Diverse Skills Research Articles

Shaping global educators: The path to professional growth in international teaching roles

The purpose of this research is to explore the qualifications, steps, and challenges associated with becoming a world-class teacher in the global digital age. As the role of teachers evolves, they are required to not only teach and guide but also to assess, train, and evaluate students, demanding a diverse skill set and a strong educational background. In this context, lifelong learning and adaptability to educational advancements are crucial. A case study methodology was employed, gathering data from teachers who are currently working internationally. The findings highlight that becoming a world-class teacher requires continuous professional development, a solid educational foundation, and the ability to navigate global teaching challenges. Key obstacles include adapting to diverse educational systems, maintaining professional growth in dynamic environments, and overcoming cultural barriers. The results suggest that teachers who successfully meet these challenges are more likely to thrive in a global teaching context.

Constructive Bharat: Postpartum Returnee and Board of vicissitudes: An Outline of the Corporate Settings

A significant proportion of women experience health and emotional challenges upon re-entering the workforce after maternity leave. Physical complications from pregnancy and the duration of maternity leave notably influence their health during this transition. Employers have a vested interest in addressing these unique needs, as unaddressed postpartum health issues can lead to absenteeism, decreased productivity, and increased turnover. Implementing supportive measures—such as flexible work arrangements, comprehensive health benefits, and dedicated support programs—can be cost-effective in the long run. Such initiatives not only enhance employee well-being but also help attract and retain the diverse talents and skills that women contribute to the workforce, fostering increased profitability, productivity, and innovation. The present paper highlights the challenges, inclusive approach by the companies in India to promote optimistic support system and environment for female employes returning to work postpartum and the present bittersweet scenario of the same in corporate settings in India.

The Gender Disparity in Operative Opportunities for Trainee Surgeons: A Review.

Assessing gender disparity in surgical trainees' operative opportunities and experience quantifies implicit gender bias and reflects a summation of many smaller biased interactions within the operating room environment. Highlighting gender disparity in surgery informs a platform for advocacy. A systematic literature search was performed using Medline, Web of Science, OpenMD and Science Direct consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis guidelines. A Boolean search strategy was used to identify articles relevant to gender in operative surgery. Only English language studies that assessed the gender of surgical trainees with regards to operative cases for total and/or autonomously performed case numbers were included. Fifteen papers assessing the influence of gender on operative opportunities for trainee surgeons were identified. A discrepancy between the operative experiences of men and women trainee surgeons was found. Of eight studies assessing gender differences in total case numbers, four reported women undertaking fewer total cases than men; a similar trend was demonstrated in two studies that failed to reach statistical significance. Eight of eleven studies examining surgical autonomy reported more surgical autonomy afforded to men trainee surgeons than women. A gendered bias in the operative opportunities afforded to trainee surgeons is suggested in the literature, reflecting implicit bias that underlies surgical culture worldwide. Although surgical specialties continue to have vast gender inequity, we fail to leverage talent and the benefits of diverse skills and experience, to the detriment of ourselves and our patients. Quantifying this issue will inform change.

Gender disparities in industry payments to neurosurgeons: a comprehensive analysis of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments data (2016-2022).

This study aimed to investigate the extent of gender disparities in financial interactions between neurosurgeons and the medical device industry, examining the differences in the number, amount, and types of payments made to male and female neurosurgeons. Utilizing data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments database covering 2016-2022, the authors conducted a comprehensive analysis of industry payments to neurosurgeons. This methodology included univariate and multivariate analyses to examine the disparities in payments, with a focus on identifying significant differences in compensation across genders. An analysis of 24,074 industry transactions totaling $388,916,456.88 underscored pronounced gender disparities, with female neurosurgeons involved in merely 2.47% of these transactions and receiving just 0.91% of the overall financial value. The data revealed significant discrepancies in compensation between genders across all contributing companies. Male neurosurgeons engaged in a higher average number of annual transactions compared with their female counterparts (4.60 vs 2.75, p < 0.001), across various financial interactions. This included a greater participation in royalties and licenses (1.49 vs 0.31, p < 0.001), consulting fees (2.16 vs 1.63, p = 0.024), and acquisitions (0.01 vs 0.00, p = 0.006). On average, female neurosurgeons were compensated $16,303.66, starkly lower than the $75,523.20 average received by their male counterparts (p < 0.005). This gap was especially significant in royalties and licenses, where females earned an average of $5168.57 compared with $61,898.47 for males (p = 0.004). Additionally, in acquisitions, female neurosurgeons received no payments at all, whereas males averaged $2153.43 (p = 0.042). Several of these disparities remained significant even after accounting for potential confounding factors, highlighting a systematic bias in compensation and industry engagement against female neurosurgeons. The study underscores a significant gender-based disparity in the financial interactions between neurosurgeons and the medical device industry. These disparities highlight the need for systemic changes to address the underlying factors contributing to inequity in compensation and industry collaboration opportunities. Implementing equitable compensation structures, mentorship programs, and inclusive policies is a crucial step toward achieving gender parity in neurosurgery and ensuring the field benefits from the diverse skills and perspectives of all its members.

