Development Of Interpersonal Skills Research Articles

The Undergraduate Case Research Study Model

Student-written cases are powerful pedagogical tools that can lead to improved understanding of business situations, more informed analysis, emphasis on reflection, and clearer expository writing, all of which are critical skills for business students. Cases provide an opportunity for students to enjoy an active learning experience and derive the experiential payback that such activities offer. In this article, the author describes an innovative method for combining teaching cases and research cases that gives relatively inexperienced undergraduate students practice in applying theory to practice. The project was designed for a small business management class for which the learning objectives go beyond content and theory application; students gain the additional benefits of development of interpersonal skills, an enhanced ability to deal with ambiguity, and the extension of insight and originality. The article provides a design for the implementation of the case-writing process, sample assignments and student work, and theoretical supports that focus on qualitative methodologies. Although the disciplinary focus is small business and entrepreneurship, the process of student case writing can be readily transferred among and beyond business disciplines.

Cognitive Styles Matching: Expanding the Efficacy of Group Work in MPA Courses

This essay describes a unique approach to assigning Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) students to groups in order to enhance the value of the overall classroom team experience. The relevant mechanism of interest is the Cognitive Styles Matching (CSM) group-selection process, combined with a brief explanatory session. Many instructors utilize groups for various reasons, without considering that the selection process can be altered to maximize relevant learning and interpersonal skills development. In this approach, a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator within a CSM process is used to configure groups for semester-long course projects. The essay takes the additional step of examining the approach’s performance, by using a post-only evaluation design that considers academic performance and a survey of student perceptions regarding the CSM treatment and potential alternatives. The benefits associated with the CSM process — product consistency and learning to work with others in a collaborative public service environment — suggest a meaningful role for broader use of the CSM selection process in the MPA curriculum.

Assessing the educational values of digital games

Abstract In recent years, digital games have assumed an important place in the lives of children and adolescents. Effective content design is crucial to the success of digital game‐based learning. Therefore, the tool for assessing the effectiveness of game design is accordingly very important for parents and teachers, so that they may encourage or discourage students to play. The purpose of this study is to develop an assessment tool to examine the educational values of digital games. In the first phase of this research, the research team developed the indices for assessing the educational values of digital games. An expert panel consisting of game scholars and professional game designers was established to construct the indices for evaluating digital games in three focus group discussions. Seventy‐four game evaluation indices were sorted into seven categories: mentality change, emotional fulfilment, knowledge enhancement, thinking skill development, interpersonal skill development, spatial ability development and bodily coordination. In the second phase of the research, the game designers were asked to assess certain games by using the 74 indices. Meanwhile, the game scholars were also asked to evaluate the same pool of games by the same indices. The assessments by both the scholars and designers were then compared and the similarities were found. This research provided a preliminary framework for future game designers, parents and teachers in assessing educational values of digital games.

Emerging musicality during the pre-school years: a case study of one child

Studies of communication in early infancy and childhood have highlighted the significance of rhythm, sound and music for emotional and social development. There is, however, little detailed empirical data on the emergence of naturalistic music-related behaviour by children in the early years. The aim of this work is to examine instances of musicality with respect to their form and/or function and to trace out developmental indices of musically related behaviours and competencies. Employing a single-case study approach, this paper documents the emergence of one child’s musicality between the ages of 1 year, and 3 years 10 months. From a data corpus of video-recordings, 33 examples of musicality, representing 20 time periods, were examined and categorized. In order to examine specific instances, ethnomethodologically informed conversation analysis was used to consider examples in more detail. Beyond indicating what conversation analysis might bring to the study of musical behaviour in context, the results highlight certain interrelationships between musicality, early word use, interpersonal skill and narrative development. Distinct phases — social-affective followed by ‘song-word’ play and finally narrative-related musicality — were identified in the data. Concluding comments touch on the significance of emerging musicality for social and cognitive development.

Learning through Publishing The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics

ABSTRACTPublishing a research journal can be a rewarding and useful learning experience for undergraduate students. Drawing upon our experiences with The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics, we describe the benefits of producing a peer-reviewed journal. Among the benefits we highlight are gains in political science knowledge, increased understanding of research methodologies, refinement of writing and debating skills, and development of interpersonal skills. We close with a call for professors to encourage their students to submit papers to the journal.

