines itself due to technological advancements, making it imperative for professionals to remain open to continuous learning and adapt to new information and techniques. Consequently, the maintenance and development of essential competencies through continuous education play a crucial role. Aim: To examine the significance of continuous education for nurses and physiotherapists in the context of enhancing their competencies in healthcare service planning and organization. Results and Discussion: The findings demonstrate that continuous education is essential for maintaining relevance and improving skills in the dynamic environment of contemporary professions. However, it is frequently accompanied by challenges such as financial constraints, time limitations, motivational issues, and technological adaptation barriers. Regarding the methods of continuous education available to nurses and physiotherapists, these encompass formal education, professional workshops, seminars, practical training, online education, and mentorship. A combination of these methods can contribute to the development and enhancement of healthcare professionals and competencies in their practice. Furthermore, attention is directed toward key competencies in healthcare service planning and organization, encompassing time management, teamwork, communication skills, decision-making, and problem-solving. Conclusion: It can be inferred that continuous education not only contributes to improved practice and patient care but also ensures that healthcare professionals stay aligned with changes within the healthcare system and the latest techniques and technologies.

Шкала открытости будущему: русскоязычная адаптация и валидизация

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Introduction.</strong> The Openness to the Future Scale (OFS) was developed in 2018 to measure a new phenomenon in the field of positive psychology [5]. Contemporary professionals use it in research on both positive psychological resources and clinical psychological phenomena. <strong>Objective.</strong> The aim of this study was to adapt the Russian–language version of the Openness to the Future Scale on a population–based sample. <strong>Method.</strong> There were three groups of respondents: 374 volunteers from the general population, 72 homeless people temporarily living in the «Warm Reception» shelter, and 68 young adult graduates of orphanages and teenagers living in orphanages and dormitories at educational institutions. All participants filled out the Russian version of the Openness to the Future Scale, and participants in the second and third groups additionally filled out measures to assess psychological resources. <strong>Results.</strong> Confirmatory factor analysis showed a single–factor model identical to the factor structure of the original version of the Openness to the Future Scale, which confirmed the factor validity of the adapted instrument. The Cronbach's α–value was 0,83, which is evidence in favor of the internal reliability of the Russian version of the Openness to the Future Scale. Openness to the future scores were higher for male and younger respondents compared to female and older respondents. Openness to the future was positively correlated with life attitudes in the homeless and with resilience and proactive coping in young adult graduates and adolescents from orphanages. <strong>Conclusion.</strong> The basic psychometric properties of the adapted instrument allow recommending it as a research tool. This pilot study determines the need for further psychometric examinations of the Russian–language version of the Openness to the Future Scale, including by expanding the study sample, involving experts and respondents from different age and clinical groups, and comparing self–report data with objective psychometric assessments.</p>

An emotionally vulnerable profession? professional values and emotions within legal practice

ABSTRACT Applying Fineman’s vulnerability theory, this paper will explore the role of emotions within the legal profession and the specific vulnerabilities that arise from their traditional and contemporary treatment within law. It will consider how the notion of professionalism in law has traditionally disregarded or excluded emotions as irrelevant or even dangerous in a manner which is philosophically and psychologically flawed as well as damaging to mental health and wellbeing. This approach has created longstanding unacknowledged vulnerabilities for the profession as a whole and individual practitioners. It will then explore how the shifting legal services landscape, and the resultant evolution of the profession, has led to a growing contemporary interest in the use of emotional competencies (often characterised as ‘soft skills’ or ‘emotional intelligence’). These are now increasingly exploited as tools to enhance profitability. However, this leads to a dichotomy as, despite their increasing utilisation, emotions are still not fully acknowledged or incorporated within law’s core professional values. This generates further individual and institutional vulnerabilities around mental health and wellbeing which require urgent attention to ensure the health of the contemporary profession. The paper concludes with suggestions for reforms to alleviate these vulnerabilities and promote greater future resilience within law.

