Formal Educational Qualifications Research Articles

Re-thinking of arsiparis as records and archives professional in Indonesia

Background of the study: To be able to manage archival documents according to applicable standards, organizations need professional and competent arsiparis. Professionalism and competence are represented in the qualification and requirements in the recruitment process. Purpose: This paper aims to present the results of a mapping study of the qualification and special requirement for arsiparis, also analyzes the implications of these aspects for the reinforcement of arsiparis profiles Method: this paper uses an inductive qualitative approach, with the data analysis process by content analysis Findings: Formal educational qualification are still dominant in archival science major, although many opportunities are also for individuals with non-archival science backgrounds. Job experience in archives and records management is also recommended to acquire by individual who wants to be arsiparis. However, these have implications for the arsiparis’ profile which tends to be interpreted that archives and records management can be done by anyone. Conclusion: The authors give three recommends. First, confirming educational qualification limits; second, limiting the scope of arsiparis taskforce, and strengthening the independence of professional associations.

Predictors and consequences of visual trajectories in Chinese older population: A growth mixture model.

Given the relatively high prevalence of vision impairment and the heterogeneity of visual changes among the elderly population, we aimed to identify the visual trajectories and to examine the predictors and consequences associated with each trajectory class. We analysed data from 2235 participants involved in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), where vision impairment was evaluated using an adapted Landolt-C chart during each wave. We employed a growth mixture model (GMM) to identify distinct visual trajectories and logistic regression analysis to examine the predictors associated with each trajectory class. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of visual trajectories on distal consequences, including cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), depression, anxiety, and fall risk. Within the CLHLS study, cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE), ADL via the Katz index, and IADL through a modified version of Lawton's scale. Lastly, depression was assessed using the 10-item version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies (CES-D-10), while anxiety was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Fall risk was determined by asking the question: 'Have you experienced any falls within the past year?' We identified two distinct visual trajectories in our analysis. Most older adults (n = 1830, 81.9%) initially had a good vision level that diminished ('high-baseline decline' group). Conversely, the remaining participants (n = 405, 18.1%) initially had a lower vision level that improved over time ('low-baseline improvement' group). The 'high-baseline decline' group was more likely to include older adults with relatively higher body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.086; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.046, 1.127), individuals with higher formal educational qualifications (OR = 1.411; 95% CI = 1.068, 1.864), those current engaging in exercise (OR = 1.376; 95% CI = 1.046, 1.811), and individuals reporting more frequent consumption of fruit (OR = 1.357; 95% CI = 1.053, 1.749). Conversely, the 'low-baseline improvement' group had a higher likelihood of including older individuals (OR = 0.947; 95% CI = 0.934, 0.961), residents of nursing homes (OR = 0.340; 95% CI = 0.116, 0.993) and those self-reporting cataracts (OR = 0.268; 95% CI = 0.183, 0.391) and glaucoma (OR = 0.157; 95% CI = 0.079, 0.315). Furthermore, the 'high-baseline decline' group showed a positive impact on distal consequences, adjusting for sex, birthplace, residence, main occupation, education, economic status, and marital status. This impact included cognitive function (correlation coefficient (β) = 2.092; 95% CI = 1.272, 2.912), ADL (β = -0.362; 95% CI = -0.615, -0.108), IADL (β = -1.712; 95% CI = -2.304, -1.121), and reported lower levels of depression (β = 0.649; 95% CI = 0.013, 1.285). We observed no significant influence on fall risk and anxiety within the identified visual trajectories in the adjusted model. Vision in older adults with ocular disease could potentially be improved. Having formal education, maintaining an appropriate BMI, engaging in exercise, and consuming fruit more frequently appear to be beneficial for the visual health of the elderly. Considering the negative impact of visual impairment experience on distal cognition, self-care ability, and depression symptoms, stakeholder should prioritise long-term monitoring and management of vision impairment among older adults.

Long-term risk factors for developing Barrett’s oesophagus in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a longitudinal cohort study

Background and aimsSeveral characteristics are known to affect the risk of Barrett’s oesophagus (BO) in the general population, with symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) being a critical risk factor. In...

Associations between item characteristics and statistical performance for paediatric medical student multiple choice assessments.

