General Competence Research Articles

General Surgery Residents Competence and Autonomy in Core Vascular Surgery Procedures.

As vascular surgery has become increasingly sub-specialized, the scope of vascular care that general surgeons can be trained to provide has come into question. Thus, we sought to understand the competence and autonomy of general surgery residents (GSR) in core vascular surgery procedures. Three core operations in vascular surgery were identified: lower extremity (LE) amputations, arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation, and LE embolectomy and thrombectomy (thromboembolectomy). Assessment of GSRs autonomy and performance for these operations were obtained from the System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning (SIMPL) application from 2018 to 2022. Data were analyzed using a combination of descriptive statics and chi-square tests. Logistic generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were also performed. 1950 SIMPL operative assessments were analyzed. Senior residents were found to be meaningfully autonomous and competent in 82% (n = 237) and 66% (n = 189) of LE amputation assessments and 50% (n = 225) and 32% (n = 142) of AVF assessments, respectively. The majority of senior residents failed to achieve meaningful autonomy (n = 99, 67%) and competence (n = 116, 80%) for LE thromboembolectomy cases, while the majority of junior and midlevel residents failed to achieve meaningful autonomy and competence for all 3 procedures. For an average case, a senior resident had an 86% (95% CI: 79% - 89%) chance of achieving competence during LE amputation, 41% (95% CI: 43% - 62%) chance during AVF, and 21% (95% CI: 27% - 52%) chance during LE thromboembolectomy. In this study, GSR failed to achieve competence and meaningful autonomy for 3 core procedures, including AVF creation. Notably, the creation of an AVF was recently included within the new Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for general surgery. However, the results of this study suggest that GSR will fail to demonstrate the competence needed for entrustment. Training requirements for general surgery residents in vascular surgery may need to be reassessed.

Generic Competencies in Dentistry: Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Their Professional Relevance and Their Development in Undergraduate Studies at Universidad Diego Portales of Chile.

Generic competencies are transferable skills, knowledge and attitudes essential for personal and professional development and not restricted to any particular field. Evidence shows the relevance of incorporating them into the dentistry curriculum. However, defining which competencies to prioritise is complex and requires input from the academic community. This research aimed to understand the perception of dentistry students and teachers at Universidad Diego Portales regarding the importance of generic competencies in the profession and their development during undergraduate studies. 74 teachers and 256 students participated, representing 55% of the study population. The Tuning Latin America project's generic competencies questionnaire was used, assessing 27 competencies in terms of relevance, ranking, and development. A positive perception regarding the importance of generic competencies was observed, with over 90% of participants considering them quite or highly relevant. When ranking, five skills stood out: three from the learning process, one from social values, and one from interpersonal skills. Regarding the development of such skills, both teachers and students expressed that many competencies were not well implemented; over 50% of participants considered 14 of the presented skills as poorly developed or not developed at all. Each programme must select generic competencies for their students' training, as this definition varies according to the consulted group and country. Both teachers and students recognised the professional relevance of generic competencies in dentistry. Both groups perceived that many were not adequately developed in the curriculum.

Considerations for adapting digital competencies and training approaches to the public health workforce: an interpretive description of practitioners’ perspectives in Canada

BackgroundWidespread digital transformation necessitates developing digital competencies for public health practice. Given work in 2024 to update Canada’s public health core competencies, there are opportunities to consider digital competencies. In our previous research, we identified digital competency and training recommendations within the literature. In this study, we explored public health practitioners' experiences and perspectives on adapting identified digital competencies and training recommendations for Canada.MethodsBetween November and December 2023, we conducted an interpretive description using four focus groups with 19 public health practitioners working in regional and federal health authorities across Canada, with at least 3 years’ experience in current roles and experience using digital technologies in practice. We explored practitioners’ experiences using digital technologies and sought their opinions on how digital competency recommendations previously identified could be adapted to Canada’s context. To generate deep insights of practitioners’ subjective experiences and perspectives, we analyzed verbatim transcripts using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsWe identified three main themes: a) public health systems must evolve to support new digital competencies; b) strengthen the basics before extending towards digital competencies; and c) focus on building general digital competencies with options for specialization where necessary. Findings emphasized matching workforce digital competencies to public health system capabilities and meaningfully integrating digital competencies within existing curricula. Such integration can consider how digital technologies change current public health practice to ensure practitioners are better able to address contemporary public health problems. Findings demonstrated roles for specialized digital programs as resources for learning within health systems and emphasized hands-on real-world training approaches.ConclusionWe need integrated, systems-focused approaches to digital competencies cutting across the current public health curriculum, while creating space for specialized digital public health competencies and roles. Further research is needed to understand requirements for enacting these recommendations in practice.