Chapter 3 Our Only Sin Was Being Black: Reflecting on Maria Franklin (1997) in the Time of Black Lives Matter in Archaeology

ABSTRACTIt has been over 25 years since Maria Franklin (1997b) asked, “Why are there so few black American archaeologists?” While low numbers can still be attributed to Black Americans choosing to pursue more lucrative careers, we must also understand that barriers instituted and perpetuated by racism also play a major factor. Through highlighting the experiences of archaeologists from John Wesley Gilbert (1863–1923) to contemporary professionals, the legacy of racism and discriminatory treatment of Black archaeologists assists in answering Franklin's question. Though numbers have increased since the creation of the Society of Black Archaeologists in 2011, the retention of Black graduate students and professionals in the field is still a challenge. Revisiting this question in the time of Black Lives Matter in Archaeology may provide some clarity.

Rationality and Scientific Thinking as Foundations for Leadership in the World of Work

The exercise of leadership in the contemporary world is intricately linked to understanding the complexity of the current times, with an emphasis on the importance of rationality, metacognition, and scientific thinking. Among other elements, it is necessary to consider the competition between humans and machines – especially with learning machines, which are characterized by replacing rule-based programming, based on logical inference, with an approach based on pattern recognition associated with the adoption of neural networks. In this context, exploring metacognition, which transcends cognition, means prioritizing reflection on reflection – that is, focusing on learning how to learn throughout life. Therefore, the proper training of contemporary professionals implies, especially, cultivating rationality, metacognition, logic, and analytical reasoning.

Developing human resources and building a talent pool for the region through the construction, measurement, and validation of soft competency profiles for current and future professionals (the ComPass System)

Contemporary professionals’ education worldwide is based on Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson/Krathwohl’s revision). This process is implemented as the “packaging” of individuals into rigid professional standards by transmitting accepted dogmas as value orientations. The training quality is measured through practice duration and education documentary evidence (formal records). However, individuals’ personalities extend beyond standards and include soft competencies determining the hard skills application in specific situations. They make professionals adaptable to the ever-changing reality, including the AI presence. Finally, every person aims at self-realization. Self-realization serves as the key internal motivator for effective and successful action (including in one’s profession) with no need for external motivators. Relying on soft competencies in profiling, management, and HR development in the medium and long term leads to significant savings in financial and other resources during the launch and professional activities’ implementation when they are an act of self-realization. Consequently, existing rigid standards already require complementing them with soft competency profiles (competency profiling). A soft profile is always broader than standards and contributes not only to forming a talent pool from students in secondary specialized educational institutions and universities, technical schools, and vocational schools but also to unleashing the potential of professionals already in the field.

Communication Apprehension in the Workplace: Focusing on Inclusion

Communication apprehension can lead to professional challenges for individuals, teams, and organizations. This is the first study of communication apprehension that involved a randomized national survey of working adults in the United States and captured broad representation in terms of age, gender, race/ethnicity, managerial status, and other factors. The study showed that communication apprehension is common, including in group discussions, meetings, interpersonal situations, and public speaking. It is significantly more common among early-career professionals, women, introverted professionals, and professionals with anxiety. Interpersonal situations appear to be the situations in which contemporary professionals are most likely to experience high communication apprehension. This study suggests more attention is needed to address communication apprehension in interpersonal and group situations. It also frames communication apprehension as a matter of inclusion and team performance.