Background: Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are commonly used in medical student assessments but often prepared by clinicians without formal education qualifications. This study aimed to inform the question writing process by investigating the association between MCQ characteristics and commonly used statistical measures of individual item quality for a paediatric medical term. Methods: Item characteristics and statistics for five consecutive annual barrier paediatric medical student assessments (each n=60 items) were examined retrospectively. Items were characterised according to format (single best answer vs. extended matching); stem and option length; vignette presence and whether required to answer the question, inclusion of images/tables; clinical skill assessed; paediatric speciality; clinical relevance/applicability; Bloom's taxonomy domain and item flaws. For each item, we recorded the facility (proportion of students answering correctly) and point biserial (discrimination). Results: Item characteristics significantly positively correlated (p<0.05) with facility were relevant vignette, diagnosis or application items, longer stem length and higher clinical relevance. Recall items (e.g., epidemiology items) were associated with lower facility. Characteristics significantly correlated with higher discrimination were extended matching question (EMQ) format, longer options, diagnostic and subspeciality items. Variation in item characteristics did not predict variation in the facility or point biserial (less than 10% variation explained). Conclusions: Our research supports the use of longer items, relevant vignettes, clinically-relevant content, EMQs and diagnostic items for optimising paediatric MCQ assessment quality. Variation in item characteristics explains a small amount of the observed variation in statistical measures of MCQ quality, highlighting the importance of clinical expertise in writing high quality assessments.

Locations, sex and level of formal education as predictors of marital maladjustment: A case of married teachers in Nigeria

The study was premised on the high incidence of marital maladjustment among teachers in the study area. The specific objectives were to explain the joint influence of sex, locations and level of education on marital maladjustment among married teachers, establish the relationship between sex and marital maladjustment, investigate the relationship between locations and marital maladjustment and determine the relationship between the level of formal education and marital maladjustment. Thus, the independent variables were sex, location and formal educational qualifications. In this study, marital maladjustment served as the dependent variable. The sample size was 357 married teachers consisting of both males and females. Data were analysed by use of analysis of variance, correlation and coefficient of determination as well as multiple regression. However, only sex had a significant relationship with marital maladjustment. Thus, it became empirically discernible that marital maladjustment is more related to the sex of the individual teachers than locations and level of formal education. Keywords: Level of education, locations, marital maladjustment, sex;

“Do Your Homework as Your Heart Takes over When You Go Looking”: Factors Associated with Pre-Acquisition Information-Seeking among Prospective UK Dog Owners

The factors influencing why and how people decide to acquire a dog are not well understood and little is known about the extent to which prospective owners undertake preparatory research. This study aimed to better understand what factors influence whether prospective dog owners in the UK conduct preparatory research. A 2019 online survey of current (n = 8050) and potential (n = 2884) dog owners collected quantitative and qualitative data. Additional qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with current (n = 166) and potential (n = 10) dog owners. Of the current owners surveyed, 54% stated that they had looked for advice or information prior to acquiring their dog. Of potential owners, 68% reported already having looked for information, while a further 14% were planning to undertake research prior to acquiring a dog. Those with previous dog ownership experience were less likely to undertake pre-acquisition research, as were those who had worked with dogs. Demographic factors were also associated with the likelihood of conducting pre-acquisition research, with younger prospective owners being more likely to have undertaken research, as well as those with formal education qualifications. Among current owners, pre-acquisition research was more likely among those who acquired their dog through a breeder; a specific breed or a mix of two breeds; or as a puppy. Qualitative data were consistent with and added additional understanding and context to these findings. Almost half of current owners did not conduct pre-acquisition research, highlighting the need for increased awareness of its importance and the development of targeted interventions to encourage this activity. Understanding the different factors that influence whether dog owners undertake research may be of interest to animal welfare and veterinary organisations, in order to inform interventions to better prepare people for dog acquisition.

DETERMINING FACTORS IN CIVIL SERVICE CAREER DEVELOPMENT

&lt;p&gt;This research reviews about Career Development of Civil Servants (PNS) in Gorontalo Regency Government (Case Study at the Gorontalo Regency Personnel, Education and Training Agency). This research used qualitative descriptive approach, namely examining, analyzing and decrypting the data. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the factors that determine the career development of civil servants in the government of Gorontalo Regency. Research results: The factors that determine the career development of civil servants are, first, human resources include HR management, employee personnel consisting of formal education qualifications, civil servants competence, civil servant track record, civil servant behavior attitudes, integrity, discipline and loyalty; second, the commitment of superiors and teamwork that mutually support each other in the career development of civil servants; third, facilities, infrastructure, and budget; fourth, external factors can be in the form of political relations within the organization; fifth, regulations that support the career development of civil servants; sixth, the work performance of civil servants; and seventh, the motivation of civil servants.&lt;/p&gt;