Detection of training needs for university teachers in the Area of EconomicAdministrative Sciences: A study at the Autonomous University of Nayarit

This article aims to identify the training needs of faculty members in the economics-administrative area at the Autonomous University of Nayarit through a census applied to 82 professors. A quantitative approach was employed, using a descriptive and cross-sectional design with a validated questionnaire that measured general and specific competencies in various academic areas. The instrument demonstrated high reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.89. The results highlight a significant need for training in digital tools (65%) and innovative pedagogical strategies (58%), as well as specialized areas such as digital marketing, international trade, and financial standards, depending on the discipline. Additionally, 60% of the professors expressed interest in receiving training in advanced analytical technologies. The preference for online courses and in-person workshops, with a biannual frequency, underscores the importance of implementing training programs tailored to the specific demands of each area.

„Dziękuję Ci że nie jest wszystko tylko białe albo czarne”

“THANK YOU THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT JUST WHITE OR BLACK”. ON THE TRANSLATION OF RELIGIOUS VOCABULARY INTO GERMAN IN POETRY BY JAN TWARDOWSKIPoems by the priest Jan Twardowski are considered an outstanding example of religious lyric poetry. The aim of the article is to analyze his translated works in terms of the adequacy of the translation religious vocabulary and to answer the question of whether the translators managed to preserve not only the literal meaning of the works but also the nuanced meanings inherent in the original, and to indicate the difficulties that should be noted in this type of translation. The focus is on terminological issues, ambiguity, intertextual references, and metaphors. Conclusions of a general nature concern cultural competence in relation to the so-called high culture.

MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE IN CHURCH STEWARDSHIP

The problem of mismanagement in church stewardship is caused by church leaders not being standardized in their managerial competencies which causes them to be unable to carry out their management functions, namely: planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling. This study addresses a notable gap in existing literature by providing a framework that links these competencies to the successful achievement of a church's vision, mission, and goals. The author proposes generic managerial competencies that must be standardized or possessed by the church leaders, such as General Ability, Willingness to do more, Creative Leadership, Goal & Objective Setting, Managerial, Emotional Quotient, Personality, human relations, work style, Loyalty, Work Potential. Finally, the research offers practical insights for church leaders enabling them to enhance their managerial skills and improve overall church governance and operational effectiveness.

Proposal of learning strategies for the subject of Quality Systems Management for Industrial Engineering, at the Technological Institute of Villahermosa

The objective of this project is to propose learning strategies for the subject of management of quality systems for industrial engineering, at the Technological Institute of Villahermosa Tabasco.A diagnosis will be made by means of a Survey as an instrument, using the Likert scale that facilitates the collection of data that can be statistically analyzed. 2 polls were designed. One for the three professors who teach the subject of quality systems management and another survey for the 81 students who take this subject. Subsequently, the information will be analyzed through statistical tools. From the information provided by the professors and the students, from which a result will be made, the results of the information provided by both are obtained, so that a proposal for better learning strategies for the Industrial Engineering career can be designed, thus achieving a better use of the student and the achievement of both specific and generic competencies of the subject and for the Industrial Engineering career.

FORMATION OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF A FUTURE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER

The article examines the essence of the concept of "digital competence" and establishes that it is an important component of the general professional competence of a modern teacher. Its components and content are outlined, it is stated that digital competence includes interaction with digital devices and modern technologies for learning, work and social activities. Particular attention is paid to the conditions for future elementary school teachers to acquire digital competence in the modern digital informational educational environment. The main advantages of the modern digital information educational environment are: ensuring wide access to learning at a convenient time and, accordingly, increasing the speed of passing the educational program by individual students; creation of conditions for implementation of differentiated and complex training; changing the main role of designing educational tasks from the role of the teacher; transformation of the organization, management and evaluation of education, presentation of educational materials and management of the educational process. It has been proven that digital competence requires constant development for effective professional activity in today's changing environment. Acquiring digital competence contributes to the general development of the competencies of the future primary school teacher, increases his professional skills, ensures competitiveness in the labor market, promotes personal development, continuous education, develops the ability to apply acquired knowledge and integrate it into existing knowledge, actively use digital technologies in the educational process, increases the quality of education. The formation and development of digital competence is considered as a process of acquiring stable, integrated and systematized knowledge in pedagogy, psychology, informatics, computer technologies, teaching methods, the ability to apply them in new situations, personal qualities and the ability to achieve significant results in professional activities. It can be concluded that the implementation of digital technologies in education is not only the use of new digital tools, but above all the creation of an environment that offers innovative learning opportunities, designing individual educational routes and creating unique educational electronic/digital products.