A New Contemporary Profession as Game Boosters: The Behavioural Emergence of Intellectual Opportunism

This study investigates the emergence of intellectual opportunism for game boosters in mobile social networks. It shows the supply and demand for upgrading game levels in mobile social networks. These supply and lucrative demand highlight a new temporary profession as game boosters. Game boosters facilitate framed newbie gamers who want to play at a higher game level without playing for a long time. This emergence of professionally game boosters is due to economic opportunism, promising their potential future incomes. Moreover, opportunistic mobile social networks (OMSNs) support the muscular appearance of the game booster profession. On the other hand, this study demonstrates that mobile social networks exploit hedonistic human needs by reflecting their behaviour and social relationships when building efficient and trustworthy business contracts. This study presents uniqueness supported by critical reasoning. First, it shows that the game booster phenomenon has emerged as a contemporary profession in society, promising future cash inflows above the average salaries of typical jobs. Second, this research demonstrates the sequential logic of economic opportunities, intellectual opportunism, and mobile social networks, constructing game boosters’ income generating. Nevertheless, this study acknowledges that the game booster profession has low integrity due to its members’ inconsistent and unprincipled virtues.

A Conceptual Model of Teaching Efficacy and Beliefs, Teaching Outcome Expectancy, Student Technology Use, Student Engagement, and 21st-Century Learning Attitudes: A STEM Education Study

The need to train and equip students in science and mathematics integrated with technology, according to contemporary professions, has gained a lot of attention. Careers in this field demand that students do not just explore single subjects working independently, but rather look at how they can be integrated for application in real-world problems, provide solutions and help us take such an approach in STEM education. The use of technology enhances students’ learning and acts as an effective strategy for engaging a student in a science and mathematics classroom session. For implementing a meaningful STEM class, the teachers’ efficacy and beliefs, their perceptions of effective technological use by students to improve learning, their teaching outcome and expectancy, student engagement and 21st-century learning attitudes inculcated in students need to be looked into. The present study is a correlational one investigating the effect of teaching efficacy and beliefs, teaching outcome expectancy and 21st-century learning on student engagement. The results of the study show that students’ use of technology has a mediating effect on the relationship between teaching efficacy and beliefs and student engagement, whereas 21st-century learning attitudes do not have any mediating effect. Both student technology uses and 21st-century learning attitudes have a mediating effect on the relationship between teaching outcome expectancy and student engagement.

Music therapy in Slovakia: Contexts and current practice

Music therapy has its own historical roots in today’s Slovakia. As early as the 18th century, information about music healing had already appeared. Nowadays, music therapy is becoming more widespread in our country. Therefore, it is deemed important to clarify music therapy as a contemporary profession and to focus on current events. This article focuses on the historical underpinnings of music therapy as well as the current situation, legislation and personalities who strongly influenced the development in this area, as well as organisations and providers who played an important role in music therapy developments in Slovakia. The article also provides basic information about my own research, presenting findings of a survey questionnaire and two brief interviews with music therapy experts in Slovakia.

Basic pedagogical principles of teaching Russian sign language to law enforcement personnel

The article deals with teaching the Russian sign language to certain categories of internal affairs personnel at the higher educational institutions of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs under the conditions of time shortage. The authors assess psychological and pedagogical conditions of the Russian sign language teaching and provide some innovative teaching methods to accelerate the learning process. A compulsory requirement to any contemporary professionals, including the professionals in law-enforcement, is the ability to adapt to changing social and economic realities. Nowadays, in conditions of globalization and integrational processes, skills of socio-communicative interaction between a police officer and various categories of citizens are essential and very important as well as other general cultural skills that any professional should have since they provide success and efficiency of any professional activity in modern world. To exercise their professional activities internal affairs personnel have to acquire additional professional competences due to new tasks. These days we witness growing importance for police officers to enjoy such professional skills as the abilities to interact with people with disabilities. Linguocommunicative training of police personnel in the sphere of the Russian sign language is an important component of their professional education and their skills to get in contact with hearing-impaired people using sign language are becoming highly important in contemporary conditions.

How professional actions connect and protect

AbstractBelow we provide responses to the ongoing debate sparked by Mirko Noordegraaf’s intervention in suggesting that we are moving toward forms of ‘connective professionalism’. Critics in this debate have objected to Noordegraaf in a number of ways. Some object to a conflation of ideal types and empirical description. Others assert that Noordegraaf suggests a staged process of moving from protective to connective types of professionalism does not ring true; that we can finds forms of connection and protection in contemporary professionalism and in professional action. Our companions in this issue (Alvehus, Avnoon, and Oliver) suggest that greater connectiveness also permits new forms of protection as part of professionalism. Our short essays contribute to the Noordegraaf debate by focusing less on professionalism and more on how forms of professional action lead to mechanisms of connection and protection.