Exposure to information and communication about HIV/AIDS and perceived credibility of information sources among young people in northern Tanzania

Young people in sub-Saharan Africa constitute an important group for HIV prevention efforts. Determining their exposure to HIV/AIDS information and communication and their perceived credibility of information sources is imperative to the development of interventions. However, the majority of studies on this topic have been conducted among school-based populations, with few focused on those out of school or on comparing the two groups. A structured face-to-face interview was completed by 993 young people out of school, between the ages of 13 and 18, in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; additionally, the questionnaire was self-administered by 1 007 students attending either their last year of primary or first year of secondary school. Significant factors associated with the frequency of exposure to HIV/AIDS information and frequency of communication about HIV/AIDS included urban/rural location, sex, socio-economic status, and educational attainment. Both groups ranked the radio as the most frequent source of HIV/AIDS information. The in-school group reported significantly more frequent exposure to all sources of HIV/ AIDS information and they communicated more frequently about the topic than did the out-of-school group. Among both groups, exposure to HIV/AIDS information occurred more frequently than discussing the topic. The in-school group gave high credibility ratings to medical doctors, the radio and parents as sources of information, while the out-of-school group attributed the most credibility to the mass media. Irrespective of school attendance, the young people ranked friends, parents and doctors as preferred communicators of sexual and reproductive health information. Interventions that address the determinants of educational attainment are needed, as well as ones specifically intended to reach girls or those out of school. The preferences and credibility rankings for sources of HIV/AIDS information suggest the need for evidence-based programmes that utilise peers and promote the involvement of parents or doctors. Particularly needed are interventions that explicitly aim to stimulate discussion among young people about HIV/AIDS and that foster the development of interpersonal skills.

Why Play Games When There's so Much Work to Do?

Several strategies have been proposed to improve the teaching/learning process, which should achieve most of students and contribute to the development of personal skills, ethics and values. In this process, the evaluation appears to be a critical part. Nevertheless, it is already known that better results are obtained when different tools (seminars, individual tests and theater, for example) are used. The idea of games as an educative approach is not new. In educational field, games have emerged as a tool for teaching, since they can emphasize participation, fun, motivation and interest of students, but only few information is available about their use in the evaluation process. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the possibility to adopt a game as an evaluation strategy of students learning about Human Endocrine System, part of the Biological Basis of Gerontology program (EACH-USP). A board game, constituted by 45 spaces, in which students/teams were placed on a marked surface on the floor, was used. Each space was associated to one of six different tasks: scrabble, mimic/drawn; right-wrong questions, fill-in-the-blanks and crossword puzzles. Tasks involved different skills requirement, including knowledge, entire team involvement, ability to deal and decision making. The evaluation process began with the elaboration of questions by the teams, which contributed with 30% of the note. Team performance during the game also represented 30%, and the last 40% referred to the collective participation. Each team was able to perform around 8 different tasks with success index of 86%. Students reported high degree of satisfaction in performing that activity and felt motivated by the cooperative atmosphere. Based on this single experience, we concluded that it is possible to evaluate learning by using a game, which is a favorable environment to the development of interpersonal skills and attitudes, and we are encouraged to try again. Key words: Cooperative games, evaluation, teaching-learning process.

Developing research competencies through a project-based tissue-engineering module in the biomedical engineering undergraduate curriculum

In addressing the task of developing an undergraduate module in the field of tissue engineering, the greatest challenge lies in managing to capture what is a growing and rapidly changing field. Acknowledging the call for the development of greater critical thinking and interpersonal skills among the next generation of engineers as well as encouraging students to engage actively with the dynamic nature of research in the field, the module was developed to include both project-based and cooperative-learning experiences. These learning activities include developing hypotheses for the application of newly introduced laboratory procedures, a collaborative mock grant submission, and debates on ethical issues in which students are assigned roles as various stakeholders. Feedback from module evaluations has indicated that, while students find the expectations challenging, they are able to gain an advanced insight into a dynamic field. More importantly, students develop research competencies by engaging in activities that require them to link current research directions with their own development of hypotheses for future tissue-engineering applications.