Cognitive and communicative strategies for building a modern scientific and academic discourse

The issue of cognitive and communicative strategies plays a vital role in the formation of modern scientific and academic discourse. It is one of the sources of its further development in the context of modern digitalisation. The research focuses on the quality of using such strategies for argumentation, as well as the consistent and logical presentation of scientific concepts. The article analyses the methodological aspects of the cognitive-communicative strategy and the peculiarities of its use in the linguistics of English. The authors studied the principles and methods of building such strategies and determined the impact of digital technologies on this process. Special attention is paid to the development of the modern scientific environment, key institutions of influence, the activities of some independent researchers, and their interaction with research centres. Through critical analysis, the authors have uncovered the key approaches to constructing, using, and the principles of functioning cognitive and communicative strategies in the linguistics of English. Furthermore, they have identified potential principles for their transformation by the development of digital technologies in scientific research. The article examines the characteristics of the development of academic discourse in English and the emergence of new lexical constructions and neologisms brought about by the digital revolution. The main goal of the research is to outline the prospects for further development of academic discourse in linguistics of English and the possibilities for its enhancement through the use of these technologies. It is proven that the development of general and communicative competencies regarding all types of communicative activity in various areas of language communication is the primary task of linguistics in English.

Conceptualising the Learning of General Upper Secondary Students at Work

The share of general upper secondary students working or having acquired work experience in an authentic work environment in parallel with learning in formal educational settings is expanding. It is therefore important to understand how learning in an authentic work environment and the interrelationships between work and school learning support the development of students. The main aim of this study is to understand and conceptualise the early work experience of students studying at general upper secondary schools. This study applies a phenomenological approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with students who have had work experience in authentic work environments. The main results of this study show that the variety of meaningful skills and competences developed in the work environment is rather great. Mostly, generic competences are learned at work. The incorporation of elements from one practice into the other (work to school or school to work) also occurs. Knowledge learned at school in traditional subjects and in elective courses is applied at work in a few cases. The positive impact of work experience on school studies, however, was reported—better time planning, increased motivation to learn, and increased career awareness.

Integrated STEM Education Competence Framework for University Lecturers

The rapid advancement of science, engineering, and technology, driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has heightened the demand for a highly skilled workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Integrated STEM education has emerged as a key driver of educational innovation in Vietnam, spanning both general and higher education. The competence of university lecturers in delivering integrated STEM education, a newly recognized pedagogical and professional skill set, is crucial to the success of STEM education at the tertiary level. As with general pedagogical competence, the development of an integrated STEM education competence framework is essential for enhancing this capability among university lecturers. However, there remains a lack of theoretical foundation and best practices tailored to the Vietnamese higher education context. This study aims to develop a framework for integrated STEM education competence specifically for university lecturers through document analysis and survey research. Multivariate statistical techniques, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha, and Pearson correlation, were applied to data collected from 205 lecturers across nine public universities in Vietnam. The integrated STEM education competence framework for Vietnamese university lecturers consists of three component competencies and 23 items: designing and implementing integrated STEM education (15 items), assessing integrated STEM learning outcomes (4 items), and demonstrating positive attitudes towards integrated STEM education (4 items). The framework was found to be both reliable and valid, with strong positive correlations among the three component competencies. This study also outlines limitations and provides recommendations for future research.

Primary School Teachers’ Perspectives on the Relationship Between Students’ Learning and Work-Related Skills

Primary school teachers play a significant role in preparing students to meet the demands of the 21st century. Balancing the integration of work-related skills into classroom learning while maintaining student motivation presents considerable challenges. This study explored teachers’ perceptions of the relationship between student learning and the development of work-related skills through 13 narrative interviews. Data were analysed using phenomenographic and content analyses, revealing three key themes: competence-building, relatedness-focused, and autonomy-related views. Teachers highlighted the importance of developing students’ general competencies and cross-contextual skills while fostering a supportive learning environment and promoting a sense of relatedness. Notably, their perceptions were more influenced by past experiences than by current contexts. These findings suggest that teachers recognise the importance of integrating real-world phenomena into classroom learning to prepare students for future challenges. The implications for teacher training include fostering reflective practices to help educators critically examine the influence of personal history on their teaching approaches.