Anthropometric and Body Composition Profile in Indian Kabaddi Players

Introduction: Kabaddi is a sport in which a player performs diverse skills according to their playing positions. The present cross-sectional study was carried out to understand the anthropometric characteristics and body composition parameters with respect to playing positions in male Kabaddi players. Methods: The study was carried out among 42 male Kabaddi players (10 of which are Pro League Players); raiders (n=25, 18.7 ± 2.44 years) and defenders (n=17, 19.6 ± 1.58 years). Anthropometric parameters viz. Height weight, sitting height, arm span, biacromial breadth, waist &amp; hip circumference were measured according to standard protocols followed by ISAK manual. Body composition of players was assessed using body composition analyser (mBCA). Other variables studied were body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and arm span to height ratio. Results: Significant differences were found between raiders and defenders in terms of their anthropometric characteristics and body composition parameters. Raiders exhibit significant higher values in terms of their height (p=0.0009), arm span (p=0.023) and arm span to height ratio (p=0.0018) while defenders exhibit significantly lower values in terms of their body mass index, BMI (p= 0.0015), waist to hip ratio, WHR (p=0.0001) and fat mass (p=0.015). Conclusion: It had been found that raiders were better over defenders in terms of their anthropometric characteristics and body composition parameters. The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the anthropometric characteristics and body composition profile related with playing position of Kabaddi players.

The rewards and challenges of self-managing National Disability Insurance Scheme: Exploration of parental perspectives.

Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), participants can self-manage their funding. This management style largely deviates from previous Australian service systems. The self-management option provides NDIS participants flexibility and choice in accessing any services; however, it generates an administrative burden. In 2019, parents of children with disability had the highest percentage of using the self-management option. Parents of children commonly have high child-care responsibilities and experience health issues. Given the administrative burden associated with the self-management option, the experiences of these parents should be documented. This study aimed to explore the experiences of parents of children with disability as they fully or partly self-manage their children's NDIS funding. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 parents. The transcribed data were analysed, using reflexive thematic analysis. No service user was involved in this study. Four themes were generated: (1) Feeling empowered by having control and choice for my child's needs; (2) it is time-consuming, and overwhelming, but glad to have chosen this option; (3) need to be responsible because you run a business with public funding; and (4) professional background and disability networks help self-management. The research provides insight into how parents navigate the complexity of NDIS as they self-manage to benefit their children. While self-management is overwhelming, it provides choice and control to parents, fostering parenting self-efficacy. The research highlights the importance of a support network, diverse skills, and knowledge to efficiently self-manage NDIS funding, which should be considered as occupational therapists support parents of children with disability.

Could Sports Coaching Contexts Learn From Planning Models in Physical Education Contexts? Exploring the Parallels and Divergences Regarding Planning Between Both Contexts

Planning is essential for organising learning content in sports coaching and physical education (PE) contexts but depends on multiple and mutable circumstances in each context. Although learning and performance are present in both contexts, planning in PE is typically more centred on learning, while coaching tends to focus more on performance. Nonetheless, sports coaching planning also requires ongoing learning to support performance, with coaches outlining pedagogical strategies in their daily training plans to achieve both short- and long-term goals. From this perspective, planning models used in PE contexts may offer valuable insights for sports coaching contexts, helping coaches develop various pedagogical approaches to plan their learning tasks effectively. Therefore, this article explored the parallels and divergences between planning in sports coaching and PE contexts, encompassing the pedagogical goals and planning structures, alongside opportunities, barriers, remediation strategies, and practical implications potentially transferable to sports coaching. The article highlighted the importance of flexible planning structures to accommodate the nonlinear nature of learning. Specifically, coaching contexts can learn from PE how to plan sessions for athletes with diverse motivations and skill levels, as well as how to design learning tasks that develop psychosocial and psychological skills.

Career Development Experiences of Instructional Designers

The demand for online education has heightened the necessity for instructional designers who create learning experiences using learning principles, instructional theories, and technology. This study explores instructional designers' career development through Action Regulation Theory, focusing on self-regulation of behaviors to achieve career goals. Using a descriptive qualitative design with in-depth semi-structured interviews of instructional designers in higher education, six key themes were identified: accidental entry into the field, previous experiences, desired work environment, career success, networking, and learning resources. Findings highlight instructional designers’ diverse career goals, including leadership and skill development, with networking and institutional support crucial for career development.