HIV/AIDS Prevention: MSM Wants, Desires, and Needs

HIV prevention exhaustion has occurred among MSM, with resurgence of HIV beginning in 2000 a palpable effect. A stratified snowball sample was recruited from MSM social venues including gay bars, parks, and social service agencies in order to develop targets and strategies for future prevention efforts. Three methods of data collection were used: (a) individual interviews (n = 30), (b) focus groups (total n = 64), and (c) demographic survey (n = 94). Study results found support for several education topics, substance abuse intervention, and development of MSM interpersonal skills. The article concludes with a discussion of cultural and contextual strategies to curb rising HIV cases among MSM.

The Perceptions of Reception Staff in General Practice About the Factors Influencing Specific Medication Errors

The pilot study presented here is part of a larger project identifying and investigating the factors influencing errors in prescribing and dispensing drugs known to be of high risk: prednisolone, warfarin, lisinopril, morphine, carbamazepine, digoxin and methotrexate. This work has highlighted the central role that general practice (GP) receptionists have in the prescribing process and the importance of their perspectives in understanding how medication errors occur in general practice. Receptionists within Greater Glasgow were purposively sampled from a survey of personal experience of errors involving the drugs of interest. Five one-to-one in-depth interviews and one group interview with receptionists were conducted, exploring the perceptions of receptionists about the factors that influence errors. Four themes emerged from the interviews, related to receptionists' perceptions of factors influencing errors: trust in the GP to check prescriptions; the receptionists' role of communicating with patients; workload; and the hospital-surgery link. This research illustrates the important contribution that receptionists can make to understanding how errors occur in general practice. Receptionists have responsibilities for the continuation of care by communicating with patients, doctors and external care providers and they perceive that problems in communication with these parties can develop into medicine-related errors. These findings may inform educational outcomes for receptionists including involvement in the practice's protected learning time and interpersonal skills development, as well as improved communication skills in other health professionals.

Growing Vegetables and Values: Benefits of Neighborhood-Based Community Gardens for Youth Development and Nutrition

ABSTRACT Community gardens are one way that residents have mobilized to beautify urban neighborhoods, improve access to fresh produce, and engage youth. Qualitative case studies were conducted of two neighborhood-based community gardens with youth programs. Data collection included participant observation and in-depth interviews with adult gardeners and neighbors, youth, and community police officers. Results suggest that the garden programs provided opportunities for constructive activities, contributions to the community, relationship and interpersonal skill development, informal social control, exploring cognitive and behavioral competence, and improved nutrition. Community gardens promoted developmental assets for involved youth while improving their access to and consumption of healthy foods.

Counselor Training: Empirical Findings and Current Approaches

The literature on counselor training has included attention to cognitive and interpersonal skill development and has reported on empirical findings regarding the relationship of training with client outcomes. This article reviews the literature on each of these topics and discusses empirical and theoretical underpinnings of recently developed approaches to counselor training: the Skilled Group Counselor Training Model (M. H. Smaby, C. D. Maddux, E. Torres‐Rivera, & R. Zimmick, 1999) and the Skilled Counselor Training Model (S. Urbani et al., 2002). Critique of this literature includes suggestions for further research on the effectiveness of counselor training.

Frequency of Postlicensure Registered Nurse Boundary Violations with Patients in the State of Ohio: A Comparison Based on Type of Prelicensure Registered Nurse Education

Nurse-Patient boundary violations remain a problem. Efforts to address the problem through postlicensure education and stronger disciplinary measures are well documented. However, efforts to understand this problem based on prelicensure components are less studied. Using data from The Ohio Board of Nursing from 2002 to 2006, the difference in frequency of incidents of violations between associate degree-prepared registered nurses and baccalaureate degree-prepared registered nurses was studied. A statistically significant difference was found through chi-square analysis: Associate degree-prepared nurses had higher frequency of boundary violations. Further studies on prelicensure curricular influences on registered nurses' postlicensure behavior, particularly in relation to curricular content focused on interpersonal skill development, are recommended.