Examination of the relationship between authentic assessment and generic competencies among undergraduate science student-teachers in Tanzanian universities

This paper investigates the relationship between authentic assessment tools and the acquisition of generic competencies among undergraduate science student-teachers in Tanzanian universities. Employing a quantitative research approach, data were gathered through questionnaires and document reviews. A sample of 231 undergraduate science student-teachers was selected using stratified proportional random sampling. The collected data underwent analysis using a multiple linear regression model. Results revealed a significant relationship between authentic assessment tools and generic competencies, with variations in generic competencies accounting for 50 per cent of the variations in authentic assessment tools. The study underscores the necessity of establishing an authentic assessment policy within universities to ensure its comprehensive implementation.

The accounting professional’s competencies: does the supply fit with the demand? Evidence from Portugal

ABSTRACT Studies examining the alignment between supply and demand for accounting professional’s competencies have been conducted worldwide. However, these studies have predominantly relied on questionnaires and interviews, and have often been limited to similar contexts. Our study adopts a novel approach to diversify this body of literature. We applied content analysis to 306 job advertisements (demand perspective) and 32 accounting course programs (supply perspective) to assess the supply – demand alignment of competencies among entry-level accounting professionals in Portugal. This research offers practical contributions by supporting Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), students, and professional bodies in identifying gaps in the alignment of courses with the job market. Additionally, it makes a theoretical contribution by employing a segment of the university-market convergence framework for the accounting professional’s competencies. The findings revealed a strong alignment of the essential technical competencies. However, the data also highlight room for improvement in less specific (generic) competencies such as information technologies and foreign languages. Moreover, an analysis of the alignment of various courses with the respective areas of accounting expertise yielded interesting results, albeit not consistently positive. These findings underscore the importance of HEIs to remain vigilant regarding labor market changes and adjust their curricula accordingly.

Simulation of the seepage pressure under the dam by Seep/W during engineering education

The modern educational environment should ensure the formation of general and professional (special) competencies of the future specialist. The high education of STEM specialties is impossible without modern information technologies and special software in modern conditions. Developer companies and stakeholders are interested in training students using modern calculation software and provide various opportunities for training. Educational programs gradually reduce the amount of practice classes, the use of special calculation software allows to carry out more necessary calculations in short time, illustrate the results, correct the mistakes, choose the optimal constructive solution, therefore, it contributes to the development of critical thinking and independent learning skills of the student. The practice of implementing information technologies into the education process from simple to complex software is widespread both in Ukraine and abroad. Using modern software activates practical learning, boosts professional identity, consciousness, motivation, and creation of the students. The article provides the calculation of the seepage pressure under the dam by the ordinary handmade method and by Seep/W software. The fourth-year bachelor's degree students carry out this calculation during the concrete dam design. The comparison of the calculation results by hand and by Seep/W PC was made. Modern engineering software are quite complex, require additional knowledge and practice skills, encourage students to survey additional information, which contributes to the development of the students individual trajectory. Most of the modern software are in English, which also stimulates the study of professional English vocabulary.

Developing academic competences in conducting research projects (on the example of internship programmes for students of Polish Studies at the The Precarpathian National University)

The article analyses the development of academic competence in conducting research projects (on the example of internship programmes for students of Polish Studies at the The Precarpathian National University). During the internship, students improve their socio-cultural skills, closely intertwined with communicative competences, with respect to various spheres and stages of life of local Poles who are bilingual. Fostering translation competence while working on authentic utterances delivered in the Borderland dialect is an example of the practical applicataon of qualitative methods in the students’ training during the internship. Listening to and transcribing authentic texts is facilitated by conversations held with bilinguals. The trainees try their hand as researchers through the possibility of participating in modern research in dialectology and sociolinguistics. Such attempts not only enhance the development of linguistic competence, but also general competence of the students.