The perceived labour market value of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in Europe and the USA

ABSTRACT The advantages of higher education have received significant attention over time. However, recent research seems to challenge this assumption. It highlights that returns to education may be subject to inflation, may vary in relation to skills, and may not be equally distributed, thus posing new questions about the role of formal education. Against this background, the growing popularity of new forms of online education and training such as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have emerged. Investigating the way different learners use MOOCs may contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolution of the labour market outcomes of both traditional and technologically-mediated educational qualifications. Based on 43 semi-structured interviews conducted with MOOC users in the USA and in Europe, this article explores the potential of MOOCs on the labour market. The positional competition approach can help frame the results, inasmuch as MOOCs emerge as ‘soft credentials’. These accessible and flexible educational tools seem to provide applicants in the job queue with additional resources, although their labour market value remains modest and ancillary to formal educational qualifications. From a long-term perspective, however, increasing reliance on this type of training may contribute to further shifting of responsibilities from collective actors to individual workers.

Inequalities in Home Learning and Schools' Remote Teaching Provision during the COVID-19 School Closure in the UK.

Millions were affected by COVID-19 school closures, with parents and schools caught unprepared. Education is expected to play a role in creating equal opportunities, so transferring schooling responsibilities to families may have increased learning inequalities generated by family backgrounds. We examined the time students spent on home learning and explored the role of the schools' distance teaching provision in explaining differences traditionally attributed to parental education, eligibility for free school meals, ethnic background and single parenthood. Using the Understanding Society COVID-19 dataset, we found children who received free school meals, single-parent families and children with parents with lower formal education qualifications and Pakistani or Bangladeshi backgrounds spent significantly less time on schoolwork. However, schools' provision of offline and online distance teaching and homework checking significantly increased the time spent on learning and reduced some inequalities, demonstrating the policy relevance of digital preparedness to limit learning loss in school closures.

Scoping recent investment in evaluation education in Australian universities

This article explores the current evaluation education program opportunities in the Australian higher education market and identifies potential research areas to inform pathways for future investment. Findings from our initial scoping phase are provided as a prelude to future work required in this space. The overarching research question investigates whether there is an opportunity to deliver further evaluation education programs in Australian higher education. Emerging from this question are three objectives: (a) to determine the current landscape of Australian university evaluation education program offerings; (b) to gain an understanding of the evaluation education discourse articulated within six selected evaluation journals and (c) to consider whether evaluation is a viable and meaningful discipline within higher education programs. An action research approach was adopted commencing with a benchmarking activity of Australian university offerings, followed by a bibliometric analysis of six evaluation journals, and concluding with a rapid scan of the literature. The selected methodologies reveal a potential gap in the higher education market, with the literature identifying inconsistent and mismatched programs while emphasising the need to invest in evaluation education. This article seeks to stimulate debate about formal higher education qualifications in evaluation and highlights the importance of potential future curriculum structure that can offer evaluators value, utility and growth.

Nurturing Students’ Academic Research writing through Experiential Learning: Work-based Teaching for Research Skill Development

Experiential or work-based learning is deemed essential for the completion of formal higher education qualifications, in particular postgraduate degrees. The aim of these research degrees is to develop the intellectual capacity of individuals to become independent researchers. This target is achieved by teaching courses on research methods. The current study is exploratory in nature that aims to explore change in the knowledge and skills of students through the experiential instruction method. Thirty students from a doctoral program were included as a sample of the study. Continuous feedback was taken from students through social media tools. The focus of feedback was targeting the dimensions of engagement of students in the research course. The discourse analysis of WhatsApp chat was used to analyze the data. In addition to this, further interviews were carried out to understand the progression and improvement in research skills.

Family Background, Educational Qualifications, and Labour Market Attainment: Evidence from Danish Siblings

Abstract Previous studies on how family background affects labour market outcomes among offspring with similar formal educational qualifications are limited either by the way in which they measure family background or by the detail level by which they measure educational attainment. To address these limitations, we develop a comprehensive approach based on sibling similarities in labour market outcomes. Applying the approach to high-quality register data on all Danes born 1965–1971, we examine the direct effect––other than through extremely granular education measures––of all combined effects of family background on occupational status and wages. Our analyses show that fine-grained education measures account for more than 90 per cent of the total family background effect on occupational status, while for wages they account for merely three-quarters. Half of the direct effect on wages can be explained by sibling similarities in occupational attainment, suggesting that direct family background effects on wages operate equally within and between occupations. However, observed family background characteristics account only for a minor portion of the direct effect on wages, pointing to that family-based advantages in the labour Danish market result from largely unidentified family characteristics. We discuss different mechanisms that may account for this pattern of results.