Harnessing LPS Metrics for Smarter Resource Allocation and Project Control through Gamification

Question: What is the significance of Last Planner System® (LPS®) metrics in capacity planning and project outcomes? Purpose: This study highlights the vital role of LPS metrics in optimizing resource allocation for improved capacity planning, lookahead scheduling, and waste reduction. Additionally, it showcases the efficacy of simulation-based serious games as an engaging and instructive pedagogical method. Research Method: Simulation-based serious game developed using a discrete-event simulation engine and a user-friendly interface. Findings: This study delineates the differences between individuals exposed to LPS metrics during capacity planning and those without such exposure, and the differences between individuals with and without prior LPS knowledge. Limitations: It’s essential to acknowledge that simulating real project conditions in a game necessitates certain assumptions. Implications: This game can evolve into a valuable educational tool for assessing users’ capacity planning and metric analysis competencies. Multiple versions could also be developed to assess diverse skills vital to project planning and control. Value for practitioners: This paper not only highlights the importance of LPS metrics in capacity and lookahead planning, but also sheds light on the availability of educational and evaluative games. Such games can be embraced by organizations to enhance their current educational and training practices. Keywords: LPS® metrics, capacity planning, resource allocation, serious games Paper type: Full Paper

The Role of Citizenship Education on Enhancing the Promotion of Unity in Nigeria: Implication for Primary Education

Citizenship education, as a pedagogical approach, emphasizes the development of civic responsibility, tolerance, and national identity, which are essential for addressing the challenges posed by Nigeria's ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. The study explores how the integration of citizenship education in primary schools helps inculcate values such as respect for diversity, patriotism, and conflict resolution skills among young learners. Using a survey research design, data were collected from 320 Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) students from Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, and Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, in Anambra State, Nigeria. Purposive random sampling was employed to select respondents from Social Studies, Economics, English, and Igbo Language departments. A structured questionnaire with 15 items on a 4-point Likert scale was used for data collection, and reliability was confirmed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Data analysis involved mean scores, with a cutoff of 2.50 for agreement. Findings revealed that ethnic hatred, religious intolerance, distrust, lack of basic education, and colonial policies are significant barriers to unity in Nigeria. Citizenship education was found to promote unity by enhancing the appreciation of diversity, instilling values of cooperation and tolerance, and equipping individuals with conflict resolution skills. However, challenges such as a lack of qualified teachers, insufficient instructional materials, and inadequate commitment from educators hinder its effectiveness. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating citizenship education into primary education to cultivate values that promote unity among young learners. The research findings imply the need for systematic transformation in the basic education curriculum, by integrating programs that comprehensively teach the values ​​of tolerance, cooperation, and conflict resolution.

Exploring the Sources of Conflict in Zimbabwean Teachers’ Colleges

Conflict is inevitable in all organizations including learning institutions. The occurrence of conflict demands a management strategy that will minimise its impact on interpersonal relationships and the teaching and learning processes. Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges encounter various conflicts that involve management, staff and students. The focus of this study was to explore the sources of conflict at teachers’ colleges in Zimbabwe and provide recommendations on how to minimise their impact on teaching and learning processes. The study employed an interpretivist paradigm undergirded by qualitative approaches. A multiple case study design was used to capture and synthesise the responses of 30 lecturers who were purposively selected from six teachers’ colleges. Data were collected through focus group discussions which were arranged and conducted with six lecturers from each college. The major findings revealed that conflict was prevalent in colleges owing to poor communication processes, gender stereotyping, language differences, unclear policies, political issues and interactional patterns. The study proposed recommendations such as the need for all stakeholders in teachers’ colleges to undergo capacity development in conflict management through workshops and short courses to enable them to identify sources of conflict and manage it before it becomes destructive. Further recommendations included the empowerment of college management in inclusive and transformational leadership skills to assist college management to identify diverse skills within their subordinates and ensure all stakeholders’ involvement in decision-making.

Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism: Teaching Self-Toothbrushing via Behavioural Intervention Including Parents.