HIV Transmission Factors: Denver MSM Culture and Contexts

ABSTRACT Qualitative methods aid in classifying and assessing cultural and environmental factors and their effect on HIV transmission risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM). The present study includes the perspectives of four MSM subgroups (HIV positive MSM, Latino MSM, Black MSM, and MSM between ages 18 and 24) obtained through ethnographic interviews, focus groups, and a sociodemographic survey. Study findings based upon a cross-case analysis of these interviews point to cultural norms such as limited sexual negotiation and substance use as influencing MSM HIV transmission risk. In addition, MSM environments for seeking sexual partners (gay bars, bathhouses, the Internet) contribute to risk in setting-specific ways. The rich information provided by the MSM point to suitable recommendations for systemic intervention including increasing substance use prevention efforts among MSM, development of interpersonal and sexual negotiation skills, chiefly among young MSM, and the importance of MSM environments for improving HIV prevention.

The MBA and Academic Business Librarians: More than Graduate Education for Subject Specialists

ABSTRACT This work addresses the value of the MBA degree for academic business librarians. Based upon personal experience, the author relates how study within an MBA program may enhance business knowledge and contribute to the development of certain competencies and interpersonal skills.

AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF POSTTRAINING ON‐THE‐JOB SUPPLEMENTS FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS TRAINING

This study examined the impact of 2 posttraining on‐the‐job supplements to a training program focused on interpersonal skill development for newly hired managers—self‐coaching and upward feedback. Utilizing a sample of 87 trainees from 75 units of a national restaurant chain, the impact of these supplements was assessed by examining posttraining performance across 4 training conditions in a quasi‐experimental framework: (1) classroom training only, (2) classroom training with self‐coaching, (3) classroom training with upward feedback, and (4) classroom training with self‐coaching and upward feedback. The results demonstrated that both supplements are useful extensions to formal classroom training for enhancing trainees' interpersonal performance. These findings are discussed along with directions for future training effectiveness research.

Student satisfaction with cooperative learning in an Accounting curriculum

Cooperative learning has been introduced into International Accounting, a second year subject at a major Australian university. The purpose was to provide students with a satisfying experience of learning within a social context and to develop their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. The main data were collected during the Spring Semester 2005. In the penultimate lecture, a questionnaire was distributed to each of the students present. Findings suggest that despite some difficulties, the majority of students reported that cooperative learning created supportive team experiences that assisted them to develop discussion skills and better engage with the content of International Accounting. This journal article is available in Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice: http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol5/iss2/4 Journa l o f Un ivers i t y Teach ing and Learn ing Prac t i ce Student satisfaction with cooperative learning in an Accounting curriculum Brian J Farrell University of Technology Sydney b.farrell@uts.edu.au Helen M Farrell University of New South Wales h.farrell@unsw.edu.au Abstract Cooperative learning has been introduced into International Accounting, a second year subject at a major Australian university. The purpose was to provide students with a satisfying experience of learning within a social context and to develop their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. The main data were collected during the Spring Semester 2005. In the penultimate lecture, a questionnaire was distributed to each of the students present. Findings suggest that despite some difficulties, the majority of students reported that cooperative learning created supportive team experiences that assisted them to develop discussion skills and better engage with the content of International Accounting.Cooperative learning has been introduced into International Accounting, a second year subject at a major Australian university. The purpose was to provide students with a satisfying experience of learning within a social context and to develop their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. The main data were collected during the Spring Semester 2005. In the penultimate lecture, a questionnaire was distributed to each of the students present. Findings suggest that despite some difficulties, the majority of students reported that cooperative learning created supportive team experiences that assisted them to develop discussion skills and better engage with the content of International Accounting. S tu d e n t s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h c o o p e r a t i v e l ea r n in g i n a n A c c o u n t in g c u r r i c u lu m B r ia n F a r r e l l & H e l e n F a r r e l l Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice Vol 5/2, 2008 40 Introduction The accounting profession internationally expects graduates of university programs to have highly developed spoken and written communication skills (Morgan, 1997; Stout & DaCrema, 2004). Good communication skills require a concerted effort from all staff teaching accounting programs from first year through to course completion. This paper describes an intensive approach to develop interpersonal, professional and written communication skills in a second year subject in an accounting program by incorporating cooperative learning in the subject delivery. In recent years, there has been substantial literature that suggests that cooperative learning is a way of achieving academic engagement and social integration among students. Felder in an interview given in 2001 describes the chief characteristics of cooperative learning as ... a more formal kind of activity where students work in teams that stay together for extended periods of time under conditions that involve five criteria... The first criterion is positive interdependence the team members have to count on one another to do what they are supposed to do, otherwise everyone loses. Second is individual accountability, which means everyone is held responsible for understanding both their part of the work and everyone else’s part. Third is face-to-face interaction at least part of the time. The fourth criterion is the development of interpersonal skills needed to work effectively in teams... And the fifth criterion is regular self-assessment of group functioning... The extent to which groupwork has those five elements in place is the extent to which it qualifies as cooperative learning (para.5). This approach to education promotes techniques that enable students to become engaged in their own learning process while simultaneously contributing to the education of their peers. It is a powerful avenue for students to resolve their difficulties and advance their understanding of ideas and processes in an academically and socially supportive environment.