Gambling in Ireland: profile of treatment episodes from a national treatment reporting system.

Globally, problem gambling prevalence is estimated at between 0.1% and 5.8%. Problem gambling can have many negative consequences; including on physical, and psychological health, and social functioning. There is a need to better understand treatment uptake as only a small proportion seek treatment. This is the first Irish national study using routinely gathered health surveillance data to describe treated problem gambling. Results will inform service policy and planning. An analysis of episodes treated for problem gambling collected by the National Drug Treatment Reporting System was undertaken. Included were episodes entering treatment between 2008 and 2019 (n = 2999). Variables of interest included service types accessed, demographics, socioeconomic information, referral and assessment details, current problems (up to five) and treatment history. The majority (93.8%) were male. One fifth (20.9%) lived with dependent children, 7.4% were homeless. There were high levels of employment (35.4%) and formal education qualifications; half (53.8%) had completed second or third level education. Problem gambling frequently co-occurred with problem use of other substances (47.3%), which was most commonly alcohol (85.6%), followed by cannabis (32.3%), cocaine (28.0%) and benzodiazepines (10.9%). The majority were treated at inpatient settings (56.1%) with many self-referrals (46.3%). This study provides insights into treated problem gambling nationally. Monitoring and surveillance can play a crucial role in measuring the successful efforts and help inform planning and treatment. The findings may have implications for treatment pathways.

Competency-based Training Needs Assessment for Research Managers and Administrators in Africa and the United Kingdom to Strengthen Equitable Partnerships.

Background: The need for competent research managers and administrators (RMAs) has increased due to the complexity in managing research projects between disparate and international partners. To facilitate the creation of robust training and professional development programmes it is essential to first understand the status quo. A collaborative project, Sustainable Management and Administration for Research: Training across the project Lifecycle (SMARTLife), made up of RMAs from South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom (UK) developed a set of competencies to conduct an RMA competency-based training needs assessment scoping tool. Method: Nine areas were identified: Equitable partnership; Finance Management; Project Management; Monitoring and Evaluation; Reporting and Communications; Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Training and Capacity Development; Impact a& Sustainability; and Ethical, Social, Legal a& Social Implications. Tasks for each competency area were identified to develop an scoping tool that had 168 data collection points. The tool was advertised through press releases, mailing lists and social media. Results: 108 responses were obtained: with 49% from 15 Africa countries/the remainder from the UK. The UK (71%) had more permanent RMA staff members compared to Africa (39%). There were more respondents in Africa with the title of Research Manager/Coordinator(p=0.0132) compared to the UK where most of the RMAs were employed as Finance/Contract officers. 60% of respondents from the UK had more than three years experience while only 35% from Africa had experience. While most RMAs had formal higher education qualifications, their training was not in research management and administration, which requires a diverse range of skills. Confidence in specific tasks varied between the UK and Africa whereas collaborative partnerships challenges and enablers were similar. Conclusion This work highlights differences in RMA training and experience RMA between Africa and UK, this work could inform much needed competency-based training for RMAs and partnership strategies that aid mutual-learning.

DETERMINANTS OF NEET (NOT IN EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR TRAINING) ON THE POLISH LABOUR MARKET

The principal purpose of the study is to identify the individual risk factors of young people becoming the NEET generation on the Polish labour market. The first part of the paper comprises a literature-based overview of definitions of the NEET category based and a presentation of the risk factors of young people becoming NEET. The second part presents the results of empirical analyses conducted employing a questionnaire on a group of 120 individuals, aged 15 through 30, who met all criteria of the NEET definition set forth by the Employment Committee of the EU. The research demonstrates that among the major determinants of young people becoming NEET are financial hardship of their households, low motivation to continue formal education or change professional qualifications, and low level of job-seeking activity.

Relational Implication of Education on Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Zambia: A Case of Mantapala

The 2017 Zambia’s Refugee Act (Part IV, no. 41, 42, 43) granted refugees with formal educational qualifications that are legally recognized in the country and have work permits, the right to choose a trade, occupation, or profession. In addition, Mantapala refugee settlement was opened in 2018 as a pilot for refugee livelihood integration. Despite these efforts, most refugees remain economically vulnerable. This study, therefore, aimed at assessing the relational implication of education on socio-economic integration of refugees in Zambia taking the case of Mantapala refugee settlement. A cross-sectional research design, through questionnaires and interviews, was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data at Mantapala. A Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and thematic analysis were applied to establish significant relationships between variables. Furthermore, the African indigenous theory of ubuntu; which puts emphasis on solidarity and collective responsibility served as a lens through which the analysis provided conclusions and recommendations.