Children on the autism spectrum experience more oral hygiene issues than peers, and tooth-brushing behavior seems particularly challenging for them since it includes diverse skills and collaboration. In this study, the efficacy is explored of a behavioral intervention mediated by staff and parents in teaching self-brushing teeth in eight autistic children. First, we wanted to examine whether the intervention improved self-brushing teeth skills in a short-term period. Second, we evaluated the long-term outcomes of the intervention. Finally, we analyzed the individual differences which might predict better outcomes. The training started during an ABA summer school with a supervised behavioral staff and lasted for eight sessions. The training package included several behavioral procedures such as prompting, fading, task analysis, chaining, differential reinforcement, direct instructions, visual aids, pictograms, and video modeling. According to a pre-and post-test design, we measured the frequency of independent self-brushing behaviors and interviewed the parents about the hygiene routines. The results indicate a significant improvement in children's self-brushing teeth behavior and maintenance, where 33.7% of the steps were achieved by children at baseline and 77.5% at post-training, and with four children, 100%. The parent questionnaires reported significant improvement in autonomy of self-brushing and times a day dedicated to oral hygiene. The severity of symptoms, sensory hypersensitivity, and lower IQ levels of the children negatively correlated with the outcome. These results point to relevant practical suggestions for families and clinical staff to address oral hygiene in the autism population.

&lt;b&gt;MUJERES Y CULTURA ESCRITA: HACIA UNA PARTICIPACIÓN POLÍTICA EN MÉXICO&lt;/b&gt;

Written culture encompasses diverse skills and techniques to develop reading and writing, from the basics to more specialized competencies. However, historically these practices were denied to various sectors of society, especially women, although this cannot be generalized. This text analyzes the specific case of a group of Mexican women from popular and up-per-middle class sectors who, between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, gained access to a written culture. Through this analysis, we will explore how these women used these skills to enter into national politics, in the struggle for their rights and citizenship demands, which would later lead to women's suffrage.

Dexterity assessment of hospital workers: prospective comparative study

ObjectivesTo compare the manual dexterity and composure under pressure of people in different hospital staff roles using a buzz wire game. DesignProspective, observational, comparative study (Tremor study).SettingLeeds Teaching Hospitals NHS...

Analysis of Students Interests, Styles, and Collaboration Abilities in The Implementation of The Searching Information, Communication, and Modelling Learning Model

Implementing the searching information, communication, and modeling (SICOMO) learning model in the learning process can develop 21st-century skills for students. This study aimed to analyze students' learning styles, interests, and collaboration abilities in implementing the SICOMO learning model. This is a quantitative study with data collected through questionnaires filled out by 40 students. The results of this study show that students' learning interests include drawing/designing 35%, making videos and role-playing 31%, and writing and speaking 24%. Students' learning styles are visual type 43%, kinesthetic type 27%, and auditory type 30%. Collaboration skills with indicators of active contribution 94%, productive work 92%, flexibility and compromise 89%, responsibility 88%, and respectful attitude 92%. These findings suggest that the SICOMO learning model not only enhances student engagement but also fosters diverse skills, demonstrating its effectiveness in serving different learning preferences and promoting teamwork among students

A Systematic Review of Metaverse-Based Learning in Music Education

In recent years, the integration of metaverse technologies into educational settings has gained significant attention. This systematic review aims to investigate the application of metaverse-based learning in music education. The review employs clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, spanning literature from 2019 to 2023. The screening process encompasses key concepts, relevance, and alternative keywords to ensure a broad and comprehensive literature retrieval. The study addresses two primary inquiries: firstly, it categorizes Metaverse-Based Learning (MBL) technologies employed in music education, encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, speech recognition, and other pertinent technologies. Secondly, the research provides a comprehensive exploration of MBL applications within diverse music disciplines and skill areas, including but not limited to music theory and fundamentals, performance and improvisation, vocal perception, music composition, instrumental performance, team performance and ensemble. The article also explores limitations in current research and suggests directions and considerations for future studies. This comprehensive review provides a valuable foundation for further research and exploration of MBL applications in music education.

Inspiring Imagination: Digital Projects As a Post-Reading Activity in Foreign Language Lessons

This paper explores the role of education in equipping students with the diverse skills needed for success in the 21st century, with a focus on mastering reading skills and digital literacy. It highlights the advantages of sparking students’ imagination and curiosity and the benefits of implementing project-based learning principles in foreign language classrooms, where learners enhance language proficiency while developing critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and other “21st-century skills”. The paper also examines some key principles of teaching reading, focusing on the use of post-reading activities to inspire imagination and creative expression through working on digital projects. Some practical ideas for utilizing educational platforms in these tasks are discussed, with examples drawn from projects created by students from an innovative class at Yoan Ekzarh Balgarski Secondary School, Shumen. The results indicate that working on post-reading digital projects not only improved students’ reading comprehension and language skills but also enhanced their confidence and motivation in using various educational platforms for creating digital content, such as mozaBook and Buncee. Students demonstrated improved teamwork skills and problem-solving abilities when engaged in designing digital projects, which facilitated deeper learning and greater retention of information. The study concludes that integrating digital project-based learning principles into reading instruction can significantly enrich students’ educational experience by supporting skill development relevant to the challenges of the modern world. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating creative and interactive methods in foreign language teaching to better prepare students for future academic and career success.