Building Professional Competence of Prison Staff: Psychological, Pedagogical, and Legal Aspects

Considering the war in Ukraine, the study of the main aspects of building the professional competence of the prison staff is a current priority task of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. The objective of the study is to determine the components of professional competence of the prison staff in Ukraine. Methods. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the Bass Personality Orientation Test, and the Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI). Statistical analysis involves the use of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results. Graduates of the penitentiary system have formed general and special professional competencies, including partial stress resistance, coping with problem solving, and motivational focus on the task. It has been proven that general professional competencies are directly related to professionally important qualities (р≤0.01). Conclusions. The results can be used by higher education institutions (HEIs) to adjust professional training programs for prison staff. Heads of penal institutions can consider the obtained results when selecting staff for positions. The results are useful for the professional self-development of specialists, as they indicate the qualities and competencies that they need to develop. Prospects. Further study may focus on determining how the professional competencies of the prison staff are built at different stages of their professional activities.

Innovations in Medical Education in Gastrointestinal Surgery Using Interactive Anatomical Tables

The introduction of digital technologies into the learning process for medical university students represents a new paradigm in medical education since high level of criteria for assessing the quality of learning of a medical student require the application of modern technologies in training fundamental disciplines and, in particular, anatomy. Thanks to virtual technologies, conditions are created for modeling and integrating the student into conditions close to real ones, which increases the interest and involvement of students in the educational process and, as a result, a subjective improvement in the process of assimilation of the material. Traditional education based on dissection materials cannot fully provide for the massive training of students, as biological materials cannot be restored or preserved and are quickly damaged. 3D models are devoid of these limitations.Aim: to evaluate the effectiveness of digital dissection in the educational trajectory of clinical anatomy using interactive anatomical tables and the need of students for the active use of these aids.Materials and methods. Four groups of students were formed: three groups were studying the material using various anatomical tables and one group used the traditional method. To control the effectiveness of the educational process, before the start of training, entrance testing was conducted in all groups. At the end of classes on individual topics, participants completed exit testing, as well as a questionnaire.Results. The analysis of learning outcomes shows a significantly higher level of absorption of the material among students in groups where 3D anatomical models were used during classes. This indicates that students’ subjective experience of the learning process has improved due to their increased involvement in the class and their interest in innovative teaching methods.Conclusion. We plan to study learning outcomes in more detail to identify any differences in the formation of general and professional competencies among students. This information will help us make informed decisions about the widespread use of anatomical models in educational practice.

Professional Training and Personal Development: Essential Complementarity in the Military Educational Process

In this endeavor, the authors start from the premise that the characteristics and trends of the current security environment compel higher military education to place great emphasis on training the military leader of the future. Attention is given to future military commanders and planners. The authors suggest that commanders’ and military planners’ most important skills are those associated with leadership. The approach focuses on the dual aspects of professional training and personal development, whose complementarity can contribute to strengthening the profile of the military commander as an effective leader. The purpose of this initiative is to outline general competencies within a military leadership discipline, in accordance with learning outcomes based on competencies associated with complete leadership. The authors propose to redesign the higher military education curricula for training military leaders. The design of the endeavor is based on the results of a specialized study, which aimed to identify the predominant leadership profile among graduates of higher military education. These competencies will be adapted to the characteristics of education focused on measurable learning outcomes. The proposed objectives include analyzing leadership styles, leveraging the characteristics of the predominant type of leadership among command and staff faculty master graduates, and identifying ways to develop competencies based on an educational program model that enhances military leadership skills. The research hypothesis to be validated is that emotional intelligence predicts complete leadership styles, and the research results could be translated into a new educational program model for developing an effective leader.

Does Students' Level of Intelligence Moderate the Relationship Between Socio-Economic Status and Academic Achievement?

The association between school students' social background and school achievement is well documented. Recent studies demonstrated that this association might be moderated by the level of cognitive potential. Based on these results, we recruited an elementary school sample (N = 837) and an adolescent sample at the end of their compulsory school time (N = 2100) to investigate whether the associations between students' social background and their academic achievement in math and language arts were moderated by the level of their general cognitive competencies, i.e., intelligence. To this end, we assessed intelligence, math and reading competencies, teacher-reported grades, and students' socio-economic background (number of books at home). In both samples, the association between students' socio-economic background and language arts grades was moderated by their intelligence level but not the ones with math grades, reading, and math competencies. The association between socio-economic background and language arts grades was strongest in the average intelligence sample and smaller in the above-average intelligence sample. Results are discussed with regard to their implications for the discussion of social injustice in schools.