Неформальна та дуальна освіта в Україні

The article substantiates the process of implementation and recognition of the education, which provides educational process outside the formal education system in Ukraine. It is shown that, along with formal education, knowledge and relevant qualifications can be acquired through non-formal and informal education. These types of education become significant nowadays due to the dynamics of market needs, which often require promptly changing of professional qualification. The authors of the article present the measures taken by the Government of Ukraine, which are aimed at the development of the new educational paradigm in the country, including: the development of relevant normative documents, the formation of the register of qualifications, and the establishment of the network of qualification centers, which will assign professional qualifications outside formal educational institutions. They present the definitions of the concepts of formal education, non-formal education, informal education, educational qualification, professional qualification, and competence in accordance with their interpretation specified in the regulations of the Government of Ukraine. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the current state and the perspectives in the development of dual form of education in Ukraine. Based on the experience of Germany and other European countries, the authors substantiate the relevancy and feasibility of dual education in Ukraine. They demonstrate as the examples of successful implementation of dual education the cases of the National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute named after Igor Sikorskyˮ and the University of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine. The advantages and disadvantages of the dual form of education are described. The main reasons for the low rate of implementation of these types of education in Ukraine are indicated. Keywords: education, non-formal education, dual education, qualification, competency.

The perceived importance of educational qualifications and professional development/continuous education for social work administrators: A case of the NASW-KY chapter

Social work administrators may be receiving inadequate training due to the undervalued importance of formal education and professional development. This study employed a cross-sectional survey on a sample of 150 members of the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The majority were women (81%). Most held an MSW degree (68.5%). Correlation analysis revealed: (1) perceived capabilities of social work administrators correlated with the perceived importance of formal educational qualifications and (2) perceived qualities, skills, functions, and practices correlated with the perceived importance of professional development/continuous education. Understanding this perceived link and the gaps presented is an important step toward developing better professional development/continuing education programs.

Immigrant Men’s Economic Adaptation in Changing Labor Markets: Why Gaps between Turkish and German Men Expanded, 1976–2015

How important were manufacturing and heavy industries to the economic integration of twentieth-century immigrants in Western societies? This article examines how macro-social change in Germany since the height of manufacturing has affected the socio-economic integration of male immigrants. We develop an analytical framework to assess how educational expansion among natives, deindustrialization, and the increasing importance of formal qualifications shape male immigrant-native gaps in labor-market outcomes over time. Empirically, we focus on first-generation male Turkish immigrants in Germany and use micro-census data spanning almost 40 years. Through a novel empirical quantification of key theoretical arguments concerning immigrant economic integration, we find growing inter-group differences between the late 1970s and mid-2000s (employment) and mid-2010s (incomes), respectively. The growth of differences between the immigrant and native income distributions was most pronounced in their respective bottom halves. Our analysis shows that these trends are linked to the increased importance of formal educational qualifications for individual labor-market success, to educational expansion in Germany, and to deindustrialization. Employment in Germany shifted away from middling positions in manufacturing, but while natives tended to move into better-paying positions, Turkish immigrants mainly shifted into disadvantaged service jobs. These results provide novel evidence for claims that the economic assimilation of less-skilled immigrants may become structurally harder in increasingly post-industrial societies. We conclude that structural change in host countries is an important, yet often overlooked, driver of immigrant socio-economic integration trajectories.

Evaluating Foreign Skills: Effects of Credential Assessment on Skilled Immigrants’ Labour Market Performance in Canada

Formal educational qualification is increasingly built into immigrant selection systems in many countries, but in a global context, the transferability and portability of such qualifications has been questioned. In 2013, Canada introduced the requirement for a formal assessment of educational credential equivalence for applicants in the skilled worker category. In this study, we use a Canadian national immigration database and difference-in-differences methodology to investigate whether requiring formal Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) as part of the selection process for skilled immigrants has improved labour market outcomes. Our results indicate that the ECA requirement is positively related to early employment rates and earnings for both men and women. However, this effect is limited to those with no previous employment experience in Canada. We also find that, even with the ECA requirement, significant differences in the earnings of immigrants from different source regions remain. Implications and recommendations are discussed.