Demand-Side Effects of Open Innovation: The Case of Cryptocurrency Forking

Many digital products follow an open-innovation model, wherein the open boundaries facilitate copying (forking) the codebase and creating new products, which may compete with the parents for user demand. Although a rich body of literature highlights the benefits of open source such as the availability of developers with diverse skill sets and accelerated innovation, the competition effects of forked products on the demand of their parents remain understudied. Using data from major cryptocurrencies and their forked products created between 2011 and 2021, we study how these entrants impact the demand for parent cryptocurrencies. We categorize cryptocurrencies as transaction or platform types. Transaction coins are primarily used for the exchange of goods and services, whereas platform coins offer additional capabilities such as hosting applications or third-party services. We find that parents with only transaction capabilities experience a negative impact on demand. Although popularity may shield the parents to a certain extent, the substitution effect is still dominant. However, popular coins with platform capabilities do not experience a decrease in demand when competing with forked entrants; an increase in smart contract transactions due to their compatibility with the competing forked products offsets the negative substitution effect observed for regular transactions. Our study underscores the competitive dynamics of open innovation and provides managerial insights for firms considering open models for product development. Our results highlight the importance of considering both substitution and complementarities when assessing the risks and benefits of the open-innovation model. This paper was accepted by Anindya Ghose, information systems. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.03132 .

Guiding transdisciplinary synthesis processes for social-ecological policy decisions

Interdisciplinary synthesis research has been promoting significant advances in expanding academic knowledge. However, its application to address social-ecological problems poses challenges, typical of transdisciplinary research and co-production initiatives. Based on the experience of seven working groups from a Brazilian synthesis nucleus dedicated to co-producing social-ecological public policies, we present eight learnings to strengthen transdisciplinary syntheses. Those syntheses require flexibility in the working group dynamics to facilitate collaborative work, with frequent and short meetings held in easily accessible locations (1). They also require flexibility to shape different trajectories, depending on demand urgency, data and knowledge availability (2). Flexibility is also required to adjust to political circumstances, acknowledging that there are trade-offs between responding to urgent political needs and creating novel ideas, knowledge and outputs (3). In addition, the creation of formal institutions, particularly, formal engagement at the science-policy interface (4) and creating formal platforms for disseminating non-academic outputs (5) are key to stimulate the involvement of policy-makers and scientists in collaborative transdisciplinary syntheses. Symmetrical, horizontal interactions within a two-way science-policy linkage (6), alongside collective reflexivity on bridging diverse knowledge, skills, and authorities (7) are crucial for aligning academic knowledge with policy practices. Active involvement of individuals skilled in both scientific research and policy-making, who act as knowledge brokers, further strengthens this alignment. Finally, attention to create positive interactions and transparently communicating help to build trust among participants (8). These adjustments can enhance the potential of transdisciplinary syntheses to generate actionable knowledge at the science-policy interface.

A lesson for us all: the Hodgkin-Keynes long pore model of ion flux.

In this article we analyze the classic Hodgkin and Keynes 1955 paper describing investigations of the independence principle, with the expectation that there is much students and educators can learn from such exercises, most notably how the authors applied their diverse skill set to tackling the numerous obstacles that the study presented. The paper encompasses three of the physiology core concepts, cell membranes, flow down gradients, and scientific reasoning, which were recently assigned to the classes The Biological World, The Physical World, and Ways of Looking at the World, respectively. Thus, analysis of such a paper illuminates the relationships that exist between distinct concepts and encourages a holistic approach to understanding physiology. In-depth analysis of the paper allows us to follow the authors' thought processes from their realization that previous methods lacked the resolution to answer a fundamental question relating to ion movement across membranes to the application of a more sensitive technique and ultimately the development of a novel model describing ion flux. This paper was the culmination of work started in the mid-1930s, strongly supported the ionic theory of nervous conduction proposed by Hodgkin and Huxley, and predicted the presence of ion channels as narrow pores through which ions move sequentially four decades before these features were convincingly demonstrated.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We describe in detail Hodgkin and Keynes' investigation of the independence principle. It is our expectation that students and educators can benefit from following the thought processes applied by the authors as they navigated the complexities of experimental design and data analysis, culminating in development of a model whose elegant simplicity was convincing evidence of narrow membrane-bound pores, ion channels, that were the conduit for transmembrane ion movement.