Musicians as "Makers in Society": A Conceptual Foundation for Contemporary Professional Higher Music Education.

This paper considers the purpose, values and principles underpinning higher music education (HME) as one of the performing arts in a context of turbulent global change. Recognising complex challenges and opportunities in this field, HME is addressed from dual perspectives: educating the next generations of professional musicians, and higher music institutions’ (HMEIs) engagement in society. The paper has a particular focus on the sector within HME that is dedicated to intensive practical craft training for performers, composers, programmers, producers, managers, and teachers. We argue that there is an urgent need for fresh orientating frameworks through which to navigate HME’s development. We examine concepts such as artistic citizenship, social responsibility and civic mission increasingly perceived to be relevant to the sector, and we explore their connexions to concepts of artistic excellence, imagination and creativity, and musical heritage. We identify apparent dichotomies of value within contemporary HME, including between intrinsic and instrumental purpose in the arts, cultural heritage, and new work, artistic imagination and entrepreneurship, and we argue that creative tensions between what have hitherto easily been perceived as opposing concepts or competing priorities need to be embraced. To support our argument we draw on the particular ethnomusicological concept of “musicking,” and we look toward a partnering of artistic and social values in order to enable HME to respond dynamically to societal need, and to continue to engage with the depth and integrity of established musical traditions and their craft. Based on this discussion we propose a conceptual foundation: the “musician as a maker in society,” in which developing vision as a musician in society, underpinned on the one hand by immersion in musical artistry and on the other hand sustained practical experience of connecting and engaging with communities, offers invaluable preparation for and transition into professional life. We propose that this idea, connecting societal and artistic vision and practise, is equally essential for HMEIs as it is for musicians, and sits at the heart of the roles they evolve within their local communities and wider society.

‘It’s complicated’: Professional opacity, duality, and ambiguity—A response to Noordegraaf (2020)

AbstractIn this comment to Noordegraaf’s ‘Protective or connective professionalism? How connected professionals can (still) act as autonomous and authoritative experts’, we argue that Noordegraaf has contributed significant insights into the development of contemporary professionalism. However, we argue for a less binary and more complex view of forms of professionalism, and for finding ways of understanding professionalism grounded in a relational view of everyday professional work. The first section (by Johan Alvehus) suggests that Noordegraaf’s ‘connective professionalism’ is primarily about new ways of strengthening professionalism’s protective shields by maintaining functional ambiguity and transparent opacity around professional jurisdictions. The second section (by Amalya Oliver and Netta Avnoon) argues for viewing professionalism on a range of protection–connection and offers an approach for understanding how connective and protective models co-occur. Both commentaries thus take a relational, dynamic, and somewhat skeptical view on the reproduction and maintenance of professionalism.

The Evolving Role of Contemporary Conservation Architects in India: Beyond Traditional Professional Practice

India has a centuries-long history of heritage conservation in the public realm; private practice, however, mainly began in the 1980s, led primarily by architects. Contemporary professionals are also typically architects with graduate training in heritage conservation. Their training in architecture, conservation, or both, however, mainly focuses on design and the technical aspects of the field. However, an analysis of narratives collected from conservation architects shows that in the course of a project, they take on various nontraditional roles beyond their training to bring projects to fruition. These roles can be applied to a variety of professional environments involving different stakeholders. This paper examines narratives focusing on projects involving public officials because most conservation projects in India continue to be publicly funded. By framing the narratives within three types of professional environments—constrained, porous, and enabling—this paper discusses how by taking on nontraditional roles, conservation architects can shape the current profession and its future practitioners, with implications for conservation education in India and beyond.