Multicultural influences on group learning: a qualitative higher education study

Although the literature examining the usefulness of group projects is extensive, the link between cooperative learning, group performance and skills transfer in multicultural contexts remains unclear. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of 107 international and domestic postgraduate and undergraduate marketing students to investigate this link. Results confirm that group work facilitates the development of interpersonal skills, cross‐cultural collaboration and higher‐level learning. While there is the promise of transfer of learning to other situations, group learning effectiveness appears conditional on instructors preparing, coaching and debriefing students as to the expected benefits associated with participation in group projects throughout the semester. In addition, limited differences were observed between how international and domestic students responded to group activities, although this may (in part) be due to subtle differences in preconceived attitudes to group learning activities from the outset.

Lawyers’ wellbeing and professional legal education

THIS PAPER examines the wellbeing and satisfaction levels of lawyers in the workplace. It argues that research suggesting a crisis in the legal profession in the United States is comparable with research on wellbeing and levels of satisfaction for lawyers in Australasia. Some reports in both jurisdictions are critical of conventional legal education and practical legal training programs, which do not encourage students to develop personal and interpersonal skills that can improve self‐awareness, communication skills and the capacity to manage stress and anxiety. Consequently, law students are allowed to assume that these “soft skills” are less important for lawyers compared with cognitive skills such as “knowing the law” and “thinking like a lawyer”. The paper describes the preliminary results of research conducted with graduates of the School of Law at the University of Newcastle Australia. The results confirm existing research to show that clinical legal education programs that expose law students under supervision to clients with real cases may promote the development of interpersonal skills, which in turn may help them cope with stressors in legal practice, especially in the first few years post‐admission.

Cooperative learning in the first year of undergraduate medical education

BackgroundDespite extensive research data indicating that cooperative learning promotes higher achievement, the creation of positive relationships, and greater psychological health for students at all levels in their education, cooperative learning as a teaching strategy is still underutilized in undergraduate medical education.MethodsA cooperative learning task was introduced as part of the mandatory first Year undergraduate Pathology course. The task was to create an 8.5" × 11" poster summary of pre-assigned content in self-chosen groups of four or five students. On the designated "Poster Day," the posters were displayed and evaluated by the students using a group product evaluation. Students also completed an individual group process reflection survey. An objective evaluation of their understanding was gauged at the midterm examination by specific content-related questions.ResultsMajority (91–96%) of students judged the group products to be relevant, effective, easy-to-understand, and clearly communicated. The majority of the students (90–100%) agreed that their group process skills of time management, task collaboration, decision-making and task execution were effective in completing this exercise. This activity created a dynamic learning environment as was reflected in the students' positive, professional discussion, and evaluation of their posters. The content-related questions on the midterm examination were answered correctly by 70–92% of the students. This was a mutually enriching experience for the instructor and students.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that cooperative learning as a teaching strategy can be effectively incorporated to address both content and interpersonal skill development in the early years of undergraduate medical education.